October 2024

As the fall season wraps up, we find ourselves with mixed emotions. Our event schedule kicked off early this year, starting in July, and while it’s nice to wind down before the colder weather sets in, we do miss those crisp, cool evenings of camping. A heartfelt thank you to our customers for their patience when orders took an extra day or two to ship while we were on the road. Your understanding means the world to us, and we’re always grateful for such gracious support.

September and early October have flown by, bringing both changes and exciting progress for our company. Connecting with so many of you in person has been a highlight, and we had a truly special time at the Feast of the Hunters Moon—an event close to home, where the Samson family’s roots run deep. Spending time with old friends there was a reminder of the wonderful community we are part of.

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Here We Grow Again

If you follow our social media, you likely know that our team has grown by two. We are thrilled to have Beth and Jimmy Webb, formerly of 96 District Fabrics, joining us. Beth and Jimmy have been key figures in the historical event circuit for over 10 years. Their deep involvement in these events has given them a rich understanding of the needs and desires of historical reenactors, museums, and textile enthusiasts. With a combined experience of over 30 years in sewing, fabric sales, and mechanical maintenance, they bring a wealth of knowledge, passion, and creativity to our growing team, along with a deep commitment to historical accuracy and quality craftsmanship. 

We’re incredibly fortunate to have Beth and Jimmy on board, and we look forward to the innovation and passion they will bring to their respective roles.

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We Eagerly Await

This is a favorite time of year for Casey and I (Abbie). We get to be in the shop working on new products for the holiday season and upcoming year! I cannot give away everything that is in the works but I can say, thanks to everyone who completed our survey, that we are focusing on filling some needs as well as some tasty surprises!

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From the Vernacular

As the festivals for both haunts and harvest are upon us, I thought it prudent to include some of the relevant phrases from the Samuel Johnson 1792 edition dictionary, that one may find useful.

Scarecrow or Crowkeeper

An image or clapper set up to fright birds.

Harvest-Home

1. The song which reapers sing at the feast for having inned the harvest.
2. The time of gathering the harvest
3. The opportunity of gathering treasure.

To GHOST

To haunt with apparitions of departed men.

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Colonial Market Days

It was a warm weekend for Colonial Market Days in our hometown of Lebanon, Indiana. This event is special for so many reasons but one of the biggest ones is the camaraderie. This is truly a family event where the reenactor children of all ages can play and engage with the public students in a way that puts history at their level. From the military and civilians, to the merchants and demonstrators, everyone plays an important part in the special culture of the event. There is a permanent date change next year to note on your calendars. Please join us on October 24-26, 2025 for next years CMD.

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The Headless Hessian

A favorite tale for many generations, the Headless Horseman is full of intrigue, the perfect amount of spook, and more history than you  may have thought!

Washington Irving (1783-1859) first visited Tarrytown in 1798.  The area was rife with folk tales, inhabited as it was already for two centuries by Dutch colonists, and for generations before that by Native Americans who had their own stories of the supernatural. 

Among the Dutch wheat farms of the larger district of Tarrytown, young Irving met some of the characters, or at least the names, of one of his most famous tales -- and in turn gave the small area the name for which it is known: Sleepy Hollow.    

Ichabod Crane, the story’s nervous yet dapper schoolteacher from Connecticut, might be an amalgamation of several individuals. However, the most common view is that Ichabod Crane is someone with whom Irving served in the War of 1812. 

The character of Katherine Van Tassel -- Crane’s romantic interest appears to be based on two women: Eleanor Brush nee Van Tassel (1764-1861) and her aunt Catriena nee Ecker Van Tassel (1736-1796).  Irving may have based his character on Eleanor the person, but Catriena’s monument bears a bit more telling.  Her gravestone stands in the Old Dutch Churchyard. Using Catriena’s grave as a point of reference, it is possible to then see the grave of the star of the story: the Headless Horseman. More specifically, the Headless Hessian, who seems to have been based by Irving upon a very real individual indeed. 

There are several contenders for the nameless mercenary who occupies such a central role in the tale.  The British issued orders that all privately held firearms should be turned in; anyone found with a firearm in their home faced destruction of their property as a potential threat to the soldiers of the Crown.   

A local home was found to have a fowling piece – though another version has it that the farm of Cornelius and Elizabeth Van Tassel was raided by the British and offered some resistance.  In either case, true to the standing command, the house was put to the torch.  However, in the rush, everyone failed to notice that a young girl was still in the home as flames began to devour the first floor.  A Hessian trooper ran into the inferno and rescued the girl. 

One of the favorite candidates for the origin of the headless hessian comes from an incident a few days after White Plains.  Major William Heath recorded in his report after a brief holding action on November 1, 1776, that a cannon shot took off the head of a Hessian trooper and killed a horse.  This specificity explains why it is a favorite.  

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Where To Shop With Us

While we are not traveling to any other historical events in the next couple of months you can always feel free to drop in to our store front in person or our digital store front online. Give us a call with any questions, and we look forward to seeing you!

Samson Historical
119 N Meridian Street
Lebanon, IN 46052

Monday – Friday
10 a.m. – 5 p.m.