Many people bring items to the Historical Society in hopes of having them identified and dated. While we are not always successful, we were able to help identify this object.
August 15, 2014: A member of the Tri-County Metal Detector Club found this belt buckle in a field in Union Township. Fellow “detectors” believed it to be related to a fire department because of the Maltese cross. However, after a few hours of research we were able to inform them that the artifact relates to the Lawrence Commandery, No. 62 of the Knights Templar – a philanthropic Masonic group limited to Freemasons who profess a belief in the Christian religion.
Based upon old photographs, it is estimated that this style of buckle was in use as early as the 1880’s. Commandery No. 62 was operating in the County as early as 1883 and is still active today.