A Friendly Request from the Winter of 1886

“I want to see you on Business if you dont come to Day come in the Morning”

Hello there, neighbors! I was tucking away some files in the archive today when I stumbled upon a little slip of history that felt just like a warm handshake from the past. It is a short, simple note written by a man named W. Prince back in February of 1886. He was reaching out to his friend or associate, Laban Gwinn, with a bit of a hurry in his pen. There are no long-winded stories here, just a direct ask for Laban to drop by “to Day” or first thing the next morning to talk over some business. It is the kind of note that reminds you how much folks relied on one another’s word and a face-to-face meeting to get things done.

Looking at the letter itself, you can almost feel the history between your fingers. It is written on a single sheet of lined paper that has aged into a beautiful, mellow yellow, much like a well-loved book. The ink is still nice and dark, showing exactly where Mr. Prince pressed down as he wrote. There is even a neat little embossed stamp tucked into the upper right corner, a tiny touch of class from a time when even a quick message had a bit of ceremony to it. You can see the faint lines where the paper was folded up, likely tucked into a pocket or handed off to a messenger to be delivered across the way.

In the grand scheme of things, this letter captures a quiet moment in the late 19th century. Back then, you couldn’t just send a text or pick up the phone; if you had business to tend to, you sent a note and hoped your neighbor was home. It speaks to a world that was smaller and more personal, where a man’s presence was required to move a deal forward. When Mr. Prince asks Laban to come by “in the Morning,” you can practically hear the quiet of a winter day and the anticipation of a neighborly visit.

What I love most about this find is how it reminds us that the human heart doesn’t change much, even as the years fly by. We still value a direct connection and the chance to look someone in the eye when something important is on the table. This little piece of yellowed paper is more than just an old chore list or a business meeting; it is a testament to the community ties that have always held us together. It is a little reminder to take a moment out of our busy lives to reach out to one another, just like Mr. Prince did all those years ago.

Original Transcription