[Music] [Music] [Music]
I'd like to welcome all of you here and um I'm I'm pleased because you're here and the fact that whatever Jason Norton Media does,
they'll show this film because that's what we're doing. We don't like to bring stuff out of the ar out of the archives and it can be daunting. We have so many items. So, today we're going to
start with a pledge of allegiance to the flag. You'll all rise. [Music] I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation
under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. >> Now Ralph, um you're going to need to let me do a few things before you begin. >> You want to do it from there? >> Yes. Right. Yes. Fine. Um, first we're
going to have the secretar's report from our previous meeting. Okay. The Norton Historical Society and the Land Preservation Society of Norton annual meeting on May 18th. President Burkhard opened the meeting to 48
attendees at 2 p.m. and led the Pledge of Allegiance. President Burkhard highlighted the partnership between the Norton Historical Society and the Land Preservation Society. Minimums of the April 13th meeting were read by Ellen McGrath. President Burkott read the
slate of offices for the coming year that were approved. Janice Burkott, president. Christine Carmichael, vice president. Bob Lampir, treasurer. Melanie McGrath, secretary. Dennis Gutman and Marshall Martin, board members, terms of office to expire in
2028. President Birkhart discussed the society's achievements and recognized volunteers. Attendees were asked to share family stories about arriving in Norton after the colonial period. Program ideas were also encouraged.
Members dues are due in July. An upcoming event is a revolutionary war encampment on the society's ground in the fall. Sandy Olhead, chairman of the rail trail committee, gave a slide presentation about the Norton rail trail. The rail trail was funded by the
state in the Norton Alternative Transportation Committee. It experienced delays beginning in 2000 and major construction began in 2023. The project is near completion this year. The rail trail is described as a wonderful gem
for walking, bicycling, and horseback riding. Refreshments were served after the meeting adjourn meeting adjourned at 300 p.m. Refreshments were provided the Norton by the Norton Historical Society. Helen McGrath, secretary. >> Thank you, Ellen. Um, I have a few
remarks that I need to make so that we can get them into our minutes. Um, first of all, we have some upcoming events in October. On the 4th, we'll be having another flea market.
Um uh in October on the 19th just before Halloween we'll be having a a speaker here Dr. D. Gregorio who's been here before and he'll be talking about witchcraft in New England and it
should be really interesting and all the we always think of Salem and the witch trials but apparently there were other things going on just not only in Salem. And then on the 20th we'll be having our vote city event. So um next month we'll
be giving out the coupons if you want to attend that. I want to take a moment to thank people who've paid their dues already. Um and especially I'd like to thank the life members who have been sending in
donations. You know, at the bottom of the uh renewal form, it says donations, and life members who don't need to pay their dues anymore have been sending in donations. So, that's very nice of them to do that.
We have a dream. Um the the the historical society is so crunched for space. You know we have so many things we want to display and so little space to do that we are dreaming
of having another carriage shed. Now this is going to be a major capital expense. So we'll be doing it in stages. Uh the first stage will be to get things prepared and a shed put on the property
and then as time goes on we will raise more money. Um we want to put uh one or two handicapped bathrooms in this shed so that people do not have to go down the steps to go to the bathroom when
they're here for flea markets. We also want to have it heated. Of course, we plan to move the barge, Eliza Weaten's carriage, and other things into the shed. And one thing that we may be moving into the shed, a lady who
graduated from Wheaton in 1964, I think, called and wants to donate her pony cop to us. And it sounds quite beautiful. It was done in Amish country by her grandparents who gave it to her as a
gift and it's in prime condition and she's going to pay to send it up here to us. So, we can't wait to see what that's going to look like. So, that would be a perfect thing to put into that shed. So, we will be having fundraisers and
writing grants and seeing what we can do to raise the money to build this. Um, we had an encampment last week of the revolutionary soldiers and it was very interesting. They had about 10 different
stations where you could stop, look at the the different kinds of rifles they used, what the doctor did for the men who were in the war, how the women cooked, clothing toys, there were some exhibits for children. They were very,
very interesting. Plus, they kept shooting off their musketss and they made very loud noise. But um they were so thrilled to be here because they had a lot of history majors from the college
who came to talk with them and they found it very interesting to be exchanging ideas with these young people and they asked if they could come back again. So maybe next year we will be repeating that. It's just interesting to have that kind
