frontier where most of the Houstons lived. Here a distinctive American garb developed from the needs of the times, as described by Dunaway:

"The customary dress of the Scotch-Irish frontiers-man consisted of a hunting shirt, woolen or leather breeches, cap and moccasins. The hunting shirt, which was a sort of loose frock, reaching half way down the thighs, had large sleeves and ‘the bosom of this dress served as a wallet to hold a chunk of bread, jerk, tow for wiping the rifle barrel, etc.’ It was made of coarse cloth or dressed deer skins, and the breeches or leggings were of like material. The belt, always fastened behind, held mittens, hatchet, hunting knife, bullet pouch and powder horn. A heavy cape, often decorated with fringe of ravelings of different colors, was made of linsey-woolsey and hung down the back. The moccasins were made of a single piece of leather or untanned deerskin, and reached to the ankle. The frontiersman’s garb, the most distinctive in the annals of American history, made him a picturesque figure." 5

Picturesque, indeed! Certainly, not all of this garb would be worn except on a hunting expedition, but parts of it were adaptable for work in the fields, social occasions or for church on Sunday.

Contrary to modern times, the dress of the Houston women on the frontier was simpler than that of their men. According to the same authority, Dunaway, "The universal dress of the Scotch-Irish women on the frontier was a short gown and petticoat, made of wool for winter and lindsey-woolsey for summer." The lindsey-woolsey was a rough cloth woven of linen warp and coarse wool filling. Headdress for winter was a woolen hat or hood and the suribonnet for summer, or sometimes only a colored handkerchief tied as a head-scarf. Some women prized and hoarded a fancy dress of silk or other costly material, worn only on special occasions—and when life ended, a sentimental garment in which to be buried. Even calico was expensive at that time and only later became popular for everyday wear.

Physically the Houston men who settled in America were tall men. Various contributors to family history describe the stately physique of their ancestors. Men and women alike were usually fair-skinned, with hair ranging from brown to auburn to red, eyes from green to gray to blue. The women were usually of sturdy frame but endowed with a natural comeliness and

5 Dunaway, p. 190. 125