On Fri, 27 Sep 2013 10:07:26 -0400, Stormin Mormon wrote:

Thanks, good attention to detail.

Well, bear in mind that the cost for the tank is less than
the cost to fill the tank just once, so, it's not so odd
that I'm trying to scope out my options.

I'm pretty convinced, by now, that the tank was not bought
by me - but - I'm not sure whether the original owner has
forfeited his rights to the tank, by sheer length of
abandonment laws.

I'm kind of stumped at this point, because I called the
county planning office who said they knew of no registration
of propane tank serial numbers with them.

So, I'm actually back to the original question of who owns
the tank - only the details have changed.

Either I own the tank because the original owner abandoned it;
or, the original owner owns the tank because they originally
owned that tank.

I guess I should move that question to a legal group?