of an outdoor event that was free to the town and I was pleased that so many little children came, elementary school children and even smaller. Um um we are trying to engage the students at Weaten
and at the high school more in our activities and presenting topics that they would be interested in as well as giving them chances to do projects. Um, we've heard from one of the professors at the college who has a documentary
class and he would like to send some students to do some documentary work. Um, and we were thinking about an essay contest for the high school students. So, we want to try to get them involved more and learn more about the history of
our town. Um the people from North Cottage have been very helpful to us on our uh flea market days. They come and they carry boxes for us. You know, they're kind of young and healthy and
strong and we're not so much anymore. And it's been wonderful having them come to help us out with that. And also I want to um mention that we're in the middle of another big project here and
that is to obtain a camera system for the outside of our building. Um not only do we want that for security reasons, but in case somebody falls down or worse something happens, we would be able to
document what happened. and we're nearing the end of negotiations on that. Um the cable company here in town um gave us a nice grant as well as Northeastern to help pay for the
cameras. We're very grateful for that. So that's what's coming up. And I want to introduce Mr. Stephanelli, who is um the owner of the Non Road Show
and an active appraiser, an auctioneer of antiques and collectibles. And he has spent a few days here looking through our archives and being very surprised at what he's found. He's found some treasures. Uh, and we really do have an
awful lot of treasures here, which we wish we could do more about showing them to everybody. So, this is one step. He's picked out some items that he thinks you will enjoy, and he's going to be presenting his own items and our items for your enjoyment today. So, Ralph,
take it away. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Welcome. And thank you for coming, folks. We've got a lot to cover. I can talk at this pace, but because we have the big screen, everyone can see
it. >> Excuse me, Ralph. Would you like the lights out? >> Oh, no. >> Okay. >> No, I was looking and it's difficult. Okay. Um,
I wanted to thank you, Jan, for your introduction, and I wanted to thank Chris Carmichael, who was my right arm in the three days that we're here. She was able to point in the right
direction, show me the files that George kept. um three drawers full of these cart contain 5x8s or 5x6
and he did something that I felt was really strong. He would take a picture of it, write down what he knew about the person who gave the item and the date and why it
was important for us for him to keep these files because now and George has been gone a while George and he was really dedicated to the town. The
entire family was dedicated to Norton. And that's the beauty of staying in one place like we with our family. We came up from New Jersey to Rhode Island, 10 years in Rhode Island. We lived in
Cranston. You know, that's that's their little funny tale to the way they speak. and 53 years here in Norton. Betty and I have been involved with the
town and its growth with various committee meetings and planning board, zoning board of appeals, writing changes to the charter. All good, all positive.
And so now I'd like to say let's get visual. And that means I'd just like to give you a little background on a resume. In 1980, I became and always was
in the Norton flea market vein of doing business. Instead of buying one or two items or a wagon full of items, I decided to go to
uh school university for auctioneers and more importantly appraisers. And an appraiser is a detective. He doesn't give you false information. He's held liable just like an insurance
person who can possibly foul up and people don't get the correct amount of money and he's liable and he could lose his that person could lose their license.
And the beauty of that is I was also involved with starting and being a part of the Massachusetts Auctioneers Association. And the reason for that was we would
give reciprocity to people from New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine. They could come into Massachusetts, start the auction, and then have to give it to the auctioneer from Vermont, from New Hampshire. And we said, "Why won't
you give us the same reciprocity that we give to you?" It took one a year and we got it. It's just a matter of doing it the right way, getting the right attorneys, and that allowed us to go into barns and
old estates where they're spread out all over and crowds that you couldn't believe, hundreds, because everybody wanted to collect something. And the reason I made the the
fact that an appraiser is like a detective Murkart has done a lot of leg work in getting the carriage from Georgia. And when she talked to me, she said, "As
an appraiser, what needs to be done?" Well, as a graduate of CIA, Certified Auctioneering Institute, we have contacts and we are endorsed by
the banks here in Massachusetts and uh the Auctioneers Association. So, I said, "Don't worry about it, Jan. We have friends all over. We'll take care of it.
