New Member - First Parker
 

Hello Everyone,

I first started searching this site about a year ago and became a member last month. I purchased my first Parker a couple weeks ago. A 12 ga. VH. I could see the barrels had been cut to 28", but only from the wealth of information available from this site. I received a letter on my gun Saturday confirming this. This made it a better shooter for me with the barrels now measuring .005 & .008. Heading to the grouse woods tomorrow.:)

From the letter and internet searches I found the original owner Heyward Long was the Mayor of Martins Ferry, OH in 1912. Pretty neat!

Here is a like to my album of pics: http://parkerguns.org/forums/album.php?albumid=567

That's a very nice V grade. Good luck in the woods, I'm heading up to Gladwin on Friday.

Welcome Tim and congratulations on your first (and certainly not last) Parker.

Somehow I just know you'll be getting a 16 or a 20...... or even a 28 in the next year or two.... :whistle:

Grouse Chaser,
I was born in Martins Ferry, Oh and have an office in the hospital professional center there. I am an optometrist Our family farm is just outside Martins Ferry. Sounds like a great gun, although some may dislike cut barrels, I have 3 guns that I shoot the most, all with cut barrels. Great grouse guns. I have a GH O frame 16 w/ 27" barrels, a VHE 20 w 26 1/2" tubes and a Fox SW 16 also at 26 1/2.
I have many patients named Long and am going to look into the history of the mayor.
I will be in the UP for 2 weeks in October chasing the big and little brown birds.

That's a great gun no matter if it's a first or fiftieth

Harold, pretty cool you're from Martins Ferry. I found Heyward had 2 sons, Heyward Jr and Charles to carry the name. Also 3 daughters. Any information you find on his term as Mayor I would be interested in. He may have been a Fire Chief as well. I like old stuff and history. Hence the Parker. Thanks, Tim

Tim,
Martins Ferry is hard on the banks of the Ohio River, just across the river from Wheeling, Wv. It was a "steel mill" town, until the demise of the American steel industry, and as much of rural America, currently on "hard times". Population around 5000. I looked at your album, nice gun and probably a great shooter. How is the early bird season going?

Welcome Tim & congrats ! that's a great "first", but i'll bet you it won't be the last. kinda like potato chips....you can't have just one.

nice gun and with history...go get us a grouse and don t forget the camera and take pictures. its like us getting to go with you if we get to see the pictures...charlie