Need Help With This Button!

[Full Metal Digger]

Hey Diggers,

I found an interesting button yesterday. It is a Federal Engineers button. I can find lots of pictures of these from the Civil War but they all have Scoville and Waterbury back marks. My button has a DeMoulin Bros back mark (out of Greenville, Ill). I can find lots of info about the brothers (including a museum) and it looks like they started business about 1905. It makes sense this button is circa 1910s considering all the other coins and relics we found at that house.

I am wondering how long this design was used by the Federal Engineers. Was it just during the Civil War or did they use it up to say, WW1?

[del]

Dave the motto Essayons was adopted as early as 1806 and the first buttons that bared this motto was in 1814 . However the button design as yours was first started around 1840 and has been only slight varied in its appearance since . while virtually all buttons of the Army were changed in 1902 (from the general service eagle to the great seal type) the Engineers Essayons was kept unchanged and still used . yours is a very nice example Dave .

Dan

[The Rebel]

Never seen that button before! Nice find as well as history Dan!

[fyrffytr1]

Here is what I found in one of my reference books but it is a little confusing to me.
"DeMoulin Bros. & Co., Greenville, Ill." Sword and regalia makers including lodge swords(per 1915 catalog). Established in 1892 & operated until 1905 by Edw. & Ulysses S. DeMoulin. Erastus DeMoulin joined in 1905 and the firm became DeMoulin Bros. & Co. From 1915-32 located at 1105 S 4th.
Anyway you look at it your button would date between 1892 and 1932

[MangoAve]

I do believe you has something closer to the 1902 end. DeMoulin Bros and Co from Greenville has been making uniforms (but mostly now for bands) since 1892. That's when the company was started. So you got a 10 yr window now. At least Dan left something open ended so that someone else can add info. :lol:;)


However the button design as yours was first started around 1840 and has been only slight varied in its appearance since .

Where's Ol' Dave to argue about two piece (ball) buttons being around since 1812? :lol: