Yes, now 110,000. 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 request to join a pt boat crew. Pt is navy lingo for patrol torpedo. In addition to torpedos, the 80foot boats were armed with twin machinegun turrets, including one just to the right of the captains helm. They could lay low in the water, wait for the enemy ships to pass, and then attack them with the torpedos. The museums pt boat curator, don shannon, shows me around. Wow. Tight quarters. Why are they called the mosquito fleet . Mosquitos could infect you with malaria. So, they were deadly, and they were small and fast. By the summer of 1943, harold is stationed aboard a pt boat, like this one, near the solomon islands. Harolds captain 26yearold Navy Lieutenant junior grade john f. Kennedy. So, don, this is where john f. Kennedy, lieutenant junior grade, controlled the ship from. Correct. Right here. Can barely see over. And they operated in the dark of night . Yes. Four feet away is where harold was operating that turret. This really puts it in perspective. The idea was to go out and attack the destroyers and sink them. But no radar. The 109 did not have radar. So, you know, try driving down the highway at night with your headlights off. On one such night august 1st, 1943 out of the darkness comes the amagiri, a japanese destroyer traveling at 40 knots. 19yearold Harold Marney is stationed in that gun turret. Harold gave the alarm, ship at 2 00. The amagiri slices right through pt109. And right here, where youre standing, this wing tank actually exploded. Its hard to imagine anyone could have survived. Things happened so fast. He probably got sucked into the wake of the ship. Harold and a second sailor, andrew kirksey, didnt have a chance. The surviving sailors swim to a small string of islands and take refuge until theyre rescued six days later. Distraught over the loss of his men, lieutenant kennedy writes to harolds mother, jenny marney. What did jfk tell her . Dear mrs. Marney, this letter is to offer my deepest sympathy for the loss of your son. Kennedy goes on to write, i realize that there is nothing i can say can make your sorrow less. Harold had come on board my boat a week before to serve as an engineer. He fitted in quickly and was very wellliked. Jenny writes back to kennedy right away, thanking him for his letter and asking if its somehow possible that her son harold could still be alive. Kennedy responds, when the crew was finally united around the floating bow, we could find no trace of him, although every effort was made to find him. I am terribly sorry that i cannot be of more help or encouragement to you. My grandmother jenny, who we called mum, was from amherst, nova scotia. She was very english. She was very proper. And she feels shes made a friend. In early 1944, mum learns that kennedy will be back in boston to get treated for the back injuries he sustained on pt109. She goes to visit him in the hospital. You dont just get in to see jack kennedy. No. No. No, you dont. [ chuckles ] but somehow, she does, more than once. What they talked about, god only knows, but im sure they talked about harold. They probably talked about his brother joe. Jfks older brother joe was a naval aviator. When hes killed in a topsecret mission over england, jenny sends her own letter of condolence. Jfk writes back. It says, i want you to know how much i appreciated your card. Standard thank you note. But he goes on to say, i know you know how we all feel. Boys like harold and my brother joe can never be replaced. Incredible. And he says, i hope that i shall see you sometime again. Yes. In 1946, kennedy is elected to congress. Six years later, to the senate. And in november 1960, kennedy wins the white house, narrowly defeating Vice President richard nixon. The torch has been passed to a new generation of americans born in this century. Just three months after taking office, in april 1961, kennedy writes to mum again. He sends her a photo of a Memorial Wall at the manila American Cemetery in the philippines thats inscribed with harolds name. Kennedy closes his letter saying, if ever you are in the nations capital, i would like very much to have the white house and other Public Places here shown to you. Then comes that awful day in november 1963. [ gunshot ] president kennedy was shot today, just as his motorcade left downtown dallas. Its the end of the white house camelot years and the end of mums relationship with the most powerful man in the world. Jenny marney dies in 1973 and bequeaths her carefully preserved letters from kennedy to her daughter, dennis mother, elaine. Elaine gives the letters to her son in 1985, just five years before she dies. When i first looked at them, it was, oh, wow. And promptly put them in a safe deposit box. There they remain for the next quarter century. But a surprise phone call from a stranger will reignite this familys interest in their unique inheritance. I got on the phone and left this very strange message. Are you the nephew of pt109 crew member harold