A SWORD with a mystery

[Rooster Cogburn]

Ok. I know I have a sword, but there's some mystery around it, where it was found, and what little information I've been able to gleen. If it takes a while to load, I apologize, I thought it better to have plenty of photos for you experts out there

I have lots of pictures that I will post and have many questions, that perhaps, someone on this great site can answer. A few of the things I'm wondering is does it have real gold? Does anyone have ability to look up the fellow listed on the sword and give me some history? Anyone ever heard of this group I think it's connected to? What might it be worth? AND has anyone ever seen a sword detailed quite like this one?


First a little history: Several decades ago, my departed uncle owned a store along Garrison Avenue in Fort Smith Arkansas, just a few blocks from the old Fort Smith and Hanging Judge Issac C. Parker's court house. Apparently not long after taking ownership of the place, he was cleaning out a back room of the store and found this:

My family assumed it was from around the Civil War or some such. Many years later, uncle gave all of what you are about to see to my father and a few years back, my dad gave it to me. Since then, it's mainly sat in my closet. From time to time I'd jump on the net and try to resarch it, but never could find that much out about it. I was hopiing the world wide resources of Treasure Net could be brought to bear I know this is the section for a good mystery so... here we go.


We noted it was very ornate on the scabbard and throughout:

The reason I asked about the possibility of gold, was because the brass rings are much more dull...

Note the detail work up higer on the scabbard...

There is acid etching on the blade...

I've never been able to find out anything about this person:
"Captain E.T. Eubanks
Commisary 2nd Regt.
U. R. ?. ?. Pittsburg, Kan."

There's beautiful etching on both sides, this is close to the hilt on the name side of the blade:

This is on the opposite side: "F.C.B." on a shield below a knight's head...

The F.C.B. led me to some information about a society called the Knights of Pythias (A group I've never heard of). FCB meaning Fraternity, Charity, Benevolance. I have even seen some of their cerimonial swords on ebay, but NOTHING like this one and I saw nothing online about ranks of Captain in their group.

More pictures...

On the very hilt it says: "The M.C. Lilley & Co., Columbus, OH"...

The handle is just as ornate as the rest, with what appears to be a blueish sharks skin grip, wrapped in a braided gold looking metal, with the letters U. R. and a flower. It all comes from the mouth of a lion, on the reverse of the lion, a knights helmet.

Also found with the sword & scabbard, was an outer leather case that is deteriorating and an inner soft sheath AND the dress belt, buckle, and attachments...

It would appear that Captain Eubanks, got promoted to Major at some point:

The buckle. I believe the U. R. means Uniformed Ranks? ...

The back of the buckle...

Here's a wide shot of the whole assembley...

So, there we are. perhaps someone here has an ancestory account and can look this fellow up, or maybe there's a sword expert that can tell me what I have and if there's any value to it all. I'm just very curious as to it's history and how it made it's way from Pittsburg, KS to Fort Smith, AR. I do know that Union troops came to Fort Smith by way of Kansas and NW Arkansas, but I'm not sure if there's really a connection there.


Well... thanks for looking

 

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ivan ~

Thanks. But why would they go to all the trouble? Meaning, who eats oysters, anyway? (Lol).

Here's a circa 1910 postcard of north Broadway in Pittsburg, Kansas. The location of Eubanks lunch counter could be along in this area somewhere. (But may not have still been open in 1910. And photo was taken from 3rd Street. Meaning, 119 N. Broadway might be behind the camera).

Oysters.....SLIME on the half shell......

 

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[NGE]

In indian River Michigan on Burt lake, There is a rather large wooden building that used to be a hotel owned and run by the K.o.P. The building is still there but run by someone else. At a garage sale in that town I found an Ashtray with a medal in the center of it. the medal is from the Knights of Pythias, when I find this ashtray again I will take a pic of it and post it here........mm

 

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

~ Phase One of finding additional pictures of "The Star Bakery" ~


The following list is from the 1890 Pittsburg, Kansas City Directory shown on Mark Hill's website. It is of every commercial business located in the 100 block of North Broadway.

The Star Bakery / Lunch Counter operated by E.T. Eubanks is number 5 located at 119 North Broadway.

Phase Two will be to try and find as many old photos/postcards as I can showing the downtown area of Pittsburg and then try to match the names of the businesses with the list below. The problem/challenge with old photos and postcards is that a lot of them do not specify exactly what part of town they were taken from. However, many of the old photos and postcards do show store front names. So all I have to do now is look close at whatever pictures I can find and see if any of them match the names below. In that way I hope to narrow down and find another picture of the Star Bakery similar to the building design in the one Mark Hill sent me showing the front of the Star Bakery with the two protruding windows overhead. (Which I am re-posting here).

I will be back later when I finish my photo/postcard search and hopefully post something of interest. Part of the challenge will be that the Directory is 1890 but the Star Bakery photo is circa 1910. ( A twenty-year difference ).

