Finally some SILVER!!! Plus more farm finds. CW items?

[ModernMiner]

I hit the large 164 acre farm property at lunch again and found a variety of goodies, including a silver bracelet.
HISTORY: This is the property that has the house that was built in 1936, but I've also found CW era items here too.
Since I was limited on time, I decided to search more around the backyard area under the trees where a swing used to be (still has two chains hanging), and the clothes were hung on the line. I was hoping to find a coin or two, since I had found two 1940's wheat pennies in that area in the past. As usual, I started digging up those 1940's aluminum clothes pins again. Then I found a 1942 wheat penny. I also dug up three interesting looking rusty iron pieces that I hope someone can help me identify. Could they be CW era related, or just common farm iron? I dug them up close to where I had dug that CW era baggage trunk latch/plate before.
I then proceded to MD around a large oak tree that I think one end of the clothes line used to be tied to. I had a large hit right up by the tree. I dug down about a foot to reveal two large metal plates that are now embedded into the tree. One of plates has some sort of casting design in it as you can see. I couldn't pry them out, so I have to return with a hatchet to chip away at the tree a bit. I had thought I found a hidden cache. Hopefully it's under the plates. With my luck it will probably just be more farm iron.
It then got a weak hit close to the same tree. I wasn't even going to dig it, because I thought it would be another square head nail. I'm glad I did though, because it turned out to be a thin silver bracelet!!! At first I thought it was a wire, or the top rim of a tin can, and I almost chucked it. After I wiped it off, I realized what it was. I was hoping to find a silver coin, but instead ended up with a silver bracelet. I'll take it!
Now I need some help on it from some of you pros out there. To me it looks very old, and almost homemade. You can see the design on the outside is not consistant like a store bought bracelet. Also, I found nothing engraved on the inside. There is about a 1" section on the inside of the bracelet that has some slash type grooves, and a non-smooth surface. I tried to capture this in the pictures hopefully. Any guesses?
Sorry for the long-winded post as usual. I get a bit excited when I find some things.
This property always has me puzzled on some items, because I never know if it is a simple farm find or CW era item, since I am finding both there. One things for sure, it's a blast MD'ing there.
Thanks all,
MM

 

[Trash Digger]

Nice finds, ModernMiner. I haven't been getting squat on the farm property I have been hunting in my area, but the search continues.

Mike

 

[ModernMiner]

Thats a fine lunch time hunt, but man can you dig some holes with a quickness. Your just like a little steam shovel! The iron thingies always leave me scratching my head too, I tote them around to the eldest men in the area and beg them for guidance. I'd wish you luck, but you certainly have a firm grasp on digging out the goodies. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks Charlene. I'm really lucky to have the soil on this property super soft black dirt. Normally in this area we have the hard NC red clay. This property is & was a farm since at least 1936. My 3' shovel makes quick work of digging holes. Once I get down through about an 8" black dirt layer, there is a sandy layer below it. Very easy digging, unless I encounter roots. There are a lot of roots too with all the old trees. The other neat thing is being able to have this property only about 1/4 mile from my job. What better way to spend your lunch. :-)
Have a great w/end.
-MM-

 

[vic910]

Really nice finds! I wonder if the marks on the inside of the bracelet were made by being held in some kind of vice? Hope you find out!

vicki

 

[Mona Lisa]

Miner...great pics and story. 8)

I've never seen clothespins like that...neato. That's a great bracelet. Good thing you didn't pitch it!

 

[Nana40]

GREAT pictures MM! Love that bracelet!

Congrats on your silver!

Nana

 

[oldcoyote]

That's an interesting looking place. There might have been another house there or nearby long before the one built in the 1930's. That iron O-ring looks like it might have joined a couple of pieces of scrap chain and then had a lot of repeated grinding wear on it.... possibly part of the kid's swing? The C-shaped iron piece that isn't quite a clevis almost makes me think I have seen it before, maybe on a wagon or other horse drawn gear. Could be some neat cast iron toys or a small cache around there. A nice fun spot to poke around in.

 

[tinpan]

Nice looking silver bracelet,Shows all the characteristics of been in the ground for a long time.Congrats on your find. HH

tinpan

 

[ModernMiner]

That's an interesting looking place. There might have been another house there or nearby long before the one built in the 1930's. That iron O-ring looks like it might have joined a couple of pieces of scrap chain and then had a lot of repeated grinding wear on it.... possibly part of the kid's swing? The C-shaped iron piece that isn't quite a clevis almost makes me think I have seen it before, maybe on a wagon or other horse drawn gear. Could be some neat cast iron toys or a small cache around there. A nice fun spot to poke around in.

