Friday, June 8, 2012

Unusual find, in my backyard!!

I've been doing some garden expansions the past few years, combining smaller gardens into larger ones and as the shrubs and trees grow larger, expanding the gardens around them. I do this mostly, to make my husband's job easier. He uses the lawn tractor and often gets hit in the face by growing trees and shrubs.




































Last year I came across this little piece of pottery, while expanding one of the gardens. We know from stories and from seeing the several rock piles throughout the property,  that other people lived here many years ago. We    built, 39 years ago and before that it was pasture land.
Last year I came across this tiny piece of china. It had
 definitive markings on it, with the lions head and the unicorn in the blue and what appears to be a crown in the middle. I could find little about this small piece. I'm hoping to find another like it to  make a set of unique earrings for myself.

This is the front side of the hoe.


Today, I found this, when expanding another garden. This garden is located around a large rock that was used as a containment spot for other displaced rocks. It has become my rock garden. 
My quick research tells me it is called  an 'Antebellum Blacksmith Made Plantation Hoe'.
Antebellum, meaning after the War of 1812 and before the Revolutionary War. That puts it between 1815 - 1861, probably made in the U. S. A.

But it was found here in Canada, in southern New Brunswick, near the banks of Darling's Lake, leading to the Hammond River, then to the Kennebcasis River and on to the Saint John River.  In older times, I've been told, people traveled the rivers rather than the roads.

This is the backside of the hoe.

At first I thought it was a split stone and was going to to toss it in the wagon to go to the yard waste pile, until I saw the handle, opening. I am very anxious to learn more about this piece of gardening tool; when it may have been left and how long it has been in the ground.

 I also would like to know how to preserve it, now that in exposed to the air. I have cleaned the excess dirt from it with soap and water and a soft brush. I have it in a freezer bag and out of the sun and away from the  air.
If anyone can identify this or has any suggestions as to how I should proceed from here, I am open for suggestions.






14 comments:

  1. How exciting Kathy - and how smart you are to have uncovered the facts behind it. Many people would have tossed it but not you. I've been working expanding gardens too but nothing here but rocks but then nobody lived on this land before just cows LOL and your route is a more historic area I would think sitting where it does. If you uncover more info I'd love to hear about it. Betty

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  2. Kathy I didn't mean to have that show up anonymous but it insisted I use a profile and I didn't recognize any of them so I used this mmmm I'm thinking I better check this out more. I never like posting anything under anonymous sounds like I'm ashamed of what I post.

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  3. You signed it at the bottom, so you're not anonymous anymore. Unless you have a blog yourself, it's hard to post on the blog itself. So thank you so much for making the effort.
    But one never knows about who may have lived before us and what we might find.

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  4. This is exciting.
    It could be here from trading with First Nation Canadians. As I understand it the Kennebecasis River was a Busy Ship building area, and there were settlers all along the waterways. Who knows Sidney Fox - the Relic Hunter might show up at your door. Great find - enjoy your day.

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  5. From what I have heard, there were more French people who traveled these waters. I'd heard about a grave marker years ago down along the neighbour's shore, dated in the 1700's. Then a few years ago, we found and overturned grave marker near the shore.

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  6. Replies
    1. Thanks Claudia. It was just by chance I found them. The hoe had been sitting, just underground for a very long time. I'm interested in how to preserve the condition of the blade and the possible history behind it.

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  7. Very interesting objects found in your garden,most people are happy if their flowers bloom, but you have the ``ancients`` blooming in yours. How about the NB Museum as a source to identify your objectsÉ

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  8. I thought it was kind of interesting. Who knows what else might 'turn' up. I do have a call into the NBM and awaiting a return call.

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  9. Wow...this is an amazing find Kathy...next time the antiques Road show is in town you'll have to take it along to see what they think!!
    Calling the museum is also a great idea.

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  10. I've already done some research on it. It's not worth anything financially, but the history on it would be very interesting to know.

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  11. Interesting find for sure!
    Nutschell
    www.thewritingnut.com

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  12. Wow that is an interesting find. I can't help you with the preservation though.

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    Replies
    1. I've already check with the provincial archives. I guess finds like that hoe, they get to keep, according to a new charter. But they preserve it and add whofound it and where it was found, so I guess that will give me my 15 minutes of fame some where. lol

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