HISTORY OF THE POST OFFICE AT HAMILTON, MO

Narrators: Mrs. Maude Harlow of Hamilton and Mrs. Anna Korn of El Rene, Ok.

Mrs. Maud Harlow, who has been a milliner here at Hamilton for over 35 years, and who has lived here ever since her birth, was for some years before her marriage to Frederick Harlow, a clerk under two different postmasters in the local post office. With the help of data furnished by Mrs. Korn who has the records of her grandfather A.G. Davis, founder of the town of Hamilton. Mrs. Harlow has given the following account of the past of the postoffice here.

Previous to the establishment of the Post Office at Hamilton, the nearest postoffice was found in Daviess county, named Orion with John C. Lantford as first postmaster, appointed April 1st 1856 and Samuel Balding as second appointed November 5, 1857.

By the efforts of A.G. Davis founder of the town of Hamilton, the postoffice was removed to Hamilton Jan. 12, 1858 and established in the Davis store, west of the depot, near the site of the present Courter theater. Mr. Davis was appointed postmaster but finding he had too many duties, he had the office transferred to Wm. P. Steele (his nephew in law) who served till May 1858, when he was succeeded by Dr. John H. McClintock (brother in law of Davis) who served till De. 29, 1858 when he became manager of the Davis branch store at Kingston. He was succeeded by Thos. K. Kavanaugh who served till Aug. 16, 1859 when he was succeeded by John H. Burrows (manager of the Davis Store) who served till June 28, 1861. He was followed by John H. Booher who served till Aug. 15, 1861. He was succeeded by Wm. E. Jones who served till Nov. 16, 1861.

He was followed by Otis B. Richardson who served till March 31, 1875. He was followed by Rollin G. Whitman who was succeeded by W.A. Morton with his niece Miss Maud Morton as assistant. He relinquishes the office to a Democrat, John Marens who kept Miss Morton as assistant. Marens gave way to a Republican Nathan Clarkson who had Miss Lilla Martin as assistant. Then John Marens again served with Mrs. Maud Morton Harlow. He was succeeded by E.E. Low. On the latters death Mrs. E.E. Low became postmistress. W.J. Clark was the next incumbent, followed by the Democrat Dr. Tinsley Brown, who in turn was succeeded by Harley Shively, the present Republican incumbent. These statistics have been verified by Mrs. F. Korn through the Post Office department at Washington D.C.

The early appointees of Hamilton postoffice held office but a short time until Mr. Richardson who moved the postoffice to his own store building north of the depot. In the four following years, the postoffice was located on the site of the present store of Ollie Howard. With the building of the Morton Block (corner north of Penny store) Postmaster W.A. Morton moved the office to that site. Later under John Marens it was moved to its present sit where for many years it occupied only the rear of the building, the front being the postoffice bookstore or other small business.

From the ledger kept in the Davis store 1859 is to be found charge accounts for stamps by Wm. P. Steele.