Looking for a specific sword

[Triton]

Hmmm well is the William Child we are looking for, was his wife named Rosina? If so he was alive at least in 1910... although I'm having a time finding children... will keep looking...

 

[Triton]

Okay from the 1880 census records I've got:

Name: William Child
Residence: Bath, Grafton, New Hampshire
Birthdate: 1834
Birthplace: New Hampshire, United States
Relationship to Head: Self
Spouse's Name: Suvia L. Child
Spouse's Birthplace: New Hampshire, United States
Father's Name:
Father's Birthplace: New Hampshire, United States
Mother's Name:
Mother's Birthplace: New Hampshire, United States
Race or Color (Expanded): White
Ethnicity (Standardized): American
Gender: Male
Martial Status: Married
Age (Expanded): 46 years
Occupation: Physician
NARA Film Number: T9-0764
Page: 32
Page Character: D
Entry Number: 2825
Film number: 1254764
Household Gender Age
William Child M 46
Spouse Suvia L. Child F 42
Child William C. Child M 21
Child Kate Child F 19
Child Bernard V. Child M 17
Child Susie W. Child F 14
Child Leslie J. Child M 9
Child James D. Child M 5
Nanthl. C. B. Havilland M 26

 

[timcsaw]

Hmmm well is the William Child we are looking for, was his wife named Rosina? If so he was alive at least in 1910... although I'm having a time finding children... will keep looking...

Thanks for the info Triton. Yes, his third wife was Rosina. He wrote all of the letters we published to his first wife Carrie. Two years after the end of the war, Carrie died and he married her sister Luvia. He and Luvia lived for 20 years until she passed and he finally ended up with Rosina (an old hag that he divorced near the end of his life. He actually gave here all the money he had in the bank (over ten grand), AND the 12 dollars he had in his pocket to go away!)

We have Dr. William Child, as you show, with a son Bernard Vanderkief (sp?) Child who would have born the first "named grandchild". That grandchild being William Clark Child Sr. (he should have been given the sword). He (Sr.) had a son, William Clark Child Jr. and that's where we hit the dead end. I'm now searching for any descendants of W.C. Child Jr. because if this sword passed through the generations as Grandfather Child had wished (to his first named grandchild and so on), it should have gone to William C. Child Sr. and then to his son etc.

When we published the book of Dr. Child's letters, we didn't go into much detail on his genealogy though we did and do have much of it. Years ago, my father did try to contact a distant family relative (Grandfathers second daughter) who married a man from Ohio. His letter was returned to sender and Dad let the matter drop. I may search that route as well (Dr. Child's 2nd daughter) to see if I can find anyone on that branch who might know the disposition of the sword.

With my luck, I'll find the sword in the hands of some family member on the Child side who relishes having it, as much as we relish having the one we currently have. But in a way, that would be OK also... at least I'll know where it is. If I have good luck in this search, I'll find it in the hands of someone, a collector perhaps, who would be willing to sell it back to us.

Thanks again to all for your help with this, but please, don't go to a lot of effort and time on this... just keep your eyes open and as Cougar Allen says, "Both ears to the ground".

 

[timcsaw]

Bumping this up in the hopes that some additional info may help me find this sword.

My GG Grandfather was Maj. William Child, Surgeon of the 5th NH regiment and our family has lost track of his sword. I've been looking for it for years. (and years, and years).

Based on photo's it appears that Dr. Child had an M1840 MS (medical services) sword that looks like the image below.

From letters written by him, and from accounts recorded after the war, the blade should be inscribed;

"William Child Div. Surg. 5th N.H. Vols."

History and Genealogy;

In one of the documents we have, and after reviewing genealogy info, we suspect that the sword was handed down (at one point) to Dr. Child's son, Bernard Vanderkieft Child.

• Bernard had a son, William Clark Child Sr..
• William C. Child Sr. had a son William Clark Child Jr.

William Clark Child Jr. never married and had no children to pass the sword onto. His Father (William C. Child Sr.) was alive when his son died, so we don't think the sword was in the son's possession when he died. William C. Child Sr. would STILL have had possession of the sword.

At this point, William Clark Child SR. probably gave the sword to his own sister Helen Child Quilhot to keep it in the family.

We have traced and tried to contact the Quilhot line (of Ohio) to see if they know anything of the Dr. Child sword... to know avail...

Simply stated, this is VERY likely an M1840 MS (Medical Services) sword, which IS engraved "William Child Div. Surg. 5th N.H. Vols."

Are you a sword collector? Do you know any sword collectors who might have this sword or know of it's whereabouts?

ANY help finding this sword would be greatly appreciated.

I originally posted this thread in 2011 and hope it's alright to bump it.

 

[JJHollowman]

Thanks for the info Triton. Yes, his third wife was Rosina. He wrote all of the letters we published to his first wife Carrie. Two years after the end of the war, Carrie died and he married her sister Luvia. He and Luvia lived for 20 years until she passed and he finally ended up with Rosina (an old hag that he divorced near the end of his life. He actually gave here all the money he had in the bank (over ten grand), AND the 12 dollars he had in his pocket to go away!)

$10,000+ in 19th century money? every dime he had? Now that's one scary woman

 

[timcsaw]

$10,000+ in 19th century money? every dime he had? Now that's one scary woman

From his writings... it was worth every penny to be rid of her.