185o's Housesite, AC Exclusive.

[Vuhginyuh]

Over the next few months I’m going to post the progress of a small excavation in Southeastern NC. The earliest written deed we can put our hands on to the property is 1837. There is an extensively renovated (1901 and 1946 additions) 1850’s farm house as well as an earlier earthfast dwelling of some sort. Behind the 1850’s house is a row of seven out-buildings that have several uses verbally attached to them. The family owned six slaves at the beginning of the war and at least one building is reported to be the slave quaters.

There are at least a dozen burials in two places, we will not excavate any known burial.

We will start the geophysical survey 2/19/2007, weather permitting.

Our focus will be on the kitchen of the 1850’s house, identification of the additional farmhouse buildings and the earthfast structure. There are five identified tar kilns, a clay pit, three wells (one being a Delco battery well) and a cane press . We will look into them (in that order) if time and money permits.

http://www.hampsteadchamber.com/A%20Southern%20Primer/pinetar.htm

This forum is going to be the only public access to the pre-1866 artifact report.
No human reamains will be displayed.

[Vuhginyuh]

Dark feature near image center.
http://www.terraserver.com/imagery/image_gx.asp?cpx=-78.42994265&cpy=34.25094264&res=8&provider_id=310&t=pan&OL=Off

Actual
Lat: 34.25061522
Long: -78.42965398

Image Size: 4,000 m x 4,000 m
Provider: GlobeXplorer
Nearest City: BOLTON, NC
Date: 3/6/2000
Best Res: 1.0 Meter
Scale: 1 Inch = 576 m34.24409153

[FlatLandFed]

Very interesting project -- I look forward to reading more of your findings.

That said, I'm concerned about "tomb robbers" disrupting your work and the quality of the site. Are there any barricades at all? Should you keep the site "sort of" secret for a while?

Maybe it's just me being an old worry wort.

But as soon as someone locates an retired privy or trash dump site here in the Midwest, it seems some greedy fool has to sneak in and grab as many pretty glass bottles and knick knacks as can be found and hauled away. Certainly destroys any possibility of interpreting who lived there, economic status, ailments, etc.

I hope it goes better for you. Best of good fortune to your team.
Paul Hadley

[paulcalloway]

Thanks for posting that Garrison. I look forward to your updates.

I looked up the location on Google Earth. Apparently they don't have very good resolution in that area of the country but I took some macro shots from a few miles above.

Your location seems to be about dead center in both images.

[Vuhginyuh]

Associated abstracts

Book A, p. 533, 1794
John Corey, Jr., for and in consideration of my father John Corey, Sen., becoming my surety for my appearance at Bladen Superior Court* as also in consideration of one tar kiln which I chose ___ of the said John Corey, Sen and in order to bear him harmless for the said surety ship and to satisfy him for the said tar kiln have bargained, granted made over and sold untio the said John Corey, Sen., one hundred acres of land with the plantation is hereon I now live two mares and one young horse with all standing corn on said land and other necessaria belonging to the said plantation to the proper use benefit and bid of him the said John Corey, Sen. To be applied towards making him whole for the said tar kiln as also and immunifying him from any damage that he shall receive on account of the said surety ship as aforesaid. 1 September 1794. Signed John Corey. Witnessed by James Robason, Clacy Corey, Samuel Fredrick Woollard.

Book , p 261, 1846
Wilks Brooks sold to Abner Corey (Correy) a Negro boy named Boston, age 10 years, for the sum of $300 on 28 February 1846. Signed by Wilks Brooks. Witness: Charles Greene. May Term 1826. James Sheppard, Clerk.

* Now in Columbus County, N.C. 1808

[Vuhginyuh]

...I'm concerned about "tomb robbers" disrupting your work and the quality of the site. Are there any barricades at all? Should you keep the site "sort of" secret for a while?

Maybe it's just me being an old worry wort.

But as soon as someone locates an retired privy or trash dump site here in the Midwest, it seems some greedy fool has to sneak in and grab as many pretty glass bottles and knick knacks as can be found and hauled away. Certainly destroys any possibility of interpreting who lived there, economic status, ailments, etc. ...
Paul Hadley

Paul H.,

I appreciate your concern. It is a huge problem. E-bay has driven it to epidemic proportions.

Our firm has been doing this for 55 years and have had only one real looting problem, that dig being on public property and the looting done by ''off duty'' city employees. The artifacts were recovered, the looters prosecuted, fired or demoted and those that were found guilty lost personal property seized by the SBI. We take looting very seriously, especially when burials are involved. We mean business.

Though we are very prepared for it we do not anticipate any problems. This is not a Civil War site per say so there will be little or no local interest. I'm not promoting this beyond here.

********

Thanks for posting that Garrison. I look forward to your updates.

I looked up the location on Google Earth. Apparently they don't have very good resolution in that area of the country but I took some macro shots from a few miles above.

Your location seems to be about dead center in both images

Paul C.,

Thanks for the effort. It is in a dead area. We have scheduled a flyover in the next two weeks. The state Dept of Ag soil maps have much better images but they offer no more visual details than you and I have posted here.

The GIS and GPR will paint some pretty pictures.

