Civil War Buttons? Need help to ID!

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

This should be an easy one for Civil War buffs, but a mystery to me. These were given to me recently from an aunt who is 92.

I have seven of then, (one shown) and they are from my great-great grandfather's Civil War uniform. Stamped on the back of each button is ...

N.S. Meyer New York

I am assuming they are Union buttons because of the New York, but am not certain. Nor am I sure which side my great-great grandfather was on.

Questions:

1. Are they common or rare?
2. Anyway of determining rank?
3. How many buttons did the average uniform jacket have?
4. Year Made?
5. Value? (All seven in near perfect condition).
6. Any other info about them would be helpful.

Thank you in advance.

SODABOB

I just posted this today ... but there is already some confusion on my part. Case in point : My great grandmother (Kate Balch) was born in 1870 and died in 1972. The attached card with buttons was written in her own hand, although not known when. If buttons did in fact belong to her father, the only war he could have been in was the civil war. And yet, every reference I can find to N. S. Meyer has them coming into existence no earlier than "after" the civil war. If this is correct, then the buttons most likely would not have been his. But why would my great grandmother say they were? Surely she should know. I'm still researching, but as near as I can determine, my great great grandfather was born around 1850

The solution should be a simple one if I can just accurately ID the buttons !!![/color

 

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[SODABOTTLEBOB]

Research is a funny thing. You just never know where it will lead. And even funnier are people's memories ... especially the elderly like my dad who is 89. Anyway, I dug through some family history boxes that were left to me when my aunt passed away about a year ago, and in one of them I found information which confirmed that my grandfather began his westward journey from Tennessee to California in 1906. Remember, I wasn't sure about the 1904 date because I was relying on my father's 89 year old memory where I got the date. But that's okay, because it indicates when my grandfather left home in 1906 that Frank James was fully established in Fletcher, Oklahoma at the time. Which makes it even more possible that their paths may have crossed.

I'm not sure if I'm trying to convince myself or others about the possibility of my grandfather having gone quail hunting with Frank James. But whichever the case, at least now I have a little more evidence in support of the possibility that he did. Of course, I still believe the story irregardless, but it's nice to have something to back it up.

Bottom line? Frank James was definitely living in Fletcher, Oklahoma when my grandfather left home and headed for California in 1906. Which just tickles this country boy to no end.

And speaking of "end," this may do it for me unless I find something else that will add additional interest to this story.

Thanks for tagging along.

Bob ... "The grandson of a man who "might" have gone quail hunting with Frank James."

P.S.

My dad just asked me to add this final comment. He said if my grandfather were still alive, he would probably say something like ... "Bobby, why are you wasting your time with all that research stuff? I went quail hunting with Frank James ~ that's the truth ~ and that's all there is to it!"

I say ... "Okay grandpa, I believe you!"

 

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[SODABOTTLEBOB]

Last but not least, here is a 1910 postcard of Frank James during the time he lived in Fletcher, Oklahoma. He would have been about 67 years old at the time. He passed away in 1915 at the age of 72. This postcard sold for $560.00.

 

[allan]

Nice family history Bob ! , is it possible that he went to CW reunions ? might have needed a few buttons to repair the uniform over the years ?

 

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

allan ~

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your comments.

It's impossible to say for sure where the buttons came from. My G-G-Grandfather Balch was a Civil War veteran, and did participate in some veteran activities later in life prior to his death in 1925, but it doesn't seem likely to me that he would bother with Naval buttons, considering he was a Cavalrymen. My G-Grandmother was obviously mistaken about the buttons origins. Especially considering there are three different buttons from three different time periods ranging from the 1880s to the 1920s. I'm thinking now they "may" have belonged to one of my G-G-Grandfather's sons ... or possibly even one of his grandsons. And even though I have records for all of those names and dates, nowhere does the file indicate whether any of the later male members in the family line were in the military or not. That was information that my aunt either didn't have access to, or else just didn't record in the family history files. So what I intend to do now is try and figure out if any of the males in the family were ever in the Navy. But that will be quite a chore for me, because it will require a lot of research that I'm not even sure where to begin with. I have four huge boxes of stuff that my aunt left me, so I guess I will start with that and see what I can find, if anything. It may take another two years before I finish going through the hundreds of papers and dozens of pictures, but you can be sure if I find a great uncle or cousin who was in the Navy, I will resurrect this thread again and post what I find.

In the meantime, here are the three different buttons again. Which are, left to right ...

1. N.S. Meyer ~ New York / Both wings similar.

2. Schuele, Peppler & Kostens ~ Annapolis, Md. ~ Made in England / Left wing across breast.

3. Jacob Reeds Sons ~ Phil. A / Both wings different.

Final thought: On the note that came with the buttons, my G-Grandmother used her maiden name, "Balch." She married in 1889 (age 17) when her last name changed to "Lake." But I will likely never know for sure when the note was written, or exactly when the buttons were threaded onto the piece of string that accompanied the note.

Thanks again to all.

Bob

 

[ckswank]

Cy ~

I had almost forgotten about this thread and can't believe it has been almost two years since it was posted. That gravestone is my great-great grand father's. It is in the Shilo Cemetary, which is located in Coles County, Illinois. My g-g-grand father was born in Janesville, Illinois in 1845 and died in 1925. The picture below is of him, but I'm not sure when it was taken. My guess would be sometime in early 1900s.

I have been unable to find any other details about his life, other than what little has been mentioned here. I'm still confused about the buttons, especially, as you state, because they are Naval buttons and Theron Balch was in the Cavalry. My aunt, who was the historian in the family, passed away about a year ago at the age of 91. So unless I start researching from scratch, which I likely won't do, I will probably never know everything there is to know about my g-g-grandfather's life. My father's middle name is Emmett after g-g-granddad.

Thanks.

Bob

[ Theron Emmett Balch - circa 1910 ? ]

Hello, Bob. I am a new member. Found your thread while researching some military buttons that I picked up at a yard sale a few weeks ago. My name is Charlie & I now live in Texas. I was born & raised in Coles County & I still have a cousin who lives just a couple of miles from Shiloh Cemetery! He has 10 acres that once belonged to Lincoln's father around 1837. The six large stones that served as the foundation for the log cabin are only about 100 feet from his back door. I believe Lincoln's father & stepmother are also buried at Shiloh Cemetery. Sure is a small world. The next time I visit up there, I'll be sure to try to find your GG Grandfather's tombstone pictured. My mom's grandfather moved to Cumberland County in the 1870's from Germany. My dad's family was also German, but don't have anything back past my grandfather (born circa 1890's). Thanks for sharing this info on your family. Makes me want to dig a little deeper into my own ancestry. Have a great weekend!

 

[BodeanDigs]

There were the Indian Wars in 1870's very possible a fresh set of button were put onto his CW uniform.
A lot of the CW guys went onto the Indian Wars.