w. Marney . Thats next. But first, our strange inheritance quiz question. Whats the most expensive piece of president ial memorabilia ever sold at auction . Is it washingtons personally annotated draft copy of the constitution, lincolns signed emancipation proclamation, or fdrs date of infamy speech with his handwritten notes . The answer in a moment. All around the world, we are one, we are one all around the world, we are one so where did we all go wrong . Woo where did we all, where did we all go wrong . Love, love, love, love love, love, love so, whats the most expensive piece of president ial memorabilia . Its a, George Washingtons personally annotated draft copy of the constitution. It sold for nearly 10 million in 2012. For years, jenny marney corresponds with john f. Kennedy after her son harold was killed on the pt boat jfk commanded. They remain friends until jfks assassination in 1963. Neither Dennis Harkins nor francis piorek, who are halfbrothers, ever met their uncle harold. What i heard about my uncle was really just whispers and stuff. Oh, you know, uncle harold was on pt109, and john f. Kennedy was the commander. But when francis grows up, he catches the genealogy bug and starts posting messages online. I came to the realization that, geez, i didnt really know much about my family. And my uncle was kind of semifamous. Francis says hes looking for any unknown relatives of Harold Marney. His message goes unnoticed until 2013, when brian willette, the junior Vice Commander of a vfw post, petitions to place a headstone for marney in a Veterans Cemetery near springfield, massachusetts. I could not find him anywhere honored, and not even in springfield. And he was from east springfield. Brian comes across francis post from way back in 2001. I got on the phone and left this very strange message. Are you the nephew of pt109 crew member harold w. Marney . It was quite shocking to get a call out of the blue. In august 2013, that gravestone for uncle harold is placed at the Veterans Cemetery. It gets dennis thinking about those four jfk letters written to his grandmother that hes been holding on to for 25 years. Isnt time he did something with them . But then comes another kind of reckoning for dennis and francis. Their brother john dies of diabetes at the age of 57. It kind of makes you start to think about what do you want to do with the rest of your life, cause his death was unexpected. They retrieve the letters, which francis has never seen. And i was actually shocked when i saw what the letters actually detailed. Why now . The driving thing was the loss of our brother john. Yeah. It was like a wakeup, you know, cause i know im not getting any younger. These documents could be of significant historical value. And they could also be worth a lot of money. You had a big decision to make. Mmhmm. Yeah. I just kind of thought they were worth something. Um. Give me a number. What did you think . 30,000, 40,000, perhaps. Dennis didnt pull that number out of a hat. The son of andrew kirksey, the other sailor who died aboard pt109, sold his grandmothers letter from kennedy. That single letter went for 9,500. We had four. Was one worth 9,500 or was it worth 20,000 . I mean, we have no idea. But dennis and francis are about to learn that authenticating jfk documents for auction is a lot more complicated than they imagined. One of the most important things you need to know if youre ever gonna buy a john f. Kennedy letter is hes one of the most forged autographs there is. Is a jfk signature easy or difficult to spot a fake . Jfk is perhaps the most difficult. Thats next on strange inheritance. Heres another quiz question for you. Babe ruth is the most forged autograph of all time. Whats the most forged outside the sports world . Is it neil armstrong, marilyn monroe, or Elvis Presley . The answer in a moment. music music and splat sound music oops music music birds chirping uhoh. music music and patter of little shoes music and glass breaking sorry. music swells. music and loud glass breaking get on top of it before they do. About every 30 minutes tipped furniture or a falling tv sends an injured child to the emergency room. Preventing tipover incidents is easy, inexpensive and only takes about 5 minutes. Learn how to secure your furniture and tvs to protect children at anchorit. Gov. Its our most dangerous addiction. So we took our worst vice, and turned it into the dna for a better system. We created bionic and put the word out with godaddy. What will you change . Make the world you want. So, whats the most forged signature outside the sports world . Its c, Elvis Presley. Thats according to psa dna authentication services. For 25 years, Dennis Harkins keeps an old family heirloom stored away in a safety deposit box four letters written to his grandmother, jenny marney, from john f. Kennedy, three written by hand before kennedy became president and a fourth typewritten on white house stationery. In 2013, dennis and his brother francis decide its time to sell. Enter