Ray Jones · History
Why collectors care
Ray Jones pairs refuse the easy stamp check. The encyclopedic job is to teach visual / construction language, credit Lampasas shop culture, and map Pablo Jass inheritance without confusing Jones ↔ Jass pairs.
King of the Pegs; never labeled a boot; five-year wait list; roughly 45,000 pairs. Absence of a brand stamp is expected — never require a label.
Life and career
| When | Event |
|---|---|
| 3 Jan 1918 | Born Francis, Oklahoma; family to Dallas about age 6 (ShopTalk / Illume via CBDB). |
| Teen years | Runs away to learn saddle-making in New Mexico; later Mexico / South America (ShopTalk — attribute). |
| 27 Mar 1937 | Marries Katherine Elizabeth (Roper) Jones (obituary / ShopTalk). |
| Brief | Lancaster, Texas shop fails; jokes Dallas area was “where we liked to starve to death” (ShopTalk). |
| Nov 1938 | Opens near Lampasas Courthouse Square (ShopTalk). |
| WWII | Army European theater; Elizabeth stitches tops in Dallas (Elizabeth obituary). |
| 1946–53 | Postwar shops on East 3rd / 307 E. Third; living upstairs (obituary). |
| Jan 1953 | Move to Sulphur Creek / Donovan Grist Mill property — permanent shop/home. |
| Mid-1950s | Drought + 1957 flood → boots-only focus (ShopTalk). |
| 1970s peak | About 1,000 pairs/year; wait list about 5 years; majority French calf. |
| 1980 | Texas Monthly best bootmaker in Texas (press honor). |
| 15 Feb 1983 | Texas Senate S.R. 149 and House H.R. 69. |
| 18 Mar 1983 | Closes shop; estimates >45,000 pairs career. |
| 10 Mar 1996 | Dies age 78 (ShopTalk). Elizabeth d. 2017. |
Shop crew (craft credits)
Heir framing: Elizabeth referred clients to Pablo Jass after retirement; Pablo opened Jass Boot Shop 2 Oct 1982. Cross-link the Pablo page — Jones ≠ Jass. Construction grammar can rhyme; pairs are not interchangeable.
| Person | Role |
|---|---|
| Ray Jones | Design / toe work / overall standard. |
| Elizabeth Jones | Books; hand-signs customer name inside tops. |
| Angie Gonzalez | Stitched tops from home. |
| Joaquin Medina | Lasting. |
| Pablo Jass | Soles, shanks, heel shaping (apprentice ~1971–retirement). |
| Denzel Smith / Dwight Smith | Heels / ink-clean. |
Known for
Triple-row pegging; white piping; the toebug