Righting the wrongs of the past.

 
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johnjoseph
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Post by johnjoseph » Wed. Apr. 29, 2020 9:43 pm

Just reading an taking in the information presented and discussion.
The 10 gauge got my attention and brought back a special memory.When my son was 14 we went hunting ducks in a friends blind about 2 miles from our house by ATV. He got one duck and was super happy. On our return home, in a field out behind our house my son hit me in the head with his hand and told me to stop and shut the f****** ATV off. I thought he may have gotten hurt from going through the rough terrain; my son had never used foul language that's why I thought he was hurt. He loaded the 10 gauge quickly with a 3 inch magnum sabot slug. Took aim at something I couldn't see. He let her rip. He said dad let's go. I asked what he shot and he said a deer. We went to the area he shot and in a small patch of woods there it lay...a 4 point buck. He asked me if I saw the three does that ran off...I said no. Anyhow, not bad for an 80 yard shot with a 10 gauge bead sight by a 14 year old.

 
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Post by Hoytman » Sun. May. 03, 2020 8:35 am

EarthWindandFire wrote:
Wed. Apr. 29, 2020 9:29 am
Almost thirty years ago, my Grandfather passed away. I grew up hearing stories from him and my father about a double-barrel shotgun that my family had that was used to hunt ducks on Long Island Sound. Later, the gun made it's way to our farm in Dutchess County NY (the farmhouse is pictured in my avatar) where it was used to shoot down old dead tree limbs by my great-uncle. When the farm was sold in the mid 1970's, the gun was brought to my grandfathers house where it supposedly sat, hidden away, until 1992. I never actually saw the shotgun. But when my grandfather passed away, I asked my Aunt if she found the gun and she said yes. I was too young to question her, in fact, why my father never demanded the gun I'll never know, as he passed away in 2001. It's possible the gun was gone before then, my aunt and uncle may have taken it and other family heirlooms long before my grandparents passed away.

I'm sure some of you have been through the same thing, a relative takes or outright steals an object or family heirloom. I made a half-hearted attempt to get it back. I sent my aunt and uncle a letter in 2003 or 2004. But now I'm more determined as my Aunt is around 80 years old now.

Was her motivation to take the gun financial, did the gun have real value as an antique firearm? Based on my research, antique guns have little value unless attached to a famous person or event.

I'm financially able to have an attorney contact them with the hope of resolving this without court proceedings. Maybe the threat of being subpoenaed and having to travel from Virginia to New York would be enough to coerce them to relinquish the gun. I could offer them a substantial sum of money, as much as ten thousand dollars. But they could reject that as they are not in need of money.

What do you guy's think. Any suggestions or thoughts. Am I wrong - trying to right the wrongs of the past?
I thought I’d reply to this without finishing reading the other posts.

Been in a similar position twice...on both sides of my family. Guns my grandpa’s had that belonged to my great grandpa’s and although I am not sure why, were supposed to be willed to me. One was stolen, the other ended up in the hands of my my uncle...whom I love dearly...and I won’t ask him for it. That particular gun is a near mint 100+ year old revolver. I may never see it.

For myself, a material item is not worth taking family to court over. One, if my grandparents could see into the future, I don’t think they would have wanted that and I know they wouldn’t have intended it. Sometimes just knowing someone wanted you to have something is satisfaction enough. They always taught me I can’t take things with me when I die anyhow, and so it is truth...for us all.

Often, the memories are worth far more than any material thing. Indeed, those memories are priceless.

Life is about choices and everyone has to make their own choices.

 
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freetown fred
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Post by freetown fred » Sun. May. 03, 2020 8:49 am

E, why do you start these things & then disappear???????????????????? People just tryin to help ya out. :)

 
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EarthWindandFire
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Post by EarthWindandFire » Thu. May. 07, 2020 9:35 am

It's a thing called work-kids-commitments-work. I come back every so often when time allows. I appreciate the posts by Hoytman, johnjoseph, Sunnyboy and coaledsweat, gaw and grumpy.

Fred, I remember now why I stopped posting years ago. You did the same thing to me back then. I think I even have the old PM's from 2014 when you kept harassing me when I made a post and I asked you to stop. This is an incredibly painful memory for me and you made it worse. When the thread sidetracked to gun prices, I changed the name. It was too late to delete the thread.
Last edited by EarthWindandFire on Thu. May. 07, 2020 9:58 am, edited 1 time in total.


 
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tsb
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Post by tsb » Thu. May. 07, 2020 9:47 am

Ok then, this worked out well.

 
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freetown fred
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Post by freetown fred » Thu. May. 07, 2020 9:49 am

LOL, you're mean T!!! LOL Geeze, sorry you're still so thin skinned E--back then, I did no more then my response above. FYI--resentments will drag ya down.

 
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Post by EarthWindandFire » Thu. May. 07, 2020 9:56 am

Fred, you're right about one thing. I shouldn't make a post unless I'm committed to coming back and replying to those that took the time to write. For that, I apologize.

 
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Sunny Boy
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Post by Sunny Boy » Thu. May. 07, 2020 10:12 am

Hang in there, Mark. There's no enemies here...... even those that live on hills. :D

Have you tried contacting your Aunt and asking about the shotgun ? After all these years she might have change how she views it ? She might even be thinking that since it's been so long since being asked about it, no one wants it ?

Paul


 
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EarthWindandFire
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Post by EarthWindandFire » Thu. May. 07, 2020 4:18 pm

Hi Paul,

I did try contacting her back in 2004 to no avail. I'll have to have my lawyer send a letter and go from there. They intentionally took this item plus many other objects. Some of the pottery vases were so old that they had Nippon stamped on the bottom, not Japan. They knew what was valuable and left the rest.

 
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freetown fred
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Post by freetown fred » Thu. May. 07, 2020 4:38 pm

Good luck with it all E. Funny how stuff like that brings them out of the woodwork. :(

 
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Post by Sunny Boy » Thu. May. 07, 2020 4:41 pm

EarthWindandFire wrote:
Thu. May. 07, 2020 4:18 pm
Hi Paul,

I did try contacting her back in 2004 to no avail. I'll have to have my lawyer send a letter and go from there. They intentionally took this item plus many other objects. Some of the pottery vases were so old that they had Nippon stamped on the bottom, not Japan. They knew what was valuable and left the rest.
A suggestion.

A letter from a Lawyer makes many people feel very uncomfortable,.. even seeing it as being disrespectful by the family member who's lawyer it is. Especially old ladies who tend to not like situations that seem like a confrontation is brewing with a family member.

But, a nicely worded letter from a nephew has a much better chance of being received as a warm, friendly, and respectful request from a family member.

Try respect and sincerity and save the lawyer as only a last resort. ;)

Paul

 
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Post by gaw » Fri. May. 08, 2020 10:35 am

I guess you need to talk to a lawyer because I don't know if you could take this to court and win because you have not mentioned "will" so how do you prove theft.

What Fred and I and others suggested was to not pick the scab as it only causes more pain.

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