A Brother’s Honor and a Winter Chill: A Letter from Elton, 1888

“i lifted the tecked and pledge my honor he should have it agaist Febuary coart”

Pull up a chair, friends, because I have something truly special to share with you today from our local archives. It is a humble, single sheet of lined paper, yellowed by over a century of Appalachian winters. When you hold it, you can feel the distinct creases where it was folded and tucked away, and the dark ink—though slightly faded—still carries the weight of a man’s heavy hand. Written on February 1, 1888, in Elton, Summers County, this letter from Samuel Gwinn to his brother Laban is more than just a piece of mail; it is a snapshot of what it meant to be a neighbor and a brother in the heart of West Virginia.

In this letter, Samuel tells a story of a trip that didn’t go quite as planned. He had traveled over to redeem a massive 436-acre plot of land, likely a family holding that was in danger of being lost. When he got there, Laban was nowhere to be found, and Samuel found himself fifteen dollars short of the total needed to save the property. In a time when cash was scarce, fifteen dollars was a significant sum. To save the land, Samuel did something that carries a lot of weight even today: he borrowed the money from a man named Lud Ganes and gave his solemn word—his honor—that it would be paid back by the February court.

What makes this letter so touching is the vulnerability Samuel shows. He wasn’t just dealing with financial stress; he was incredibly sick. He writes about a cold that had him confined to his house since the last court date, a sickness that grew so bad on his journey home that he couldn’t even stop to rest at Laban’s house as he intended. He struck for home through the winter dampness and landed that night in poor shape. Despite his fever and his cough, his primary concern remained his integrity. He pleads with Laban to help him settle the debt because he simply cannot bear to forfeit his word or his reputation.

Looking at this 136-year-old script, with its unique phonetic spellings and flowing cursive, we are reminded of a world where life was dictated by the court calendar and the strength of a handshake. Today, we might send a quick text or a digital transfer, but for Samuel, saving that land required a physical journey, a borrowed sum, and a promise that kept him awake at night. It’s a beautiful reminder that while the ways we communicate have changed, the importance of family loyalty and keeping one’s word remains the bedrock of a community.

Original Transcription

Febuary 1 day 1888 Elton Summers
[struck: Brother] County w va
Dear Laban we are all well at this
time excep my self i have bin confned
to the hous ever sience last coart if theas
lines com to hand i hope thay will find
you & famley all wll i weent over to redeam
the 436 acres of land when i gat there
i fund no Laben there i lacked fifteen
dallars i barrdd $15 from Lud Ganes
i lifted the tecked and pledge my honor
he should have it agaist Febuary coart
now Laban i want you to pay it
thare to Ganes dont let me farfeit
my ward i did [inserted: intend] [struck: tow] to stop at your
hous and stay all night on my return
but my coald [inserted: was] gitting wose i struck for
home i landed wendy night and tuck
dawn that night i want you to let me
knaw whether you can pay it or no if you
cant rase all com up and i will try to help
Reman Yours truley Samuel Gwinn