[ door creaks ] [ wind howls ] [ thunder rumbles ] [ bird caws ] im jamie colby. And today, im in kennebunkport, maine. Its renowned as the bush familys summer haven and also for its succulent lobster. But this story has a cast of characters that are up and down the atlantic seaboard. The heirs, they live here, a reclusive aunt from massachusetts and their gilded age ancestor once dubbed the father of greater new york. Im john green. And im lisa green buchanan. I think its fair to say that our aunt julie was a hoarder. And when she died in 2009, she left us a mountain of stuff to sort through. Oh, what a great house thank you welcome to kennebunkport i got a story. John and his sister lisa belong to a new england family whose history goes back to mayflower days but whose legacy had been largely forgotten. In 2005, that reclusive aunt i mentioned, julie green, is diagnosed with cancer, and john moves her from the boston area into a condo up here in maine, where the siblings can help car
[ wind howls ] [ thunder rumbles ] [ bird caws ] im jamie colby. And today, im in kennebunkport, maine. Its renowned as the bush familys summer haven and also for its succulent lobster. But this story has a cast of characters that are up and down the atlantic seaboard. The heirs, they live here, a reclusive aunt from massachusetts and their gilded age ancestor once dubbed the father of greater new york. Im john green. And im lisa green buchanan. I think its fair to say that our aunt julie was a hoarder. And when she died in 2009, she left us a mountain of stuff to sort through. Oh, what a great house thank you welcome to kennebunkport i got a story. John and his sister lisa belong to a new england family whose history goes back to mayflower days but whose legacy had been largely forgotten. In 2005, that reclusive aunt i mentioned, julie green, is diagnosed with cancer, and john moves her from the boston area into a condo up here in maine, where the siblings can help care for her. Its a
[ wind howls ] [ thunder rumbles ] [ bird caws ] im jamie colby, and today im on Staten Island in new york city. So, picture this a packrat mom spends a lifetime stuffing her home. Her kids wonder, ma, when are you ever gonna get rid of all this stuff . Of course, she never does. And then a classic strange inheritance tale comes into sharp focus. My name is jaye smith. Our mom, carol, had an expression never forget to look in your attic. We thought she meant it metaphorically. Now we know she meant it literally, as in, there really is valuable stuff in our attic. Hi, jaye. Jaye, an executive coach, has invited me here to her mothers house. Shall we . Yeah. Come on in. Thank you. In 2011, jayes mother, carol, a retired editor of a photography magazine, dies at the age of 86. Jaye and her brother, lee, inherit her home. Along with the task of cleaning it out. And there is lots to clean. Was mom a hoarder . [ laughing ] yes, she was. Her motto was, you know, waste not, want not. The most
Im jamie colby, and today im out in west texas, about 50 miles southwest of abilene. Im here to hunt down two strange inheritances submitted by viewers whose stories converge into a single tale, a tale born straight out of the wild, wild west. My name is garland richards. In 1998, my dad passed away, left me and my siblings a large cattle ranch and a giant part of history. Well, i got your letter, and im dying to learn more about your inheritance. What is this place . This is the richards ranch, and this is Fort Chadbourne. We will be glad to show you around. Im ready. Garland tells me Fort Chadbourne was built in 1852, during the Great Western expansion. [ gunfire, horses neighing ] the area had become a hotspot for violence between the pioneers and native indian tribes. The u. S. Military came in here and set up Fort Chadbourne as a buffer zone. And unmistakably, i do see bullet holes. There was a comanche warrior that was killed in this officers quarters, and thats part of the histo
110,000, now 120,000. [ door creaks ] [ wind howls ] [ thunder rumbles ] [ bird caws ] im jamie colby, and today im on my way to fall river, massachusetts, about an hour south of boston. Im going to meet a man whos strange inheritance begins with his familys powerful connection to a future president. Im Dennis Harkins. Our mother passed in 1990. She left us with correspondence regarding our uncle harold who was lost in the South Pacific during world war ii. Dennis. Im jamie. Pleased to meet you. What is this place . This has to do with our inheritance. These ships. Mmhmm. Yes. Lets check it out. The Battleship Cove museum here in fall river has two of the last remaining pt boats from world war ii. Dennis uncle harold, who served on a pt boat, joined the navy in november 1941. He was the impish, typical younger brother. I think it was probably exciting for him. Then, a month later, pearl harbor. [ explosions ] with the u. S. At war, harold is shipped to the South Pacific. He puts in a r