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Northrop Genealogy
George Elmore Northrop
Canes
B. 1844 ~ 3/17/1906~ age 62
In 1860 George is listed in the Westport census as a "Farm Laborer". At the age of 17 in 1861 he volunteers to serve in the "Civil War.in the 8th Connecticut Infantry (click for more information) . |
He brought back two canes. We don't know whether he carved one of them. The other was carved by F. H. DeLauney.
This is one of the walking canes that George brought back from the Civil War. It is intricately carved with information on the Battle on Antietam incuding the dates and numbers of soldiers killed and wounded. Note the shell used on the bottom of the cane.
Here are the narrative ‘strands’ – Some start at the top of the cane (the large end), some toward the middle, and all strands work toward the bottom (the tip). All are carved in raised letters: some in ’block letters, others in cursive script and others in old English block style as indicated below.
Some spelling is incomplete (Burnsid’s), the strands are of slightly different sizes (approximately as shown), the arrows shown were carved into the text
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There are several lines of text that wrap around the cane.
"Cut from the battlefield
of Antietam near
from http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/soldiers.cfm Perhaps the carver was related to one of the Maryland soldiers? Soldier Names Displaying records 1 to 8 of 8 No. Soldier Name Side Function Regiment Name |
At the turn of the nineteenth century, many G.A.R. posts possessed "pyramids" made of relics from various Civil War battlefields. In the fashion of the time, these relic pyramids usually stood four feet in height, each of their four sides filled with fascinating artifacts, the majority of which were identified by item descriptions painted in at the time of construction. This Antietam pyramid bears an inscription indicating that it was "Made in 1896 by F. Hayes De Launey". Our research reveals that Frank Hayes De Launey was a resident of Sharpsburg, MD who was born in 1877. He worked in 1900 as a house painter and the 1910 census lists him as married to "Mary E. . ." and as the father to a daughter and two sons. He had a brother William who also is listed as a painter. By 1920 he had become a carpenter but disappears from later records. This particular piece matches the style of other G.A.R. pyramids and it is highly likely that De Launey created other Antietam pyramids to capitalize on the interest of G.A.R. and other Civil War veterans. All of the inscriptions of relics listed below are done in paint and some are difficult to read. The inventory of relics on each of the pyramid's four sides is accompanied by several photos of the same. This item from John Plank Geiselman's collection was acquired by Mr. Geiselman at the 1971 sale of the O.T. Reilly Museum in Antietam. Reilly's museum and souvenir shop, which was in operation in the early 1900's, was located on the square in Sharpsburg, MD. He was well known as a battlefield guide at Antietam, and wrote a guide book in 1906.
Inscription: "This Monument Contains over (illegible) hundred pieces / Made in 1896 by F. Hayes DeLauney".
Contains the following:
- Jeff Davis Hardee hat insignia - Texas cuff button - Vest-size adjuster buckle - Artillery shell fuse adapter - Musket breech plug - Canteen stopper (missing cork) - Pocket knife remains - Austrian Lorenz cleaning jag - Lockplate & hammer from US M1855 Springfield (Maynard tape door missing) - US Staff Officer's button "Dunkard Church" - Enfield rifle-musket sight - Locking ring from a bayonet - 6" section of a ramrod - Musket ball puller - US box plate with a round musket ball imbedded in the center - Knapsack hook Inscription at bottom: "Every Relic Found on Antietam Battlefield". Contains the following: - Artillery shell spanner plug This side also decorated with information on the battle "Number of Union Soldiers killed was 2010 - Wounded 9416 - Missing 1043 - total 12463 - Number of Confederates killed was not exactly known". Inscription at bottom: "After 30 years Antietam Battle fought Sept 17, 1862". Contains the following: - Musket barrel band surrounded by 8 bullets with initials for location of recovery Contains the following: - Eagle "I" coat button Base is covered with shell fragments and Union and Confederate bullets. All the edges are also decorated with bullets from top to bottom. Bottom four corners each with a canister ball. Atop pyramid is a CS 3" Mullane shell which we did not realize was the top of the monument until we had written it up separately in an earlier listing. Fortunately we caught our error. The shell is a CS 3" Bourreleted Short-Nose Mullane common shell from Roulette Farm, Antietam. This painted, artillery artifact is a Confederate, bourreleted, short-nose Mullane shell projectile with Type 1 sabot found on the Roulette farm in Antietam shortly after that battle. Shell retains much of its period-painted décor on the body and nose. Projectile is missing its sabot, two of the three iron studs at the base, and also its time fuse adapter. Used in 3" Ordnance Rifles, this artillery round measures 6.75" long with a diameter of 2.94" and weighs approximately 7 pounds. The decorative painting on the shell denotes the location, date and time that the projectile was found. Entire shell was painted black and then labeled in gold and orange paint that was hand written. Much of the paint has flaked off the body but a portion of it can be made out to read "Found / On the / Roulette / Farm / Near Union / Lines / Nov --, 1896". Nose section has a painted inscription " FROM THE FARM…WHERE…". Unfortunately 75% of the paint is missing from this area. Although the G.A.R. pyramids may be glimpsed in old photographs and in museum collections (the Gettysburg National Military Park possesses several nearly-identical specimens), very seldom are they offered for sale. Indeed, never in our thirty plus years of buying and selling Civil War artifacts have we had a chance to offer the public one of these extraordinary G.A.R. post battle relic "pyramids". This piece ranks with the choicest relics we've seen. By every standard, a superb collectible!
from http://www.horsesoldier.com/catalog/c0091.html |
Here is another cane brought back from his service. This one comemmorates the Battles of Little Round Top and Big Round Top.
Perhaps the wood markings are burnt into the wood since it's not a wood anyone has recognized. The maker took advantage of the shape to place Round Top and another rounded hill on the higher points of the shape.
General George McClellan - Antietam/Sharpsburg
Report of Major General George B. McClellan
Source: The Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies
General Robert E. Lee - Antietam/Sharpsburg
Report of General Robert E. Lee Source: The Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies |
This home on Pequot Avenue, Southport, Connecticut is a recently restored example of the Northrop Brothers fine carpentry and building in the Southport-Greeens Farms area.
Image Courtesy of David Parker Associates