Tintype Photograph

People today love taking pictures. Pictures can be taken anywhere using an iPhone or other device. It was not so easy one hundred years ago. This artifact of the week goes back to the earliest days of photography. The tintype photograph was developed before the American Civil War and differed from other forms of photography because the image was developed on a thin metal sheet. A metal plate was prepared for the photograph by dousing it in chemicals and then inserting it into the camera. The negative was produced on the metal and the positive was created by pouring chemicals on the plate. No copies could be made of the photograph because no separate negative was produced. Tintypes were durable and cheap to produce. The woman in the photograph is unidentified.

 Click on the video to see how a tintype was made:

 Information taken from Eastman Museum film featured here and Encyclopedia Britannica entry on tintype photography. 

Mason Jar

This item is related to the small crock that was featured last time. In 1810, Nicholas Appert invented a way to seal food inside glass jars using a vacuum seal. John Landis Mason patented the first screw top jar in 1858. Jars like these were fitted with a zinc cap and a rubber gasket that went around the neck to seal the jar. Canning with jars like this became popular in the Big South Fork area around the 1920s, making the small crocks and beeswax technique obsolete. Jars like these were good for holding any manner of contents. Notice that this jar has the November 30th, 1858 patent date for the Mason screw closure.

Information taken from https://www.freshpreserving.com/about-us.html

Miniature Crock

Before the introduction of Ball Mason canning jars these small crocks were used to preserve everything from sausage to blackberry jam. This time of year saw the ripening of the delicious native berries and farm wives were busy picking and processing the fruit. After preparing jam, the hot mixture was poured into these jars and the top was sealed with a white cloth dipped in liquid beeswax tied over the top. The opening was untied and the product was savored all year long. 

 

Information taken from Foxfire 1.  Photos courtesy of the author. 

Grand Army of the Republic Badge

These remnants were once part of a badge that belonged to a Union veteran. After the Civil War, veterans on both sides wanted a way to keep in touch with old comrades and relive the glory of their service. Union veterans formed the Grand Army of the Republic, which was similar to the American Legion or Veterans of Foreign Wars. Membership reached its peak in 1890 with over 400,000 members around the United States. Local chapters were named after Union soldiers from that area that were killed in action. The Scott County chapter was named after John Newport, a Union captain who was killed in Virginia. The photograph shows Philip Low(e) wearing a badge similar to the fragments displayed at the museum. Low(e) served in the Second East Tennessee Infantry.

Bonus fact: Julia Marcum, who was featured a couple of weeks ago, was also a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. The organization was only open to Union veterans but an exception was made for her based on her service. The organization provided her with a military funeral.

These remnants were part of a Grand Army of the Republic badge that belonged to the local GAR chapter named after Captain John Newport.

Philip Low(e) is shown wearing a John Newport GAR Post badge. Low(e) served in the 2nd Tennessee Infantry for the Union army and was a member of the John Newport GAR post.

Information provided by Scott County in the Civil War by Paul Roy and the Library of Congress.  Photograph 1 courtesy of the author, photograph 2 courtesy of the descendants of Philip Lowe.

"Soldier's Sacrifice" Edson Lafayette Toomey

Today marks one hundred years since Edson Lafayette Toomey died for his country in the First World War.

Toomey was born in Scott County to lumberman John Samuel Toomey and Elizabeth Phillips Toomey on February 8, 1896. His draft card states that he was a farmer at the time he entered the service and had been a private in military school.  He was described as being of medium height, medium build, having gray eyes, and blond hair.  At the time of his death, he was a Private 1st Class in the 26th Infantry, 1st Division. Toomey was killed on duty in France on July 19, 1918. He was 22 years old.

Edson Toomey's body was not returned to the United States and was buried in the Oise-Aisne American Cemetery in France. The cemetery is 36.5 acres and contains 6,012 American dead. For more information on the cemetery check out their website here. http://www.abmc.gov/cemeter…/…/oise-aisne-american-cemetery…

Edson L. Toomey's draft card

Information and photograph taken from Edson L. Toomey's FindAGrave Profile and his WWI draft card courtesy of East Tennessee Veterans Memorial Association. 

"Soldier's Sacrifice" Robert M. Hughett

Today the museum would like to recognize another one of Scott County's WWI soldiers who sacrificed their life one hundred years ago.

Biographical information on Hughett is scarce. Robert M. Hughett was born in February of 1898 to William and Martha Hughett. According to his tombstone, he served as a private with the 16th infantry 1st Division and died on July 18, 1918. He was only 19 years old.

Robert M. Hughett is buried in Knoxville National Cemetery in plot B-17, 3678.

If you have any information regarding Robert Hughett or other Scott County WWI soldiers who gave their lives, please contact the Museum of Scott County Facebook page.

Information and photograph taken from Robert M. Hughett's FindAGrave profile

Moonshine Still

This artifact of the week tells a story of Scott County's checkered past. Distillation of alcohol was brought to Appalachia by Scots-Irish settlers and was practiced through the Civil War period. Farmers were able to take left over corn and convert it into an easy to transport commodity. The making of alcohol by the light of the moon, from where the name moonshine comes from, reached its peak between 1920 and 1933 during prohibition. While moonshine often gets a bad wrap, it was often a main ingredient in home made medicine. 

Jerome Boyatt, of the No Business community, stands in front of a moonshine still. Note the copper coil making up the condenser.

 Information taken from Smokehouse Ham, Spoonbread, and Scuppernong Wine by Earl Dabney.  The second photograph is courtesy of Findagrave.com