A Cold Sunday and a Warm Welcome Home

“The war is over thank god and peace rains in Our land the soldiers have got hom and returned to thair diferant accupations of life.”

Pull up a chair, friends, because I’ve got something special to show you today. It’s a letter dated January 6, 1867, written by a man named William H. Gwinn to his kin, Laben. You can almost feel the chill of that Indiana winter just by looking at the page. The letter is written on cream-colored paper that’s held up remarkably well over the years, though you can see the dark iron gall ink and the crisp fold lines where it was tucked away for safekeeping. There are even a few little stains at the bottom, the kind of marks left by busy hands over a century ago, and a faint embossed seal in the corner that speaks to the formality of the era.

In the letter, Bill—as he calls himself—is enjoying a quiet Sunday while his family is off at church. He’s itching to try out his new Bob sleds on the fresh snow, hoping to haul some logs to the mill. But it’s not all talk of chores. Bill spends a moment reflecting on the eighteen months he spent fighting in the Civil War. You can hear the relief in his voice when he says the storm has passed and the ‘old flage’ still flies. He even shares a bit of family gossip about a wealthy relative, Old Andrew, who apparently owns thousands of acres and talks so loud you could hear him from the mountaintops!

This letter captures a very specific moment in our American story. The country was just starting to heal from a bloody conflict, and folks like Bill were looking toward the future. He was trying to convince Laben to head out to the ‘Western Country’ of Illinois or Indiana, where the land was so beautiful it would make your eyes water. It was a time of big dreams and new beginnings, even as they held tight to their family roots and sent their respects to their grandparents.

Reading these words today reminds us that no matter how much time passes, the things that matter most don’t change much. We still worry about the weather, we still take pride in our work, and we still want the best for our neighbors and kin. It’s a little piece of peace captured on paper, a reminder that after the hardest winters and the longest wars, home is a place worth building.

Original Transcription

January 6th 1867

Mr Laben Gwinn Sir I thought after
a long silance I would drop you a
few lines to let you know that One
Bill Gwinn was still in the land among
the living and at home this cold winter
day this is Sunday and the famly has all
gon to church I don’t know whether
they have gon for the good of the
preaching or not or the good of the
sleigh riding thair was a fine snow fell
night before last which has made it very
good sleighing we have had som very cold
days this winter but it is more pleasant now
and a prospect for more snow I hope that it
will com for I have som logs to hall
to the mill I have got a new pair of
Bob sleds that I want try if you and
your famly will com over we will take
a ride in them well I dont know that

[Page 2, Left Column]
thair seems to quit a calm after
the storm of war we have passed through
the war is over thank god and peace rains
in Our land the soldiers have got hom
and returned to thair diferant accupations
of life and I hope that they may all make
them selves useful to society In building
up Our country that has just emerged from
a bloodey war which will neve be forgotten
in history I spent 18 months in the service
of my country which I don’t regret it was
a lesson to me which I will never forget I followed
the old flage through and the same old flage
floats to the breaze to day and I think will as
long as tim will last and I think treason
will be made Odious, well a nough of this
every thing is moving along after the
Old fashion I Beleave Old Andrew
Gwinn was out to see us this
winter he lives in Washington. Co
Ill. A. J. Gwinn was with him
Old Andrew looks harty

[Page 2, Right Column]
the worst that I could sa
about him his speach is bad
take me as I mean not as I say
I suppose that you have heard
him talk if you have not just
get uppon One of them mountains
som still morning and I think
you will hear him he is rich
he owns three thousand akers of
land he sold one hundred
head of cattle last fall at
seventy Dollars a head that
is the way to make money
I think you had better sell out
and com back to Our western
Country if you will com I will
take you out to Ill where
you will see som of the pettys
land in the world it will make
your eyes water to look at it
Walker is teaching school this
winter he has about fifty scolars

[Page 1, Left Column]
I beleave that I have
nothing more to wright how is
the little gray horse getting
along Tell Johny & Sarah & toomas
to com over and I will give them
a new years gift Tell Aunt
Jane that I have not forgotten
her that I send her my best
respects we ar all well and
I hope that this letter will find
you all injoying the same blesing
Tell Grand Fathe & Grand Mother
howdy for me I would like to see
the very much, pleas excuse bad
spelling and wrighting for I wrote
this in a hury So good night

William H. Gwinn

Burlington Carroll
County Ind