And you won't be surprised when it arrives that you got a bill because in the letter of acceptance when we brought when Jan when Miss Birkhard brought it up, the owner of the item said, "I only want it for tax
purposes." So, if it changes, we may have to put a few dollars to get the prop. We're not there yet, but that's our goal.
I then became um I was okay. I went to the New England Appraisers Association and became a member there. They're tough. They're tough.
Don't try to pull a wool over somebody from New England. I had my advertising done and over the years I've done quite a few adver how many people here remember Alice Baker?
Okay. old. She was here for a long time with Howard and her family. Um, the Rich family contacted me and said, "Ralph, you've done so much in the town.
We'd like to have you do Alice Baker's estate on Leonard Street in the dead of winter." So, I said, "Let me look at it first, and I'll be done in a second." I went out there and in the yard were
four trailers, 18-footers full because not only was she a realtor, but she was an antique, she had a barn over on Bay Road, right off of Bay Road,
and it took 3 months to clear that estate out. Very, very happy. And we got a lot of publicity out of it. and future programs that we're working on now.
So that's me. That's what I do. In 1982 when I graduated from Indiana auctioneering school, the Sun Chronicle,
which doesn't do local news any longer, everything's on the computer, gave me the title of Norton man among elite in the auction business because I was one of four people in the auctioneering
that completed a 4-year attendance in Indiana and that helped tremendously. Moving on this system of clicking and looking if
you have a question speak up. That's the building built in uh 2000 for $2,000. It was called number three school and the inside been brought up to
up to speed. I showed you that. That's one of my advertising pieces. A lot of the attorneys will call me and say, "I need something to bring to my account to see who you are." And I have
pictures and my advertising. And it's all done professionally. These are local ads at think of the Norton Flea Market. A lot of the items that I would auction, I would go right to the Norton flea
market, 6:00 in the morning, the truck would be full. The kids were sleeping in the cab there, kids. I'd knock on the window and I'd say, "Do you really want to spend the day here?
I'll buy everything in the truck. Would you like to get out and we can talk about it?" and he drive it back and over to my house and bingo, we had our next auction instead of going to yard sales.
It was an easy way to do business. This, of course, you can see here Lincoln who I've collected all these years and the Civil War. It's just a short poem about freedom and
how the Negroes looked at the freedom, fought to attain that freedom, and it took many, many years for it to really happen. I'm not going to go there
because you know what happened. This item, which is next, there's my Oh, okay. I did take some pictures of items that are in my collection. This happened to
be a courier knives. It's right here on the table. But the beautiful part about this is there's Lincoln and
on the other side is George Washington. Beautiful prince. Usually I wear white gloves, but my hands are clean. You don't want to leave the oil on these. It's like a sponge.
And these this item right here, we'll talk about it later with Jan and Chris and the organization to see if they want to have a double-sided picture hanging. So you
could look in the room and see Lincoln. And if you were sitting in the back, you could see Washington. Just different shadow box. This is Lincoln unbearded. I have a picture of
an etching on stone. Are you familiar with stone printing? The artist would chisel out what he wanted and then the ink would be placed and it would this giant stone would be then
rolled but it would wear out. So the number of prints that you could get was limited. usually 100 to 125 and if they like it and there was a call
for it, they'd make another one, another stone. But then again, at the same time, the presses were being updated and you could set a picture like that
couple of years later and get 500 prints and then replace the paper and get another 500 so that the population could buy one. And they were usually 25 cents back in
the day. And that's going to be donated by me to the historical society. We'll talk about having how we want it to be framed and other whatever.
