need info -- blockade runner John Rugheimer -- family has B & B in charleston SC

[ivan salis]

need info -- blockade runner John Rugheimer -- family has B & B in charleston SC

I recently came across a pair of civil war era buttons ---they are 2 middle sized buttons ---south carolina state seal buttons (on the front) that had been turned into a very high dollar set of cuff links by a wealthy man who removed the shanks and has french post braised in their place (in the 1950's I think)-- on the rear was the name JOHN RUGHEIMER SONS ( with a smallish FIVE SIDED STAR instead of the normal dot ) ----near the outer rim area there is a circular pattern of dots in a ring all the way around ---

I think that this might be related in someway to the confederate blockade runner named JOHN RUGHEIMER which ran to england where many of the souths buttons were made --- maybe the button maker was a related in some way? (or possibly they were even "custom made" by the english button makers for him and his sons? or possibly made by them ? I badly need to find out more on the subject ) -- the buttons are of fine quality with full gilt and except for the shanks having removed during their being converted to french style cuff link are in great shape --- they seem to be of english high quality type design --- in the same collection was a large sized CSN NAVAL BUTTON (sadly the gilts gone) with the normal CSN under crossed cannons with a anchor type design --- on the back FIRMIN & SONS 153 STRAND LONDON (DOT) there is a small ring of dots in the center on the back --

-- I want badly post photos but the wife says the digital camera trashed -- man I want to put these buggers up for all to see --- ( its quite a snag) --- Ivan

 

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[tymcmurray]

Re: need info -- blockade runner John Rugheimer -- family has B & B in charleston SC

Can you scan them?

 

[ivan salis]

Re: need info -- blockade runner John Rugheimer -- family has B & B in charleston SC

If I could I would -- I'll check with the wife her computer might have the ablility to scan stuff --- mine does not ---she's already in bed tonight

 

[badoscar]

Re: need info -- blockade runner John Rugheimer -- family has B & B in charleston SC

OMG Hope you can.

 

[DCMatt]

Re: need info -- blockade runner John Rugheimer -- family has B & B in charleston SC

Name: John Rugheimer
Spouse: Alina
Birth: abt 1838 - Bavaria
Residence: 1880 - Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina

From the 1880 census records... Looks like this guy was pretty famous (or at least rich) in Charleston in the days following the CW. He even has a street named for him... Not much on the internet, though.

Good luck.

DCMatt

 

[ivan salis]

Re: need info -- blockade runner John Rugheimer -- family has B & B in charleston SC

blockade runners often were paid "bonus" money in gold or silver for a "run" if they made it --- after the war was over and thus US Govt regained control of "the south" one of the first things it did was "get paid" ---- "a squaring away of the tax books" ---demanding that the 5 years worth back taxes owed on all southern lands during the war be paid --- debts owed to the US Govt by the citizens of the south---- if you did not "pay up" --your land and thus any bussiness on it were taken from you "legally" and auctioned off --- for those who had gold or silver money or even yankee paper money a little bit of money went a long way -- many southern persons lands and bussiness were often sold for pennies on the dollar of their true worth --- the carpet bagger -- "yankee traders" with a fist full of paper money showed up snapping up everything in sight --- john rugheimer as a "smuggler / blockade runner" that was normally paid "bonus's" in gold or silver would have been one of the few southern men in the local area able to buy or help loan money to highly placed southern folks to save their lands and bussiness's --- so yes indeed he would have had major "clout" and made money hand over fist ---plus he just might have returned to smuggling goods ( easily done by paying off the local "yankee customs men to turn a blind eye") which after the war some of the old blockade runners did most likely -- old habits can be hard to break esp. if they are highly profeitible ones --- for many of the southern blockade runners , smuggling stuff was a way of life --- be it before , during or after the war--- ---- Ivan

 

[Thomas007]

Re: need info -- blockade runner John Rugheimer -- family has B & B in charlesto

Would love to see a picture.

Thanks for all of the background information about Johnny and blockade runners in general.


Sounds like you have something really neat and nice in the button/cuff links.

HH

Sanat