Oil boom relic??

Hey Pappy,

I was going through some old pics in my computer and found some scans of an item a friend showed me long ago. I thought you may recognize it.

It is a counter of some sort. It is etched

CB Simmons
Gen'l Agent
Oil City,
Pa.
Then there is a patent date. I can't see it in the scan but if memory serves it was during the oil boom in Pa. I think that they may have been given out like business cards so that customers could keep track of whatever Mr. Simmons was buying. I don't feel it is safe to assume it was barrels of oil.

Ever see anything like it??

Thanks Pap!!
HJ

[PAPPY]

HJ, I have seen one of those before but for the life of me I can't remember what it is. I'll do my best to research it and see what I can come up with. Seems to me that it had something to do with similar items that a nightwatchman would carry but I'm not certain at this time...Will get back with you soon on it.

Hi again Pappy,

That old pic got me poking around a bit. The 1880 US census for Oil City Pa. lists a Charles Simmons with the occupation of Oil Exchange. Maybe the oil barrell assumption mat have been safe after all. He has a wife and two children AND two servants. Business must have been good for our Mr Simmons.

Still nothing on the device though.....

Thanks again Pap,
HJ

[catfish]

I have a book on the history of Venango county. It is a copy from the 1870's I think. It is at my place in Tennessee though. I'm going up there next week. I'll check it and see if I can find anything about it.
Catfish

Thanks Catfish, I would appreciate that.

HJ

[pris]

Do you think it may be a punch clock for a nightwatchman that keeps track of the places he has checked? We used to have similar devices that had keys at different locations. The guard would carry this thing around his shoulder like a purse. When he got to the locations, he would use the key to punch a certain time within the clock. Just a guess, but thought it might be something like that.