It comes with a plastic protector. We just make that part of it. There's George. There's the United States building in Washington DC. These were posters
that I collected. Some of them were Yes, these are mine, but I'm donating them again to the historical society. This was during all World War II. buying bonds. I have the write up on why
we had the red, white, and blue, but for the sake of time, we'll put that in the bulletin and you guys can read how we picked red, white, and blue. What is this? A picture of grow.
>> An apron. An apron used by the waitress. >> Mhm. >> During World War II at the USO theater. >> Handmade. Cotton red, white, and blue. Handmade. Found in New York City,
297 in the attic of American theater, World War II vintage. This was all George's handwriting. He kept good records.
In today's world, we want more information. This is the PM MIA flag which flies underneath the American flag. There's been some discrepancies of folks wanting to put up
the FA favorite flavor of the month under the United States flag and we just stopped them cold because it's in the rule book constitution. Only one flag can fly the American flag
in honor of the veterans who died or were in prison or missing in action. This was mostly used during the Vietnam War, which was a horrible um police action. Actually, it was Korea
that was the police action. Heavy linen cloth. You've seen it. It's on the It's on this George Sheret uh gave this to the Historical Society, the Canadian flag.
And I'm not going to say a word because Jan Chan will pick it apart. Chan, would you like to would you like to give a reference to the flag? >> Well, when Canada went through
confederation and they joined all the provinces into one, including the French provinces of Quebec and Nova Scotia and whatnot, they wanted to come up with a flag that would
unify the country. And so this is sort of their answer. a con and when they when the country became a confederation and the symbol of the maple leaf which of course is a very strong tree the
maple tree um was what they decided to put on their flag. So that's why they have that. >> Thank you Jan. And they've always been an ally in any wars that were undertaken by various countries. They've
always been like America in the way they do business. This is a Civil War. There's a Civil War knapsack of leather with the company at with the company
designated on the cloth. It was mass 26 volunteer infantry company K. They didn't survive because when the war was over, they just ended up in the garbage or kicked off to
the side. They were more interested in getting home to see if their house was still standing. This was a momento and we have a few pictures here that when you went to the various
training forts or campgrounds, you brought a momento for mom or dad that happens to be for mother. And it was just something because that's the way they did business back then.
They didn't have the phone that they could talk to. And there's mom and dad and the family celebrating their birthday. This is a cigarette lighter. Actually, it's a solders's lighter. They didn't call it a cigarette lighter
because in the evening when you wanted to smoke and everybody got free cigarettes from the various companies, it created just like the old cigarette lighter in your car. It lit up, but it was red hot. And you can see from the
front of it, it's cupped. So, and you knew enough to put your head down in the foxhole or wherever and light your cigarette or a fire.
World War II. World War I. Let's see what we got for World War I. Who can talk about the the stars? The stars are showing the anyone this hung outside the person's home
and it showed that two people in that family were in the service. If there was a gold star in the middle, example, it was because they were deceased and they gave
they gave they gave all uh you don't need to know the estate and who did it. It's Arlington. We probably don't know the folks, but this is an this is a parade
regimental sword that was given mostly by his troops. And you can see by the brass and the special handle. The Ames company
created that. It's a shovel company, but what they did, they were so big that they would go out and buy Utah. That would be in my in my mind right now.
Let's say Wyoming. They would go to Wyoming and where they draw drew the mater minerals out of the earth. Let's say Ralph owned that company and they would come in and say we'll buy you and
make such an offer and leave them to run the company. But there was one caveat and that was my name goes first. Ames and Ralph iron ore.
Ames and Ralph sword whatever the material was coal and that beca they became bigger a giant. And when you hit the button for Ames
company they were something else. They always gave back. I don't know of any story that's negative about the Ames company. I've been through their museum. It's right in East right at the right at the
college. Next is the United States Marines. Why? >> Anything choice, any words, anything with the emblem for the
Marines, they buy it because they've always got your back as a Marine, even though you're a veteran. And it's it's they're the Spartans of the day.