Bobby Livingston of rr auction. He knows anything associated with jfk can fetch big bucks. Kennedys a very important figure in American History, thus collectible. People really related to the kennedy family, and pairs of Jacqueline Kennedys shoes sell for 30,000. According to livingston, the brothers jfk letters hold their own unique value. And the reason goes back to that fateful pt109 mission. There are no other letters that we know of from john f. Kennedy where he gives his personal account of what happened that night. When someone walks in with john f. Kennedy letters, letters that no one has ever seen and never read, we get excited. But many a collector has been burned after plunking down a fortune for a newlydiscovered document that turns out to be a fake. Jfk is ranked by memorabilia dealers as the fourth mostforged nonsports signature on the market after elvis, the beatles, and neil armstrong. So, how does a handwriting authenticator gives his stamp of approval on these letters . Is a jfk signature easy or difficult to spot a fake . Jfk is perhaps the most difficult. 80 of the process is does the signature and handwriting match known exemplars . Jfks handwriting changed so much there was an entire book done in the 1960s just on kennedys handwriting. Why would he change his signature . His personality changed and his signature changed. And it changed more dramatically than any other president and pretty much most famous people. The brothers know the handwritten letters to their grandmother, going back to 1943, must be real. But bob eaton cant just take their word for it. He compares them to a known jfk letter. Show me. Ive got a letter from 1940, which is three years prior. And the similarities he always had a tendency, even later in life, when he made a t, he would continue. It wouldnt be a short little t. He also would break words up. Bob confirms the letters to jenny marney also have jfks unique t. But how do you authenticate the one from the white house . The president cant sign every letter by hand. What about that one . How do you tell its not a secretary . Most of kennedys letters from that time period were secretarials and autopens. But he had a bond with this family. And this is a real signature . Thats a real jfk signature. Youre 100 sure . I am 100 110 sure. So, how much are they worth . Weve never seen anything like it from kennedy, so we estimate it to be worth 50,000 or more. Wow. [ chuckles ] thats a little more than i had thought. Of course, anything could happen at auction. Was your heart palpitating . Just about out of my chest. This is our remarkable rarities auction. Thats next. Theres a company thats talked to even more real people than me jd power. 448,134 to be exact. They answered 410 questions in 8 categories about vehicle quality. And when they were done, chevy earned more j. D. Power quality awards across cars, trucks and suvs than any other brand over the last four years. So on behalf of chevrolet, i want to say thank you, real people. Youre welcome. Were gonna need a bigger room. Now back to strange inheritance. For 25 years, Dennis Harkins has kept his strange inheritance locked away in a safety deposit box these four letters written to his grandmother by john f. Kennedy after her son harold was killed on pt109. Its september 18th, 2014, in boston. Dennis and his brother francis are ready to sell. A small crowd gathers at a hotel while hundreds more are bidding by phone and online. Lets start now. This is our remarkable rarities auction. We started getting a little excited, maybe some butterflies as to what is this going to do. All right. Here we go. Here we go. Its a great lot right here. John f. Kennedy, pt109 letters. Oneofakind archive of kennedys letters to the family of his lost crew mate. I got 22,000. All right. Were starting with a 22,000 bid on the internet. Now 23,000. Remember, the preliminary estimate for all four of dennis and francis jfk letters was 50k. 45,000 on the phone now. 47,500. 55,000, now 60,000. They had the auction people there, and theyre hoopdeedoing and hollering and pushing. 90,000. 95,000. Looking for 100,000. Bid 100,000. Looking for 100,000. Yes. Now 110,000. 110,000. Now 120,000. 130,000. Holy cow. Wow. Looking for 130,000 now. 140,000 . But dont hammer the gavel too soon. The biddings not over. 140,000. Now 150,000. 150,000. 