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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