Geologyhound
Well-known member
I was on my way to a place I’ve been hitting pretty hard when I passed by an old house on which I’ve had my eye for a while. However, this time, the doors had been removed and a crew was carrying out stuff and piling it in the yard. So of course I turned around. As I did, I saw a tom turkey with his neck straight out racing a car going the other way. I couldn’t get a picture of the race, but I did get a picture of the Tom. When I got back to the house, the foreman said I could hunt as long as the crew was gone for the day.
So, of course I hit this site for a couple hours a night for several nights. In doing so, I met several neighbors who had been given permission to salvage what they could. From them I learned the house had been built in 1861 and was slated for demolition within the week. A lady from a local museum recovered an 1800s wedding dress from the house complete with veils and pantalettes and covered over with seed pearls. She said it had some water damage but it was intact and complete and she planned to display it.
After talking with me, one of the neighbors salvaging the house said he plans to buy a metal detector for his son for Christmas. He also has some acreage near by and said I could stop by and hunt. That will be next on my list…
I didn’t find any silver or jewelry, but for the number of hours I spent, I certainly can’t complain. The brass skeleton key is the best one I’ve ever found. The Abercrombie “button“ must pre-date the renaming of the company to Abercrombie and Fitch in 1904. The Globe chicken feed item looks like it might be some sort of lid, but I am not sure for what kind of container. The retractable pen was in the dust covering a concrete slab in one of the out-buildings. I kept it just in case the retraction part (which still works) was silver, but I think it might be plate. EBay has those pens for about $12.
I don’t know what the small brass/copper rectangles might be. They are all the same size and have three square edges and one V-shaped edge.
The 1916 and 1917 wheats were next to each other. Given the age of the site, I was not leaving any zinc penny signals behind, and I am very glad of that decision. After digging a half dozen or so zincs, one turned up that in the near darkness appeared to be in much better condition. That one went in my good case and turned out to be the worn, but not chewed or rotted, 1907 IHP.
But my favorite zinc penny range find is the three ringer bullet! In 1863, Confederate Brigadier General John Hunt Morgan led his famous raid through this section of Ohio. There is a known skirmish site near here, but when Morgan became nervous about another Union column which might be approaching, historical records indicate Morgan’s force retreated up this road. This house (built two years previously) sat at the crest of a ridge, and horses could easily have been kept safe at the head of a draw on the other side. I have to wonder if a few confederate snipers might have been detailed to lay in wait at the house. The snipers would then take some shots at the first Union troops to show themselves at the base of the ridge. While the Union troops took cover, the raiders would then beat a hasty retreat. The thought snipers might be waiting at any other opportune location would further slow Union pursuit. This bullet was found perhaps 20 feet from the corner of the house and near the road. So, if the hypothetical sniper situation happened, this bullet could be from Union troops returning fire. Of course, the bullet could be related to hunting after the Civil War, but the proximity to the house, road, and ridge crest makes me wonder! I can provide grain weight of the bullet and measurements if anyone might be able to identify the rifle type.
So, of course I hit this site for a couple hours a night for several nights. In doing so, I met several neighbors who had been given permission to salvage what they could. From them I learned the house had been built in 1861 and was slated for demolition within the week. A lady from a local museum recovered an 1800s wedding dress from the house complete with veils and pantalettes and covered over with seed pearls. She said it had some water damage but it was intact and complete and she planned to display it.
After talking with me, one of the neighbors salvaging the house said he plans to buy a metal detector for his son for Christmas. He also has some acreage near by and said I could stop by and hunt. That will be next on my list…
I didn’t find any silver or jewelry, but for the number of hours I spent, I certainly can’t complain. The brass skeleton key is the best one I’ve ever found. The Abercrombie “button“ must pre-date the renaming of the company to Abercrombie and Fitch in 1904. The Globe chicken feed item looks like it might be some sort of lid, but I am not sure for what kind of container. The retractable pen was in the dust covering a concrete slab in one of the out-buildings. I kept it just in case the retraction part (which still works) was silver, but I think it might be plate. EBay has those pens for about $12.
I don’t know what the small brass/copper rectangles might be. They are all the same size and have three square edges and one V-shaped edge.
The 1916 and 1917 wheats were next to each other. Given the age of the site, I was not leaving any zinc penny signals behind, and I am very glad of that decision. After digging a half dozen or so zincs, one turned up that in the near darkness appeared to be in much better condition. That one went in my good case and turned out to be the worn, but not chewed or rotted, 1907 IHP.
But my favorite zinc penny range find is the three ringer bullet! In 1863, Confederate Brigadier General John Hunt Morgan led his famous raid through this section of Ohio. There is a known skirmish site near here, but when Morgan became nervous about another Union column which might be approaching, historical records indicate Morgan’s force retreated up this road. This house (built two years previously) sat at the crest of a ridge, and horses could easily have been kept safe at the head of a draw on the other side. I have to wonder if a few confederate snipers might have been detailed to lay in wait at the house. The snipers would then take some shots at the first Union troops to show themselves at the base of the ridge. While the Union troops took cover, the raiders would then beat a hasty retreat. The thought snipers might be waiting at any other opportune location would further slow Union pursuit. This bullet was found perhaps 20 feet from the corner of the house and near the road. So, if the hypothetical sniper situation happened, this bullet could be from Union troops returning fire. Of course, the bullet could be related to hunting after the Civil War, but the proximity to the house, road, and ridge crest makes me wonder! I can provide grain weight of the bullet and measurements if anyone might be able to identify the rifle type.
