I picked up an anvil several years ago. It is not small by any means. I have never had a proper place to put it, so it has been sitting in the barn since I bought it. I should be moving into a brand new 24'X30' shop this weekend and want to eventually get it set up properly. I am not a blacksmith/knife maker and will never claim to be. I just felt like a proper shop should have an anvil and I couldn't pass it up at the time. My question is, what is the easiest, cheapest and most functional way to come up with a stand? I know some have used tree stumps, but all I really have readily access to is mesquite and I am not sure how well that would work. TIA!.

I've seen lots of anvil stands built out of stacked 2x4's, 2x12's, or 4x4's that are bound together

iforgeiron.com is your friend.

Piece of oak about 2 feet across cut at length for correct height Start high and cut down as needed for your preferred height.

I've always used a stump.

Remember you want the face of the anvil the height of your closed fist when standing next to it.

I prefer my work higher than that.

Same here.
Ive built mine from 4x4s glued together and have lasted for many years

Mounted low aggravates my back fatigue.

My anvil stand is built out of 2 3/8" O.D. drill stem, into a tripod configuration. Top that off with 3/8" plate steel, and a skirt that goes around the base of the anvil. I built a similar stand for a friend, and also filled the legs in with sand before I capped them off with plate steel feet.

I can build one like it for you.

^^^^ This is offer I'd accept and work out

That would eliminate the base of it catching on fire