So I have this here sword...

[GReedDiamond]

...which originally belonged to my late father who got it from his father:





...and I wondered, what did the SKA on the hilt mean? I wondered if this was some kind of military thing, but had no clue...

I called my aunt/my late dad's sister (she's going on 90, but still going strong), who suggested it was likely a fraternal organization in which their father held a membership.

So I found this about the "Silver Knights of America," a "bimetallism" organization of the late 19th Century. They promoted silver as the basis of the United States monetary system. They were "incorporated as a stock company in 1895, with $100,000 in capital."

The first Senator from the State of Nevada, William Morris Stewart, was the corporation's President. He ultimately served a total of 28 years as a U.S. Senator, as a Republican, and as a Silver Republican.

From the Wikipedia link, "In 1896 Silver Republicans supported Democratic presidential nominee William Jennings Bryan over William McKinley."

Anyways, I thought this stuff was a little bit interesting, I had not heard of the "Silver Republicans" before, for one thing, not to mention that this Senator Stewart guy was apparently a real 19th Century repug hustler and opportunist, just like they are now: "Stewart’s role in as lawyer and politician in Nevada has always been controversial. He was the territory’s leading lawyer in mining litigation, but his opponents accused him of bribing judges and juries. Stewart accused the three Nevada territorial judges of being corrupt, and he barely escaped disbarment." I also read something in one of the bios on him that he had sold a gold or silver mine to some European investors, knowing that the "mine" had nothing of any real value in it. He also apparently turned down an appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court.

[The Midway Rebel]

1. Awesome story.

Sounds like one from the History Detectives show.

That was the election where WJB gave his "Cross of Gold" speech.

Looks like a pretty serious frog sticker.

[GReedDiamond]

2. I first saw this sword when I was a little kid...

...in the long lost very early 1960s.

There was a SWORD in the basement, and I wasn't supposed to mess around with it.

Naturally, I would sneak all my friends down into the basement and show them THE SWORD.

Usually I would wave it around and yell at them, "do you believe me now?!"

I was very popular.

[rurallib]

3. Thanks for the story

Do you keep it locked up somehow?

[GReedDiamond]

4. Yes, it is locked inside of my house, in my closet, actually...

...and since the only legal residents of my abode are my girlfriend, my cat, and me, I am pretty sure it will not fall into the hands of any nefarious characters, such as children, or otherwise impaired individuals.