160,000 is the high bid on the phone. Looking for 170,000. And well say fair warning. Then the final call. And this is sold 160,000. Wow. On the phone. Wow. Thats three times more than the brothers had originally hoped for. Im flabbergasted, cause it just was amazing to watch it unfold. I would hope that the successful bidder enjoys them. Perhaps theyll put them in a museum. A young man makes the ultimate sacrifice for freedom. That legacy, he left for all of us. The letters his Commanding Officer and future president writes help lighten his mothers grief and, decades later, become a substantial financial boon for family he never knew a strange inheritance indeed. How hard to part with them . It was hard, but it was time. Like your old jalopy pickup truck. Its you love it, but its just time to let it go. Think its become time in life to move on. Dennis mum always relished her special relationship with john f. Kennedy, and she wasnt shy about calling in a favor, even in her later years. Family legend has it that when mum retired to connecticut and had trouble receiving her Social Security benefits, she turned to her friend, now president kennedy, for help. When letters on white house stationery arrived at the local Social Security office, officials there jumped to fix the problem. And from then on, mum always got her checks on time. Im jamie colby for strange inheritance. Thanks so much for watching. And remember you cant take it with you. Do you have a strange inheritance story youd like to share with us . Wed love to hear it. Send me an email or go to our website strangeinheritance. Com. A precious heirloom. This was once the property of George Washington. Youre a v. I. P. [ laughing ] yeah. And the pride of a modest family. My father was a truck driver. We got along, but we were very frugal. So how did she end up with washingtons wallet . Are you a descendant of George Washington . No, im not. And its quite a long story. A story about love of country. We want these things because we want a connection to these men. The allure of big bucks. I established a value for the wallet. It was a lot of money. And some good oldfashioned intrigue. Someone took the wallet and disappeared. [ door creaks ] [ wind howls ] [ thunder rumbles ] [ bird caws ] im jamie colby, and today im crossing the Delaware River from pennsylvania into new jersey. Yes, im following the route that general George Washington took to his big victory during the revolutionary war the battle of trenton. Im tracking down what i believe is the most intriguing strange inheritance ive heard of so far, something the father of our country may have been carrying that fateful night his wallet. My name is Barbara Farwell, and this is my daughter, linda. I inherited something from my mother, and one day my daughter will inherit it from me. For reasons that will become clearer as we follow the twists and turns of this story, the farwells have let their heirloom go on display right here in trenton. Barbara, how are you . Im jamie. So nice to meet you. Im glad to meet you. Hi, linda. How are you . Hi. Im fine. Thank you. So, whered you bring me . This is the Old Barracks Museum. And you keep something from your family here . Yes, we do. Come in. During the revolutionary war, this building housed british and hessian soldiers. In fact, it was the target on christmas night in 1776 when general George Washington and his men quietly crossed the delaware and launched a surprise attack on the enemy troops who were stationed here. [ men shouting, gunfire ]. An attack that turned the tide of the revolution and changed the course of world history. There it is and here we are. So, this is it. Its amazing it says, 1775. Were the initials added by your family . No. I think that was way back when that was made. Are you a descendant of George Washington . No, im not. And its quite a long story. A story that begins back in the 1700s, when large wallets like this or pocketbooks, as theyre called are essential accessories for important men like washington. What strikes you about washington when it comes to money . Well, he was a wealthy man, but it was mostly in land. So, in terms of cash, that was always a problem for him. Apropos of a tale about washingtons wallet, biographer Richard Brookhiser tells me that the great mans career revolved, more than anything, around money. The revolutionary war is sparked by cries of no taxation without representation and for washington, raising an army is easier than raising the dough to pay it. He sees his men without shoes, he sees them without the weapons they need, and he sees them not being paid, and he is the man whos at the center of all this and trying to cope. [ men shouting ] washingtons ultimate victory doesnt end his countrys economic woes. What do we know about the Overall Economic stability of our nation at that time . Wars are always expensive. The revolution was no exception, and by the end of it, the United States was broke. General washington cant feel much better off. He discovers his mount vernon estate and his massive agricultural enterprise have been mismanaged in his absence. Washington is back at mount vernon, which hes only visited once in 8 1 2 years of war. He has to get it up and running again. He hires this man to help, and 24year old harvard graduate tobias lear will play a key part in this strange inheritance tale. Can you tell me about tobias lear and what his role was . Washington needs assistants, and tobias lear is one of the people who does that for him. Before long, duty calls washington again to become president of a tottering nation that, among other things, isnt paying its bills. And tobias lear goes along for the ride. Washington