I don't know how else to say it. There's a lot more than 300 of them. There's Norton Civil Defense, their flag. Next, that's an armband, by the way.
Let's see if it is. That's it. It's a defense armband that that they could see that you were and they tapped on your window or told you to put that pull that shade down.
Don't light anything up because offshore was the enemy and they could uh cause a lot of damage just by knowing where to go. difficult to read, but it's the last one was China. That's the town
of Norton. Difficult, so I'm just gonna pass it up. The plate that was couldn't be read was a a commemorative plate for Pearl Harbor, the American Legion Cemetery
to our veterans who were deceased. It was a cemetery plaque. This one came back from Nashawa, New Hampshire. And it was an American Legion. and George L put a lot of good it's
bronze these started to disappear in the 50s and the 60s and be melted down when we had that Cuban situation in the 50s I think I'm in the 50s do I belong >> 62 62
>> 52 okay 62 >> 62 Thank you just disappear from the stolen from on the grave site. Right in our backyard was Camp Standish,
Miles, Standish, and Taton. That's where the Pole Poland Springs Company is. And the behind that is they were in front of it, in front of BJ's, if you will. So, now you have an idea where it is.
There's an industrial park there. and Taton because it was stateowned and they had a lot of power within the state. They were able to buy that entire acreage,
don't know what the number was, but they got it for practically nothing. And then we myself, Butch Rich, Dan Martin, remember the planning board? >> Yep. and hard planning board.
>> Plenty board we got together and we decided to get our piece of the action which was across the road which takes you right to BJ's and that's why we have that little area with bunch of good
companies that they don't switch off. They're in goodstead with the company with the with our town of Norton. And you can see that that was a prisoner of war camp.
The Italians and the Germans were brought there and there was a railroad that brought them in where the bike path is now. That railroad would bring them in from Boston.
And most of them are just it just reminds you that it is okay. This is a committee that Betty worked on the bsentennial.
Um wasn't as big as the 300th. We made a big deal out of that. Here's a sweetheart pillowcase coming up. Try calling somebody a sweetheart now in the group. This is the seaman's
and officers which offers um if you have the approval and the paperwork free room and board in the Boston and Quinsey area. dog tags.
When the Civil War was in effect, they didn't have dog tags. They had a unit, a star or your initials. And they only made one and they put it in their boot
so that they didn't get buried at Chickamuga, Chikamaga, whatever it was. I can't say it properly. And they bury right on the spot because Gettysburg had six hold on
30,000 cows and horses killed in Gettysburg. So you can imagine the smell including the bodies and when they they just buried them right on on the spot.
>> Breath. >> Yes, please. um an undertaker in Wakeet who gave a presentation to us um said that only very rich people could have
their bodies sent back to their home because they had to be packed in ice and the others would not stand the transportation. So that's one of the reasons that they stayed right there. They didn't have a
way of preserving them. >> When you hear the casualty reports, you have to visualize >> that there's the field, there's the football field, and they're lined up
a breast arm to arm. Union Confederate. The first line dropped to their knee and fired. They then stepped around. The other line
took stabiliz standing and they fired. It was a massacre. That's what they knew. That's why the casualties were so high. Records listing men who served in the military. Okay, there it is. This is
interesting because this was brought to my attention. Dog tags. Hold on. Here we are. Good. Right there on the end. This is the only known woman's armband.
Now, think of that. There's the Nazi emblem. And we talk about the brown shirts. Those were men. And that surfaced by
Nazi armband. Gayla Badden commemorative badge. Armband red cloth badge medal. The badge is female.
And when they when George or somebody from here took the picture, there was someone who saw this at another meeting and brought it to our to the historical society's attention
that they'd never seen one or had know where one is collected. That's an interesting piece of history. Next. That's scary. I'm sorry, but
I'm a World War II guy. And uh Wow. This is I have to read it. A Navy uniform, jacket, skirt, and hood.
