History A Cold Sunday and a Warm Welcome Home M Gwinn, December 27, 2025 “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… Continue Reading
History A Bitter Wind from Kanawha: A Brother’s 1870 Letter M Gwinn, December 27, 2025 I am sorrow to know that I have any relative in this world who thinks as you do. Pull up a chair and gather round, because today I’ve pulled something truly remarkable—and a bit heartbreaking—from our old files. It’s a letter dated October 29, 1870, sent from right here in… Continue Reading
History A Christmas Eve Tussle in Fayette County M Gwinn, December 27, 2025 “He has imployed Caperton & Patton and we must be ready to give him the best we have gat in the Shop.” Well now, come on in and sit a spell. I’ve found something special for us to look at today—a little slice of life from just two days before… Continue Reading
History A Little Piece of Home from 1873: J.H. Gwinup’s Snowy News M Gwinn, December 27, 2025 “Winter has Commenced too Soon for the Farmers as there is but little Corn Cribed Yet” Gather ’round, friends, because I’ve found something truly special tucked away in our archives. It’s a letter written way back on November 16, 1873, by a fellow named J.H. Gwinup. Holding it in your… Continue Reading
History A Trunk of Tales and a Date at the Greenbrier Court M Gwinn, December 27, 2025 “I wont that trunk of paper that is there if you can send them to me I wold be mutch obliged” Pull up a chair, friends, because I’ve got something special to show you today. Nestled in our archives is a letter from May 15, 1874, sent from the beautiful… Continue Reading
History Raindrops and Real Estate: A 1876 Greeting from Burlington M Gwinn, December 27, 2025 “I have been drove in from my clearing by a little Shower of rain and have nothing else to do Just now.” Pull up a chair and let me tell you about a little treasure I found in the archives today. It is a letter from April of 1876, written… Continue Reading
History A Handshake Across Time: Mr. Plumley’s Lesson in Paw Paw M Gwinn, December 27, 2025 “tel Tham to git Some one to Show Tham how to splite The Staves as i dont Want Any timber Wasted” Well hello there, neighbors. Pull up a chair, because I have stumbled across a little piece of our history that feels just like a firm handshake from the past…. Continue Reading
History A Measuring Square and a Business Letter from Old Paw Paw M Gwinn, December 27, 2025February 10, 2026 “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… Continue Reading
History The Busy Road to Sun Flower: A 1876 Tale of Staves and Speed M Gwinn, December 27, 2025January 3, 2026 “I would like to git 5 m or Six thousand staves on inside of 2 weeks as there is a man who i have a contract with is he is going a way about that time and if the staves is on the Road he will take the staves and… Continue Reading
History Family Ties and Flooded Fields: A Letter from the Centennial Summer M Gwinn, December 27, 2025February 13, 2026 “Now I would like to acomodate you I have Binn dividing My meens with The Chilldren & have None to Spear at this time But need all that I Can Collect” Pull up a chair, friends, and let me share a little treasure I found in the archives. It is… Continue Reading