Archeodeb wrote:
> With the engine on them, maybe they were from railroad personnel clothing?
Yes, the versions with a train engine or other railroad logo (such as a train's passenger car, etc) are specific to a Trainman's coveralls/overalls.
Most of that type date from the 1880s to MUCH later. (They are still being manufactured today.)
The presence of "plain block" (non-serifed) lettering tends tp indicate 1880s-and-later manufacure. Although there are a few exceptions, pre-1880s lettering was nearly always "fancier." Thiat is particularly evident in button logos and button backmarks.
In case you don't already know, this type didn't have a loop for sewing onto the cloth. It was attached by a rivet... so it is known as an overalls rivet-button. (An actual button would tear off too easily in a rough work environment.) It is what the over-the-shoulder straps connected to.