jgas
Silver Member
- Joined
- Apr 23, 2008
- Messages
- 3,818
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- Midwesterner
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- DFX, Pro 6000XL, SunRay Probe, Centech Pinpointer
Hello all treasure hunters. And so let the story begin.......
The year was 1863 and The Speaker of the House was Schuyler Colfax. During the Presidency of none other than Abraham Lincoln, Just as the Thirteenth Amendment abolishing Slavery was on the ropes of not passing. Here comes the Speaker, Schuyler Colfax, on a rare vote, the last vote secured passage of this amendment. Securing the Greatness of Abraham Lincoln forever. Jump to 1869 after Lincoln’s assassination we now have a new President Ulysses S Grant. His pick for VP, Schuyler Colfax.
The year now is 2019. A whopping 134 years has now passed since the passing of the Great ‘Smiler’ Schuyler Colfax. And here comes a couple of treasure diggers in search of some history semi related to the 17th VP of these United States.
It’s always been a wish of mine to dig this particular property that is the entrance point to the City Cemetary in South Bend Indiana where Schuyler Colfax is laid to rest. And no less than 50 feet from his tomb this entrance point sat a home that was built circa 1876. The city had finally taken control of the house as it was soon to be torn down as it was in disrepair for decades. That day came and of course I gained permission to dig. Now it was up to the stars to align and hope that we find a privy that would date to the burial procession of our Vice President.
After an hour of probing in the asphalt concrete hard as a rock dirt I hit it!!!! The use layer I thought was very little turned up so much more. This was the pit we were searching for and connecting to our local history. I can now just imagine on that cold blustery day when Schuyler Colfax was being driven by horse and carriage to his final resting place, the people needing a place to get warm and drink some beverages had been welcomed by this homeowner. Ultimately using this spot to clean up and wipe their eyes from their friend and VP that they will surely miss. Toasting a bottle of beer or whiskey from a jug and tossing it in the open outhouse.
Saving that history is what it’s really all about. Fast forward 134 years and here we are In the Midst of Vice President Schuyler Colfax and his family we discovered the following. The results were amazing. From Blob Beers and Pepper sauces that date to the 1885 year, to medicines, From John P Lee for cannabis to a Dowty Weaver pharmacy that’s traveled in the hands of a mourner from Columbus Nebraska. And the large whiskey jug fully intact with nary a scratch. Fruit jar lids and the slicks abound. To top it off a spittoon with a couple of smoking pipes that were used as the frozen mourners try to bear the weather and see their VP being laid to rest.
Oh the history and thoughts abound when digging privies. This one is special. It means the world to so many people that enjoy the freedoms of today because this man, Schuyler Colfax made that vote. Secured the 13th Amendment. Secured their freedom that they so greatly deserved.
I shall make a toast of my own to this man. Thank you sir and to President Lincoln for doing what needed to be done. Thank You for pushing through those tumultuous months and years of the Civil War and completing this task and is arguably the greatest amendment ever passed by our government.
Enjoy the pics , sit back, tip a beer and smoke a pipe. God Bless you Schuyler Colfax! Happy hunting out there and be safe. Jgas.
The year was 1863 and The Speaker of the House was Schuyler Colfax. During the Presidency of none other than Abraham Lincoln, Just as the Thirteenth Amendment abolishing Slavery was on the ropes of not passing. Here comes the Speaker, Schuyler Colfax, on a rare vote, the last vote secured passage of this amendment. Securing the Greatness of Abraham Lincoln forever. Jump to 1869 after Lincoln’s assassination we now have a new President Ulysses S Grant. His pick for VP, Schuyler Colfax.
The year now is 2019. A whopping 134 years has now passed since the passing of the Great ‘Smiler’ Schuyler Colfax. And here comes a couple of treasure diggers in search of some history semi related to the 17th VP of these United States.
It’s always been a wish of mine to dig this particular property that is the entrance point to the City Cemetary in South Bend Indiana where Schuyler Colfax is laid to rest. And no less than 50 feet from his tomb this entrance point sat a home that was built circa 1876. The city had finally taken control of the house as it was soon to be torn down as it was in disrepair for decades. That day came and of course I gained permission to dig. Now it was up to the stars to align and hope that we find a privy that would date to the burial procession of our Vice President.
After an hour of probing in the asphalt concrete hard as a rock dirt I hit it!!!! The use layer I thought was very little turned up so much more. This was the pit we were searching for and connecting to our local history. I can now just imagine on that cold blustery day when Schuyler Colfax was being driven by horse and carriage to his final resting place, the people needing a place to get warm and drink some beverages had been welcomed by this homeowner. Ultimately using this spot to clean up and wipe their eyes from their friend and VP that they will surely miss. Toasting a bottle of beer or whiskey from a jug and tossing it in the open outhouse.
Saving that history is what it’s really all about. Fast forward 134 years and here we are In the Midst of Vice President Schuyler Colfax and his family we discovered the following. The results were amazing. From Blob Beers and Pepper sauces that date to the 1885 year, to medicines, From John P Lee for cannabis to a Dowty Weaver pharmacy that’s traveled in the hands of a mourner from Columbus Nebraska. And the large whiskey jug fully intact with nary a scratch. Fruit jar lids and the slicks abound. To top it off a spittoon with a couple of smoking pipes that were used as the frozen mourners try to bear the weather and see their VP being laid to rest.
Oh the history and thoughts abound when digging privies. This one is special. It means the world to so many people that enjoy the freedoms of today because this man, Schuyler Colfax made that vote. Secured the 13th Amendment. Secured their freedom that they so greatly deserved.
I shall make a toast of my own to this man. Thank you sir and to President Lincoln for doing what needed to be done. Thank You for pushing through those tumultuous months and years of the Civil War and completing this task and is arguably the greatest amendment ever passed by our government.
Enjoy the pics , sit back, tip a beer and smoke a pipe. God Bless you Schuyler Colfax! Happy hunting out there and be safe. Jgas.
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