M.L. Leddy · History
Why collectors care
M.L. Leddy’s is one of the few Texas custom houses where provenance can be partly internal: a code in the shaft may still map to a ledger page.
Biography and shop chronology
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1896 | Martin Luther Leddy born (CBDB / Trail of Fame-type records). |
| 1918 | Leaves family cotton farm; works Brady saddle/boot shop. |
| 1922 | Buys the Brady shop — founding year used by the company. |
| 1936 | Moves operation to San Angelo. |
| 1941 | Opens Fort Worth Stockyards store (2455 N. Main). |
| Early 1950s | Sons Dale & Hollis + son-in-law Jim Franklin purchase from the founders. |
| 1957 | M.L. dies (20 Jul per CBDB). |
| 1986 | Grandson Wilson Franklin continues ownership. |
| 2020s | Fourth-generation leadership (Jim Franklin, Josilyn Franklin Bigoness in Cowboys & Indians 2025); centennial press 2022 (Texas Highways). |
Known for
The ledger fit; boots and saddles both