The Merchant’s Ledger and the Strength of a Handshake

“beside the advantage a man gets, of having the reputation of being prompt which always enables him to buy goods closer than Slow parties”

Gather ’round, neighbors, and let me tell you about a little treasure I found from our town’s past. It’s a letter written way back on April 9th, 1884, by a man named John Cooper, who ran the general store right over in Hinton, West Virginia. When you look at it today, you can really feel the weight of history in your hands. The paper has turned a warm, golden yellow over the last hundred and forty years, and you can see the deep horizontal creases from where it was once folded tight. Mr. Cooper’s handwriting, in a striking blue ink, is still clear as day on his business stationery, which features a fancy, ornate header that proudly claims his title as a dealer in general merchandise.

In this letter, Mr. Cooper was writing to a neighbor named Mr. Quinn about a debt that was coming due. Now, don’t go thinking Mr. Cooper was a hard-hearted man; he explains right there in his script that he’d love nothing more than to give his friend more time and collect a little extra interest. But life in a growing town like Hinton was a delicate balance of promises. Cooper had his own bills to pay, and he points out that by paying his suppliers on time, he could get a discount of eighteen percent! In those days, your reputation for being prompt was your most valuable asset. If folks knew you were a man of your word, you could buy your goods cheaper, which helped keep the whole shop running for everyone. He even mentions that he wouldn’t have been so strict with Mr. Quinn if the County Sheriff hadn’t let him down on some other payments first.

It is fascinating to see names like Wm Prince mentioned as a co-signer, showing how everyone’s lives and fortunes were woven together in our community. Business wasn’t just about cold numbers; it was about the personal ties and the trust between neighbors. This letter shows the real-world struggle of an honest merchant trying to meet his own obligations while dealing fairly with the people he saw every day on the street.

Looking back at this piece of paper today, it reminds us that while the tools of our trade have changed from blue ink and quill to keyboards and screens, the heart of a community remains the same. We still value honesty, we still rely on the reliability of our neighbors, and we still understand that a good name is worth more than any discount. It is a beautiful reminder that our history is built on the simple, honest dealings of the folks who walked these same streets long before us.

Original Transcription

OFFICE OF
JOHN COOPER,
DEALER IN
GENERAL MERCHANDISE,
Hinton, W. Va. Apr 9th 1884

Mr Quinn
Your letter of the 5th inst received
My Understanding was when I extended the time on your note that I was without fail to have the money on the 11th of this month and I have made my purchases accordingly
I am needing the money so bad that I cant afford to wait on you longer
I am satisfied with the assistance of Wm Prince who is a party to the note
over

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that you can raise the money for all the note and I will expect you to do so
It would be a pleasure to me to wait on you and I would like very much to have the benefit of the additional interest but I want to meet my obligations and the discounts on a great many bills is equal to 18% pr Annum beside the advantage a man gets, of having the reputation of being prompt which always enables him to buy goods closer than Slow parties
If the Sheriff of this County had not disappointed me concerning a lot of claims I hold on him I would not have been Under the necessity of dealing so Strict with you
I will expect all the money on the note in a few days
Respectfully John Cooper