Errors and variants in spelling of names, post offices and postmasters occasionally occur in these records, and some entries are partly or wholly illegible. These records show dates of establishment and discontinuance of post offices, their changes of name, and the names of and the appointment dates of their postmasters.
Gazette and Herald
Dushore, PA
March 14, 1917
Early Post Routes and Postmasters
The following article from the Bradford Star giving the mail service of Bradford county 102 years ago will be of interest to the readers of the Gazette and Herald:
"As as the year 1815, the only mail circulated through Bradford County was carried by a man named Teeter with a two-horse conveyance, once a week, from Wilkes-Barre to Tioga Point. A post-office was kept by Elias Vaughn for the accommodation of the citizens of Frenchtown on the opposite side of the river -- Wyalusing, Wysox, Sheshequin and Athens being the only post-offices on the route in the county. The first postmaster appointed west of the river was Reuben Hale who had settled near the mouth of Towanda Creek. He was a man of considerable business, sending and receiving many letters and papers. He received his mail weekly from the Wysox post-office, kept by David Ridgway, afterwards by J. M. Piollet. After Meansville began to improve a little, he appointed E. B. Gregory, living on the bank of the river, his assistant, that he might better accommodate toe citizens of the town. In 1814 William Means was appointed Postmaster at Meansville while Mr. Hale still remained Postmaster of Towanda township. Burr Ridgway was appointed Deputy under Mr. Means and did the business of the office for several years. The mail was brought once a week by a boy or girl in a basket or satchel from the Wysox office to accommodate Meansville and the country around. The first mail route west of the river was established in 1816, running from Towanda to Burlington, Troy and Canoe place ,thence to Columbia, Springfield, Smithfield to Athens, thence down the river to Ulster and Towanda, once a week on horseback. At the same time another route was established from Towanda borough, Wysox, Orwell, Windham, Warren, Pike, and Rush to Montrose. This route was also performed once a week on horseback. The manner in which the Bradford Gazette was supplied to subscribers in general was by neighbors coming to town and getting the papers from the publication office and sending them around as best they could. A private post-route was established by the editor up the Towanda creek as far as Seely Crofut's, and once a week a man or boy filled his saddle-bags with papers (and letters going in the direction) and distributed them among subscribers living on the road, and those living back; their papers and letters were left with their neighbors. David Ridgway, then 10 years old, was the first post-boy up and down the creek; afterwards mail was carried by Job Irish, Jr., and later by a Mr. Putnam."
"Memory."
Franklyn, April 22, 1870
Patronage Appointments of Postmasters
From 1775 until the early 1800s the Postmaster General appointed postmasters in the United States. In 1836, however, an Act of Congress provided that at all post offices where the annual compensation of the postmaster exceeded one thousand dollars, the postmaster would be appointed by the President, "by and with the advice and consent of the Senate." When post offices were divided into classes in 1864, the President appointed postmasters of the first, second and third classes, while the Postmaster General continued to appoint postmasters of the smaller post offices. (4th Class P.O's.)
Men or women seeking that post would approach (or in some cases be approached by) local
party officials. The request would work its way up the political channels. Finally the individual would be
granted the postmastership (which he or she usually had to relinquish when the political winds shifted).
These 4th class postmasters were paid based on the number of stamps they sold. In the early 1850s, this could be a raw
deal for some because, although postage was based on the weight of the letter and the distance it was going to
travel, not until 1855 did they have to be prepaid. Until then, senders had the option of making the recipients
pay the postage, which kept that money out of the sending postmaster's pocket. Additionally these small post offices
received anywhere from $10 to $20 dollars annually from the government.
Sources: The US Postal Museum and the National Archives.
Afterthought: It is interesting to see a postmaster being changed several times in the same year. We can only speculate as to
the reasons.
