Several decades ago a family won a case against John Steinbeck's
estate, I believe. This family won an adverse possession suit because
every year the family had a bbq in field owned by Steinbeck. THe
family built and maintained a small circle of stones and had their
fire in that enclosed area. Steinbeck's property was on Long Island in
New York. Perhaps in Sag Harbor, Wainscott, or East Hampton area. I
need the case number and details on this adverse possession case. Can
you find the case and supply the details of that case?

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Request for Question Clarification by pafalafa-ga on 24 Jun 2005 11:00 PDT

ennyl-ga,

The Steinbeck estate is indeed in Sag Harbor on Long Island.

But I have not seen any mention at all of a case such as you describe.

Are you quite sure it involved the Steinbeck family?  Can you narrow
it down in time any more precisely?

Thanks,

pafalafa-ga

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Request for Question Clarification by pafalafa-ga on 29 Jun 2005 08:39 PDT

Lynne,

Just so you (or anyone else) don't start barking up the wrong tree,
Steinbeck v Gerosa -- though it did, in fact, involve John Steinbeck
-- had nothing to do with adverse possession, but was a tax case.

The gist of the case is this:

"Petitioner is an author of novels, plays, motion picture scripts,
magazine articles and other literary works. In April of 1952  [**172] 
he filed returns under the New York City General Business and
Financial Tax Law (commonly known and hereinafter referred to as the
"Gross Receipts Tax") covering the following periods: January 12, 1943
to December 31, 1944; October 1, 1945 to August 30, 1948; January 1,
1950 to June 30, 1950, and paid the tax and interest thereon. The
comptroller denied a refund following which the present proceeding was
instituted to review that determination. Thereafter, the parties
stipulated that the total amount paid represented, in part, taxes and
interest attributable to literary works of petitioner prior to the
time he became a resident of New York City. They further stipulated
that the city would pay petitioner the sum of $ 251.24 and that in the
event the petitioner were fully successful in this proceeding the
refund will be limited to the sum of $ 531.09 principal of tax and $
133.73 interest or a total of $ 664.82."



Hope that's of some help...


paf

Perhaps it was in the Matter of Steinbeck v. Gerosa, 4 N.Y.2d 302,
317, appeal dismissed, 358 U.S. 39 (1958).

Hi. Sorry to take so long to get back to you. I'm trying to track down
more information for you. I contacted the East Hampton Star newspaper,
but they didn't have anything in their archives. I will call the Sag
Harbor paper tomorrow to see if they know something. Was Steinbeck v.
Gerosa about adverse possession?

Only periferally, I believe that Gerosa was the comptroller of New
York. But beyond that, I don't know. You're not in Caroline Karp's
class are you?

Hi, no, I don't know who Caroline Karp is! I'm in NYC and East Hampton.

Let me see how I fare today. I am going to check with the local
historian and the Sag Harbor paper. Maybe I have the wrong artist, but
I don't think so. Will get back to you soon. Thanks so much. Lynne