John Rugheimer Button - Civil War - S Carolina State Seal ( with photos & story)

[ivan salis]

John Rugheimer Button - Civil War - S Carolina State Seal ( with photos & story)

Here is the button. --- my research ( via census records) tells me that john rugheimer came from bavaria (german type area) and was a "tailor" AS HIS "NORMAL" PROFESSION--- during the war he was a blockade runner running to england for supplies --- (england was a major suppliers of buttons to the south during the war) --- this button was one of two matching ones that was made into french style cuff links by a very wealthly man in the 1950's era when making buttons into cuff links was "popular"--- I have the one intact "cuff link " plus this one one who's "cuff link" stem broke off where it was joined to the button --- along with these buttons are some others --- a large C & J Weldon "livery" type button with the two headed german eagle type crest ( * note the german background of Rugheimer) made into a cuff link (only one) and a CSN navy button also cuff linked (only one)--- this CSN button is NOT not a "copy" but original --- the back mark is FIRMIN & SONS 153 STRAND LONDON (WITH A SMALL DOT) --THIS BACKMARK IS PRE 1875 WHEN FIRMIN BECAME LIMITED -- after 1875 the back mark had a "LD" OR "LTD" ADDED TO THE BACK MARK --- the family of john rugheimer built one of the very best homes in charleston, S.C. after the war -- its listed as a B & B there and can be seen if you look online under john rugheimer ---*** I found these in a coin shop --when a well dressed youngman sold off his grandfathers coin collection to the coin dealer--- they were part of the collection but the dealer told the kid he didn't want them ---after he sold the coins as he left the dealer "reminded" the kid to take the buttons --the kid said --you keep em and walked out -- I walked over , took a look at em and got them from the coin dealer and took them home and researched them --- Ivan

 

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[ivan salis]

Re: John Rugheimer Button - Civil War - S Carolina State Seal ( with photos & story)

john rugheimer listed his trade as tailor before the civil war ( according to immergant and cencus data) -- and since he worked on a blockade runner--I'm thinking more along the lines of a importer of buttons with "his" back mark on them rather than a actual "maker" of buttons ---- he could haveeasily put forth a order to england for buttons to be made with his & sons name as the back mark. which he later sold to folks ( and since his son was born in 1862 it would be post 1862 at the very least)

however as you say don since his son was born in 1862 , I can see why you think the "and sons" marking most likely meant later on after his sonswould have"joined the bussiness" (at maybe say 18 years of age) thus meaning a time frame from say 1880's(post civil war) till when they went out of bussiness in 1972 -- we know - from the ad in the citadel year book* (thanks to SWR) that as late as 1939 ( when the son born in 1862 would have been 77 years old) that they still used the old mans name "john rugheimer" on / in the bussiness.

 

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[ivan salis]

Re: John Rugheimer Button - Civil War - S Carolina State Seal ( with photos & story)

thanks swr -- yes john rugheimer came from bavaria (germany) to charleston before the war -- his "trade" on his immigration papers was that of tailor --( personally I do not think rugheimer at the time actually made buttons but rather was an importer of them from england ) during the civil war he worked on a blockade runners * until he was hurt when a union vessel shelled the vessel he was on that was running the blockade -- unable to still run the blockade himself , he took to dealing the goods from vessels running the blockade (like buttons and such)-- thus making himself rich in the process -- after the war ended --he was one of the few "weallthy" southerner's left in charleston --- during the war he most likely worked his dealings out of his home ;

as you have shown in the 1870's (shortly after the war) they rented out space for a bigger shop (putting the money gotten from blockade running and dealing in blockade goods to use ) --they were "expanding" so to speak

also after the war and john rugheimers death --in 1912 his family built a beatiful home -- many folks at the time thought it to be one of the best in charleston --today its known as " fulton lane inn" a lovely historical B & B

since his son was born in 1862 according to don -- it would seem that the south carolina state seal button (saying " john rugheimer sons") would be of from a later date when the sons would have actually been working in the "bussiness" say at age 18 which would be 1880's time frame (thus post war) --- but note that the sons in 1939 * according to the citadel year book info you provided ( when the son born in 1862 would have been 77 years old ) still used his dad's name "john rugheimer" in their button bussiness -- long after he was dead.

the bussiness went out of bussiness in 1972

 

[kdismuke1]

Re: John Rugheimer Button - Civil War - S Carolina State Seal ( with photos & story)

GREAT FINDS IVAN. LOVED YOUR POST IT WAS VERY INTERESTING. LIKE THE BUTTONS.

 

[cwdigger]

Re: John Rugheimer Button - Civil War - S Carolina State Seal ( with photos & story)

Very Beautiful Button,that is awsome

cw
www.wedigdixie.com

 

[ivan salis]

the one your speaking of was the csn navy button --which is different that the state seal button shown above --there were more buttons than the ones shown ...

 

[trapperart]

Nice congrats

 

[against the wind]

Cool button ,
in the right place at the right time.
Congrats

 

[ivan salis]

uh the photo is of the ruggheimer button --not the CSN button --clearly

 

[Inspector]

Very sweet button, congrats being in the right place @ the right time

 

[A2coins]

Great post and read I wish I could find cool relics like those wsell done my friend Tommy