Quote:
Originally Posted by Kinman
My further "poking around" did little to provide any actual information. A few of the old guys did remember a storefront but no real "gun store" that the common guy would be attracted to. As his business card specifies he sold cameras, opticals, firearms. In that era just about any storefront could sell firearms, I can remember gas stations and hardware stores selling firearms, I can remember my uncle pawning his rifles in the local beer parlor. H. Dean specialized in photography and fishing in retirement, being a business oriented guy he kept the storefront going and probably had customers that considered his place "one stop shopping". Order up a new flyrod, a nice camera and a handgun to protect yourself from the odd Grizz, best I can do...its a dead end with no other information worth going after.
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I don't think that's a dead end at all, I think you found as much of the Spokane story possible.
Sounds like H. Dean was what we might call today a "tabletop ffl", which as you note back then was so common place for anyone who any number of things would also deal in guns, even if it was just occasional.
I may also be able to come up with some more information, I have plans this summer to head back to my family's town in Fertile, MN, which is just about 40 miles south of Thief River Falls. I'll see if I can't find some folks who may be related to, or know/knew A.F. Jones.
It does seem that A.F. Jones was a bit of a trap shooter, at least according to this Fresno Bee news paper:
The Fresno Bee The Republican from Fresno, California on March 14, 1948 . Page 38
and the Missoulian:
The Missoulian from Missoula, Montana on August 18, 1946 . 13
and the Winnnipeg Free Press:
Winnipeg Free Press Newspaper Archives | Jul 17, 1940, p. 12
" iigh gunner of the championship however, was A. F. Jones. Thief River Falls, who broke 100 straight yesterday, which gave him .99 out of 200 in the two days of shooting."
Hmm, apparently he was a very *good* trapshooter.
