Leatherman (vagabond)
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The Leatherman (ca. 1839 – 1889) was a vagabond famous for his handmade leather suit of clothes who traveled a circuit between the Connecticut and Hudson Rivers from about 1856-1889. Although sometimes identified as Jules Bourglay, his identity remains unknown.
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[edit] Life
Residing in rock shelters and "leatherman caves" as they are locally now known, [1][2] he stopped at towns along his 365 mile loop once every 34 days for food and supplies.[3] He was dubbed the "Leatherman" as his entire adornment, from hat, scarf, clothes to shoes were handmade of leather.[4]
Fluent in French, he communicated mostly with grunts and gestures, rarely using his broken English. When asked of his background, he would abruptly end the conversation.[5] [6] Upon his death, among his possessions was found a French prayerbook.[4] [6]
It is unknown how he earned money, although one store kept a record of his order: "one loaf of bread, a can of sardines, one-pound of fancy crackers, a pie, two quarts of coffee, one gill of brandy and a bottle of beer".[4] [7]
Leatherman was quite popular in Connecticut. Reliable in his rounds, people would have extra food ready for him, which he often ate on their doorsteps.[6] [8] Ten towns along the Leatherman's route passed ordinances exempting him from the state "tramp law" passed in 1879.[1]
[edit] Health
The Leatherman survived blizzards and other foul weather by heating his rock shelters with fire. The Connecticut Humane Society had him arrested and hospitalized in 1888, which resulted in a diagnosis of "sane except for an emotional affliction" and release, as he had money and desired freedom. His ultimate demise was from cancer of the mouth due to tobacco use.[7] [4] His body was found in March of 1889 in his Saw Mill Woods cave, Sing Sing, NY.[5]
[edit] Grave
His grave is located at the Sparta Cemetery, Route 9, Scarborough, New York. His burial was paid for by an Englishman named Sampson Fisher-King Bennetts who claimed to have spent time with Jules in Nineveh, Ur and Paris.
[edit] Tombstone
FINAL RESTING PLACE OF
Jules Bourglay
OF LYONS, FRANCE
"THE LEATHER MAN"
who regularly walked a 365 mile route
through Westchester and Connecticut from
the Connecticut River to the Hudson
living in caves in the years
1858–1889
[edit] Identity controversy
The Leatherman's tombstone reads, "Final resting place of Jules Bourglay of Lyons, France, 'The Leather Man'…", and he is identified with that name in many accounts.[1][2] However, according to researchers, including Dan W. DeLuca, his identity remains unknown. This name first appeared in a story published in the Waterbury Daily American, August 16, 1884, but was later retracted March 25, 26 and 27, 1889 and also in The Meriden Daily Journal, March 29, 1889.[3] [8]
[edit] Towns visited[5]
[edit] Geocaching and letterboxing
Many of the locations on Leatherman's route in Connecticut and New York have geocaches [9] as well as letterboxes[1] near them.
[edit] Popular media
- Leatherman inspired a song by Pearl Jam, "Leatherman" (b-side of the single "Given to Fly", from the album Yield)[3]
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d Connecticut State Forests - Seedling Letterbox Series Clues for Mattatuck State Forest (retrieved September 23, 2007)
- ^ a b Leatherman's Cave, Watertown, CT (retrieved September 23, 2007)
- ^ a b c Hudson Valley Ruins (retrieved July 21, 2006)
- ^ a b c d Samantha Hunt, Jules Bourglay, Notable Walker. McSweeney's Internet Tendency, 11/2002 (retrieved July 21, 2006)
- ^ a b c History of Redding (retrieved July 21, 2006)
- ^ a b c NY Hudson Valley (retrieved July 21, 2006)
- ^ a b Canning, Jeff and Wally Buxton, History of the Tarrytowns, Harbor Hill Books 1975
- ^ a b Research by Dan W. DeLuca (retrieved July 21, 2006)
- ^ Leatherman's Circuit (retrieved September 23, 2007)
