Posted by Kevin Neilson on 1/26/2012

H.J. Justin of Lafayette, Indiana, moved to Spanish Fort Texas in 1879, with the hope of finding a fresh start and a new way of life. Working out of his home, he started a boot repair business.

In 1889, ten years later, a railroad was built through Nocona, Texas. H.J., seeing the business opportunity, took his family and moved out there to take advantage of the railway trade capabilities.

Another nine years later, in 1908, his two sons John and Earl were old enough to join the business, which now sold cowboy boots, rather than just repairing them. H.J. changed the name to H.J. Justin and Sons. By 1910, their boots were being sold in 26 states and in three neighboring countries for $11 a pair.

When H.J. passed away in 1918, the two older boys and their younger brother Avis took over the company. Shortly thereafter, in 1925, they moved out to Fort Worth. They worked the business successfully from there for quite some time.

In Fort Worth, there was another company called Acme Brick. The Justin Company struck a deal with this company to form Justin Industries. Passing down the family ownership, in 1981 John Jr. bought the company from his aunt Enid Justin. In 1984, he bought the Chippewa Shoe Company to add to the Justin brand.

Then in 1990, after years of battling in competition, Justin Boots purchased Tony Lama Boots. At last, in the year 2000, Justin Boots passed out of the Justin family hands, when Warren Buffet�s Berkshire Hathaway bought them out. Today, the Justin Boot brand name still holds strong against its competitors.