A SWORD with a mystery

[Rooster Cogburn]

Ok. I know I have a sword, but there's some mystery around it, where it was found, and what little information I've been able to gleen. If it takes a while to load, I apologize, I thought it better to have plenty of photos for you experts out there

I have lots of pictures that I will post and have many questions, that perhaps, someone on this great site can answer. A few of the things I'm wondering is does it have real gold? Does anyone have ability to look up the fellow listed on the sword and give me some history? Anyone ever heard of this group I think it's connected to? What might it be worth? AND has anyone ever seen a sword detailed quite like this one?


First a little history: Several decades ago, my departed uncle owned a store along Garrison Avenue in Fort Smith Arkansas, just a few blocks from the old Fort Smith and Hanging Judge Issac C. Parker's court house. Apparently not long after taking ownership of the place, he was cleaning out a back room of the store and found this:

My family assumed it was from around the Civil War or some such. Many years later, uncle gave all of what you are about to see to my father and a few years back, my dad gave it to me. Since then, it's mainly sat in my closet. From time to time I'd jump on the net and try to resarch it, but never could find that much out about it. I was hopiing the world wide resources of Treasure Net could be brought to bear I know this is the section for a good mystery so... here we go.


We noted it was very ornate on the scabbard and throughout:

The reason I asked about the possibility of gold, was because the brass rings are much more dull...

Note the detail work up higer on the scabbard...

There is acid etching on the blade...

I've never been able to find out anything about this person:
"Captain E.T. Eubanks
Commisary 2nd Regt.
U. R. ?. ?. Pittsburg, Kan."

There's beautiful etching on both sides, this is close to the hilt on the name side of the blade:

This is on the opposite side: "F.C.B." on a shield below a knight's head...

The F.C.B. led me to some information about a society called the Knights of Pythias (A group I've never heard of). FCB meaning Fraternity, Charity, Benevolance. I have even seen some of their cerimonial swords on ebay, but NOTHING like this one and I saw nothing online about ranks of Captain in their group.

More pictures...

On the very hilt it says: "The M.C. Lilley & Co., Columbus, OH"...

The handle is just as ornate as the rest, with what appears to be a blueish sharks skin grip, wrapped in a braided gold looking metal, with the letters U. R. and a flower. It all comes from the mouth of a lion, on the reverse of the lion, a knights helmet.

Also found with the sword & scabbard, was an outer leather case that is deteriorating and an inner soft sheath AND the dress belt, buckle, and attachments...

It would appear that Captain Eubanks, got promoted to Major at some point:

The buckle. I believe the U. R. means Uniformed Ranks? ...

The back of the buckle...

Here's a wide shot of the whole assembley...

So, there we are. perhaps someone here has an ancestory account and can look this fellow up, or maybe there's a sword expert that can tell me what I have and if there's any value to it all. I'm just very curious as to it's history and how it made it's way from Pittsburg, KS to Fort Smith, AR. I do know that Union troops came to Fort Smith by way of Kansas and NW Arkansas, but I'm not sure if there's really a connection there.


Well... thanks for looking

 

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[SeaninNH]

WOW! That is a beautiful! I hope you find out some information on that and when you do, don't forget to tell us.

 

[Bramblefind]

Great story and awesome stuff!

See this thread for a sword that reminded me of the one you have:

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,356249.0.html

I did find a Edwin T. Eubanks b. circa 1854 in the 1900 Pittsburg, Kansas census. He is shown as owning a restaurant. Not sure if it is the same but I will try to find more for you.

 

[Rooster Cogburn]

Holy cow that's great to know! Thank you so much!

 

[Bramblefind]

Found Edwin T. Eubanks' widow Laura and sons Everett and Roy living in Fort Smith, Arkansas in the 1930 census

 

[Daedalus]

This is the homepage of this group : http://www.pythias.org/index.html You might check there as I am sure that they have the records of this man and all about who he was.

 

[ivan salis]

found a button with a "colorado state seal " front on it made in the late 1870's from a M C Lilly company from ohio --gave it to my nephew --it was a indain war era type cuff button --most likely from the colorado state guard units.

looks like a dress quality sword that is fully useful as a battle weapon as well -- pattern looks to be a calvary model type of sword due to the wrist guard --it of course looks to have gold gilded parts *

I think you have a fairly high ranking capt / later major military mans sword --who was also a member of the knights of pythias as well -- so its a "blended" item --

 

[Blacksheep]

"Eubanks, E.T. Detached for duty, Atlanta, February 23, 1863, at Military Prison."

Short note found here:
http://www.45thalabama.com/pages/companyc.html

Fantastic piece, hope you can unlock the mystery!

 

[Rooster Cogburn]

Thank you all for helping me!!

I started digging after bramblefind's first post and just a few minutes ago, I found out when he died. I found a search function, which they didn't use to have, at the Kansas Historical Society:

http://www.kshs.org/genealogy/genea...gies/search/surname:eubanks/sndx:true/fname:e

He died 26 Feb. 1914 and it was announced in some local paper (K.P. Lodge No. 65, Pittsburg).