Coyote,
I too am thinking there may have been something on this property before this 1936 house was built. Not only am I finding CW relics here, but the cemetery and the large old stone blocks look to be way older than 1936. No headstones on the graves (that I can find), and these huge stones are all over the property. I attached a few pictures of the stones & cemetery from one of my previous posts. I walked a bit out in the woods last week, and came across an old fence that two huge trees had grown around. The wire from the fence was about 1 foot into the trees. Very neat. I'll try to get a picture when I got back. I found a huge houseshoe with square nails in it, in that same area too.
The local tax records only show the current owner of the house which they purchased in 1945.
Maybe if I could find the old trash dump, I may be able to find some older bottles to prove there was something on this site before 1936? Everytime I MD there, I seem to uncover what I consider some neat relics from days gone by. A big variety too.
-MM-

 

[papa]

MM, not that I'm jealous or anything,but at your age ,you need to slow down,don't over do it.
Want me to come down and help you out
Just remember,when you find that still,....................It's Mine,..........but I'll share with you.

 

[ModernMiner]

MM, not that I'm jealous or anything,but at your age ,you need to slow down,don't over do it.
Want me to come down and help you out
Just remember,when you find that still,....................It's Mine,..........but I'll share with you.

Papa,
I could use some help at this place. Once you get that horseshoe repaired on your mule, ride on down out of the mountains and give me a hand. I could use an experienced digger. Can you work for 15 pesos a day?
The only "still" I've run across so far is when my wife calls me on the cell and says, "Are you STILL out there?"
-MM-

 

[papa]

MM,I had to put the mule out to pasture,but the good news is I've upgraded.I'm the proud owner of a 1978 Donkey,with a cart !!
Fifteen pesos ? Not bad,,but does that include coffee and meals Haven't found the still yet Hid it pettry good,for fifty pesos I'll give you a map

 

[Trash Digger]

The local tax records only show the current owner of the house which they purchased in 1945.
Maybe if I could find the old trash dump, I may be able to find some older bottles to prove there was something on this site before 1936? Everytime I MD there, I seem to uncover what I consider some neat relics from days gone by. A big variety too.
-MM-

ModernMiner, If you can go to the county courthouse you can search their deed books. Take your current tax plat info for reference to begin your search. You'll probably be able to find out who the owners were back to the 1700's.

Don't want to shoot ole papa out of the saddle, but I can walk over there in a couple of days. My old mule died, and the wife just can't pull the wagon as fast as she used to. Gotta find that still. I haven't found the one at the old "Party House" over here, yet.

Mike

 

[papa]

OH NO !!!!! Claim Jumpers !!! Maw,load the shotgun !!

 

[ModernMiner]

The local tax records only show the current owner of the house which they purchased in 1945.
Maybe if I could find the old trash dump, I may be able to find some older bottles to prove there was something on this site before 1936? Everytime I MD there, I seem to uncover what I consider some neat relics from days gone by. A big variety too.
-MM-

ModernMiner, If you can go to the county courthouse you can search their deed books. Take your current tax plat info for reference to begin your search. You'll probably be able to find out who the owners were back to the 1700's.

Don't want to shoot ole papa out of the saddle, but I can walk over there in a couple of days. My old mule died, and the wife just can't pull the wagon as fast as she used to. Gotta find that still. I haven't found the one at the old "Party House" over here, yet.

Mike

Thanks Mike. I'll try the courthouse when I get time. I've been so excited about digging at this place, I haven't had time to do any research yet.
Don't be too hard on the wife though. She may not pull the wagon as fast, but the mule can't cook.
By the time Papa makes it down this way, this property will be a strip mall. As you can see, his mule will have no part of this.
-MM-

 

[army82]

Nice story, Did you get the metal plates out of the tree?

 

[Trash Digger]

Watch out there, MM. I think papa might be one o' them there Hatfield boys.

Mike

 

[papa]

MM,and Mike,y'all ever try chilie power in yer snuff I forgot,city slickers don't dip,better check yer coffee cup

 

[raptor]

Mr Miner,
from what I can see of that there silver bracelet I suspect it is from a cherokee Indian Squaw of some stature. That used to be the way the chiefs treated their wives with silver brought from a trader back in the late 1700s. If you know of any Cherokees that live close by maybe you could get a definitate answer

 

[civilman1]

Nice going on the silver MM....I think that was the last find for me,not the silver but the clothe's pin.And that was a couple week's ago No diggin' here....HH!!

 

[ModernMiner]

Mr Miner,
from what I can see of that there silver bracelet I suspect it is from a Cherokee Indian Squaw of some stature. That used to be the way the chiefs treated their wives with silver brought from a trader back in the late 1700s. If you know of any Cherokees that live close by maybe you could get a definitate answer

Raptor,
Thanks for that info. I'll see if I can research that. The only Cherokee Indians I know of run the casino in the western part of NC.
My wife & I love to gamble, so maybe I can kill two birds with one stone.
Thank you,
MM