Navy cotton. The Esther Ezra Holmes estate. Why does the name Holmes jump out at me? Was he the photographer for the Sun Chronicle? >> Ed Holmes. >> Yeah,
>> he was an insurance man. >> Thank you. I was in insurance. That's why it's jumping out at me. >> But this was a woman's uniform. >> Yes. This was donated on June 25th, 2014. It's in great condition
and you can imagine how difficult it would be to have these all laid out for you where when George what George started was the right way to do it. Let's see what we got coming up. Another one. Navy
brass buttons. Two light blue stripes and a star. Black circle on the lapel. same estate homes. That's a nice picture of it, too. It's in good shape.
Now, we get into the flags. One of my favorites. [Music] That also is a grave marker where I think it takes a flag or they put the flag right next to it.
and they disappeared. And at the flea market or a yard sale, you'd see one, you just pick it up, call 911. He didn't go to jail. He didn't get cuz he could give you any kind of a story.
They just claimed it. The 300 Wheaten College. That emblem was designed by the committee. And to get the ball rolling, we met at Dan's
Danny Rich the attorney's office at 495 Marketplace and someone in the group said, "Let's have a contest, but let's give it to the school kids to come up with their ideas." We got something like 35
entries. They most of them were good. So we said, how do we solve a problem? This doesn't have everything we want. So we pick and choose. And just like a
a a puzzle, we put together the north Norton 300th, the steeple from Weeden, and that we come up with that flag, and it was very popular, and it appears on everything we did for the 300th
similar to this. This tells a story. But what I like about it is the Mrs. Wheaten's carriage with the horse. That's it. Just tells the story.
1711. Okay. We did the flag marker. We did the weekend college. Yeah. Welcome. beautiful eagle. They made that into a plaque >> and sold it
as an item in the in the museum stores. Welcome home. Red, white, and stripes club. Okay. Was called a swag. World War II welcome
home swag. S W A G. Wow, what an organization. They show up at every situation where people are involved and need help. So
when someone asks to give blood, just do it. Just do it. And I hope that moves you in the right direction. uniform with the emblems.
[Music] Bob Kimell. Wow. Did not know Lenny Sylvia turned this over to us to the ambassad.
These names are historical in themselves. We're in the metal area. where people served and received medals. The only problem that I've noticed as an auctioneer, you'll see them
and they've been reproduced and it's very difficult to tell the good from the used or awarded to. They did in Britain. They formed his name, her name
on the rim. That made it extra detective wise. And even then, you had to flip a coin and say, is it real? Beautiful metals.
That's one of the things we were noted for here in the US, the ability to stamp out with these tremendous forced stamping pieces of equipment. Okay. Smart jacket. Just a smart jacket.
Uh, Butch Riley, donated by Butch Riley, worn by his father, George Riley. H, that one doesn't ring a bell because Butch threw me the name.
I'm thinking Butch Rich. So, I'll take that one back. Display cabinet donated by Riley again. Uh, okay. Here we are. The various hats
that he wore in a parade in the winter and summer and winter gear and in great condition. The metal. Here we go. When you see them up, when you see them,
hold on. There might be two of them there. There's the first one. And there's the second one. good conduct and national defense. And we're into the flags. Norton,
Massachusetts. Liberty and Union flag 1774 voted as the town flag in 7 in 1976. Wow. And now they're getting rid of the Indian That's the beauty. That's the beauty of
living in America. There's one in its presentation box. That's the way you want to find them when you're at a yard sale. And don't be afraid to pay pay a few bucks. You can always donate it to the Northern Historical Society when
the time comes. The drum military 1861 parade drum hery spetnik their property's for sale now on a corner of going on for $4.95.
