Confederate soldier name tag???

[arrowheadted]

I found this item on Friday. I don't know what it is exactly, but I know who it belongs too. It was in the from yard of a pre civil war home. The house had been converted to a rental many years ago, and apparently the renters like a few cold ones every day.

It reads ....
W.F. Hoover . R.2.
Beechgrove Tn
It is folded over and a little over an inch long and has a hole on both ends.
Thanks for your thoughts.

I found the name Willam Hoover on the find a grave website. I copied it here.

Birth: Jan. 19, 1833
Death: Dec. 28, 1910

Willam was the son of Daniel & Elizabeth Kellin Hoover married Martha A. Helton, daughter of William Henry Helton and Nancy Yearwood Shipp Helton on October 26, 1836. William Frances Hoover served as a private in the Confederate States Army Company C 45th Tennessee Infantry and his grave is marked with a CSA memorial in the Jamison Cemetery.

 

[Erik in NJ]

Sounds like you did your homework! I'll let someone else verify, but looks like a great find!!

 

[cedar6712]

"R 2" stands for Postal Route 2, a rural delivery address. I'm not sure when the postal service started the rural route designations. It could be post-war though since Mr. Hoover survived the war. There were a lot of Hoovers in that area. Hoovers Gap, the site of a CW battle, was named after one.

Can't tell from the pictures, but it looks very much like a money clip. And the hole looks manufactured. All Confederate name-tags were hand-made, not issued by the military.

 

[MADJOKER]

What a cool find.

 

[jewelerguy]

looks to me like a home made name tag for a dog collar

 

[cedar6712]

looks to me like a home made name tag for a dog collar

Or an ear tag for a cow

 

[pennyfarmer]

Or an ear tag for a cow

Could have been a livestock tag repurposed for a soldier I.D. tag? Just a thought.

 

[TheCoinKid]

I don't see anything on the piece that suggests civil war ID tag. Animal tag is my guess.

 

[GaRebel1861]

It is a cool find but I think that jewelerguy has it tagged. No pun intended.

 

[doc-d]

Very nice regardless

 

[vpnavy]

Nice finds arrowheadted.

 

[Mackaydon]

From a Civil War vets name tag to an animals ear tag; gotta love this Treasurenet !!
Don.........

 

[Curious The George]

I go with ear tag for cow as with cedar6712 above.

 

[arrowheadted]

Thanks for the responses. I think m leaning towards the animal tag theory, even though I would prefer it to be a civil war related item. I will take it to an expert on Wednesday to find out for sure. Thanks