Brass buckle of the sword belt used with the Civil War uniform of Jacob Pontz (1838-1929). Rectangular buckle is cast in high relief with a raised spread eagle with E PLURIBUS UNUM banner in his beak and an olive branch in one talons and arrows of war in the other. Foliate branches undergird eagle with a "U" formation. One brass clasp/clip of belt is loose - a part that would have fit end of now-missing belt and attached via clip on back of buckle.
See Pontz Sword #2015.031.1
Provenance
Passed from Jacob through his daughter Nelle who married a Pickering to the donor, the gr gr granddaughter of the Jacob Pontz.
One of a pair of push-up candlesticks: G99.40.1&.2. Stepped, round base supports a hollow cylindrical shaft topped by a candle cup above a decorative ring. Candlestick shaft is fitted with an inner cylinder with attached knob that raises and lowers candle. Thumb screw knob slides via a slot on side of candlestick and screws tight to secure position.
Shot glass of clear, pressed glass. Straight flaring sides have etched advertisement at one side: "Rohrer's/ A/ WHISKEY/ ROHRERS LIQUOR STORE/ LANCASTER, PA." This store was located where Watt & Shand building is on Penn Square.
Handwritten note of donor in file states "Probably an antique Sara Rohrer gave Daddy from Rohrer Liquor Store."
Provenance
Apparently Sarah Grove Rohrer (whose mother's family owned Grove's Liquor Store) gave glass to Paul A. Mueller, Sr. Inherited by son Paul A. Mueller, Jr., then he made gift to Heritage Center.
Shot glass of clear, pressed glass. Straight flaring sides have etched advertisement at one side: "CHAS. A. GROVE'S SONS/ G/ LANCASTER PA." Grove's liquor store was located next to Brown's bar or store on the NE corner of Penn Square near the entrance to Fulton Bank. The 1903 and 1909 City directories both list a 15 Penn Square address.
Charles A. Grove reportedly died 1907 and his sons Charles E. Grove and George F. Grove continued the business until Prohibition.
Provenance
Apparently Sarah Grove Rohrer (whose mother's family owned Grove's Liquor Store) gave glass to Paul A. Mueller, Sr. Inherited by son Paul A. Mueller, Jr., then he made gift to Heritage Center.
Shot glass of clear, pressed glass. Straight flaring sides have etched advertisement at one side: "SPRING GROVE/ RYE/ G/ Chas. A. Grove & Sons,/ LANCASTER,/ PA." Grove's liquor store was located next to Brown's bar or store on the NE corner of Penn Square near the entrance to Fulton Bank. The 1903 and 1909 City directories both list a 15 Penn Square address.
Charles A. Grove apparently died in 1907 and his sons George F. and Charles E. continued the business until Prohibition in 1920
Provenance
Apparently Sarah Grove Rohrer (whose mother's family owned Grove's Liquor Store) gave glass to Paul A. Mueller, Sr. Inherited by son Paul A. Mueller, Jr., then he made gift to Heritage Center.
Shot glass of clear, pressed glass. Straight flaring sides of greater thickness than others in this collection. Has a heavy base that is 3/4" thick and fluted.
Shot glass of clear, pressed glass. Similar to a barrel shape, but curved sides rise from a smaller diameter base than mouth. Rolled lip and heavy 1/2"-thick base.
WW II Army dress uniform jacket of Lancaster resident Elmer Kenneth Rill (27 August 1919 - 19 October 2006). Fitted, waist-length, olive-colored wool, with front flap breast pockets, buckles at sides of waist band with flap snap closure at front. Tag inside neck has size "38R".
At left breast are pinned medals. At top is a bar with raised rifle on blue field; below are 2 multicolored gros-grain ribbon bars. Pinned to left pocket flap is a metal badge w/ Maltese cross within a wreath with 2 hanging bars: "RIFLE" and "MACHINE GUN". The 2-ring bullseye on cross indicates "Expert" marksman. Upper left sleeve has round embroidered patch with red arrow and 2 cluster of stars on dark blue field (Western Pacific). A green triple chevron insignia (Sergeant) is on both upper sleeves and small service insignia on lower left sleeve is 2 gold bars on red field indicating service overseas. Rill served from 30 Nov 1944 to 12 April 1946.
Provenance
Donor inherited from father, Elmer Rill, who he states never saw active combat; he was slated to be sent off to Japan, but the 2 bombs caused a quick end to war. His obituary states he "served in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater as a Rifleman."
