A Winter Note from Mr. Cooper’s General Store

“I will need the money badly thought best to notify you in time”

Pull up a chair and let me share a little treasure from the archives that feels like a warm handshake from the past. It’s a letter from February of 1884, written on the handsome letterhead of Mr. John Cooper, who ran the General Merchandise store over in Hinton. The paper is just a single sheet, lined and well-kept, with the kind of neat, dark penmanship that makes you miss the days of the dip pen. You can see the crisp folds where it was once tucked into a pocket or a ledger, surviving all these years in remarkably good shape.

The story inside is one we can all understand. Mr. Cooper was writing to Laban Guinn to remind him about a payment coming due on the 11th. It was a joint note for $419.84, co-signed by a Mr. Prince. Back then, that was a whole lot of flour, sugar, and dry goods! John Cooper wasn’t being pushy, just honest—he mentions he needs the money badly and wanted to give Laban a fair heads-up. It’s a humble reminder that even in the middle of a West Virginia winter long ago, folks were doing their best to keep their accounts square and their businesses running.

There is something so deeply human about seeing these old financial dealings laid out on paper. It reminds us that our town was built on these small, everyday interactions and mutual trust. When we look at this letter today, we aren’t just looking at a debt; we’re looking at a moment of connection between neighbors who were working hard to provide for their families, just like we do now. It’s a bit of our shared story, preserved in ink and paper for us to remember.

Original Transcription