JudyJ

Hi, Tony-- Peter Bidel Hirsch (P.B. Hirsch) was my great-great grandfather. He was born in Bavaria and came to this country sometime in 1854 or so. He married Katie Flynn in Kentucky and later moved with his family to Denver, Colorado where he set up a saddlery. His brother-in-law, Thomas Flynn, joined the family at some point and, as we understand it, apprenticed under P.B. Hirsch, his brother-in-law. Both Hirsch and Flynn continued their saddlemaking in Pueblo after working in Denver. Around 1895, Hirsch joined the Colorado Cooperative Company, a group of families that believed in socialist values and were located in Pinon, CO, close to Montrose. He operated a saddlery in Montrose, and died suddenly from flu(?) in 1901. I am so excited that you have one of his saddles! I've been looking for one, and this is a first for me! Thanks for the pictures!--JudyJ