Portrait of Daniel Tyler Willson (1826-1874). Married in 1848 to Anna Esther Bell Bowman. Willson was the principal owner of D. T. Willson, Bros. & Co., iron founders and manufacturers of agricultural machinery in Harrisburg, PA. Willson was the great grandfather of the donor. Painted and signed by J. Augustus Beck.
Graduated from F & M. Enlisted in the army, 1942. Military intelligence. Security for Bob Hope, Frances Langford, Al Jolson. Undercover agent/had privilieges of field grade officers. Called back in 1951. Served as first lieutenant.
00:00:22 life prior to military
00:00:29 from Lancaster,
00:00:32 Graduated from McCaskey, (first class in 1938)
00:00:38 attended F & M College (1938 to 1942)
00:00:49 drafted six months before graduation
00:00:56 obtained six month deferment
00:01:13 obtained degree in 1942 (sociology)
00:02:14 One hundred plus in graduating class
00:02:29 Lowell Thomas speaker at graduation
00:03:02 wanted military intelligence work
00:03:09 Basic at Keesler field, Mississippi
00:03:22 Went to radio school in Sioux Falls, SD
00:03:32 trouble learning morse code
00:03:48 transferred to counter-intelligence corp
00:04:12 school about three months long
00:04:28 learned lockpicking and investigative work
00:04:54 went to Miami, Florida
00:05:20 detachment with ATC
00:05:46 Snyder had experience with radio
00:06:07 others had gone to air mechanics school
00:06:28 worked undercover in radio and mechanics fields
00:07:09 trips back and forth to Africa
00:08:00 flight miles totalled 41,790
00:08:58 sent to Marikesh
00:09:27 worked undercover on base
00:09:33 tried to stop any sabatoge
00:10:07 investigations did not turn up any sabatours
00:10:36 assigned to USO tours
00:11:14 Bob Hope, Gracie Fields and others
00:11:38 "short snorter"
00:11:49 flights over the equator
00:12:53 start with a dollar bill
00:14:04 General Gerow and Secretary Stinson autograph
00:14:24 helped with billets and security for USO
00:14:57 Served in Casablanca
00:15:31 went undercover. Did not wear insignia on uniform
00:16:05 passed as civilians on government duty
00:17:03 lived in officers quarters
00:17:10 had field grade officers privilgeces
00:17:24 personnel investigations
00:17:38 made connections with other allied intelligence forces
00:18:08 Germans had been evicted from North Africa
00:19:46 agents strung across North Africa
00:20:05 Reports sent by courier
00:21:14 lived in an apartment in Casablanca
00:21:54 learned French from lady landlord
00:22:38 carried a weapon.
00:23:01 picked to go to Africa due to training
00:23:22 did not find any sabatoge
00:24:16 maintained relations with local law enforcement
00:24:45 Overseas April 1943 to December 1944
00:25:25 Went to 2nd Air Force in Colorado Springs
00:25:58 discharged at Ft Meade, Maryland
00:26:48 went to law school at Dickinson college
00:27:12 Father was a dentist
00:27:42 tried to get into Univ of Pennsylania
00:27:53 graduated from Dickinson after two years
00:28:34 received direct commission to 1st Lt
00:28:48 recalled during Korean War
00:29:14 served a year and a half
00:29:36 served in counter intelligence
00:29:54 practice handled by older attorney
00:30:13 practiced law for 52 years
00:30:20 semi-retired now
00:30:43 soliticor for RRTA and Sheriff of Lancaster county
00:31:18 used G.I. Bill for schooling
00:32:04 tuition $400 to $500 a year in the 1940s
00:32:44 main thrust, maintain security for air bases
Presentation sword and scabbard of Civil War officer and Lancaster native, Lieutenant Jacob Pontz (1838-1929). Sword has curving steel blade with ornate, pierced brass hilt. Sword blade is etched with scrolls and foliate decoration and silvered. Scabbard is brass with engraved inscription on one side: "Presented to First Leiut. (sic) JACOB PONTZ / Co. K. 77th Reg. PVVI / at Johnsonville Tenn. June 19, 1865". Scabbard fitted with two brass mounts with strap rings, a molded "cuff" at open end and sheath-like tip (a drag) at other end. Stamped at base of blade is "W CLAUBERG" and "SOLINGEN" with a standing knight.
Provenance
Passed from Jacob Pontz (1838-1929) through his daughter Nelle Audrey Pontz (1880 - 1975), who married Maylin Joseph Pickering (1880-1954), to their son Jack (John M. Pickering 1916-2014). Bequest of the John M. Pickering estate, as stipulated in his will.
Sword blade has areas of corrosion, some heavy. Blade has lost much of its silvering on etched decoration. Copper alloy finish on body of scabbard is heavily worn/lost. Some small dents. Cuff at scabbard's open end is loose with missing small nail or brad. Nail also missing on sheath at other end.
Both sword and scabbard were coated with oil (3-in-1), then wiped down with soft cloth.
Object ID
2015.031.1
Notes
See copies of Pontz records in file. Children of Jacob Pontz and Emma Palmer Pontz are:
1. Minnie Grace Pontz
2. Mary E. Pontz Byerly (1875-1950)
3. Nelle Audrey Pontz Pickering (1880-1975)
4. Ethel Maude Pontz McCown (1884-1947)
Swordmaker Wilhelm Clauberg began operations in 1854 in Solingen, Germany.
WRZ consulted with Steve Hench, long-time antiques dealer specializing in armaments, regarding condition. Since a treatment of the scabbard finish to restore original condition is not desired, he suggested minimal treatment by coating with a fine oil (3-in-1) on both sword and scabbard. Trying to remove blade corrosion would harm etched and silvered decoration. Performed 02/23/2016.
Place of Origin
Solingen, Germany
Credit
Gift of the Estate of John M. Pickering (1916-2014)
Upholstered wingback commode chair has four turned Sheraton legs. Has replacement of original soiled handsewn homespun linen (remnants in this file), now an orange fabric with potted and vining flower design. Solid pinewood seat under cushion has center hole with fitted removable wooden disc.
This chair was from the Pownall home at Gap, where it was used by Dickinson Gorsuch, Maryland slaveholder, during his recovery from wounds sustained during the Christiana Riot of Sept. 11, 1851. His father and two others were killed during the skirmish at the home of freedman William Parker, and Dickinson was transported to the Pownall home for recovery. William Parker later published his story in the "Atlantic Monthly" in 1866, making it highly publicized.
This incident "is an important example of the struggle over the 1850 Fugitive Slave Act and the escalating tension between the North and the South. This act gave slave owners broad powers to recapture runaway slaves". (ExplorePAhistory.com)
Polaroid photos of chair before re-upholstery, in file.
Likely Lancaster or Chester Co.
Provenance
Provenance: Chair owned by the Pownall family & given in 1973 to the Lancaster County Historical Society by Mrs. Levi Pownall of Lancashire Hall (569-7279).
It was initially loaned to the Heritage Center (# L.77.9 and # 161.64.80) but soon donated to HCLC. Board minutes of Dec. 8, 1975 include Richard F. Smith's Museum Committee report noting a donation of a "Sheraton armed wing chair commode, used by the Pownall home in nursing Dickinson Gorsuch following Christiana Riot in 1851." Later unsigned note (Bruce Shoemaker?) states John Aungst of LCHS was consulted & chair was removed 11/9/84 from list on LCHS loan form, settling an apparent question of ownership.
