Colonial buckle? Information overload- King George III property.

[carpetbagger]

OK, let me start by saying my head is full of information with so many sites within an area I am trying to sort it out to formulate a plan of attack. I have been hunting a site where the battle of Huck's Defeat took place close by. My buddy Hikermike and I have pulled musket balls, buttons dated from 1829 and on, A civil war Us sword belt plate, Kings Mountain Military School and Academy buttons etc.. the pictures of the musket balls and button below are from this site. To boot HikerMike pulled a Eagle I button from this same site, Northern Button?.
About two miles away I have had the pleasure of being able to hunt near a house that was built in 1745 (per the owner) The name of the road is the same name of the previous owner of this property. I located on a property map from 1910. the road was named after him in the 60's. The thing about this property is that (per the land owner) it was a land deed from King George III to the previous owners family, 4000 acres worth. The property includes a butlers house site, a maids house site, Cook House site, and a grist mill and saw mill site. Hiker mike and I explored the grist mill site a little today and on the side of a large foothill I pulled the buckle from its resting place. The remains of the Dam is still there (very large) and I located a extremely large hole in the side of the foothill which the Current landowner said that is where (they) buried Ice to have for the summer months. Next time I am out I will take some pics and post them for you all to see the beauty of this place. Where do I begin to look if this is an actual colonial site?. O yea he also said there were slave houses throughout the property but does not know where they were located.

What is this cylinder thing? pretty heavy

pic from previous post

 

[bookfisher]

To begin with, at first I would do a random, slightly quick paced hunt looking specifically for deep (usually at least 4 to 5 inches) good signals to dig.

Most of the items in a plowed field or in the woods are under four inches deep--unless they are larger, heavier, or junk iron.


I might look for items deeper than 5 inches in a pounded-to-death park, but not out on an old site in a plowed field.

You're right about PLOWED fields, but in dormant fields (fields that have not been farmed for many, many, years) and woods, colonial items are very rarely found at less than 4 inches. Just about all of my 30 colonial coppers, my six 18th century one and half Reales, shoe buckles and buttons, as well as early 19th century Large Cents, were found in woods or long dormant fields, and they were all found deeper than 4 inches in depth. Also, the 1825 Gold Sovereign was found at 5 inches, the 1877 Seated Liberty Half dollar was found at about six inches, and the C1815-1825 Common Militia Belt Plate was found at either 4 or 5 inches.

 

[carpetbagger]

nice shoe buckle

thanks crusader

I was salivating reading this post. It reminds me of the places that we hit regularly. Nice shoe buckle.
Chris

coming from one of the kings of colonial hunting I am taking that as a huge compliment.

I guess you know the thing in the 5th picture on the Left hand side with the screw thread is part of a heavy horse attachment.

yea, I've dug about 4 of them. So far between HikerMike and I we have about 6 with all different shapes. Thanks for all the info.

By the way--focus is key, as you've figured out. Have clearly defined goals--like "I'm going to hunt the _____ site today." I wouldn't be wandering around in 4000 acres.
I also would take the land owners descriptions of the dates of the houses with a grain of salt. Are they the researching type? If so, I'm sure they would share with you the information they have found on the property. You should be Very happy to read anything they show you. It will only Help your hunting. If they don't have information, then you have to do the research. There may be earlier house sites on the property or other sites that you--and They--know nothing about. If you're Really Good, you'll find those sites as well.
Good Luck and Have Fun!
P.S.--start in the fields first, hunt the mill site and other sites where there is nothing left now, establish trust with the owner by making several trips, giving them finds, etc., then do the yard of their house last. This is Very Important, and I hope you understand Why. Took me a while to figure it out...
Regards,Buckles

Thanks for the the tips Buckles when I get back there I am going to hit the grist mill site first, Slow and steady. unfortunately most of this area is now grown in with trees and sits on the side of a large hill but I am determined to hit every square inch of the place. I did a quick scan of the saw mill site and dug over 40 shotgun shells. needless to say I got frustrated and moved on.