Post Office Name
Postmasters Name and Appointment Date
CHERRY (Late Lycoming)
Isaiah Bartley 12 Aug 1841
Arthur Robinson 23 Dec 1847
COLLEY
Joel R. Potter 11 Dec 1852
Johnathon Colley 17 May 1853
John S. Mosier 18 Jan 1866
Charles Schrock 2 Mar 1869
J. Beache 5 Nov 1869
George J. (?????) 5 Nov 1869
Delmar D. Deiffenbach 31 Mar 1886
Charles Schrock 6 Sept 1889
Delmar D Deiffenbach 13 Dec 1893
Royal Scouten 21 Mar 1898
CAMPBELLVILLE
John Campbell 8 Jan 1851
Hiram Campbell 20 June 1857
John Campbell Mar 1862
Jacob Snyder 11 Sept 1865
Benjamin Fawcett 12 Jan 1871
Robert B. Warburton 7 Sept 1873
Wilson R. Campbell 2 Mar 1876
W. Campbell 24 Apr 1876
Murray A. Warburton 15 Aug 1879
William Fawcett 27 Sept 1881
Powell Norton 17 Dec 1883
*Mail service discontinued 15 Sept 1920
(transferred To Eldredsville)
DAVIDSON (late Lycoming)
John Middleston 18 Sep 1835
Amos C. Wilber 19 Mar 1851
Jesse Pennington 29 June 1853
Jesse C. Pennington 19 July 1858
Thomas A. Dent 10 Feb 1862
Amos C. Wilber 20 Sept 1864
Fletcher Sperry 26 June 1865
Jesse C Pennington 28 Aug 1865
Edward Clark 13 Mar 1868
DeWitt Gratman 01 Dec 1870
NORDMONT (late Davidson)
Oscar Lewis 30 Nov 1880
DUSHORE (late Cherry)
Stephin Harris 20 Mar 1852
James Deegan 21 June 1855
Jacob Miller 25 June 1863
Josiah Jackson 29 June 1866
DUSHORE
Jacob Miller 17 June 1854
George D. Jackson 16 May 1858
Rush Jackson 7 Dec 1859
George H. Wells 06 Ma? ( ? )
Henry Heisz 01 Jan 1863
George H. Wells 25 Jan 1863
Josiah Jackson 29 June 1864
Maurice Heisz 29 Oct 1864
Josiah Jackson 19 Dec 1864
Nelson Ackley 01 May 1865
Wm. C. Garey 12 Nov 1872
Morris B. Heisz 14 Jan 1878
( ? ) H. Cronise 03 Feb 1880/1
William C. Garey (?)Jan 1883
Lurney H. Kline 23 Oct 1885
John E. Finan 23 Nov 1885
Fred (?) Vincent 19 Apr 1889
Garret E. Donehoe 24 June 1893
* stopped position 11 Apr 1894
John Scher Jr 11 May 1898
EAGLESMERE
Samuel Livergood 27 Oct 1848
John Armstrong 20 Feb 18??
John N. Lukens 08 Apr 1856
Thomas Haywood Jr 08 Jan 1864
Christopher Peale 10 June 1869
J. H. W. Little 29 Nov 1875
* discontinued 11 Feb 1877
* re-established 02 May 1877
Christopher Peale 02 May 1877
J. W. Young 23 Oct 1888
John W. Aumiller 15 Apr 1889
Richard Lison 20 Apr 1893
Christopher Peale 17 June 1897
ELDREDSVILLE
Edward A. Eldred 29 Dec 1823
Samuel Hogeland 19 Apr 1851
Thomas J. Peck 25 June 1853
* Discontinued 05 Jan 1858
* Reinstated 12 Feb 1858
John Mullon 12 Feb 1858
Geo W. Brown 25 May 1866
Chris C. Lancaster 02 July 1869
David C. Pardoe 04 May 1870
Miss Ellen E. Pardoe 30 Dec 1870
Nelson Pardoe 17 May 1872
John T. Carhill 14 Feb 1873
Joo Grange 18 July 1876
Geo A. McIlwain 17 Feb 1879
Joseph Grane 24 Feb 1890
Doctor F. McCarty 23 Nov 1893
Daniel L. Mills 24 Jan 18??
Jayman Snyder 15 Mar 1900
HILLSGROVE
John J. Sadler 27 July 1844
Augustus Lippincott 11 May 1851
Jesse Low 27 Dec 1856
John A. Speaker 31 July 1859
Augustus Lippincott 10 Feb 1862
William J. Wayne 30 Nov 1867
Samuel K. Mc Bride 22 Sept 1868
John H. Rogers 09 Aug 1869
Andrew Hoover 15 Oct 1872
Jacob Gerlough 23 Aug 1875
George Biddle 27 Sept 1875
Issac O. Gesner 27 Sept 1875
Wm. Hill 11 July 188?
William P. McBride 27 Dec 1887
Changed to Hillsgrove 30 Apr 1895
SHUNK
Perus Williams 15 Nov 1845
Jacob Wilcox 11 Aug 1850
Henry Williams 19 Feb 1853
Daniel Williams 13 Aug 1857
David Foster 31 May 1861
Mrs. Clarissa H. Williams 01 Mar 1862
James H. Campbell 03 Oct 1865
Mary Kilmer 22 June 1869
James H. Campbell 18 Jan 1876
Jacob H. Bohn 16 Mar 1886
A. Rosetta Fuller 16 Apr 1888
Ambrose E. Campbell 09 July 1890
Evert W. Letts 17 Sept 1894
Warren Fanning 14 Sept 1898
Rozell Porter 24 Dec 1921
* discontinued- mail to Wheelerville 31 Jan 1935
* re-established 17 June 1936
Lawrence L. Baumunk 08 July 1936
Mrs. Caroline Baumunk 31 Mar 1953
Mrs. Caroline Baumunk 22 June 1953
Ann Baumunk Henderson ?
TANEYVILLE
Issac Courson Jr. 26 Aug 1846
Maria Warn 27 Aug 1847
NEW LAPORTE
Wm. A. Mason 05 Sept 1848
Amos C. Wilber 10 Apr 1851
LAPORTE (formerly "New Laporte")
Amos C. Wilber 05 May 1852
John Blair Linn 13 July 18??
