Lancaster Borough seal is a thick disk of bronze with the seal depicted on one side and nothing but a small "T" struck at the edge of the opposite side. Sides taper slightly inward from blank side to image side, and are decorated with a center coved ring flanked by incised rings.
Image of seal on the face has a central shield divided in two with 3 sheaves of wheat at top and a rose at bottom. Vining roses surround shield. Around edge of perimeter is inscribed "SEAL OF THE BOROUGH OF LANCASTER 1781." Encircling the lettering is a decorating line of dots.
Provenance
Unknown provenance except purchase from Robert F. McMurtrie.
Seal of the Lancaster, Elizabethtown, Middletown Turnpike Company. Painted black with gold paint accents on lion's man & head with seal coming from mouth. A Conestoga wagon on the seal.
Seal press, George Shiffler Council, No. 177, O of IA, Order of Independent Americans. Part of the Nativists' Movement. Anti-tax and Anti-immigration.
George Shiffler, a young Nativist, was fatally shot at the Nativist Riots of 1844 in Philadelphia during which mobs attacked Irish-American and Roman Catholic homes and businesses.
Framed seal of Robert Coleman. Red wax seal. Imprint of shield with rampant lion in the center. Banner underneath shield reads, "Inomnia Paradus" Directly above the shield sits an armorial helmet. Above the helmets is the tip of an arrow or spear flanked by a set of wings.
"Inomnia Paradus" -- The coast guard's motto, "Semper Paradus" translates roughly to, "Always Prepared" Coleman's motto means "Ready for Anything".
Button from 1929 Lancaster County Fireman's Association Convention in LItitz, PA. Printed "9th Convention The Lancaster County Fireman's Ass'n Lititz ,Pa. June 8, 1929." Hole in center bottom of button with a metal wire ring holding a brown metal pretzel (1.5 w x 1.25 h) Plain white paper insert in back of button.
Button from 1936 Fireman's Day. White button with black firetruck in center. Black lettering says "Lancaster County FIremans' Day." Below firetruck" June 6, 1936 Christiana, PA." One inch of 3/4 inch wide red ribbon holds a 1 3/8 long gold colored metal fireman's helmet. Maker's name, Erisman Lanc. Pa., in blue ink on paper insert on back of button.
According to donor's records all buttons were from Fireman's Conventions; Fireman's Day seems to be another name for these conventions.
One of two. Button from 1937 Lancaster County Fireman's Convention. Button with blue ribbon ( 1.5in w x 3.25in L) White background with red text "Hope Fire Engine and Hose Company 125th Anniversary" around a central picture of a fire truck with "1812-1937" beneath it. On dark blue ribbon in silver letters "17th Annual Convention Lancaster County FiIremen's Association Manheim, PA. June 5, 1937_" Stamped silver fringe border at bottom edge.
