New Member - First Parker

[Grouse Chaser]

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

[Opening Day]

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

[Dean Romig]

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....

[Harold Pickens]

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.

[Mike Franzen]

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

[Grouse Chaser]

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

[Harold Pickens]

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?

[ddp]

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.

[charlie cleveland]

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