Charles Finch 10 May 1856
Stillman F. Lathrop 20 June 1860
Benjamin L. Chaney 13 Apr 1861brP>
Charles Homann 23 July 1868
Benjamin L. Cheney 16 Mar 1869
Mrs. Amanda M. Chaney 09 Apr 1872
William A. Mason 25 Mar 1874
Ethlin M. Mason 10 Jan 1882
Walter Spencer 25 Feb 1886
William M. Cheney 24 May 1889
Matermus F. Albert 06 Jun 1891
Miss Ethlin M. Mason 16 Aug 1892
Walter Spencer 21 Dec 1894
Charles L. Wing 27 Apr 1898
MILLVIEW
John Molyneux 14 Jan 1850
* sent to Forksville 11 Feb 185?
Samuel B Birdsall 30 Sept 1856
Eliza Molyneux 27 Jun 1866
Wm. (?) Molyneux 23 May 1871
Harriett M. Little 01 Feb 1892
Jennie Molyneux 12 Aug 1898
CHERRY MILLS
Wm. M. Covanhovan 10 Jun 1850
Elias Hahn 13 Sept 185?
Charles S. Sick 24 Jun 1878
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ?? July 1885
J. B. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 16 May 1895
M. B. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 23 Apr 1900
SONESTOWN
John Sones 05 Aug 1854
Robert. Whitacie 27 Dec 1865
Maurice S Keller 15 Apr 1879
Jacob Sorah 26 Nov 1879
Ira Steenback 24 Aug 1885
Maurice S. Keller 05 Mar 1888
Wm. H. Sherwood 18 (??) 18??
Jacob B. Magangil 05 Apr 1893
Hyman P. Hall 01 Feb 1896
George W. Simmons 10 Nov 1897
MUNCY BOTTOM
James Taylor 05 Aug 1854
* discontinued 18 Oct 1864
* re-established 04 Jan 1865
Alfred Taylor 04 Jan 1865
* Discontinued 06 Jan 1875
ROBINSON'S LAKE
Clement G. Ricketts 03 Oct 1853
* Discontinued 12 Apr 1860
LATE MILLVIEW
FORKSVILLE
William Brown 11 Feb 1856
George W. Morse 10 Feb 1859
William Brown 04 Jun 1860
Moses A. Rogers 25 Apr 1861
Abigail Rogers 26 Dec 1876
John G. Wright 15 Oct 1887
Frank Hannan 17 June 1897
LINCOLN FALLS
Jonathon Rogers 20 Aug 1869
August Hartsing 20 Nov 1889
PLUNKETT
David L. Warner 20 Sept 1869
Juno H. Dye 26 Aug 1879
* Discontinued ?? Sept 1879
* Re-established 20 Sept 1880
John H. Dye 20 Sept 1882
Wilson Nevel 09 Mar 1884
K. Procter 08 Jan 1885
LOPEZ
Bishop W. Jennings 08 Dec 1887
C. W. Welhelm 24 Dec 1888
Cortez H. Jennings 10 May 1889
Richard J. Clark 24 June 1893
Geo. O. Musselman 02 May 1894
Cortez H. Jennings 27 Apr 1898
Bishop W. Jennings 10 Sept 1900
ESTELLA
Wm. W. Boyle 18 Nov 1887
Chancy J. Fuller 17 June 1898
Ellsworth Jennings 05 May 1899
LAKE RUN
Anthony Glockler 03 Aug 1877
*post to Eldredsville 23 May 1900
**************************
** Editor's Note: In July 2007, Aaron Houseknecht of Seattle, Washington, descended from the local Sullivan
County family of that surname, replied to our query about he "Housekencht" snow mobile mail truck as follows:
I have not had any specific luck with the Houseknecht connection, but I have found an interesting article. My uncle was the postmaster at Unityville [in Columbia County, PA] for several years, but his kids have no recollection of the "fine" machine shown in your picture. It was pointed out to me that this was a Model T. and I found an interesting article on the Winnipesaukee Forum about these machines.
Aaron Houseknecht
Apparently, these machines were invented by Virgin White and produced on a large scale in the 1920s in West Ossipee, New Hampshire. They apparently made their way to Pennsylvania as well.
In March 2008, we heard from Thelma Laurenson Plant, daughter of Benjamin H. Laurenson, and she appears to have cleared up some, but not all of the mystery with this postcard. According to Thelma:
My Father, Benjamin H. Laurenson, was a rural mail carrier out of the Muncy Valley Post Office for approximately. 34 years (1919 - 1953). My brother, Benjamin H. Laurenson, Jr., and I have several photos (one exactly like yours) of our father with the snowmobile pictured on your site. It was a Model T Ford and Dad bought the kit to make it into the snowmobile and used it on his mail route. Some called it a "cat" because of the tracks. As to how the Houseknecht name got linked to this picture, I do not know. But, I can tell you that our mother's maiden name was Houseknecht, and the farm on North Mountain where Dad was raised, and was living at the time he had the snowmobile (Mom was raised a few miles away), was sold to a member of Mom's Houseknecht family in the late 1930's, or maybe the early 1940's, so that may be the cause of the Houseknecht name appearing on the postcard.
