J. & S.W. Tunis Token. Possibly Indiana?

Butterfield · Oct 15, 2018

I have a token from the store of J. & S.W. Tunis. I bought it from a dealer in central Indiana. A google search shows it could possibly be from Tipton (or possibly Kokomo) Indiana from the 1930s. Does anyone have access to directories from that era?

idahotokens · Oct 16, 2018

Butter--A quick look finds Joseph and his son Silas W. Tunis living in Carlisle, Lonoke County, Arkansas. Both were listed as "salesman" in the 1900 Census. So far that is the only reference I have found to "J. & S. W. Tunis" Hopefully more to follow.
John in the Great 208

idahotokens · Oct 21, 2018

Butter--I just heard back from John Byars who I asked to look up the Tunis references in his Dun & Bradstreet directories. He found this:
1894-96 Bradstreet - Tunis & Son - Gen Store
1899 Bradstreet - J. Tunis - Gen Store
1900 Dun - Jos. & S.W. Tunis - Gen Store
1900 Dun - J.E. Tunis - Gro.
1901 Dun - J.E. & S.W. Tunis - Gen Store
1902 Dun - J.E. Tunis - Gen Store

So that looks like it firms up the Carlisle, Arkansas attribution. I will edit the post on tokencatalog. If you want to trade it for an IN token, PM me.

John

Mackaydon · Oct 21, 2018

Some ancestrial history:
"[FONT=&quot]. Sarah Elizabeth Kersey, born 26 Oct 1846 in Marion, Ohio to Henry and Frances, married Joseph S. Tunis on 22 Dec 1864 in McDonough County, Illinois; living in Carlisle, Lonoke Co. AR in 1920; widowed; Sarah died on 12 July 1930 in Carlisle [preceded in death by her husband and 4 children]; buried at Carlisle Cemetery; Joseph was born 12 Sep 1839 in Marion County, OH; died 22 May 1902 of consumption [he had been a leading merchant in Lonoke, and a member of the Baptist church], Carlisle AR and is also buried in Carlisle Cemetery; their children:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]a. Silas W. Tunis, born abt 1868 in Illinois; living in Carlisle, Lonoke County, in 1920 with his mother; buried in Carlisle Cemetery (dates unknown); married Daisy C. Poundstone on 1 Dec 1896; Daisy C., age 19, died 8 Mar 1898, buried Carlisle Cem.; in 1900 Silas is married to Margaret or Martha (born TN 1865); in 1910 and 1920 he is widowed."
Source: [/FONT]https://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=millerm&id=I15087
Don....

Butterfield · Oct 22, 2018

Thanks John and Don for your help! Very interesting history! Unfortunately, since it's not an Indiana token I don't need it for my collection so will list it on ebay. Thanks again!

idahotokens · Oct 22, 2018

Do you collect any particular type of token? I have traders if you want to avoid eBay.
John

Butterfield said:
Thanks John and Don for your help! Very interesting history! Unfortunately, since it's not an Indiana token I don't need it for my collection so will list it on ebay. Thanks again!

Butterfield · Oct 29, 2018

John, I already had it listed before I saw your reply. But I collect Indiana trade tokens, and other Indiana exonumia. I have quite a few things available for trade.