William A. Gwinn, J. Henderson Gwinn,
Porter Boggess, and Frank Gwinn
(From left to right)
William Gwinn lost his land to debt in 1891. According to family tradition, he signed a note for someone who had an idea for an improved butter churn. The court records show that he owed James E. and I. T. Mann $110.04, G. A. Miller $110.06, and Johnson & Gwinn Hardware $146.91. The court added interest and attorney's fees bringing the total debt to about $450. James E. and I. T. Mann represented the bank. Johnson & Gwinn was the name of a hardware store in Alderson, West Virginia. G. A. Miller's role remains unknown.
In March 1892, W. A. Gwinn and his family (Mayme and Willie were still living at home) moved from their Riverview home to live with Margaret Alderson (a half-sister of William's wife) at Johnson's Cross Roads. A family myth is that William lost the house to debt, but, in reality, he never owned the house. James Gwinn's heirs sold the house and 140 acres of land to J. H. Huffman, son of Caroline (Gwinn) Huffman, in 1893. J. H. Huffman also bought back the land William had lost to debt, thus putting the Riverview Farm back together, except for the acreage conveyed to Oliver, and back in the Gwinn family.