SBB

[ List from 1890 Directory ] [ 100 Block of North Broadway ]

1. ALEXANDER & RATLIFF, (J. W. Alexander and Robert Ratliff) 106 N. Broadway.

2. CONGDEN & VOGEL, (John Congden, H. W. Vogel) Real Estate, Insurance and
Collecting agency, office 104 1/2 N Broadway

3. DRY & CROWELL, (C. W. Dry, T. J. Crowell) Druggists, 101 N Broadway

4. DYER & CARNEY, grocerymen, 123 N Broadway

5. EUBANKS, E. T., Proprietor Lunch Counter, Tobacco, Cigars, Confection-ery, Ice
Cream and Oysters in season, 119 N Broadway, residence same

6. GOLDEN EAGLE CLOTHING STORE, Ben Maier, Proprietor, 104 N. Broadway

7. HENRY, F. W., Dealer in Furniture, stoves and Tinware, Queensware, Carpets &
Wall Paper; Undertaking a Specialty; 113 N Broadway

8. HILLIS, E. E., Physician and Surgeon office in Schoen building 106 1/2 N
Broadway, residence 603 N Locust

9. KELLER, Mrs. A. L., millinery, 116 N Broadway, residence corner Russell Avenue
and Locust Street

10. KLOCK, & RODERICK, (E. H. Klock, C. F. Roderick,) grocerymen 114 N Broadway

11. LANEY & SCHNACKENBERG, (Wm. Laney, Henry Schnackenberg), proprietors
Opera House Hotel 106 1/2 N Broadway

12. LONG-BELL LUMBER CO., S. W. Baxter & Bro. Managers, office 124 N Broadway

13. RALPH & SHELL, notions and groceries, 103 N Broadway

14. SCHNACKENBERG, HENRY, (Laney & Schnackenberg), Proprietors Opera House
Hotel 108 1/2 N Broadway

[ Star Bakery ~ 119 North Broadway ~ Circa 1910 ]

 

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

This is to give you some idea of what I'm working with.

I'm not there yet, but getting closer and closer ...

{And no, I'm not crazy! ~ I enjoy this kind of stuff}

[ Broadway looking south - circa 1924 ]

 

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

I just want to include this link as a future reference and so I don't lose track of it. It has some interesting pictures and maps of Pittsburg that I want to take a closer look at later.

SBB

Link: http://www.kansasmemory.org/result/cae48fa1fc6948c1bb4e351e5c830e20/0.105758905411

 

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

There was no specific information associated with this postcard of Pittsburg, Kansas other than it's from 1908 and is of "Broadway Looking South." But I really like the look of the architecture of the buildings on the left, especially the ones next to where the horse and buggy is parked. Unless something jumps out to identify it that I might have missed, we may never know for sure if this is the location of "The Star Bakery," but I bet its pretty dang close.

SBB

 

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

Here's another postcard I like. This is the best one I have seen of the "Globe" building. Remember, this is the building that Mark Hill wrote about where he said ...

"The Knights of Pythias Lodge No 65 also called the Black Diamond Lodge K of P met in the Kansas & Texas building, later known as the Globe Building."

I did a super-zoom on the second-story windows and am about 75% sure they are marked with something that looks like ...

K {?} P

Of course, I might be seeing things, too.

[ Circa 1910 ]

 

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

Here are a couple of more pictures to help illustrate ...

1. Officers of the "Uniform Ranks" from 1906 manual.

(I'm not certain, but the rank of "Major" may have been part of the "Supreme Command.")

2. Standard uniform regalia from 1886 manual.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Heres an image of a "Regimental Field and Staff Officer's Sword" from the Knights of Pythias (p. 4919/4920) that also features the calla lillys as does the original post. Describes all the markings.

You have to back -up a page from the link to see "Plate 1".


http://books.google.com/books?id=BL...AQ#v=onepage&q=sword, calla lily, FCB&f=false

 

[Rooster Cogburn]

Heres an image of a "Regimental Field and Staff Officer's Sword" from the Knights of Pythias (p. 4919/4920) that also features the calla lillys as does the original post. Describes all the markings.

You have to back -up a page from the link to see "Plate 1".


http://books.google.com/books?id=BL...AQ#v=onepage&q=sword, calla lily, FCB&f=false

Heres an image of a "Regimental Field and Staff Officer's Sword" from the Knights of Pythias (p. 4919/4920) that also features the calla lillys as does the original post. Describes all the markings.

You have to back -up a page from the link to see "Plate 1".


http://books.google.com/books?id=BL...AQ#v=onepage&q=sword, calla lily, FCB&f=false

Thanks for the great link...

The upper mount clearly indicates that the sword is the one in "plate 1".

I see where it indicates they were to be wrapped with gilt wire on the handle and that all guards, mounts and pommells were to be GOLD plated, with the scabbard, nickle plated
I know the belt buckle has good heft to it alone.


