Today is the 173rd anniversary of the Battle of San Jacinto in which the outnumbered volunteer Texas army under Sam Houston defeated Mexican troops under Gen. Santa Ana, forcing him to sign documents granting Texas independence as a republic in 1836, just weeks after the heroic stand at The Alamo by Davy Crockett, Jim Bowie, Col. William B. Travis and about 200 others. I can’t resist a good watch story, so here goes…

Gail Borden, namesake of the keywind Elgin model named after him for being an early investor, risked his life in 1835 as one of the organizers of the Texas Revolution and writers of the Texas Declaration of Independence. He, his family and parents were colonists under Stephen F. Austin when Borden started an English language newspaper to promote freedom, the “Telegraph and Texas Land Register” on October 10, 1835 in San Felipe, Texas.
A surveyor and mapmaker, he soon had to move the newspaper to Houston, where he later surveyed the town of Houston. He helped form a provisional government with Sam Houston and David Burnet. After San Jacinto, Borden was named Collector of the Port of Galveston (the largest city in Texas) and surveyed that city too, where he remained until 1857. Borden invented a meat biscuit in 1851 and, his great success, invented condensed milk in 1853. He moved to New York and hit it rich during the Civil War when the U.S. Army purchased Borden Eagle Brand condensed milk for soldiers.
At the end of the Civil War, as the National Watch Co. was organizing in Elgin, Illinois, Gail Borden built a milk factory there, convinced by his second wife who had lived in Elgin that the Fox River Valley was a good place. Elsie the Borden cow must have liked it there. Today Borden Inc. is the largest producer of dairy and pasta products in the U.S.

The National Watch Co. (Elgin} decided to name the Gail Borden model, size 10s, Grade 22 after him as an early investor in the company. The key wind, key set from the back movement with 11 jewels is in the same 10s group as the Francis Rubie, Lady Elgin and Dexter Street models. Examples complete with the rare size 10 case are extremely hard to find. The case must have two winding holes in the back dust cover, the cuvette. They often sell for over $300 when complete and in good shape, gold-filled.

This is a Gail Borden Elgin Grade 22, key wind and set from the back:

The porcelain dial is marked with a special Elgin symbol made up of the letters NWCo for National Watch Company during the 1870s, then the dial changed to a special Elgin symbol made up of the letters EWCo for Elgin Watch Company for production after 1874 when Elgin changed its name.

Great story and nice photos, J.Elgin....

Gail Borden was quite an individual and had many life accomplishments to his credit....

You are also correct about the cases being very diffucult to find....

Thanks for the information....it is enjoyable and educational....

Regards,
Jerry

A real problem with collecting these Gail Borden watches is the fact most came in a solid gold case, and you know what happened to these. Whole watches that survive today usually have a gold filled case, and as Wayne says in his database listing, "cases are hard to find." This is an understatement. And here is a good example.

Jerry, I've only managed to find one of these cases, and it's missing the bow. But here's a beautiful one that sold on eB.. this week for $350.

John - Thank you for the very interesting story about Gail Borden. I have lived in the Dallas area for over 40 years and did not know about his involvement in early Texas history. If he was mentioned in history class, I did not remember nor make the connection to Borden milk.

You have several beautiful examples in your collection. And I agree with you about finding original 10 size cases. About as rare as a month of Sundays!

John, your most interesting story (there oughta be a book about this guy) triggered a brain cell for a second, and I went into my "stuff" where I had put some things that came in a garage sale $25.00 "old jewelery box". I thought this was named after the person whose cow kicked over the lantern and burned down the city of Chicago. I gave it a wind and it "lit right up".

Shugart says it is a sixty five buck watch . . .

Of course mine is missing the release button for opening the case to read the time. But then it has some very nice engraved artwork. I wonder if those buttons can be machined somehow . . .

Hey John, Thanks. A beautiful watch,and interesting history lesson. I also had never made the connection to the Borden products that I have seen all my life.

David I am also impressed with your "stuff". Seems like you have at least one of everything in your "stuff"

Hey Dave, check with Leon, he may be able to do something for your case....

Regards,
Jerry

Dave, really nice of you to hunt up an excellent Gail Borden example, and with a beautiful dial and case as your photo montage shows. No one will ever match that price! My best is $28, plus $5 shipping for a first run movement, no case. Your 1881 dial has the EWCo. stylized symbol marking (my 1882 is the same symbol) while my earlier one from 1873 has the NWCo. marking. It's interesting to look at them and try to figure out the letters. I'm not sure anyone outside IHC185 has documented these early dial differences. Not in the books I have, or research on the Web.

Let us all know if you can get a button from Leon. My 1882 Gail Borden is in a gf Dueber hunter case missing the button to open it, and the bow. I use a wooden match stick to open it. Not so bad because then I can light a cigar...

Despite what Shugart says, some of these watches were made the same year (1873) as the famous 1873 Winchester rifle "The gun that won the West" and the model 1873 Colt Single Action Army revolver, three years before Custer met his demise. My 1873 Gail Borden is in far better shape than either of these 1873 antique guns, while the Winchester and Colt were made in far greater numbers. I think watch collectors need to give more value to the older watches that have survived God knows what in life to make it this far. Gun dealers do, and watch collectors have the same serial number lists to pinpoint age.

Great information John and beautiful watch David. I have two Gail Borden watches both are from 1882 or three. Both are in the original solid gold cases one is 18k and the other 14k. I bought them when I first got into this hobbie becuase I wanted examples of small key wind ket set watches. they are beautiful. sorry I don't have photos at the moment

There is a considerable account of Mr. Borden's life at;

http://www.answers.com/topic/borden-gail

quote:

Despite what Shugart says, some of these watches were made the same year (1873) as the famous 1873 Winchester rifle "The gun that won the West" and the model 1873 Colt Single Action Army revolver, three years before Custer met his demise. My 1873 Gail Borden is in far better shape than either of these 1873 antique guns, while the Winchester and Colt were made in far greater numbers. I think watch collectors need to give more value to the older watches that have survived God knows what in life to make it this far. Gun dealers do, and watch collectors have the same serial number lists to pinpoint age.

Proof of point, most of the Winchesters and Colts of that age sell for 5 figures to collectors, and they don't bat an eye to pay it either.

Regards! Mark