Quick hunt nabs a token

T-Man

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Kettering, OH
Not posted much this year since I've really not be out much at all. Could probably count on one hand how many times I've been out. Too much other stuff going on. Went to my sons girlfriends house a few weeks back to meet her family and wish their son the best who has enlisted in the Marines. They have an older house on an old dairy farm. Getting permission for that was a breeze, free access to 83 acres mostly wooded or farmed whenever I want it. Brief scan of their front yard didn't amount to much and near the barns was a major iron infestation. Save that for when the weather cools down and more time. What was more interesting is the old house just trough the woods behind theirs, not 30 yards from them but so overgrown you can't even see it until on top of it. Also still had a standing outhouse. Only spent about an hour scoping out the area, found the usual trash, old fishing spoon (not pictured) but did grab a cool little token. Been looking all over and can't find any reference to it. Street address for the number range doesn't even exist. Guess I'll be making another trip to the city Historical Society again this weekend. Definately going back there but will probably wait until winter once all the foliage dies back. Way too much poison ivy and oak there right now. Thanks for looking.
 

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Not posted much this year since I've really not be out much at all. Could probably count on one hand how many times I've been out. Too much other stuff going on. Went to my sons girlfriends house a few weeks back to meet her family and wish their son the best who has enlisted in the Marines. They have an older house on an old dairy farm. Getting permission for that was a breeze, free access to 83 acres mostly wooded or farmed whenever I want it. Brief scan of their front yard didn't amount to much and near the barns was a major iron infestation. Save that for when the weather cools down and more time. What was more interesting is the old house just trough the woods behind theirs, not 30 yards from them but so overgrown you can't even see it until on top of it. Also still had a standing outhouse. Only spent about an hour scoping out the area, found the usual trash, old fishing spoon (not pictured) but did grab a cool little token. Been looking all over and can't find any reference to it. Street address for the number range doesn't even exist. Guess I'll be making another trip to the city Historical Society again this weekend. Definately going back there but will probably wait until winter once all the foliage dies back. Way too much poison ivy and oak there right now. Thanks for looking.

Cool token! The fishing spoon might be worth something, too. People pay big bucks for old lures..
 
...Been looking all over and can't find any reference to it....

Cool token, T-Man! I did some searching on Newspapers.com and got a few hits on J. V. Lakes that seem to fit...looks like he got into a little bit of trouble during Prohibition :D Here are links to a few article clippings I found that at least puts you in the right date range:

Fined $1000 in a liquor related case in 1924:
Hamilton Evening Journal, July 15, 1924

Arrested again in 1925 for sale of liquor - this article mentions Grand Boulevard as presumably his home address:
The Cincinnati Enquirer, April 15, 1925

It looks like he closed down by 1928 - this article shows an auction of all his restaurant equipment to be held at a different address on Grand Boulevard from the token:
The Journal News (Hamilton, OH), March 22, 1928

And finally, it looks like poor J V Lakes passed away by 1932:
The Journal News (Hamilton, OH), February 27, 1932
 
Cool token, T-Man! I did some searching on Newspapers.com and got a few hits on J. V. Lakes that seem to fit...looks like he got into a little bit of trouble during Prohibition :D Here are links to a few article clippings I found that at least puts you in the right date range:

Fined $1000 in a liquor related case in 1924:
Hamilton Evening Journal, July 15, 1924

Arrested again in 1925 for sale of liquor - this article mentions Grand Boulevard as presumably his home address:
The Cincinnati Enquirer, April 15, 1925

It looks like he closed down by 1928 - this article shows an auction of all his restaurant equipment to be held at a different address on Grand Boulevard from the token:
The Journal News (Hamilton, OH), March 22, 1928

And finally, it looks like poor J V Lakes passed away by 1932:
The Journal News (Hamilton, OH), February 27, 1932

Wow!!!! Thanks for the info, I was going to put it in a little display and give it to the home owner if I could find some info and I think you got it for me. There was no shortage of issues with Prohibition in Hamilton back in those days. Used to be called little Chicago for a reason. John Dillinger's sisters old house was within walking distance of mine and he was arrested there as well one time. Escaped with a little help from his buddies. I guess when things would start get a little too hot for the mob in Chicago they would come down to Hamilton until things cooled off. Now if I could only find where they hid one of those caches I'd be set.
 
Wow!!!! Thanks for the info, I was going to put it in a little display and give it to the home owner if I could find some info and I think you got it for me. There was no shortage of issues with Prohibition in Hamilton back in those days. Used to be called little Chicago for a reason. John Dillinger's sisters old house was within walking distance of mine and he was arrested there as well one time. Escaped with a little help from his buddies. I guess when things would start get a little too hot for the mob in Chicago they would come down to Hamilton until things cooled off. Now if I could only find where they hid one of those caches I'd be set.

Glad to help! Cool idea to do a display for the home owner, especially with a little info about the find. Also pretty interesting how J V Lakes' history paints a picture of how pervasive bootlegging and speakeasies probably were in the 1920s - not only the well known Dillingers and Capones involved, it went right down to the average neighborhood guys like J. V. Lakes too! Who knows...with the Dillinger and Chicagoland connection with the Hamilton area, maybe Mr Lakes had a loose connection with some of the mob Big Boys.
 
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