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Thread: The badge

  1. #1
    Senior Member fyrffytr1's Avatar
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    The badge

    I know this is an old find and some of Y'all may have read about it elsewhere but, I have nothing better to do right now so I thought I would post it here.
    It is the story of the find that is my avatar.

    Here is an artifact I found about two years ago. It is not valuable and, as you can see, it is in poor shape. But, the story behind the find is pretty interesting.
    I will start by saying that I was having a pretty good day in the field. Three of us were detecting the old Starkville area. It was the county seat until 1871. Then it was moved to the present day site along the railroad tracks about 3 miles south.
    It was a hot day and we were in a plowed field. None of us were digging any good targets. I was working a grid when I stopped to see what my buddies were doing. When I looked around nobody was there. I pulled my headphones off and listened for a few moments. I heard the beep of a detector in a small patch of woods behind me so, I headed for them and the shade they offered.
    As I was walking down a cow path I got a good signal. I dug down about 4 and came up with a piece of fence wire! I stood up and swung my detector over the hole and got another signal. Again I dug up another piece of wire! Well, when I passed the coil over the hole I got yet another signal. I started to leave it as I figured it was more wire. But, I decided to go ahead and dig it. It turned out to be an 1880 Indian head penny. Thinking I had found what was there I stood up and hit the hole one more time. Another signal. This time an 1871 German coin about the size of a large cent. Another pass brought another signal. A Mexican coin with the date wore off. Then another Indian head and another until I had pulled 8 out. So, from one hole about 12s wide I pulled 10 coins. Funny thing was, I only got one signal at a time. I did not get multiples.
    After working the area for another hour without finding anything else we moved to another field. There were two old homesites that we hunted. Right off, my buddy got an indian head penny then I got a V nickel. Then I got an odd shaped piece of brass. It resembled a leaf and I thought it may have been from a decorative metal flower or something. I dropped it in my pouch and continued hunting. I pulled two small buttons from the same area and then things dried up.
    As we sat on the back of the truck comparing finds my buddy looked at the leaf and said there was something on it. He thought it was a block I. We all thought that I had found a confederate ID tag!
    As soon as I got home I washed it in some mild soapy water, dried it and started looing at it closer. That's when I made out more lettering. Finally, I was able to make out three words. Across the top was CLERK. Beneath that was SPIGGOT. and below that was what we first thought was a block I. It was actually the number 1. Across the bottom was METHUEN.
    What is this? Well, google it I thought. So I googled Spiggot/Methuen and answered my question. It was a badge from the firetruck Spiggot in Methuen, Ma. The Spiggot was in service from 1846 until 1871.
    But, how did it get 1250 miles south? I made contact with Joe( I don't know his last name) from the Methuen Historical society and this is what we have figured out.
    There were 8 Methuen Firemen that were captured at Spotsylvania on May 19,1864 and sent to Andersonville prison. Seven of them died there. This prison is less than 30 miles from Starkville.
    So, was the badge taken when the soldiers were imprisoned or did the owner trade it to a guard for food.
    I will never know the answer to that question and we are still researching to try and find the owners name. It would be great to know who he was.
    So, that is the story of my leaf. If I turn up any further info I will pass it on.


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  2. #2

    Re: The badge

    What a great find you made. The story is very cool. Thanks for sharing. Im in Western Mass and love learning about history. You made me a little smarter tonight, Thank you. Happy Hunting!!
    We are not here for a long time, We are here for a good time. Happy Hunting!!
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  3. #3
    Global Moderator aloldstuff's Avatar
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    Re: The badge

    Good thing for us you had nothing better to do tonight. Loved the post, what a great story. You did a little research and found out what it was. Sad to say I have to agree with you that we will never know the real story. If only these relics could talk. Again thanks for posting this.
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  4. #4
    Global Moderator Fire Fighter 43's Avatar
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    Re: The badge

    That was a very cool story. Thanks for sharing a great find with us and nice job on the research. Congrats!


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  5. #5
    Elite Member CODY's Avatar
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    Re: The badge

    Love it, love it! What history! Thank you for this post. Great story and research. |
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  6. #6
    Administrator del's Avatar
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    Re: The badge

    hey fyrffytr1 , let me first just say that the piece you shown is a great piece , a very personal relic with lots of history and a interesting story behind it . my favorite kind of finds to recover , thanks for sharing its story.

    Dan
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    so don't expect it from cheap people"

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  7. #7

    Re: The badge

    The story is as nice as the find.Without it an artifact is just that. We all say if only it could only talk, the stories it would tell. Well your does. Thanks for your post.

  8. #8
    Senior Member fyrffytr1's Avatar
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    Re: The badge

    Since I originally posted this elsewhere two years ago I have done some more research and I believe it may have belonged to one F. F. Emerson. Here is a picture of his head stone from the Andersonville prison cemetery.
    Coincidentally, I have kinfolk buried there. His name was John Gouff and he was one of the last to die before the prison was deactivated.
    I live about 40 miles from the Andersonville Prison site so if anyone has civil war kin buried there I would be glad to take a picture of their headstone and state monument. Or anything else there, just let me know.
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    My wife does all the driving, I just hold the steering wheel!

  9. #9

    Re: The badge

    You are right to be proud of that find. It is a very unique item with a personal and interesting history. Share it with as many people as you can, and savor that one, my friend.
    "It was mad pheromone love over a little full moon entombed, and the people found it hard to understand until they saw for themselves the light pouring forth from a hole in the ground exposing a lonely turned ecstatic murky dime ......." please see me at http://www.youtube.com/user/plehbah

  10. #10
    Senior Member fyrffytr1's Avatar
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    Re: The badge

    I plan on donating it to the Methuen, Mass. Fire Department museum sooner or later. It was even more meaningful to me because I am a retired fireman.
    My wife does all the driving, I just hold the steering wheel!

  11. #11
    Global Moderator Fire Fighter 43's Avatar
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    Re: The badge

    Again I want to say, that is a great find and to be a Retired Fire Fighter just adds to the story. WTG for planning on donating the item. The story would also be nice to have on display with the item. From one FF to another congrats brother.


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  12. #12
    Senior Member fyrffytr1's Avatar
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    Just to update everyone, the badge will be mailed out tomorrow. It is going to the Methuen, Ma. fire department. Ken from the Methuen FD lost my contact information several years ago and just last week he e-mailed me saying he had come across the original story on one of the websites I posted it to. While we know where it came from we are still not sure exactly how it got to south Georgia. But, we do know where it will end up, back where it belongs.
    My wife does all the driving, I just hold the steering wheel!

  13. #13
    WOW! Nice story! Great job with the return to it's town!
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  14. #14
    It took a while, but I'm glad the badge is going back to where it belongs. Kudos to you!
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  15. #15

  16. #16
    Wow what a story! Andersonville! I've been there. That place affected me like no other CW site. Good work Fyrffytr from finding it to returning it.
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  17. #17
    interesting read and a kind offer to go take pictures for others at Andersonville
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  18. #18
    Senior Member fyrffytr1's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by CTTodd View Post
    interesting read and a kind offer to go take pictures for others at Andersonville
    The offer still stands.
    My wife does all the driving, I just hold the steering wheel!

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