Bootmaker
W. L. “Tex” Robin
W. L. “Tex” Robin opened his boot shop in Coleman, Texas, in 1944 and taught the trade to his son, Tex L. Robin, who took over the one-man shop after leaving the Army in 1960. By 2002 the son had been running the shop for thirty years, carrying his father's name and craft forward.
Known for
Founded the Coleman shop that became Tex Robin Boots
Biography
History
W. L. "Tex" Robin ran a boot shop in Coleman, Texas, which he opened in 1944, according to Texas Monthly's June 2002 bootmaker roundup. He taught the trade to his son, also known as Tex Robin, who eventually took over the one-man shop and had run it for thirty years by the time of that article.
A Coleman High School Class of 1958 alumni note (updated July 2010) says the son moved to Coleman in 1954 to work alongside his father and took over the shop after leaving the Army in 1960 — a detail that sits alongside, rather than squares neatly with, the article's "thirty years" framing. Alan Bell apprenticed under the son, who has his own record as Tex Robin.
No birth year or death year for W. L. Robin has been documented.
Sources
Identification and markings
Maker-specific markings guidance has not been documented yet. Preserve the complete stamp and compare it against dated sources.
Sources and references
Historical references are cited with the history above. Each catalog record includes its own supporting evidence.
Encyclopedia references: CowboyBootsDB and maker archives linked where available. Historical dates and attributions can vary by source.