Heritage Auctions, one the nation’s largest auction houses, has an array of pocket watches for sale this week. One, a silver Newark Watch Works timepiece, in engraved with the initials “O.W. Brackett” and the dates “Jan. 13th 1841 / Feb. 4th 1900”.
A quick bit of poking around on the Internet turned up this bit of information: O.W. Brackett was Orrin W. Brackett, a native of Freeport, Maine, who later moved to the coastal town of Yarmouth and served as private in Co. G of the 25th Maine Infantry Regiment. He was indeed born in 1841 and died in 1900.
It’s likely that good ol’ O.W. had his name engraved on the watch while he was alive, and a family member added his birth and death dates afterward.
Brackett’s Civil War duty was relatively uneventful: He signed up for a nine-month tour of duty, being mustered into service Sept. 5, 1862 in Yarmouth, along the Maine coast, and mustered out with the rest of his company on May 7, 1863, in Chantilly, Va.
The 25th Maine spent a majority of its service around Washington, DC, guarding the “Long Bridge” across the Potomac River, and constructing fortifications. It moved out of Washington onto Chantilly, Va, to serve picket duty before returning to Arlington Heights in 1863.
The 25th Maine didn’t participate in any battles but still lost 25 men to disease.
Brackett apparently felt his nine months of service were sufficient; he did not re-enlist after his tour ended. He likely bought the watch shortly after the war ended; the Newark Watch Co. was only in operation from 1863 until 1870.
Brackett’s brother, Alvin M. Brackett, served as a private in Co. F of the 1st Maine Cavalry Regiment and was killed during Dahlgren’s Raid on Richmond on March 4, 1864, at age 21.
Another Orrin W. Brackett, a private in the 6th Maine Battery and likely a cousin of the aforementioned O.W., hailed from Waterville, Maine. He died of disease at home in March 1863.
Like many men of earlier generations, O.W. Bartlett seemed to be pretty handy with a pocketknife. Last July, Cowan’s Auctions sold a powder horn with the carving “O.W. Brackett / Co. G. 25 Maine Vols / Chantilly, VA / May 7, 1863. / Enlisted in / The Town of / Yarmouth / Sept. 5, 1862”. The 6-1/2 inch powder horn fetched $216.
Despite knowing O.W. Brackett’s full name and likely place of death, I have been unable to locate, at least online, his final place of rest. If nothing else, his memory lives on through his pocket watch.
Update: Thanks to a reader named Maxwell, O.W. Brackett’s final resting place has been located, in Riverside Cemetery in Yarmouth, Maine.
So, did you buy that watch? Does it work? Interesting how history lives through the relics that survive.
No, it’s still up for auction. It does indeed work. I love the idea of history living through items. It’s one of things that draws me to history.
So his watch and a powder horn have turnd up…makes you wonder what else of his will surface…I have a feeling there might be an ancient tree somewhere with its bark marked ‘O W. Brackett’…
Apparently some of his descendants prized cold cash over sentimental value. Of course, I have a hard time parting with anything related to my family, particularly those no longer around. And, yes, the Maine coast probably still has a aged tree or two with his name carved into it.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/121246684/orrin-w-brackett
I think this may be him.
It is, indeed. Thank you! Findagrave to the rescue, again!
Riverside Cemetery, Yarmouth, Maine. Photo available at findagrave.com
Much obliged, ma’am.
Reblogged this on seachranaidhe1.
Great human interest stuff!
Thank you, Bruce. I thought it was pretty interesting.
Would it be worth more if it had belonged to a Confederate?
A good question. I would think it might, but not sure. I would have been worth a lot more if it had had his company and regiment on it, to be certain. And if it had been Confederate with the listing for a his company and regiment, that would definitely bring bigger bucks, as those are hard to come by, from what I can tell.
Reblogged this on Lenora's Culture Center and Foray into History.