This item is part of A Fine Collection of American Society & Association Membership Badges. Click Here to view all items in this collection.
Military Order of Foreign Wars Membership Badge (three-piece construction, in Gold with red and blue enamels, weighing 19.8 grams, number engraved "277." on the reverse of the integral loop, marked "PAT." (Patent) and "2-28-99" on the ring, measuring 41 mm (w) x 50.5 (h), chipping evident in the blue enamels on the centrepiece ring on the reverse, original ribbon); Order of Founders and Patriots of America Membership Badge (five-piece construction, in Gold with red, white and blue enamels, weighing 24.2 grams, measuring 46.7 mm (w) x 53.5 mm (h) inclusive of its integral ring, intact enamels, original ribbon); Society of American Officers Membership Badge (three-piece construction, in Gold with red, white and blue enamels, weighing 19.7 grams, engraved "NATHANIEL B. THURSTON" and "No 16" on the reverse, along with being maker marked with an "N" within a shield on the reverse, measuring 31 mm (w) x 39.8 mm (h), suspended from a hanger inscribed "N.G.N.Y." (National Guard New York), intact enamels, original ribbon with pinback); Sons of the Revolution Membership Badge (multi-piece construction, in Gold with blue enamels, weighing 17.3 grams, maker marked "BAILEY, BANKS & BIDDLE CO. PHILA.", number engraved "2801" and hand engraved "084116" on the reverse of the eagle suspension, measuring 29.7 mm (w) x 44.8 mm (h), intact enamels, original ribbon with pinback); Military Society of the War of 1812 Membership Badge (three-piece construction, in Gold with red, white and blue enamels, weighing 17.4 grams, number engraved "199" on the reverse of the oak leaves suspension, measuring 33.5 mm (w) x 36.5 mm (h), intact enamels, original ribbon with pinback); Society of American Wars Membership Badge (three-piece construction, in Gold with red, white, blue and green enamels, weighing 33 grams, engraved with the initials "N. B. T." and number engraved "784" on the reverse centrepiece, measuring 33 mm (w) x 62.7 mm (h) inclusive of its eagle and laurel leaves wreath suspension, intact enamels, original ribbon with pinback); and Order of the Spanish American War Membership Badge (four-piece construction, in Gold with red, white and blue enamels, weighing 18 grams, measuring 36.5 mm (w) x 55 mm (h) inclusive of its eagle suspension, intact enamels, original ribbon with pinback). Extremely fine.
Footnote: Nathaniel Blunt "Peggy" Thurston was born on April 12, 1857 in New York, New York. Nathaniel Blunt Thurston was a career military officer. He served with the New York State National Guard beginning in 1877, rising to the rank of Colonel. In the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, he served with the 22nd Regiment, New York Volunteers during the Spanish American War, beginning on May 1, 1898. After almost seven months' service in the Spanish American War, he was mustered out on November 23, 1898. In his civilian life, Colonel Thurston, better known to his friends as "Peggy", served the City of New York in several capacities including Deputy Commissioner of the New York Police Department. He was an avid fire buff since 1868 and was appointed to the honorary rank of Battalion Chief on June 28, 1915. Upon his appointment Commissioner Adamson said: "This appointment is conferred on Lieutenant Colonel Thurston in recognition of his valuable services to this department, covering many years in drilling the members of the department for appearances on public parade and especially in recognition of his services in connection with the fiftieth anniversary celebration." It was reported that while taking a bath on a cold winter's night in 1914, he heard an alarm for a fire one block from his home and was first on the scene. An elderly man and his wife were trapped in their apartment on the top floor, so Colonel Thurston climbed to the roof, broke through a skylight and rescued the couple. His obituary in the New York Times stated that, "Colonel Thurston was said never to have missed a two-alarm fire when in the City, and would usually arrive in his automobile with or shortly after the apparatus." Thurston was the Commander of the 74th Regiment and was with his unit in McAllen, Hidalgo County, Texas when he took ill and passed away, on January 15, 1917, at the age of 59. He was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery and Conservancy, in Bronx, Bronx County, New York, Plot: Butternut, Section 208, SW Pt 13912, Grave 1, with full Military and Fire Department honors.