This week’s piece isn’t about the history of Birers Furniture in Hinton, but about the personal connection this letterhead from this business has with my family. You see, my Great Grandmother Bridgett Thomas had 12 children, six of which were still at home when my Great Grandfather Fred Thomas was killed in Ronceverte after being hit by a train in 1950.
She was living in Forest Hill at the time, so she did her shopping, banking, etc. in Hinton. Having six children at home by herself with such little income at that time put a major strain on her and her family. She had gotten to know the business owners around town.
Her oldest son, Bill Thomas, was in the service then. Grandma Thomas had business around town write to his Commanding Officer to ask for his honorable discharge so he could move back home to help with the children.
Owner of Briers Furniture, Charles Briers, wrote four points of interest to suit his appeal seeking Uncle Bill’s honorable discharge. One of which was “1. Subject man’s mother is widowed with six children at home, one eight-year-old son ill from injury occurring October 30, 1955.”
Times sure have changed; you just don’t see local businesses doing this type of thing personally any longer. My mother and I helped my Great Aunt Bonnie go through Fred’s railroad desk where these papers had been kept since the 1950s roughly 15 years ago. I cataloged all of the family heirlooms we acquired that day. From these letters, war ration books for my Grandmother Bea, a piece of paper where Grandma Bea’s hand was traced in 1933, just to name a few of the things.
