Originally from Tennessee, William “Trapper” Haskins moved to coastal Maine in 2000 to undertake a two-year apprenticeship in traditional wooden boatbuilding. During this time he built boats ranging from a 26 ft. lobster boat to a 13 ft. duck hunting sneakbox. His focus on the craft earned him positions as a boatbuilding instructor and as a boatwright on the 93 ft. classic yacht Sumerun.

An affection for the culture and craft traditions of the South and a desire to be nearer to family brought Trapper back to his home state in 2005 where he soon after set up shop on the Cumberland Plateau about midway between Nashville and Chattanooga. There, he was surrounded by aging barns and log cabins that had fallen into disrepair. He began dismantling the structures, pulling nails from the planks, and milling the wood in small, carefully selected runs. Using the skills he acquired and the eye for detail he honed in the boatshops of Maine, Trapper turned his attention to handcrafting custom furniture and architectural woodwork from the reclaimed lumber. He approaches his work with an obvious passion, not only for the mechanics of woodworking, but the entire creative process. This devotion to crafting functional art has caught the attention of homebuilders and homeowners alike. His work has been displayed in galleries throughout the South and in homes and boats from Florida to Michigan.