BUTTON/FASTENER ID AND DATE HELP NEEDED

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

The primary goal of this "What Is It?" is threefold ...

1. To properly ID the item as being either a button or fastener.
2. To date the item as close as possible.
3. To find some history on the manufacturer of the item.

Normally I wouldn't bother with such an insignificant looking item were it not for the fact of where it was found. I found it recently while digging around a historic site where a locally famous shootout occured in 1875. I will post a link below for anyone interested in reading a more detailed account of the shootout. But for now, lets focus on the item itself ... (See pictures below).

DESCRIPTION:

1. It measures 1" inch in diameter.
2. It does not stick to a magnet.
3. A portion of the front part apears to be missing.
4. I am not sure if it is a button or some other kind of fastener.
5. There are two legible words stamped on the back which are ...

TOWERS FASTENED

6. The littel "tab" on the front is loose fitting and connected with a bent-over wire.
7. It was found alongside (within 4" of) the bottle lip pictured below.
8. Both were buried beneath appx. 8" of dirt.

PICTURES:

1. Front.
2. Back.
3. Bottle lip ... circa 1900 ... definitely pre 1910.
4. 1800s photo of local, with red arrow pointing to exact rock where item was found.
5. Existing rock as it looks today, with iron rods protruding from it. The curator of the old store museum across the road where this picture was taken, says these rods are the remains of an old blacksmith shop. The button/fastener and bottle lip were dug up directly below this rock.
6. Remains of old furnace located about 50" feet away on the backside of the rock.
7. Old Stone Store, 1910s. Item was found across the road from this old store that is still standing and is now a museum.

Link To history of old store and it's infamous shootout. The shootout story is under the heading ... "Events and Later Developments 1870-1895"

http://www.sdrm.org/history/campo.html

Summary:

As I indicated in the beginning, I am mainly trying to date the button/fastener, and see if it might date anywhere near the 1875 shootout date? Or is it possibly just something from the early 1900s or later, with no connection whatsoever. I believe our best, and possibly only real clue, it the stamped words ... Towers Fastened.

Thanks for stopping by and taking a look. I look forward to any and all help I can get on identifying and dating my little piece of history.

I would also be interested in opinions as to what the iron rods prodruding from the rock might have been used for? Something spefic or just to hang things or support a shelf? And speaking of hangings, there was some of that done too back in the day at a nearby hanging tree whose rotted out trunk still exist.

Sincerely,

SODABOTTLEBOB

[ Pictures 1 thru 7 from above ]

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Family Maps of Hinds County, Mississippi, Deluxe Edition - Grab it through Amazon!

[creskol]

Button ID : http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,278220.0.html

 

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

creskol ~

Thanks a million. So if I am deciphering everything correctly, it suggest a date range anywhere from about 1886 to about 1918. Do you agree with this? And do you know of a way to narrow it down any closer.?

Bob

 

[creskol]

No, sorry, that's about as close as one can get so far as I know.

 

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

creskol ~

I will leave this thread active and see if anyone else responds to it. Otherwise I think the next best clue is the bottle shard found with it. Which I realize could have been tossed there almost anytime, but close enough for government work. But the main thing is that the button doesn't come close to the 1875 shootout date, which is what I was hoping for. I though I might have a little momento from that historic event. But in reality, it's probably just an old button from the overalls of some oldtime blacksmith. Which is kind of cool, too ... sort of.

Thanks again.

Bob

 

[njguy]

This is definitely the A.J. Towers Co. of Boston Button. Their slogan is Towers Wire Fastened on the back of their buttons. See center of image below. Unfortunately the date range is 1880's to the 1920's.

 

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

njguy ~

Thanks. That solves part of the mystery for me. I knew there was a portion of a word I was missing ("wire"). But my button is too corroded to make it out clearly.

I have already talked to the necessary people, and have been granted permission to escavate (dig up) the entire site. Now all I need is the time it will take to do it. But it won't be anything like a professional dig, and more like a bull in a china closet kind of thing, which is more my style. Mainly I'm hoping to find some old coins. As far as the museum curator knows, the site has never been dug.

It may be weeks/months before I get out there again, but I will report back here when I do.

Thanks again,

SBB

 

[$digger$]

I just found the same button today, didn't know what it was till I got here.