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Antiques! => Antique Questions Forum => Topic started by: Oceans64 on October 08, 2010, 02:22:33 pm
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Hosman’s wonderful Civil War rifle got me thinking about a musket ball I purchased on eBay 10+ years ago. I will admit that I have not researched this well, and I don't expect anyone to do it for me but if you happen to know off the top of your head...
I’m wondering if it's possible to date these little gems? This was found on a farm, embedded in a timber in the Mt Upton area of NY. In my past and really quick recent searches, I haven't come across one this size. It seems larger than most and I was wondering if this is significant. My estimate is that it's about 23mm...
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OH! Mt. Upton is in Guilford NY. I have family from there and have worked quite a bit with the Guilford Historical Society. I have a WONDERFUL contact there who will be VERY interested in helping you research this. Message me and I'll give you the contact info. If I'm not mistaken, this is too large to be your average every-day musket ball. I believe it is more like cannon shot.
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I'm with talesof7c's on this one .... perhaps a portion of a 'grapeshot' load .
Cool item , Oceans64 !
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I gave Oceans64 the GHS contact info and emailed my contact there to let her know to expect to hear from Oceans. I also gave the GHS contact a link to this topic. Do keep us posted Oceans, this may well fit in with some of my family history! :D
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I emailed the historical society to see if they know anything... It does make me wonder. I quickly looked years ago and this is coming from my very poor memory but I don't recal any Civil War or Revolutionary War battles in the area. I wouldn't have researched others so maybe. I just figured someone shot it while hunting and it ended up in a tree.
Think I'll look more into the history of the area and why someone would be firing a cannon there...
I'll let you know what they say. Here is the envelope it came in if anyone's curious.
Thank you Tales for the contact info!!
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This is cool.... Perhaps a Provenance
From a Google Book: The Democratic Party of the state of New York p. 466
"Charles D. Mickel, one of the most popular Democrats in Chenango County, was born at Oneonta, in the neighboring county of Otsego, April 27, 1859. He received his educational training in the Oneonta Union School.
After completing his school course he accepted an appointment as teacher in the public schools of his native village. Having removed to Guilford, Chenango County, he taught in the public school of that village for some years, until he concluded to engage in farming, an occupation he ever since followed with great success.
Mr. Mickel first became actively interested in politics in 1892, and from that time he has been one of the most active and efficient party workers in Central New York. In 1898 he was elected Supervisor of the strong Republican town of Guilford, and was re-elected in 1899, being the only Democrat who ever held this office in Guilford two consecutive terms. His popularity among his fellow-townsmen is further shown by the majority he received, 180, the largest ever given any candidate, Democrat or Republican, in this town. He accepted another nomination, but the Republicans putting forth the most extraordinary efforts, managed to pull their candidate through by the beggarly majority of seventeen. Mr. Mickel has served as Delegate to many county and district conventions, and he was sent to the Democratic State Convention in the year 190Q.
In 1881 Mr. Mickel married a daughter of Charlton Phillips, of Guilford, and they have two children, Eva and Charlton.
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"Mickle" in the note is spelled differently than Mickel in the Google source. Have you ruled that "Mickle" is a phonetical mispelling? I guess I would not jump from one name to the next until I was sure "Mickle" was in error and I am not sure that has been proven yet.
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According to census info this is the only Mickel/Mickle family that was in the area but that bothered me a bit too. I've seen worse in researching my own family. We actually have a similar change in the past 2 generations. I guess what’s more important is why the thing ended up there in the first place. I suspect it was the Revolutionary War as Guilford was populated (by white people) during the Civil War and there would be some mention of a battle in the history I’ve read.
I heard back from the historical society and they agree it may be the right family. She will confirm and let me know.
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I just got an email that made my day. After exchanging a couple of emails with the Guilford Historical Society, Oceans64 said that she felt that the grape shot should "find its way home again" and donated it to the historical society! How cool is that?!! They are thinking that they will be displaying it along with old photos of the people who lived on the farm that it came from. WELL DONE OCEANS!!! WOOO-HOOOO!!! :D
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Super, super awesome! Way to go!
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Nice choice on your decision about a final place for the shot to land , Oceans64 !
Kudos !
;) ;) ;)
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That is way toooooo cool.
(http://www.amazing-animations.com/animations/men42.gif) (http://www.amazing-animations.com/animations/children15.gif)
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By the way this fell into place, I would say it was meant to be. Far more people can enjoy it now vrs spending the next 10 years in my file cabinet. Kudo to Tales for taking the time to open the door to the historical society!! As I told her, this was one of those things that made you feel so good it hardly counts as a "good deed".
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A great deed indeed, Oceans64!
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Yeah I'm pleased it worked out like it did, against all odds of the grape shot finding its way home again. ;D
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Hey Oceans64, I thought you might like to know that I just got the newsletter for the Guilford Historical Society, and Wilma is going to be presenting your musket ball/cannon shot at their November meeting and telling the story about it! ;D ;D ;D
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That's awesome tales, thanks for the update! Props again to oceans64!
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Well done indeed, Oceans. If more people thought like you then maybe even the Greeks would have had their marbles returned years ago :)
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Intriguing! I found one of these cast iron "balls" at the site of a Civil War battle. It is larger, about an inch and a quarter, this appears to be about 7/8". True grape shot were pretty large, approaching two inches and used primarily in naval cannons, the heavy ball being able to penetrate the wooden hulls of warships of that era. Far be it from me to dissent with the Historical Society's definition and they are probably right, but had I found this I would think I had found a cannister shot.
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Actually the definition came from here rather than the historical society. The interesting thing is that there were no Civil War battles fought there so it appears to date to the Rev War.
I just think it's incredibly cool the way it found it's way back home again. Like something from a novel.
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Impressive Oceans! Impressed with your willingness to give it to the historical society!!!!!! A piece of history revealed, returned and re-birthed!!!
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I hope when word gets around more people will come forward with other finds!! Hard to know where it came from but prob Rev War Era. The land belonged to the Oneida Indians who were at the Battle of Oriskany in support of the Americans. They were at others too. Oriskany has been called the bloodiest of the Rev War and took place about 65 miles North of Guilford (maybe 55ish miles from where the ball was found).
Could have been from a smaller battle, training exercise, renactment... Glad it's home tho
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No it couldn't have been for a reenactment. Live rounds are never used or you'd end up with a bunch of dead reenactors. It's gunpowder without the shot. But an exercise, training, skirmish, showing little Johnny how to sink a piece of round shot right into a tree... all good possibilities! ;)
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HA HA!! Agree - Not the reenactments of today... More like showing Johnny in 1805 how it was done in "the old days" ;D