A Measuring Square and a Business Letter from Old Paw Paw

“I dont want not any more such Stone When can be helped of as the dont pay fright to market”

Well now, pull up a chair and let me tell you about a little piece of Paw Paw history that found its way to my desk. Back in March of 1872, a fellow named Thomas Phillips sat down to write a stern but necessary letter to his friend, Mr. Sabin. Thomas was a man who knew the value of a hard day’s work and, more importantly, the value of a good piece of stone. He was writing to make sure the local stonecutters, folks like Ribley and Frayer, weren’t cutting corners. You see, Thomas insisted that every stone be measured with a square to ensure it was exactly four and a half inches thick on the heart edge.

Holding this letter today, you can almost feel the grit of the quarry on your fingers. It is written on old lined paper—the kind you might find in a ledger—and the ink is dark and heavy. Thomas’s handwriting is a bit rough around the edges, much like the stone he was trading. He spelled things just like they sounded, writing ‘fright’ instead of ‘freight’ and ‘masure’ for ‘measure.’ There is some ink bleeding through from the other side, and the paper is showing its age with those soft, worn folds, but that just makes it feel more like a real piece of a person’s life caught in time.

In those days, West Virginia was a bustling place of industry, and every penny counted. Thomas wasn’t just being picky; he was being practical. Shipping heavy stone by wagon or rail cost a pretty penny, and if the stones were too thin, they just weren’t worth the ‘fright’ to send them to market. It reminds us that even over a century ago, small business owners were wrestling with the same things we do today: quality control, shipping costs, and making sure the job was done right the first time.

Looking at Thomas’s hurried scrawl, I am struck by how much heart he put into his work. This isn’t just a business memo; it is a testament to the pride a person takes in their trade. It tells us that history isn’t just about big battles or famous names; it is about the measurements we take, the letters we write to our friends, and the standards we hold ourselves to. It is a reminder to keep our own work ‘square’ and to remember that the small details—even just a few inches of stone—really do matter in the long run.

Original Transcription

Paw Paw WVa
March 2 1872
friend Mr Sabin F
Dr Sir
I wish you would go and
look at the Stone that Ribley &
Frayer is making And take your
Square And measure on hart Edge
And see if the is 4 1/2 inch
on hart Edge I dont want not
any more such Stone When can
be helped of as the dont pay fright
to market – look at Wilsons &
Fishers Shops and tell them to
make all 4 1/2 inch thick
on hart Edge for there is not
any money in inch Stone
And Oblige
Yours Respt
Thos M Philips

Write to me back
let me know how
the is geting along
about the lot of this
week