Bidspirit auction | J. Edward Prentiss Carpetbagger Collection

J. Edward Prentiss Carpetbagger Collection - This collection of J. Edward Prentiss, was handed down through the family ending with his great grand daughter, Ruth Prentiss who died in Chicago in 1995. Her estate was liquidated by her church and this archive was on display as part of a Civil War collection at the Wild West Town Museum in Union, IL until 2024. J. Edward Prentiss was from Westerly, Rhode Island. As a young man at the end of the Civil war he traveled to Nashville Tennessee for investment opportunities. On July 30th, 1865 he secured an honorary appointment as a “Colonel” in the 2nd Tennessee Cavalry. His appointment was signed by Tennessee Secretary of State A. J. Fletcher who in 1865 coined the term “Carpetbagger” to describe the opportunists arriving in Tennessee who carried their belongings in valises made from carpet. There are 2 original documents of this appointment and a CDV of young J. Edward wearing a coat with Colonel shoulder boards. The photo was taken at C.C. Giers Portrait Gallery in Nashville in January of 1866. Included in this archive is his carpetbag with original key, a horn handle walking stick with a hidden dagger, a silver key wind pocket watch in a wood case, a straight razor, a smoking pipe and case with the name J.E. Prentiss, a match safe with the initials JEP, a small 2 blade pen knife, a glass lens tinder box, and the tin cylinder carrying case for his appointment documents. In addition there are multiple photos of Prentiss throughout his life including a CDV album with 10 images. Research of Prentiss is incomplete but his name does pop up as an investor in banks in several states.