History A Healing Note from the Old White M Gwinn, December 27, 2025February 15, 2026 “Keep the legs as much as possible raised on a line with the body and this is especially necessary until the bandage has been applied for a few days —” Pull up a chair and let me share a little treasure I found while sorting through the old papers from… Continue Reading
History A Dusty Debt and a Neighborly Note: A Treasure from 1873 M Gwinn, December 27, 2025January 21, 2026 “We Do not wish to put cost on any one But we are orderd to collect By the shortest way” Pull up a chair, friends, because I’ve come across a real gem in our local archives. It is a humble piece of cream-colored paper, lined and gently yellowed by the… Continue Reading
History A Helping Hand at Mouth Greenbrier M Gwinn, December 27, 2025February 1, 2026 “You will confer a great favor if you will furnish it, and at Raleigh County court I will repay you, or before if I see you” Well now, pull up a chair and let me show you a little piece of our local history that just warms the heart. It’s… Continue Reading
History A Handshake in Ink: A 150-Year-Old Greeting from Laurel Creek M Gwinn, December 27, 2025 “they have Paid me all rents Due & delivered the House to me in good order.” Pull up a chair, friends, and take a look at this fragile little window into the past. It is a simple note dated way back to November 24, 1872, written by a man named… Continue Reading
History A Brotherly Hand in Hard Times M Gwinn, December 27, 2025January 13, 2026 You had better go as soon as you git this Pull up a chair, friends, because I’ve found something special in the stacks today. It’s a small piece of paper, dated August 16, 1866, and it feels like holding a piece of a conversation that happened over a century and… Continue Reading
Civil War Era A Glimpse of Peace: A Soldier’s Longing for Home M Gwinn, December 27, 2025 “I hope and Trust To god The Time is nie at hand when it will be over and we Can all git To Come home and Stay in peace.” Pull up a chair, friends, because I’ve come across something truly special in the archives today. It’s a humble piece of… Continue Reading
Family History An interview with Nelson Gwinn M Gwinn, December 23, 2025February 3, 2026 I just became aware of this “Story Corps” interview of Nelson Gwinn by my cousin Jeanine. Hearing Granddad’s voice is amazing. What an unlooked for gift. In this interview conducted on October 17, 2009, 89-year-old Nelson Gwinn shares memories of his life in West Virginia with his granddaughter, Jeanine Heemstra…. Continue Reading
Civil War E. Flanagan’s Letter: Life Amidst Civil War Chaos M Gwinn, December 23, 2025February 15, 2026 Flanagan describes a community on the brink of collapse due to the ongoing American Civil War. The author notes that “times is very hard” and that the threat of starvation is drawing near. Continue Reading
Administrative The Gwinn Papers Archive: Stories and Documents From Our Ancestors M Gwinn, December 23, 2025February 15, 2026 This site exists to provide access to the “Gwinn Papers” and to preserve the family history of the descendants of Laban Gwinn. For many years Nelson Gwinn cared for these papers and later he passed them to his grandchildren. All of these stewards had hopes of finding a way to… Continue Reading