A Message Sent in Haste: A Glimpse into the Gwin Family History

“I have not time to write for the trane is Expected hear now”

Well hello, neighbors! It is a real treat to share this with you today. I was just sorting through some old papers when I came across a small piece of the past that really stopped me in my tracks. It is a letter from October of 1873, written by a man named John Gwin to his brother, Seaben. It is just a quick note, but it tells such a human story about family and the way life keeps moving, even when we are grieving.

The paper itself is a bit of a wonder to look at. It is that old-fashioned lined paper, and while it is starting to show its age with some golden discoloration and a ragged, torn edge on the right side, John’s handwriting is still as clear as if he wrote it yesterday. You can see the dark ink flowing in his cursive script, a little reminder of a time when every word was carefully placed by hand. It is amazing how much a simple scrap of paper can survive through the generations.

In the letter, John is writing to let Seaben know that their father’s funeral sermon is going to be preached the following Sunday at eleven o’clock at the local School House. It seems another family member, Enos, was supposed to send the word but forgot, so John stepped in. But here is the part that really gets me: he had to stop writing almost as soon as he started because he could hear the train coming! He was in such a rush to get this news to his brother before the mail train pulled away.

Thinking about that train really brings the history to life, doesn’t it? Even back in the 1870s, the world was starting to speed up, and people were racing against the clock just like we do today. This letter is a beautiful reminder that no matter how much time passes or how fast our world moves, we have always looked out for our kin and made sure they were there for the moments that matter most. It is a little bridge of love and duty connecting us to the Gwin family all these years later.

Original Transcription

Octr the 22nd 1873
Dr Bro Seaben after my
Respects to you I would Just Say to
you that fathers funeral will be
Preached next Sunday at Eleven
o clock at our School House Enos
Gwin promised to write to you but
failed I have not time to write
for the trane is Expected hear
now
yours with Res
John Gwin