puts him in charge of his bookkeeping, a job that, for the next seven years, engenders a close bond. Thats a real relationship of trust, then, between washington and lear. Absolutely. President washington does put the nations finances on firmer footing. No wonder hes on the 1 bill. Its also why i think inheriting his wallet, of all things, is so cool. No surprise that the first person it passes to, the story goes, is tobias lear, who stays at washingtons bedside at mount vernon on the night of december 14, 1799, when the former president dies at age 67. But the modernday heirs in this strange inheritance story, the farwell ladies, are not descendants of tobias lear, either. They invite me back to their home in morrisville, pennsylvania, right across the Delaware River, to connect the dots. My father was a truck driver. We got along, but we were very frugal. My mother was an excellent homemaker, pretty good cook, and she was a hard worker. She also has a little secret. Where did your mom keep the wallet . In a Little Black Box squirreled away somewhere. After the break, the improbable path of washingtons wallet, if, in fact, its really his. She is 100 convinced this is George Washingtons pocketbook. Are you . But first, our. The answer in a moment. [dad] come on kiddo, do your homework ok . [sighs] [mom] oh no what are you wearing . Can you just go in the other room and watch your show . [school bell rings] [sighs] [mom] it would be a shame for you to get sick at this time of year. [mom] is he ok . [doctor] hes perfectly healthy, except i still need to write him a prescription. [female narrator] learn why the American Academy of pediatrics now encourages doctors to write kids prescriptions for play. Go to the genius of play dot org. By a long shot, its c. Donald trump broke the record set by George Washington, who in todays money had an an estimated 525 million dollars. Trumps net worth in 2017 was estimated by Forbes Magazine to be 3. 7 billion. That makes him seven times as rich as washington. How neat must it be to possess a piece of history like this wallet owned by the farwell family, with the initials g. W. And the year 1775 . Hes the father of the country. Richard brookhiser is author of books on several founding fathers, including George Washington. What do those items from our past leaders add to our American History . Well, it makes them vivid to see actual objects that they held, that they had, that they used. That makes them like us, because we all have similar things. We want these things because we want a connection to these men. Ive seen that time and again on strange inheritance, but the tricky parts proving that thing in grandpas attic is the real deal. The questions raised in episode after episode did those guns actually belong to bonnie and clyde . Did jfk really sign those letters . Did general pickett indeed wear that bloodstained uniform . The fancy term auctioneers and appraisers use is provenance. Id put it this way how can the farwells be sure their beloved family heirloom really is George Washingtons wallet . Did the wallet come with any documentation . There was a letter, and it tells the whole story of how it came. Its actually an affidavit thats more than a century old, written by a lawyer named Alfred Bennett. Linda, who was Alfred Bennett . My greatgreatgrandfather . Yes. The letter, addressed to whom it may concern and signed by bennett in june 1900, traces the wallet back to the selling of the estate of one of the family of tobias lear, private secretary to George Washington. And it concludes. This pocketbook, to the best of my knowledge and belief, was once the property of George Washington. Youve heard how lear is said to have inherited washingtons wallet. What happens next . In 1816, lear commits suicide, and, according to the affidavit, the wallet passes to one of his heirs likely his widow, frances. When that heir dies, a man named stacy hall handles the estate and, the letter says, takes possession of the wallet. When he dies, barbaras ancestor attorney john bennett gets it. From there it passes to johns son alfred, author of the affidavit, who bequeaths it to his daughter jane, who passes it to her daughter elva kiernan. And elva kiernan is Barbara Farwells mother. She treasures it as though its the most valuable thing she has. It probably is was she proud of it . Yes. Where did your mom keep the wallet . In a Little Black Box squirreled away somewhere. And inside the wallet are two old paper bills that may well have been washingtons. Sadly, elva doesnt have the wherewithal to properly display the wallet or to protect it from theft or damage, so, in 1960, she proudly lends it to the nearby Washington Crossing museum. To see it on display and to bring your friends to see it ooh that belongs to you . But things turn sour in 1976, when the museum renovates for the bicentennial. Barbara is dismayed to find the wallets been removed when i took my friends to see it, to brag about it, wheres the wallet . Barbaras mom is beside