Beautiful. >> Tell them why the drum was important in the war. >> Do you remember >> it? It created the ca cadence >> for the next move. So you could be
walking across a a really rough field of endeavor and the enemy was on horseback. Well, you didn't want to be overrun. So that drummer would give you the fast roll
>> and and that was the only way they could identify. >> Yeah. And you also told us that um in the midst of the battle when the guns were so loud, the drummers could give signals
to the soldiers. Is that what you said? I think. >> Yeah. That they could hear the drums rather than the the officers calling out the orders. >> And along with the drum, we had the flag. And we've had an issue with the
flag recently where there are certain groups within the United States who say that we don't want that statue anymore of Lee. We don't want Jefferson Davis. We don't want John
Adams, John Quinsey Adams, president. And uh we prevail. We prevail. That's the mess kit. That little handle comes up. So you would
store it and you would slop whatever on one side, maybe sch slop the other side with a piece of bread and butter. 1917 that particular piece. So there's not too many of them around
because of the metal drive that we did in World War II. Army hood cotton. That's a tough one to see. Oh, it's a hood. You would see that on in the uh on the ships.
Okay. Because they put the ear plugs in and they had a man that gun 1944. you are. you are. That's French. You want to talk Italian? I can talk.
Okay, that's the hood that was donated. Reenactment type military cap tepee. It's for parade. Reenactment type military hat for the parade. It's a reproduction tepee. Confederate officers
hat. I'm surprised that it's blue. Should be gray. That could be a misspelling, but that's okay because here's another one. And it says same people.
Uh, and it's navy blue as a Union Army hat. Okay. And then she did a military shirt. Okay. Powder horns. interesting when the enactment for the
revolutionary group that was here last week and they had they didn't have the horns. What they did was they turned down like the one in the middle when it was
straight and the plug fit right in there like a cork and it screwed because if your powder was not dry, you could die. You didn't want to put wet powder down your barrel.
Little things. These are bone probably in the in the rear side where all their I don't know the answer so I'm not going to go there. Girl Scout flag with the long pole. Lovely. Look at that blue.
The troop number. >> Girl Scouts. >> Troop number. >> Girl Scout. >> Weren't you a a den mother, Betty, with our girls? >> I was a dead mother and a scout leader. Denmother of Rhode Island. >> It was Rhode Island. Okay.
>> Scout up here. >> Next. This was not exploding. This was steel. And when they aimed it, you can visualize a rock in your hand at the
reservoir, skimming it across the water. Boom. Boom. Boom. Well, remember this. Confederates Union. The cannons were aimed down to skim like a rock and they put extra shot in the
back of a powder so it would get that speed and take out groups of 10 20. And if it we're not talking death, we're talking wounded because if that thing hit you, wow, you knew it.
And that's what okay for your upcoming or in the future mailing that you have I have uh it's not here but the actual reason for the red
white and blue. Okay, I I'm not going to go there because there's nothing here for me, but I did see it in in some of my other collections. Scrap sword holders mostly for parade.
It was not used in battle because they were not sharpened. It was parading uh civil war. Okay. World War I,
same thing. Look at the size of that bandit. And by the way, uh during World War II, the Japanese were running out of uh ammunition. So they had the long sword and they were
replacing their men on the islands because we were winning. So what they did, the new recruits were so skittish about poking this into somebody to kill them that they took the
pigs and hogs, the wild hogs, tied them up, and it was just like hitting flesh. It had that same feeling. So you got used to it. You pulled it out. You might hit him again, pulled it out, and moved
on to the next obstacle. 17 and 12 in on that blade. Wow, that's a lot. B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B 17
Pl You heard of at the oil fields where we lost from the Abe Army pilots. They held nine nine to 12 members on a plane
and uh deep deep into into uh Germany. And if they made the wrong turn, they would just run out of fuel and they were sitting ducks for the measure smmiths as they crossed over boundaries shooting
down. And they they uh this is from the ' 40s, World War II 40s. Uh they didn't want the prisoners. They killed them while they're in their parachutes. I can't prove it, but you read stories
that tell you about this. Stop sign blackout. That would have been the civil defense. They would have knocked on your door and said, "Hey, put that liquor. Put that out or or just hold it up as a reminder. Canteen. Civil
War canteen with an explanation and some folk art. Bullseye. Okay. Folk folk art cantens. The cover. They can have fun with that.
