Love the article, you couldn't get an editor to print something like that today, it would offend our delicate feelings!

Bighunter43 said:

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My brother and I are in possession of this Colt Frontier.44 pistol that belonged to our GG Grandfather who was Texas Outlaw Bill Whitley. He was co-leader of a gang that robbed 4 trains, 2 banks and numerous stagecoaches. His cousin often harbored him and other members, but turned informant and US Marshal John T Rankin and posse were waiting on the train when they attempted to rob it just outside of Harwood. After an hour gunfight to obtain the mail car, they gave up and the robbery was thwarted. Whitley showed up 2 days later at his cousin's in Floresville where Rankin was waiting on him. Whitley came in and sat on a chair, lit the lamp when Rankin covered him with a shotgun….both fired simultaneously but Whitley just missed and the shotgun blast caught him in the head and neck. He crawled under the bed and continued to fire while other deputies came in and unloaded. (Sept. 25, 1888)….it was passed on to our grandfather who gave it to us.

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You win this thread!!!!

BQ78 said:

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Love the article, you couldn't get an editor to print something like that today, it would offend our delicate feelings!

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Yes sir, I'd say that's a pretty fair assessment!

Gunny456 said:

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So which plane was your grandfather in and what capacity was he on the plane?

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I second this, if you know and are willing to share, of course. WWII aviation has been a lifelong fascination for me.

I was hoping he may have signed one of my prints….and I could send a pic of his signature to you. Sadly those were after his time.
Godspeed to him. May we never forget what sacrifices they all made.
Thanks for sharing.

The MB is cool. If it could only talk!

My paternal grandfather's Hamilton pocket watch. Grade 996, Model 2, manufactured in 1916, in the 2nd of 20 model runs. One of approximately 23,500 of this model.



Grandad used this while working as a railroad engineer for the New York Central. It survived a 3-train derailment that occurred on 3/27/53, 2.4 miles east of Conneaut, OH. (So did grandad, amazingly.)

Have number of cool heirlooms but these are my favorites


This is either my Great Grandfather's /Grand Mother's violin and it is well over 100 years old. The story was never quite clear from my Grandfather. It's a Stradivarius.....a "Bob Stradivarius" LOL. But, it's not really what people think, a counterfeit. It means that it was built in the Stradivarius method. It is also fairly rare in that it is a "Ladies Violin" which meant that it had a shorter neck than a standard violin.

I used to play the violin in Jr High and early in High School, but quit. For years, I wanted to relearn how to play...so about 5 years ago, my wife bought me fiddle lessons. I inherited it as pretty much a wreck, so I took it to the violin shop owned by Brian Duckworth (who used to fiddle for REK) and had it rebuilt. He helped me remember how to play it and showed me how to play it correctly. Only went for awhile, but have continued to self-teach. Has the most beautiful tone and I love to play it. I've gotten pretty good as well....well. at least for a back porch, beer drinking fiddler LOL



This next one is hanging on the wall in my office. It's one of a number of things my Father acquired in Hanoi in 1945 (swords, a Nambu). He was ferrying Chinese troops to take possession of the airfield there after Japan's surrender.