Button with a Story

[cambria09]

Howdy all. Found a this button few months ago, at first we thought it was a monogramed button for someone with the intials "JG". After some research we found that it belong to someone who was in the "Jefferson Gaurd".

They were the security at the 1904 Worlds Fair in St Louis. This was a really big event. You can google "1904 Worlds Fair" and still find many items from the day for sale. See below for a description of who the Jefferson Gaurd were. How this button got in a cow pasture in Central FL is still a mystery. Thanks for viewing and HHTA. C9


This quote is from “Official Guide Louisiana Purchase Exposition” held 1904 in St Louis MO.
Jefferson Guard On February 13 1902 Lieutenant Colonel EA Godwin Ninth Cavalry United States Army was designated by the War Department to organize and discipline the Jefferson Guard to be formed for use at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition In February 1904 Colonel Godwin was at his own request relieved from duty with the Louisiana Purchase Exposition and was replaced by Lieutenant Colonel Henry P Kingsbury of the Eighth Cavalry who is at present Commandant The strength of the Guard April 1 1904 was 300 men When the organization is complete and the Fair in full progress there will be somewhere between 600 and 1,000 men The Guards are carefully selected men must be between the ages of 21 and 40 at least 5 feet 8 inches in height between 145 and ISO pounds in weight according to height and of good figure and bearing and must be physically sound The pay is $50 per month and sleeping quarters The men board themselves.

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[steelheadwill]

Neat find and great background info!
plenty of gold left on that one, thanks for showing

[Digs68]

My Great-Great Grandfather was a gate guard at the St. Louis World's Fair!
They gave him some sort of special ceremonial or commemorative sword for his service. It was lost (possibly stolen or tossed by a relative) years ago. The house he lived in burned down decades ago. There is one story that the family members who lived there at the time threw away or dozed much of what was left into a dump or pile. It truly is a shame because the uniform and sword would be on display at our county historical society right now if I had a say. Whether he belonged to the Jefferson Guard or not, I've no idea. Is there somewhere that a person can see a list of names of the members?