A Little Dash of History from the Hinton Factory

“Sent you note Monday have not heard from you pleas return it either signed or unsigned at once & oblig”

Gather ’round, neighbors, because I’ve stumbled upon a little slip of paper that whisked me right back to a brisk autumn day in 1883. It is a simple business letter from the folks at the Hinton Manufacturing Company, part of the old Doan Cooperage Co., sent off to Mr. Laben Gwinn over in Quinnimont. It seems the company was in a bit of a hurry that week! They had sent Laben a note the previous Monday and, having not heard a peep, they were politely but firmly asking for its return immediately, whether he had signed his name to it or not.

When you hold this piece of history, you can really feel the weight of the years. The paper has turned a warm, golden yellow—what we archivists call ‘toned’—after sitting through more than a hundred West Virginia winters. You can still see the crisp folds where it was tucked into an envelope long ago, and the handwriting is done in that lovely dark ink, maybe a deep purple or blue, that was so common in the late 19th century. It is written on official company stationery, proudly listing their offices from Cleveland all the way to our neck of the woods in Hinton.

Back in the 1880s, Hinton was a bustling hub of industry. The railroads and the river were the lifeblood of our region, and a cooperage—a place where they made barrels—was essential for shipping just about everything. Seeing names like Quinnimont and Hinton on the same page reminds us just how connected our mountain towns were, even back when news moved only as fast as a horse or a steam engine. It was a world of hard work and urgent handwritten requests.

Looking at this today, it is a sweet reminder that while our tools change, our hearts stay much the same. We have all been there—waiting on an answer and feeling that little itch of impatience! But more than that, it shows us the quiet dignity of daily life and the small threads that weave our local history together. This isn’t just a business demand; it is a tiny heartbeat from a Thursday in October, preserved so we can remember the hands that built our community.

Original Transcription