Posted 3 days ago
Militarist
(294 items)
Milwaukee City: 5th Ward Constable Badge
This badge appears to be silver with black enamel filled in engraved lettering size is 66.35 mm tall and 57 mm wide. The 5th ward was established in 1846 but this badge is not that old.
Ward Constables were hired by the wards and were a hold over from the time before the establishment of the Milwaukee Police Department in 1855. Aldermen at that time were responsible for maintaining law and order in their wards and were allowed to hire ward constables and night watchmen. The only other law enforcement at the time would have been the lone village marshal and the county sheriff. The ward constable badges must have been private purchase badges as evidenced by how prominently Mr Green's name is on this 5th ward constable badge. This badge dates from circa 1885 and was probably made by the Northwestern Stamp Company based on the split end of the pin where it is mounted on the hinge. Unfortunately the badge is not maker marked and Mr. Green remains a mystery to me all though Wisconsin Civil War rosters list a Pvt. Charles A. Green with the 13th Battery who was from Whitewater.
It should be noted that the first initial of the name is a C now but was originally a G.
