What an awesome image to be my first look at the man! A bigger version of that photo is here. Click for a good look.
If you don’t know, Orville Bierkle was an extraordinary man whose revolver ended up in my hands. That’s him, dead-center in the photo, ramrod-straight, like a Marine from Central Casting. One of the two women to his left is his wife. Even better, after Calgunner rhilberg found the above photo, Sgt. Bierkle’s daughter Ruth replied to the thread.
If you’re looking to find the history of a prior owner of one of your firearms, this book looks like a good start.
UPDATE: The photo vanished because the archives have an “internal error.” Wonder if the load of RNS readers and Calgunners crashed the server? When it comes back up I’ll try to download a copy.
“many of his letters to the editor were published in Bay Area papers.”
Oops. Lotta research there.
Yep, problem is most of those aren’t in online databases yet (and with papers out here folding left and right, may never be). Hopefully his daughter has copies; that would make it easier.