herself. She wanted more people to see it around that time. I am taking the wallet to another museum, and she did. Score one for jersey elva crosses the delaware and lends the wallet to the Old Barracks Museum here in trenton. Theyll display it, and she can take it out any time she likes. Would you not want it here as a center of a coffee table . No way. [ chuckles ] why not . I just was afraid something would happen to it. A legitimate fear. In january 1992, barbaras mother is staggered by a call from the museum. Its surprising she didnt have a stroke. Who swiped washingtons wallet . Thats next. Heres another. Extra credit if you can guess how many. The answer when we return. Some people say dress your age. Thats ridiculous. I dress how i feel. Yesterday i felt bold with boundless energy. This morning i woke up calm and unbreakable. Tomorrow . Who knows. Age is just an illusion. How you show up for the world, thats whats real. Whats your idea . I put it out there with a godaddy website. Make the world you want. Wheneveryone is different. A, which is why Xfinity Mobile created a different kind of wireless network. One that saves you money by letting you design your own data giving you more choice and control compared to other top wireless carriers. Now you can choose unlimited, shared data, or mix lines of each and switch any line, anytime. No one else lets you do that. Design your own data with Xfinity Mobile. Its wireless reimagined. Simple. Easy. Awesome. 15 children, by two wives. [ telephone rings ] its january 1992. 83yearold widow elva kiernan gets a devastating phone call from the Old Barracks Museum in trenton, new jersey. Her precious heirloom, a Leather Wallet identified as George Washingtons, has been stolen from its case someone took the wallet and disappeared. The new jersey detectives and the police were on the lookout for it. Did you post a reward . Yes. Total was 1,000 500 from my mother and 500 from the barracks. Its all elva can afford, and, presumably, the barracks, too. Weeks go by. Then. Its back. A local lawyer followed an anonymous tip and secures the wallets return on president s day, 1992. And this is classic the 200yearold bills, presumably washingtons, are missing. I was upset because i knew, as a child, i had seen the bills many, many times. Did the lawyer ever disclose who brought him the wallet . No. Do you remember, linda, if there was any information about who actually returned the wallet . No. But you gave it back to the museum . Yes. That is, after the museum agrees to install a security system. And there it stays for the next decade, until the farwells finally decide to have it insured. The first time i saw it was at one of my antiqueappraisal events. Lori verderame is an antiques appraiser with a phd in art history. You established a value for the wallet . Based on comparable sales records, condition, provenance, and also my research, the insurance appraisal that i signed the pocketbook here was worth 75,000. It was a lot of money. Enough to give any workingclass family pause. That much money would really be a nice addition to our bank account [laughs] but my mother was very sure that that wallet shouldnt ever be sold. It should be for everybody to see. In fact, elva makes it all the way to 100 and never sells. She passes away in october 2008. Barbara not only inherits the wallet but the cachet that comes with it when she takes her bridge club to the old barracks for a personalized tour. Tell me about it when youre able to share it with the ladies at the senior center. Well, theyre amazed. Youre a v. I. P. [ laughing ] yeah. That pride in her familys small connection to the father of the country is why she agrees to tell her story to strange inheritance. But will our questions spoil everything . Im just curious, once we decided to do an episode of strange inheritance, whether your thoughts about it changed in any way. I honestly did look in the files. Thats next. Wed love to tell it send me an email or go to our website. Theres a company thats talked to even more real people than me jd power. 448,134 to be exact. They answered 410 questions in 8 categories about vehicle quality. And when they were done, chevy earned more j. D. Power quality awards across cars, trucks and suvs than any other brand over the last four years. So on behalf of chevrolet, i want to say thank you, real people. Youre welcome. Were gonna need a bigger room. Sai realized i wanted gradto go back to schoolol. Because i didnt want to work these backbreaking jobs the rest of my life. With the help of my father and having my son, it was all the motivation i needed to come back to school. I felt accomplished. It made me feel that i could take on whatever challenges life throws at you. Vo find free Adult Education classes near you at finishyourdiploma. Org now back to strange inheritance. I certainly enjoy being the owner and being known as a [chuckling] celebrity. Something curious happened after Barbara Farwell and her daughter, linda, agreed to let us tell