| [Ben]: | The "Good old days" | Discuss This [0 comments so far] View Comments | I suppose it is pretty typical, but I often think of the years prior to 1968, and more so the years prior to 1934 as being nearly unburdened by gun legislation. While that is largely true on a federal level, what I don't usually consider are the state laws that were generally accepted at the time.
As most of my regular readers are aware, gun laws as we know them today were originally intended to prevent blacks and other "undesirable" minorities from possessing weapons. Indeed, the laws were either written targeting only minorities such as blacks - intending to ensure they didn't have the tools necessary to defend themselves from mob violence - or selectively enforced, never impacting whites.
One of these laws, rules, or regulations required at least some citizens of Virginia to obtain permits to purchase a handgun. One of my wife's great-grandpas on her mother's side obtained one of these purchase permits on November 15th, 1928 in order to buy a Smith and Wesson .38 special. Given the fact that there was no purchase date filled out, I'm not sure if the gun was ever actually purchased.
I've submitted a question to the Virginia Legislative Information System help desk to see if I can get my hands on the full text of this law.
Notice that this permit was issued by the Board of Trustees of the Virginia State Diseased and Crippled Children's Hospital. As well, it is interesting to see that G-Grandpa George W. Wheeler lived and worked at Leona Mines just five miles away from where Cara's grandma still lives.
Anyone with more information about this card, the laws surrounding it, or the gun in question (a Smith and Wesson .38 Special with the serial number 224072) please contact me. |
| 2008-12-28
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The "Good old days" |
