8th great grandfathers property - found some roundballs and a bell

RustyRelics

Gold Member
Apr 5, 2019
5,906
32,358
Central PA
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Equinox 600/Ancient Whites MXT
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
Today I drove down to the "valley" as it's known around here, in Dauphin county Pennsylvania. I got permission to metal detect on a property that my 8th great grandfather built a house on in 1757. He was a militia man for a month during the revolutionary war. No idea why he only served a month, but that's how long he was in for. Anyways, it's always a treat to detect an ancestors property, especially one so old, so here's what I found today. I was also testing for the first time, my new Equinox 600.


DSC_0325.jpg


The actual house site is still standing, although quite crumbled. It is also impossible to detect near it since it is so overgrown. I know there's some goodies in all of that brush. I took this photo August, last year. It's the same way today. Most of my finds were found in the cornfield behind the house site, and in the lawn belonging to the current property owner. Today, I detected in the cornfield.


DSC_0951.jpg



11 roundballs, and a... bell. The roundballs were scattered hither and yon, and were fun to find.


DSC_0952.jpg
DSC_0953.jpg


DSC_0954.jpg




I have no idea how old it is. I showed it to the property owner, who has been living on the land for over 50 years, and she had no clue where it came from. But it doesn't strike me as being terribly old. It isn't made of brass, at least not what I can see. It is a very dark, silvery color. No idea what it's made of. This was found on the edge of the cornfield, near a tree line. No animals were ever kept near that area, or on the farm since the landowner has been living there.




DSC_0956.JPG



And I also found this bullet. Not sure how old it is. Maybe late 1800s, early 1900s? The patina was nice, slick and white, so I kept it. l should probably measure it.




All in all, not a bad day.
 

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RustyRelics

RustyRelics

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Apr 5, 2019
5,906
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Central PA
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Equinox 600/Ancient Whites MXT
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Last year when I detected in the property owners lawn, I found 8 roundballs, bringing total roundball finds up to 19 on this property. Is that normal? seems like a lot of lead to me.
 

pepperj

Gold Member
Feb 3, 2009
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The bell could be made out of the same metal as a tombac button.
The shape is consistent with jiggle bell. It attached to a bar/railing/strap instead of a crotal bell that hung.
Nice amount of lead also Rusty.
The last one is cool looking.
Your family tree is being uncovered.
Hope work is doing well.
 

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RustyRelics

RustyRelics

Gold Member
Apr 5, 2019
5,906
32,358
Central PA
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Equinox 600/Ancient Whites MXT
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
The bell could be made out of the same metal as a tombac button.
The shape is consistent with jiggle bell. It attached to a bar/railing/strap instead of a crotal bell that hung.
Nice amount of lead also Rusty.
The last one is cool looking.
Your family tree is being uncovered.
Hope work is doing well.


I'm doing my best not to murder one of my coworkers, but other than that, it's going well, lol!


The Equinox did pretty well. Every roundball, except for the bigger ones, rang at a 14-15. Bigger ones rang at a 16. Each tone was solid, never changing. Didn't find any iron, and was able to skip over the aluminum. I want to go back again soon, and ask permission for neighboring farms. Gas prices will make it an expensive trip though.
 

Digger RJ

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Aug 24, 2017
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Today I drove down to the "valley" as it's known around here, in Dauphin county Pennsylvania. I got permission to metal detect on a property that my 8th great grandfather built a house on in 1757. He was a militia man for a month during the revolutionary war. No idea why he only served a month, but that's how long he was in for. Anyways, it's always a treat to detect an ancestors property, especially one so old, so here's what I found today. I was also testing for the first time, my new Equinox 600.


View attachment 2031769

The actual house site is still standing, although quite crumbled. It is also impossible to detect near it since it is so overgrown. I know there's some goodies in all of that brush. I took this photo August, last year. It's the same way today. Most of my finds were found in the cornfield behind the house site, and in the lawn belonging to the current property owner. Today, I detected in the cornfield.


View attachment 2031768


11 roundballs, and a... bell. The roundballs were scattered hither and yon, and were fun to find.


View attachment 2031770 View attachment 2031771

View attachment 2031772



I have no idea how old it is. I showed it to the property owner, who has been living on the land for over 50 years, and she had no clue where it came from. But it doesn't strike me as being terribly old. It isn't made of brass, at least not what I can see. It is a very dark, silvery color. No idea what it's made of. This was found on the edge of the cornfield, near a tree line. No animals were ever kept near that area, or on the farm since the landowner has been living there.