the story about how their family inherited George Washingtons wallet. They keep it in trentons Old Barracks Museum, displayed above a decadesold plaque which flatly states it belonged to the father of our country. But when we ask to shoot inside the museum, a member of its staff tells us that now theyre no longer sure if thats accurate. Uhoh im wondering whether you took a second look at it and whether your thoughts about it changed in any way. I honestly did look in the files. We did not have an exact paper trail that goes right to 1775. Richard patterson is the director of the Old Barracks Museum. We dont have a receipt from washington. If we had a paper trail that went back a century or more, when you have some items that are attributed to a particular person, particularly a famous person, that sort of adds to the level of documentation that you would like to have. It appears to be authentic to the period, and its something that, quite plausibly, was carried by washington. Mildmannered barbara cant believe the museum, after all these years, is waffling on the wallet. I really am very sure that thats George Washingtons pocketbook. Plausibly just doesnt cut it for her. Washington biographer Richard Brookhiser understands. Is it okay if we just believe it, or do we really need to know for sure . No, we want to know for sure. And we do know for sure, insists appraiser lori verderame. I ask her to make her case. The first thing were gonna look for is age. Im also gonna look for construction. The binding is just like what we would typically see. Its made the same Way Cambridge University would actually make its books. The age of the leather is correct, and these little bands indicate where it was kept and what was in it. Another key detail. Youll notice that sunburst in between the monogram of the g and the w. Yes George Washington was part of the freemasons, and that particular sunburst is an image in the 18th century that was also used by the freemasons. Had washington lived in another age, it might be easier to remove all doubt if hed been photographed with the wallet or if you could swab it for his dna. But dr. Lori says that for a 240yearold artifact, youll rarely do better than her final piece of proof. So, this is where people say, oh, we dont have a document. We do have a document. That affidavit attesting to the chain of custody from washington to farwells ancestors. Never sold, right . No, never sold always handed down in the family. That provenance, dr. Lori adds, has never been challenged by anyone outside the farwell family. Has dr. Lori persuaded you . The initials and so on look like they were done quite some time ago. In a graceful denouement, Richard Patterson seems to buy it. Dr. Lori is 100 convinced this is George Washingtons pocketbook. Cool. Are you . Why not . I was leaning in that direction. Barbara farwell is also pleased to hear dr. Lori thinks the wallet could fetch a higher price if she wants to sell. Value has increased, and condition has basically stayed the same because its been protected in a museum environment. So i would appraise this George Washington pocketbook for 100,000. [ Cash Register dings ] but barbara and linda still say their strange inheritance is not for sale. Why is it more important to own the wallet than to sell it and have the money . Because my mother really wanted us to keep it and pass it down through the ages. Itll be more valuable and more interesting as the years go by. What happens if linda sells it . She said she wouldnt. I wont. I think i understand it now. I wouldnt take it now without an escort. [ chuckles ] what is it youre worried will happen to it . I dont want it to get stolen again, thats for sure. But did you not say youd like to see it in the smithsonian . Yeah, eventually. Thats where millions of people would see it. Yeah. Word traveled fast of washingtons victories after he crossed the delaware, with or without that wallet in his vest pocket. Frederick the great of prussia said, the achievements of washington and his little band of men were the most brilliant ever recorded in the annals of military achievements. The father of our country went for broke and pulled it off and so handed down an inheritance to all americans. Im jamie colby. Thanks so much for watching strange inheritance. And remember, you cant take it with you. An ancestor they knew nothing about. I went through 50someodd years of my life and had no clue. An inheritance they can hardly believe. What was your reaction as you opened those first boxes . It was mindblowing. Why does andrew green have George Washingtons will . Bareknuckle politics, coldblooded murder, a legacy all but snuffed out. This was a cloud of suspicion of having lived a double life. What did they do . What are the chances that those boxes wouldve just been trashed . Very good chance of that. What would you do . Well, it drove me crazy. How bout 6,000 . And whats it all worth . You think youll ever get another auction with a story like this . No, i kinda doubt it