The Busy Road to Sun Flower: A 1876 Tale of Staves and Speed

“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 pay for them”

Step inside for a moment and look at this treasure I found in our archives. It is a letter from March of 1876, sent by William Plumley Jr. to a Mr. Gwinn. Now, back in those days, Fayette County was buzzing with the timber trade, and this letter captures a moment of real-life hustle. William was in a rush to get a large order of barrel staves finished and moved to the road because a buyer was about to leave town. He was managing crews, splitting timber, and keeping an eye on the clock, just like any of us would today.

This physical piece of paper really brings the past to life. It is a bit weathered, with that distinctive yellowing and those little brown spots we call foxing that come with age. You can see the dark ink fading where the pen was running dry, and the heavy fold marks show it was tucked away in a pocket or an envelope for a long journey. It feels fragile, but it carries the weight of a very busy day in 1876.

In the late 19th century, West Virginia’s forests were the backbone of the economy. These barrel staves might seem like small things, but they were the shipping containers of their day. William’s instructions about handling timber that was a bit crooked, and his scramble to meet a contract, tell us so much about the grit and determination of the folks who lived in Sun Flower and the surrounding hills. They were building a life out of the woods, one stave at a time.

When we read these old letters, we are reminded that history is not just about big battles or famous leaders; it is about neighbors helping neighbors and the honest work of making a living. William’s urgency to get his work finished before his buyer left is a feeling we all know. It links us to him across nearly a century and a half, showing us that while the tools change, the heart of our daily efforts remains much the same.

Original Transcription

Sun Idony W Va
Mar 22 1876
Mr L Gwinn
Dr Sir
Yurs to hand this morning and
will say that the man that split
the timber will pay just as i will
haul it back for you for the good
timber but don’t tell them any thing
about this but try and bring them
up and git all made The can
by the last of next week as i
want to put them on the Road
as soon as i can &c
Mr Gwinn I wish you would
put on the lower lot of staves or
part of them that was Cruked & try
one day and see how many you can
put on in a day and write to
me So nothing more at present
Yours Respt
Wm Plumley Jr
P.S

[Page 2]
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 pay for them
Yours &c
W Plumley Jr

[Vertical writing in blue ink on the right side]
Order on
John
H Gwinn
Fayette
Co W Va
about
the
Staves
&c