The Saw
Six generations of Krotzers have carved their initials into this handle — HK, MK, DK, RK, and two SKs. It has been in the family since at least the 1800s. Today it belongs to Solomon Krotzer.
A wheat motif, and a running tally
The maker decorated the handle with a carved wheat pattern around the grip. Sometime after, each generation added their own mark near the medallion — a private ledger scratched into the wood rather than written down. By the family's own account: HK is Henry J. Krotzer, the Civil War carpenter and farmer who first left the saw to his descendants; MK is his son Milton Stanley; DK is Milton's son Duran Albert; RK is Duran's son Robert Keith; the first SK is Robert's son Steven Scott; and the second SK is Steven's son Solomon Scott, who holds the saw today. A ninth generation is already named to inherit it — Solomon's own son, Domenic.
Still a working saw
Full crosscut blade, hand-set teeth, the same handle six generations have held. Henry Krotzer was a renowned carpenter as well as a farmer in Winchester, Tennessee — the "intricate woodworking" credited to him reportedly still survives at a historic house there called Hundred Oaks — and the saw he left behind has simply been handed down, father to son, ever since: Henry to Milton, Milton to Duran, Duran to Robert, Robert to Steven, and Steven to Solomon, who keeps it today.
Henry's Powder Horn
A hand-lettered tag on a powder horn kept with the saw reads “Henry J. Krotzer, 26 Sept 1833” — the exact birthdate of the Henry J. Krotzer above. Two objects, one name.
See Henry's Powder Horn →