UPDATE 2: Wow! Awesome Find / Help ID Please

OK-- amazing!!!! I'd say you need to send those finds and story to the Garrett Newsletter--it's definitely worthy! :cool:
 
Holy smokes, Azmodeus! Amazing finds, with an even more amazing history that is emerging from all the detective work! MOST interesting! Congrats on the finds!!!

Steve
 
Awesome find! Congrats!! It's not Chateau Cherry It's Chateau Thierry I could be off but I think it's pronounced ( tea ah ree ) It's in France. Again Big Congrats!! ......Ooops I just re read op and you already knew that. A while back I read something about American soldiers being gassed at Chateau Thierry, pretty amazing find!

The Battle of Château-Thierry was fought on July 18, 1918

A.E.F. American Expeditionary Forces


Wow great job gents
 
Those are awesome! What do the backs look like?

Thanks! Nothing on the backs, just looks like hammered silver. I did find this buckle close by too. I'm pretty sure I've seen other's here dig them before and said they were from civil war era up through WW1 but I'm not for sure.
 

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Thanks for posting pic of the back. Does look like there may have been something (toward your finger tips) attached.

The item with a heart is a buckle cover and may go onto the buckle in that pic. It was to help keep stuff from catching on the buckle (bush, etc) and you have the dates correct.
 
Thanks for posting the backs. They definitely were not bridal rosettes. The were probably some sort of badge of honor that was worn on a uniform.
 
Thanks for posting the backs. They definitely were not bridal rosettes. The were probably some sort of badge of honor that was worn on a uniform.

Back and edge just gave up more secrets I didn't realize till today, update on main page with new pics added.
 
That's pretty awesome..

Each one has those two grooves, for cords like a bolo tie?

<°)))>{
 
Sort of, except they dont fit together like that. Put together in that way they make kind of like a clam shell. I was pretty sure they were rosettes since I found the buckle and buckle cover close by but I could be wrong.
 
It looks like there was a few Roy Modglins around Illinois, the one we're looking for is from Pope County, IL but he may have moved a few hours north to mid-Illinois later in life.


That's what I'm finding online. I have an Ancestry account. There appear to be two Roy L Modglins both born in 1894, both lived within an hour or so from each other Illinois before the war, and both served in WWI. There's another guy from Pope County, but his name is Lee Roy Modglins and he served in the US Naval Reserve Force and had a wife named Edith.

Your guy appears to be Roy L Modglin #2 below.

Roy L Modglin #1
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/89842224/roy-modglin
Born 25 Feb 1894 Woodlawn Illinois, Died Indiana,20 Mar 1975
Father's name is William Lionel Modglin.
Married to Ruth in 1917. Salem, Marion Co, Illinois
Army Transportation Record (Ancestry)
Roy L Modglin service number 1978345, 67TH COMPANY TRANSPORTATION CORPS, Private Third Class, Departed Marseille, France 23 May 1919, arrived New York 6 Jun 1919; Residence is Salem Illinois and emergency contact is Ruth (wife)
(Obit info)
Moved to Indianapolis in 1919 after returning from WWI and both lived there until they died.
(Ancestry Record)
As of 1942 living with Ruth in Indianapolis

Roy L Modglin #2
(Draft Registration Card Info)
Born April 8 1894 in Grantsburg Illinois Died Oct 1973 Bellville, Illinois, United States
(Army Transportation Record)
Roy L Modglin of Grantsburg Illinois, Army Corporal, Co D 52nd Tel Bn Sc, departed by ship in Hoboken New Jersey on Dec 4 1917 (Army transport records) Emergency Contact has his father listed as "Edgar".
(1930 Census)
At age 36 still living in Illinios (Chicago) with wife Margaret. His age is correct and census lists him as a veteran of World War. Employed as a mail clerk.
(Ancestry Record)
At age 48 still living in Illinois (Homewood, just outside of Chicago) with wife as of 1942

Roy L Modglin #2 didn't appear to have any children based on Census Records and family trees on Ancestry. There is somebody on Ancestry that is still active and knew him and has him in her family tree. She uploaded some photos of him, including the one of him in uniform you have above. She also posted this info about him:

"This man was sooooo nice to be with. He laughed and visited and was loved by all. Very sincere, quiet, kind, congenial, never argued . HE had a big garden and canned. Roy was loved and respected by his family and all his friends. He worked for the Post Office and became Superintendant at the 12th St. Station in Chicago which was at the Ill. Central R. R. station.. To prepare for this job he did a lot of courses at the University of Chicago required by his job. Roy was in WW1 and was in France. After the war was over, Roy was in the army of occupation and was in Germany for 1 year. During the war, Roy got mustard gas on his leg and was in the hospital for it, but it bothered him for many years. Roy married his wife, Margaret and moved to Homewood, Illinois. He joined the American Legion there. He and a group of surviving soldiers of WW1 made a pact with a bottle of French Wine. The last survivor would win the bottle of wine. Roy was the last man to survive and won the bottle of wine."


Interesting how many other Roy Modglins not only existed, but also served.

There's a Roy Lee Modglin, served in Field Signal Corp in WWI, but listed as a sergeant and from Colorado. Too big of a coincidence. Record is probably an error of some sort.

There is a Lee Roy Modglin, also a WWI vet from Illinois, but was in the US Naval Reserve Force according to his headstone application. He is the one from Pope County and his wife's name was Edith.

There's also a Roy W Modglin from Indiana that is listed as MIA during WWII.

A Roy Modglin (1918-1990) that served in the Air Force during Vietnam.