Target kite. Is that it? There it is. Yeah, it's hanging. That picture is hanging right there behind the screen. So, when you go for a little piece of goodies and a
little drink of tea or whatever, that was hauled at the back of the boat. They would they would That's a kite. Literally a kite. We think it's the only one available. because no one had ever seen this
before. And the recruits when they when they practiced their 20 mm aax were boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom. Well, the ship's going and the only way we could tell
that you hit it was it would take out the kite. But that's that's a first for me to see. I was really intrigued with that Civil War. Um, is that the one that's behind me?
>> Yes. >> Yes. >> Okay. Here's the Civil War. All wool. Can you imagine a day like today? All wool. 100%. It's got the ki,
the boots. You can see the mold on the boots, the pants, and remember these guys were as big as my wife. Tall, I mean, and uh they wore them day in and day
out. That's a treasure. Didn't they ask to see if they could sell that or >> Excuse me? Did didn't Was wasn't wasn't there an issue where they wanted to sell it? No. Okay.
>> But there is a story about um the man that wore that uniform. He was injured at the Battle of Bull Run and after a while he got sent home. I don't know if he had an amputation or
what, but um after about 2 years after the war was over, he went back to the battlefield where he was injured um with his father to show him where he was fighting
and he found a cannonball on the ground and he picked it up and he brought it home and it's in the case out here. he wrote bull run on it and the date and um I guess they were very surprised to find
that there but in those days there were pieces of stuff all over the place in the trees you know embedded in the trees bullets and all of that so in addition to his uniform we have a cannonball from the from the fight
well thank you Ralph that was very informative and Uh we have so many uh artifacts here and we get surprised even sometimes when we open up a box and we
go, "Wow, look at this." One time we opened a box that was on the table downstairs and I thought that it was a box of old paper towels and when we took the paper towels out there were all these pieces of scrimshaw
inside. And Bertha Smith who gave us so much when her estate was settled um she had a relative who was on a whailing ship and he had made these and sent them to her. So, you never know what you're going to find. It's like a mystery every
day. >> Oh, thank you, Ralph. And you know what? We'll put the red, white, and blue stuff in in the November newsletter cuz it will be Veterans Day. So, that'll be a good place to put it. >> Thank you. Um, if you want to have ask
Rob some questions, I'm going to go finish up the refreshments, then come out and have something to eat. I have one thing I'd like to leave you with. We are all going to die. I don't know anybody who's alive from
the Civil War. Now, this is not to be a joke because most of you have pictures at home and they could be very 1880s when the cameras were really
in their full bloom. And here are these be I'm not going to show it to you this time. We'll do it another time. But here are these beautiful people. You turn the card over. We don't know who they are. So would you please consider that if you
have that dog tag from an uncle or the brother of the uncle and you know a little bit about it, just write it down. You don't have to write it on the on the actual card itself, but put something there where we can
identify him and maybe find out that the whole family was military that okay that his whatever whatever but that without that name or address it becomes
what a waste beautiful picture I have in uniform especially World War I because when they came back that was the war to end all the wars. They all went to the and got their picture taken and the only thing you have on the back of that card is the studio and where it was
located. Nothing else. It's like going down a rabbit hole. Put a lot of time and energy into it and you still come up dry. And don't throw one more thing. Don't throw
things out because in the magazines that I get, it says here, "We almost threw a piece of history out. They were downsizing from their parents."
Inside was needed point 1830s. An appraiser took it from New York City, gave it to Christies,
and got an appraisal of 25 to $30,000. >> You just don't know. Don't be afraid to ask. Don't be afraid to come and talk to Chris or or Jan and say, "You got Ross
phone? Can I have it?" There you go. And and just because the kids say they don't want it, don't believe them. They want it. Betty Jane said to us here while I was
fooling around with this, that she found her mother's night gown or sleeping gown. What do they what they call it? >> It was a well, she must have been like 12 years old. And it was a cotton the
cotton long gowns. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> I had it in the closet. >> And she said, "Here, >> I wore it one year for Halloween." >> I'm all done, folks. Let's Let's come over here and enjoy
some camaraderie. Thank you for your attention. I really appreciate that. I love you. [Music]