[Vuhginyuh]

From one of our dependable sources;
http://www.hampsteadchamber.com/A%20Southern%20Primer/pinetar.htm

From http://docsouth.unc.edu/nc/olmsted/menu.html

[styler]

Garrison,
let us know how the GPR works for you and what you are looking for with it. There is a good article in a recent issue of Historical Archaeology (IIRC) that looked at various methods of remote sensing (GPR, magnetometry, etc.) that concluded less than stellar results with GPR in piedmont (among other areas). I'll see if I can nail down the article when I'm in the office tomorrow.

This sort of work is invaluable in aiding reenactors in understanding the material culture and lifestyles of the people we attempt to portray. Thanks for making this open to us.

[Vuhginyuh]

Most of the variables that adversely affect GPR are not present where we will drag this time. Mineralized soil, wet heavy clay beds, coarse vegetation, adverse topography and extreme depth are not an issue. There is a high water table but we’ll stay above it by adjusting the reflectivity and programs accordingly.

We like Sensors and Software’s Noggin and pulseEKKO PRO products.

***

Speaking of variables, there is a point I need to make. There are no constants in American archaeology. If you want guaranteed results go to London or Moscow.

We enter into these ventures hoping to find something but never expecting to locate any specific artifact. This may be another “pile of bricks” job or an artifact rich environment that takes twos year just to catalog. We simply don’t know. However the evidence is there. We have abundant surface finds in the plow zone and a sweep with metal detectors turned up more than just a baggy of bird-shot. And of course the 19th century dwellings are a big clue too but what we will actually find is the variable, the unknown. But that is what makes it so fun.

We have some inkling as to what to expect but even then we don’t make any promises.

[Vuhginyuh]

A little peak at a cedar bench just outside the back door of the 1850's house. These were picked up last fall by the people that lease the farm. The circa dates on the wares are 1780 to 1900. A single pipe stem dates 1800-20. The glass is mid 1800's. Personally I like the fire roasted clam and oyster shells the best. No prehistoric material has been reported on site.

[KathyBradford]

My, what beautiful shards you have! These fascinating glimpses of actual pieces of history are immensely valuable in understanding the things that were used in daily life during our focused time in history.

It's great to see the research symbol by your name. You're sharing access to things most of us would not otherwise see.

Thank you!

[John Kline]

Garrison is away from the area for a couple of weeks. In the meantime a crew started pulling GPR and some other blinking and chirping gadgets in the open today. The fields were burned about two weeks ago and turned soon thereafter. A good rain has exposed scores of transfer print ironstone shards and building material in three locations. The best artifacts thus far are a gutter hook with a lead anchor and small complete amethyst pressed (medicine?) glass.

We will tackle the woods and thickets soon.

Images are forthcoming.

[John Kline]

I thought I would take a moment here and update this thread. Tidelands is wrapped up at the moment, taking full advantage of the drought conditions. Except for this past weekend, trowels having been flying seven days a week.

A small problem we have is our inability to load our files to the AC’s server. Garrison Beall and Paul Calloway have spoken about it a couple of times and the best I can add at this time is that the information compiled for out members is forthcoming but on hold temporarily. There’s a ton of stuff including an onsite real-time digital camera, access to interactive artifact files and GPR / Pulse Echo feeds.

I will attempt to start attaching images of the pertinent 19th century artifacts this week.

We sincerely apologize for the delay folks.

[vote4jakub]

Facinating guys, but nothing new since May? Are we still on speaking terms? I just discovered this info so maybe I'm missing something? Any new views would be great! Thanks. Scott Leatherman

[Vuhginyuh]

Are we still on speaking terms?What?




John-Owen has resigned and is moving to Cardiff Wales to finish graduate school. I will post more here ASAP. Thanks for your interest.

_________________________

Surface finds;
ca 1840 pressed glass shard
ca 1770 button

[Vuhginyuh]

One half of an early clothing hook(?)...very strange.
Has anyone seen an example similar to this?

1.4'' x .5'' at the widest points.

[Vuhginyuh]

I just received the weekly report from the project manager and on the artifact list is partially incised 2.5 inch child’s handled mug…with a green London Extra Stout and Dublin XXX Stout transfer on the reverse.

I should be able to get my hands on it next week to share here.

[Vuhginyuh]

Just getting to this today. Here is a snapshot of the little mug. I'll post more from the site report as soon as I can.

I thought I would give yall a crack at transcribing the poem. The as is 'as/has.

[KathyBradford]

Beautiful!

________, six/sir 'as
raised me to
this elevated
station in life

And stout
keeps you
a
Bl__ter

I hope someone can fill in the blanks. Thanks for sharing your find, Garrison.

[pambryda]

WATER, sir 'as (has)
raised me to
this elevated
station in life

Agree with Kathy as to the last part, not sure what the last word is... perhaps if we can get a better look at the large gentleman at the edge the context might become clearer?

Pam Kingsley-Bryda

[KathyBradford]

The man on the right appears to be quite a contrast to the slim man on the left. Perhaps the last word is "Bloater"?

From this definition of English slang (http://www.peevish.co.uk/slang/b.htm),

"bloater Noun. A fat and unnattractive person. Derog."