A Roy S Modglin, Infantry, from Indiana that departed on 1918.

Roy T Modglin in the Navy in the 1960s
 
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That's what I'm finding online. I have an Ancestry account. There appear to be two Roy L Modglins both born in 1894, both lived within an hour or so from each other Illinois before the war, and both served in WWI. There's another guy from Pope County, but his name is Lee Roy Modglins and he served in the US Naval Reserve Force and had a wife named Edith.

Your guy appears to be Roy L Modglin #2 below.

Roy L Modglin #1
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/89842224/roy-modglin
Born 25 Feb 1894 Woodlawn Illinois, Died Indiana,20 Mar 1975
Father's name is William Lionel Modglin.
Married to Ruth in 1917. Salem, Marion Co, Illinois
Army Transportation Record (Ancestry)
Roy L Modglin service number 1978345, 67TH COMPANY TRANSPORTATION CORPS, Private Third Class, Departed Marseille, France 23 May 1919, arrived New York 6 Jun 1919; Residence is Salem Illinois and emergency contact is Ruth (wife)
(Obit info)
Moved to Indianapolis in 1919 after returning from WWI and both lived there until they died.
(Ancestry Record)
As of 1942 living with Ruth in Indianapolis

Roy L Modglin #2
(Draft Registration Card Info)
Born April 8 1894 in Grantsburg Illinois Died Oct 1973 Bellville, Illinois, United States
(Army Transportation Record)
Roy L Modglin of Grantsburg Illinois, Army Corporal, Co D 52nd Tel Bn Sc, departed by ship in Hoboken New Jersey on Dec 4 1917 (Army transport records) Emergency Contact has his father listed as "Edgar".
(1930 Census)
At age 36 still living in Illinios (Chicago) with wife Margaret. His age is correct and census lists him as a veteran of World War. Employed as a mail clerk.
(Ancestry Record)
At age 48 still living in Illinois (Homewood, just outside of Chicago) with wife as of 1942

Roy L Modglin #2 didn't appear to have any children based on Census Records and family trees on Ancestry. There is somebody on Ancestry that is still active and knew him and has him in her family tree. She uploaded some photos of him, including the one of him in uniform you have above. She also posted this info about him:

"This man was sooooo nice to be with. He laughed and visited and was loved by all. Very sincere, quiet, kind, congenial, never argued . HE had a big garden and canned. Roy was loved and respected by his family and all his friends. He worked for the Post Office and became Superintendant at the 12th St. Station in Chicago which was at the Ill. Central R. R. station.. To prepare for this job he did a lot of courses at the University of Chicago required by his job. Roy was in WW1 and was in France. After the war was over, Roy was in the army of occupation and was in Germany for 1 year. During the war, Roy got mustard gas on his leg and was in the hospital for it, but it bothered him for many years. Roy married his wife, Margaret and moved to Homewood, Illinois. He joined the American Legion there. He and a group of surviving soldiers of WW1 made a pact with a bottle of French Wine. The last survivor would win the bottle of wine. Roy was the last man to survive and won the bottle of wine."


Interesting how many other Roy Modglins not only existed, but also served.

There's a Roy Lee Modglin, served in Field Signal Corp in WWI, but listed as a sergeant and from Colorado. Too big of a coincidence. Record is probably an error of some sort.

There is a Lee Roy Modglin, also a WWI vet from Illinois, but was in the US Naval Reserve Force according to his headstone application. He is the one from Pope County and his wife's name was Edith.

There's also a Roy W Modglin from Indiana that is listed as MIA during WWII.

A Roy Modglin (1918-1990) that served in the Air Force during Vietnam.

A Roy S Modglin, Infantry, from Indiana that departed on 1918.

Roy T Modglin in the Navy in the 1960s


Wow, that is a lot of good info! Very weird there was two Roy L Modglins both born 1894 in Southern IL and both served in WW1 and sent to France. The second one is definitely him. I came to the same conclusion that he apparently didn't have any children of his own. I was thinking if he had kids/grandkids still living I'd shine them up and do a return to see their reaction but unfortunately he didn't have any. I think rather than tracking down any more distant relatives who will likely just toss them in a junk box I am just going to have them matted and framed really nicely with the image of Chateu Thierry above and the two images of Roy below them. I have a custom mat guy working on a quote for me now.
 
I would suspect probably foreign silver coin. Maybe French 5 Francs? I believe those were edge lettered as well.

Yeah, after some more looking around late last night I came to the conclusion it can't be U.S. because of the edge lettering. It actually makes it much easier to narrow down the possibilities since 98% of the lettered edges on large silver coins of the era were all incuse/stamped in and this coin has raised letters. That knocks it down to "probably" 2 coins. 1880's 5 Francs or 1880's Silver Crown (Jubilee Head). Both would fit. It seems hardly anybody selling these things bothers to take any photos of the edge lettering so I can't find many good pics of either. The weight is closer on the 5 Francs but I'm leaning the other way because I think what may give it away is how the "reticles" look on the silver crown/5 shilling jubilee. I'll post a pic of a nice one I found, if you compare those going around it to the reticles on the rosette back it looks similar in my opinion.
 

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I use a site called Numista to help identify foreign coins. it shows the front back and edge pictures. Maybe you can check on there to narrow it down. You can search by country. Great find once again!
 
I think rather than tracking down any more distant relatives who will likely just toss them in a junk box I am just going to have them matted and framed really nicely with the image of Chateu Thierry above and the two images of Roy below them. I have a custom mat guy working on a quote for me now.

Seems reasonable to me.
 
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