Had a good run at a site over the last week or so.

[Older The Better]

Recently I went out to this site 3 times and came away with a winner each time including some good datable finds. Considering all the datable items cluster around the time the Osage ceded the land to the government and it was open to settlement with former soldiers only having to homestead for two or three years instead of 5. I’m pretty confident this was a post civil war and likely original homestead site of a veteran

First an 1864 two cent piece

Then a shield nickel with rays making it 1866/67… it’s a little toasted but the rays say all I need to know

That was followed shortly by an 1868 Indian head penny

And on that same hunt this one piece button

Finally went out yesterday and score a small general service button probably also civil war era

And finally a pocket knife… maybe… probably. Which based on recent items and other finds points to civil war era

 

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[Gare]

Older T B You did OUT STANDING. Thank you for sharing with us

 

[ToddsPoint]

IL was under British control until 1779 when George Rogers Clark captured Forts Kaskaskia and Vincennes. The NW territories were ceded by Britain officially in 1793. This opened up So IL to settlement and people started pouring in. However, N IL still had “Indian problems” for 30 more yrs. It wasn’t until the end of the Blackhawk War in 1832 that N IL was open to settlement. The people that settled So IL came down the OH River from VA, TN, and KY, whereas the people that settled N IL came on boats through the new Erie Canal and into IL through Lake Michigan from the NE and Eastern US. Almost 200 yrs later, there is still a political/social divide between N and So IL.

 

[Older The Better]

Around here the Osage were pretty peaceful as far as land transition. I think a lot of it had to do with the fact they just went south and more or less still held a portion of land they had controlled. Still a more colorful factor is their chief had seen cannons in action back east and wanted no part in a fight with those. Other tribes in central and western Kansas were not so peaceful. I’ve hear a few stories over the years that talk about Indians coming back to trade or use fishing spots then going back south.

It was definitely an interesting time. One of the reason I’m excited about the date of this site. I can’t find any record of it anywhere and nobody I’ve asked knows anything about it. Hopefully I can keep gathering little clues and get a good picture of the site… maybe see if I can find a list of civil war cavalry men who settled in the area and have a potential name to put to the site.

 

[Trezurehunter]

Nice finds, its always nice to see a 2 Cent piece come out of the ground.