JERSEY MARSHALS - PART I

     

Over the years I have slowly acquired a couple of cases that are now filled with "Marshal Badges."

These are not the Marshal's made famous in the old cowboy movies. No Wyatt Earp Badge in my collection. In fact I can't put a name to anyone who wore one of these items.

The fact is New Jersey had an officer of the law designated to maintain order and peace prior to the establishment of the local police force. 

Over the next month or so I will display all my Marshal Badges. These are in some kind of alphabetical order (I took liberties as the number of badges grew). Who knows, someday I will fix this.

For now, and pictured above, is my first Badge. It is from BOGOTA. This is a northern NJ community.  Needless to say it is in the back pocket of NYC.

The second item pictured here, and a similar design, is from CALDWELL. This town is in Essex County. It is a suburban community, and there is a bus to "The Big Apple" if for any reason, one wants to get there. I don't. 

CARLSTADT is the third item pictured. This too is a northern Jersey location. Like the other communities it is in the vicinity of that big village across the Hudson River. The badge too has a similar design as the other two items displayed above.. All three of these antique items use the State Seal in the center.

The last badge in this article is Chatham. That was my home town (Borough) for 29 years. This badge really looks like something out of the Red Ryder Films of my youth, however when I was a kid it was probably being retired as a Marshal Badge giving way to the new Police Officer Shield.  It is circular with that Texas Star in the center. 

I am trying to learn more about these early Marshals and how they were used in the Garden State. If you know anything about them, or have one to sell, contact me at the address listed in this blog.