A Handshake Across Time: Mr. Plumley’s Lesson in Paw Paw

“tel Tham to git Some one to Show Tham how to splite The Staves as i dont Want Any timber Wasted”

Well hello there, neighbors. Pull up a chair, because I have stumbled across a little piece of our history that feels just like a firm handshake from the past. I have been looking at a letter written way back on February 17, 1896, by a man named Wm Plumley. It is a humble thing to hold–ink as dark as a deep hollow on lined paper that has yellowed with time. You can see the tea-colored stains and the sharp creases where it was folded and tucked away long ago, surviving over a century to tell us its story.

Mr. Plumley was writing from Paw Paw, West Virginia, to his friend, G. Muir, and he had a bit of a burr under his saddle. It seems a couple of fellows named Wilson and Luster were out in the woods making three-foot staves–those are the wooden slats used to make barrels–but they were being a bit careless. Plumley was worried they were wasting good timber. He did not just want the job done; he wanted it done right. He even suggested they track down Bug Adkins, who he called a good hand at the business, to show them the proper way to split that wood so not a bit of it would be spoiled.

In those days, timber was the lifeblood of our mountain communities. Every tree was a precious resource, and to waste it was a sign of poor character. Plumley’s letter shows us a man who valued craftsmanship and the wisdom of experience. He told his friend he would be down the following week to see for himself that they were taking the timber as it comes and not just picking through for the easy parts. It was about honesty, hard work, and respecting the land that provided for them.

When we look at this old letter today, it is about more than just making barrel staves. It is a reminder that no matter what we are building, we ought to do it with care and listen to those who have mastered the craft before us. It is a call from 1896 to take pride in our work and to make sure that whatever we leave behind is not wasted, but is something we can be proud of, just like Mr. Plumley was.

Original Transcription

Paw Paw W.Va
Feb 17 1896
Dr Sir friend G Muir
Yours to hand and i
am Sarrow to hre the Men is
Runing over the timber her i
Will Say This That the Must Take it
as it Comes of The start i Will dock
Tham on There Work i can Sell the
3 ft Staves but i dont no at This
time What The er Worth but i Will find
Out in a few days if Wilson & Luster
has Never Made Any Staves tel
Tham to git Some one to Show
Tham how to splite The Staves as
i dont Want Any timber Wasted
if The can git Bug Adkins to
Show Tham it would be all Right
as he is a good hand at the bisness
i Will be down Next Week See as The dont
Spaile Any timber And tell Tham
The Must Take The timber as The
Come to it Saw all the timber That
Will Make 3 ft Staves Until i See
over

about Tham at The hand Work
or best The Must Not Spail in
Run over The timber And The
Must git Some good hand
to Show Tham how to Make The
Staves So Nothing More
Yours Respectfuly
Wm Plumley

i Will be down in a Short Time