I'm more curious now than ever on Eubanks, his family, what brought him to Fort Smith, and how his sword wound up in the back room of a business on Garrison Avenue, just a few blocks from the hangin' judges old courthouse and gallows.

 

[cattileah1140]

I have a similar sword with the same detail on the hilt, and on the scabbard. I know its been a while since anyone has commented on this thread, but I would like to know more about the origin of these swords. Its been in my family for generations but no one can seem to remember anything about it, lucky me. Please let me know if anyone has any more information. Thank you.

 

[pippinwhitepaws]

yes to everyone...but...this sword is a saber... straight blades are the most popular with the knights...


just saying...nice collection.

 

[panya]

hello, i actually accidentally know that this sword was most likely gifted to someone who was in the knights of pythias which was a secret society in the late 1800s. This is confirmed by the letters on your sword "fbc" and "ur" or uniformed rank.
there is some information here https://www.pythias.org/supreme/history and Knights of Pythias - Ohio (OH) here also. i did not completely read through this one but there are a lot of names https://sites.google.com/site/cuyahogacountyohio/history/odd-fellows-and-knights-of-pythias
i only know about them accidentally, since i am looking for where my grandfathers sword he found came from, and now that I read that many members of the knights of pythias were german, it is quite plausable my sword was from them, since it was manufactured by a german company. my grandpa also lived in ohio
I hope this is helpful in your search and you find out where it was from

 

[panya]

Ok. I know I have a sword, but there's some mystery around it, where it was found, and what little information I've been able to gleen. If it takes a while to load, I apologize, I thought it better to have plenty of photos for you experts out there

I have lots of pictures that I will post and have many questions, that perhaps, someone on this great site can answer. A few of the things I'm wondering is does it have real gold? Does anyone have ability to look up the fellow listed on the sword and give me some history? Anyone ever heard of this group I think it's connected to? What might it be worth? AND has anyone ever seen a sword detailed quite like this one?


First a little history: Several decades ago, my departed uncle owned a store along Garrison Avenue in Fort Smith Arkansas, just a few blocks from the old Fort Smith and Hanging Judge Issac C. Parker's court house. Apparently not long after taking ownership of the place, he was cleaning out a back room of the store and found this:

My family assumed it was from around the Civil War or some such. Many years later, uncle gave all of what you are about to see to my father and a few years back, my dad gave it to me. Since then, it's mainly sat in my closet. From time to time I'd jump on the net and try to resarch it, but never could find that much out about it. I was hopiing the world wide resources of Treasure Net could be brought to bear I know this is the section for a good mystery so... here we go.


We noted it was very ornate on the scabbard and throughout:

The reason I asked about the possibility of gold, was because the brass rings are much more dull...

Note the detail work up higer on the scabbard...

There is acid etching on the blade...

I've never been able to find out anything about this person:
"Captain E.T. Eubanks
Commisary 2nd Regt.
U. R. ?. ?. Pittsburg, Kan."

There's beautiful etching on both sides, this is close to the hilt on the name side of the blade:

This is on the opposite side: "F.C.B." on a shield below a knight's head...

The F.C.B. led me to some information about a society called the Knights of Pythias (A group I've never heard of). FCB meaning Fraternity, Charity, Benevolance. I have even seen some of their cerimonial swords on ebay, but NOTHING like this one and I saw nothing online about ranks of Captain in their group.

More pictures...

On the very hilt it says: "The M.C. Lilley & Co., Columbus, OH"...

The handle is just as ornate as the rest, with what appears to be a blueish sharks skin grip, wrapped in a braided gold looking metal, with the letters U. R. and a flower. It all comes from the mouth of a lion, on the reverse of the lion, a knights helmet.

Also found with the sword & scabbard, was an outer leather case that is deteriorating and an inner soft sheath AND the dress belt, buckle, and attachments...

It would appear that Captain Eubanks, got promoted to Major at some point:

The buckle. I believe the U. R. means Uniformed Ranks? ...

The back of the buckle...

Here's a wide shot of the whole assembley...

So, there we are. perhaps someone here has an ancestory account and can look this fellow up, or maybe there's a sword expert that can tell me what I have and if there's any value to it all. I'm just very curious as to it's history and how it made it's way from Pittsburg, KS to Fort Smith, AR. I do know that Union troops came to Fort Smith by way of Kansas and NW Arkansas, but I'm not sure if there's really a connection there.


Well... thanks for looking

it is definately related to the knights of pythias, it has all of thier markings, the knight, the shield, the letters, and the lily

 

[Doubter in MD]

Cool sword. Old thread.

 

[invent4hir]

Here is Edwin's memorial on find-a-grave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/97215267/edward-t-eubanks

And here he and his family are in the 1900 U.S. Census per familysearch: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/6...c=1325221&personaUrl=/ark:/61903/1:1:MMTD-J11

 

[Georgia Placer]

AWESOME!!!!

 

[joetoilet]

E3 Navy Seaman here. It only took 3 years 11 months and 19 days to achieve that rank.