Sleigh Bells and Warm Welcomes from 1867

“I thought after a long silance I would drop you a few lines to let you know that One Bill Gwinn was still in the land among the living and at home this cold winter day.”

Gather around, friends, because I have a real treasure to share with you from a cold Sunday morning way back in January of 1867. Down in Burlington, Indiana, a fellow named William H. Gwinn—or ‘Bill’ as he calls himself—sat down to write a letter to his kin, Laben Gwinn. While the rest of his family was off at church, Bill stayed back to catch up on his correspondence. He jokes that he isn’t quite sure if the family went for the preaching or just for the chance to go sleigh riding on the fresh snow that fell two nights prior! He’s got work on his mind too, hoping for more snow so he can use his fancy new bob sleds to haul logs to the mill, but mostly he just wants his family to come visit and share in the fun.

Holding this letter today, you can almost feel the chill of that Indiana winter. It is written in a dark, steady ink on cream-colored paper that has been folded and unfolded many times over the last century and a half. There are little spots of foxing and staining near the bottom, the kind of honest wear you’d expect from a document that was treasured and passed around. In the top left corner, there is a beautiful little embossed stamp that adds a touch of 19th-century elegance to Bill’s hurried, heartfelt handwriting.

This letter gives us such a sweet window into life just a few years after the Civil War. It was a time when communication was slow and precious. When Bill writes to say he is ‘still in the land among the living,’ he isn’t just being poetic; he’s giving his family the most important update he could offer. Life revolved around the weather, the health of the horses, and the warmth of the family circle. You can see his deep affection as he asks after the grandparents and sends his respects to Aunt Jane, even promising New Year’s gifts for the children if they make the trip to see him.

Reading Bill’s words today reminds us that while our technology changes, our hearts really don’t. We still worry about our loved ones, we still get excited about a new piece of equipment for our hobbies, and we still look for any excuse to get the whole family together for a visit. It is a beautiful reminder that history is built on these small, quiet moments of connection and the simple ‘howdy’ sent from one home to another.

Original Transcription

January 6th 1867
Mr Laben Gwinn Sir I thought after
a long silance I would drop you a
few lines to let you know that One
Bill Gwinn was still in the land among
the living and at home this cold winter
day this is Sunday and the famly has all
gon to church I don’t know whether
they have gon for the good of the
preaching or not or the good of the
sleigh riding thair was a fine snow fell
night before last which has made it very
good sleighing we have had som very cold
days this winter but it is more pleasant now
and a prospect for more snow I hope that it
will com for I have som logs to hall
to the mill I have got a new pair of
Bob sleds that I want try if you and
your famly will com over we will take
a ride in them well I dont know that

I beleave that I have
nothing more to wright how is
the little gray horse getting
along Tell Johny & Sarah & Coomas
To com over and I will give them
a new years gift Tell Aunt
Jane that I have not forgotten
her that I send her my best
respects we ar all well and
I hope that this letter will find
you all injoying the same blessing
Tell Grand Father & Grand Mother
howdy for me I would like to see
the very much pleas excuse bad
spelling and wrighting for I wrote
this in a hury So good night
William H. Gwinn
Burlington Carroll
County Ind