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Remembering forgotten post offices
0902 echoes
Rural mail carriers serve our post offices today, but not so long ago post offices were located at many local stores or crossroads. The Post Office Department reports, often fragmentary, offer the following information: Berryville had James F. Berry Postmaster in 1892 and C. F. Berry in 1895. Bevill opened in 1897 with Andres J. Bevill as postmaster. By 1902 it was discontinued and moved to Oliver. Blandford opened in 1909 with Lavan D. Kessler as postmaster. He was succeeded by Laura A. Nease in 1910 and discontinued by 1911. Robert A. Marlow was postmaster in Clifton in 1856-1858. George P. Strange operated the post office in Dupont in 1897, succeeded by Jerome E. Graham. The office was discontinued joining Egypt in 1905. Called Ebenezer but actually at Birds Crossing, where the railroad crosses Ebeezer Road (Hwy 275), the post officer was run by Henry W. Butler from 1896 to 1910. John J. Exley was postmaster at Exley from 1895 to 1907. The mail was then sent to Rincon. Haddonville had a post office under William A. Rouse from 1904-06 when it was moved to Clyo. Kildare opened in 1910 with Christian L. Bevill succeeded by Charles A. Hodge in 1911. It moved to Oliver in 1919. Robert M. Powell was in charge of Morel in 1888, George H. Morgan in 1889, and Emerson Morgan in 1894. Oaky was operated by Stephen A. Wilson in 1889 and Jerome E. Graham in 1897. Ogeechee shows only one date and one person in the records, Clem Powers in 1853. Pax was presided over by Jacob M. Gnann in 1900 and mail sent to Guyton in 1904. Pleasant P. Bevill was operating the post office in Pleasant Grove in 1849. Reform opened in 1841 with James Rahn, Amos Rahn in 1842, Thomas N. Elkins in 1843, Thomas T. Elkins in 1846, and Joshua Seckinger in 1849. It was closed in 1857. At Shawnee in 1910 and 1911 Glen T. Graham and Joseph A. Graham presided. Augustus Mallory is listed at Sisters Ferry in 1854. Discontinued in 1860, it was reopened in 1880 and operated by David E. Reiser in 1880. Charles Morel is recorded as reinstated with no date. Tuckasee King lists James O. Goldwire in 1836, George W. Mason in 1839, and James A. Morgan in 1840. Reestablished in 1854, it was operated by David J. Archer and discontinued in 1857. John Charlton was named at Willowby and discontinued in 1826 with mail sent to Springfield. The mail was brought in by rail to be distributed on horseback to various small post offices. This was compiled from archives of the Springfield Herald by Susan Exley of Historic Effingham Society. If you have photos, comments or information to share, contact her at 754-6681 or email her at hesheraldexley@aol.com. - photo by Photo provided

Rural mail carriers serve our post offices today, but not so long ago post offices were located at many local stores or crossroads. The Post Office Department reports, often fragmentary, offer the following information:

Berryville had James F. Berry Postmaster in 1892 and C. F. Berry in 1895.

Bevill opened in 1897 with Andres J. Bevill as postmaster. By 1902 it was discontinued and moved to Oliver.

Blandford opened in 1909 with Lavan D. Kessler as postmaster. He was succeeded by Laura A. Nease in 1910 and discontinued by 1911.
Robert A. Marlow was postmaster in Clifton in 1856-1858.

George P. Strange operated the post office in Dupont in 1897, succeeded by Jerome E. Graham. The office was discontinued joining Egypt in 1905.

Called Ebenezer but actually at Bird’s Crossing, where the railroad crosses Ebeezer Road (Hwy 275), the post officer was run by Henry W. Butler from 1896 to 1910.

John J. Exley was postmaster at Exley from 1895 to 1907. The mail was then sent to Rincon.

Haddonville had a post office under William A. Rouse from 1904-06 when it was moved to Clyo.

Kildare opened in 1910 with Christian L. Bevill succeeded by Charles A. Hodge in 1911. It moved to Oliver in 1919.

Robert M. Powell was in charge of Morel in 1888, George H. Morgan in 1889, and Emerson Morgan in 1894.

Oaky was operated by Stephen A. Wilson in 1889 and Jerome E. Graham in 1897.

Ogeechee shows only one date and one person in the records, Clem Powers in 1853.

Pax was presided over by Jacob M. Gnann in 1900 and mail sent to Guyton in 1904.

Pleasant P. Bevill was operating the post office in Pleasant Grove in 1849.

Reform opened in 1841 with James Rahn, Amos Rahn in 1842, Thomas N. Elkins in 1843, Thomas T. Elkins in 1846, and Joshua Seckinger in 1849. It was closed in 1857.

At Shawnee in 1910 and 1911 Glen T. Graham and Joseph A. Graham presided.

Augustus Mallory is listed at Sister’s Ferry in 1854. Discontinued in 1860, it was reopened in 1880 and operated by David E. Reiser in 1880. Charles Morel is recorded as “reinstated” with no date.

Tuckasee King lists James O. Goldwire in 1836, George W. Mason in 1839, and James A. Morgan in 1840. Reestablished in 1854, it was operated by David J. Archer and discontinued in 1857.

John Charlton was named at Willowby and discontinued in 1826 with mail sent to Springfield.

The mail was brought in by rail to be distributed on horseback to various small post offices.

This was compiled from archives of the Springfield Herald by Susan Exley of Historic Effingham Society. If you have photos, comments or information to share, contact her at 754-6681 or email her at hesheraldexley@aol.com.