View attachment 2031773


And I also found this bullet. Not sure how old it is. Maybe late 1800s, early 1900s? The patina was nice, slick and white, so I kept it. l should probably measure it.




All in all, not a bad day.
Very Cool!!! Congrats!!!
 

Roger Mn.

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Aug 18, 2007
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The last thing is a porcelain insulator.
A nail go's in the small hole and is nailed to a fence post for electric fence wires.
It could also be an insulator for telegraph wires.
Good finds
 

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RustyRelics

RustyRelics

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Apr 5, 2019
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Equinox 600/Ancient Whites MXT
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The last thing is a porcelain insulator.
A nail go's in the small hole and is nailed to a fence post for electric fence wires.
It could also be an insulator for telegraph wires.
Good finds
The "insulator" is about 1/2 of an inch long, and made of lead. I'll post a picture with something else for size comparison, lol!
 

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RustyRelics

RustyRelics

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Apr 5, 2019
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This is my attempt at linking a Tik Tok post, showing me finding a roundball. I don't know if it's going to work for y'all. I know, I'm going to hell for being on the app.

This was one of the first signals I dug, on the border of the cornfield, next to the hayfield. I then detected the lower 1/8th of the cornfield, and the adjacent wood line.
 

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RustyRelics

RustyRelics

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Apr 5, 2019
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Now that I'm thinking about it, the bell might be spun tombac. I see "lines" or marks showing that this was spun on a lathe or something. I'll take better pictures later today in daylight.
 

texjim

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Feb 3, 2009
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When I find spots like that here in Pa. I wait till after the snow thaw and right before turkey season when everything is still dead I can go explore a little more. Nice finds and good luck
 

Hunk-a-lead

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Dec 20, 2020
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Today I drove down to the "valley" as it's known around here, in Dauphin county Pennsylvania. I got permission to metal detect on a property that my 8th great grandfather built a house on in 1757. He was a militia man for a month during the revolutionary war. No idea why he only served a month, but that's how long he was in for. Anyways, it's always a treat to detect an ancestors property, especially one so old, so here's what I found today. I was also testing for the first time, my new Equinox 600.


View attachment 2031769

The actual house site is still standing, although quite crumbled. It is also impossible to detect near it since it is so overgrown. I know there's some goodies in all of that brush. I took this photo August, last year. It's the same way today. Most of my finds were found in the cornfield behind the house site, and in the lawn belonging to the current property owner. Today, I detected in the cornfield.


View attachment 2031768


11 roundballs, and a... bell. The roundballs were scattered hither and yon, and were fun to find.


View attachment 2031770 View attachment 2031771

View attachment 2031772



I have no idea how old it is. I showed it to the property owner, who has been living on the land for over 50 years, and she had no clue where it came from. But it doesn't strike me as being terribly old. It isn't made of brass, at least not what I can see. It is a very dark, silvery color. No idea what it's made of. This was found on the edge of the cornfield, near a tree line. No animals were ever kept near that area, or on the farm since the landowner has been living there.




View attachment 2031773


And I also found this bullet. Not sure how old it is. Maybe late 1800s, early 1900s? The patina was nice, slick and white, so I kept it. l should probably measure it.




All in all, not a bad day.
very cool finds and story, thanks
 

AlabamaRelic

Hero Member
Jul 2, 2009
521
525
NW Alabama
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Maxi-ball. 20th century.
 

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RustyRelics

RustyRelics

Gold Member
Apr 5, 2019
5,906
32,358
Central PA
Detector(s) used
Equinox 600/Ancient Whites MXT
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting

Maxi-ball. 20th century.


I thought so, but I was hoping for older Thanks!
 

Trezurehunter

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Mar 22, 2003
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Those are some nice finds, but I think the real story is just being able to detect a property that your 8th Great Grandfather built a house on. That is just crazy !
 

Steve in PA

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Looks pretty thick and grown up around those ruins. I would try again in the winter after the snow melts. The bell is a late 19th/early 20th century sleigh bell.
 

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RustyRelics

RustyRelics

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Apr 5, 2019
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Central PA
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Equinox 600/Ancient Whites MXT
Primary Interest:
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How did you figure out where your 8th grandfather lived?


Our family has a book compiled of information about our ancestors, and the house is shown in a photograph from the 1970s. It was a bit more complete back then. We also have the property tax records showing Johann paid taxes on the land in the 1780s. The house, and a few other houses built by my ancestors, are well known in the valley area.
 

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