They left the S off his last name, but the city is right. I guess they used to list the death notices by fraternal organizations, even if they died in another town. Suppose they still do that today, don't they? I mean if there's a connection to an old town.

Years ago I went to the Kansas Historical website, but there was no info.


I'm in awe of the fact that this guy may have been in a Confederate prison camp. wow.


You guys are GREAT.

 

[oldcoon]

I can't tell you much about this sword except its a presentation grade, and most likely never smelled gunpowder. Probably only carried on ceremonial occasions.

 

[nova treasure]

the Uniform Rank (UR) was instituted as the uniform branch of the KoP in the late 1880s, different swords were associated with each specific rank. There were Knights, Sergeants, Field Officers,Staff Officers, and Medical Staff with a different pattern for each group. The officers swords were curved 1870 style sabers with lions head pommels. All swords from the Uniform Rank have the letters UR somewhere on the hilts. Swords from years prior to the development of the Uniform Rank do not have this lettering. For Sir Knights, the sword is straight bladed with a cruciform brass hilt. The pommel is a knights head and helmet with a lion on the top, and there is a chain knuckleguard. The counterguard has a lily and the letters UR on it. The grip is leather wrapped with wire. The sergeants swords have a straight blade, a more elaborate brass hilt with a solid knuckleguard with either a leather grip with wire wrapping or an ivory grip. Field officers (Lieut. Capt, etc.) used a curved brass mounted cavalry saber similar to the US pattern of 1870 cavalry swords. For staff and Field officers (Colonel and above) the swords were again straight bladed and had elaborate hilts with ivory grips. Medical staff used swords similar to the 1840 Army Medical staff and/or paymasters swords. These had the letters MD for Medical Department on them, diffentiating them from military medical swords which have MS for Medical Service.
# Knights sword from the Uniform Rank, Cruciform hilt, knights head pommel with lion on helmet, gryphon quillon, counterguard with letters "UR" and a lily, brass mountings, leather grip, single twist of wire around grip, chain knuckleguard.


The sword company " the M.C. Lilley & Co. Columbus, OH." was in business from 1882-1925.

Nova Treasure

 

[Rooster Cogburn]

Great info Nova. Thank you!

 

[Bumpstick]

It is a fine piece of history you have.
My grand father was a 33rd. degree Master Mason and was his father before him;
Great grand father was a horse riding circuit judge after the civil war.
I found some Knights of Pythias items with his belongings but could never find out much about them. Pre-internet time.
The sword is part of there dress attire and used in ceremonies.

 

[Rooster Cogburn]

It is a fine piece of history you have.
My grand father was a 33rd. degree Master Mason and was his father before him;
Great grand father was a horse riding circuit judge after the civil war.
I found some Knights of Pythias items with his belongings but could never find out much about them. Pre-internet time.
The sword is part of there dress attire and used in ceremonies.

That's the same issue I've always had, was a lack of info. I just want to say thank you again to everyone who has taken time out of their day to look into this and the man behind it.

I really do appreciate any information that can be sourced on it.

 

[helsesser]

I have a very similar sword -- identical. It was my great grandfather's so you would think I would know more than I do.

All I know is that my great-grandfather was a doctor in the Columbus, OH Area, and was a Mason. I was told it was a ceremonial sword for the Masons, and given his age and the MC Lilley & Co dates, these are from around 1900.

Good luck and keep us posted if you find anything else!

Yours,
Henry

 

[uglymailman]

Nice to find out about stuff ya post here ain't it? . Someone's going to thank you for keepin that bit of history,good job. Thought ya might find this interestin.
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,422439.msg3023358.html#msg3023358

 

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

RC ~

Amazing backroom find. No doubt you intend to keep it, but likely the entire outfit is worth a hefty $500.00+ to a collector, if not considerbly more based on the condition.

Below is a scan from a 1904 Knight of Pythias book I have. I thought you might get a kick out of seeing a couple of pages from it in case you ever want to play soldier. The pages shown will instruct you on how to properly draw the saber/sword. Its a little confusing at first, but once you read through it a couple of times and practice, practice, practice, I'm sure you will get the hang of it eventually. To get you started, I will pretend I'm the instructor and start out with the command ...

"Draw Saber"

Please let us know when you have the procedure down pat. And good luck.



Signed ... Commander Bob

[ Use the slide-bar at bottom of scan to read more easily ~ That's an order! ]

 

[SODABOTTLEBOB]

P.S. ~

And don't cut your nose off!

 

[ivan salis]

the uniform rank * for the knights of pythias was started in 1884 * - if my memory is correct * so the sword with the "U R" (uniform rank) marking must post date then --late 1880's thru early 1910 / 1920 time frame most likely time frame era.

 

[Dano Sverige]

When i saw the flower on the scabbard tip in pic 2 i thought "Sodabottlebob's gonna be all over this!" as he did a mass of research on the last KoP item that cropped up. Thought he'd have been able to tell you who made it, what he had for dinner the night it was completed, and who the guys daughter was secretly dating by now! lol