The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-10-20
A Postmaster a5 Years.

To the Editor OF the Press
Mention was made few days since in the State
items from Washington County "that the postof-
fee at Dennysville had been in the Kilby family
for 80 years" Having personal acquaintance
with the facts desire to make known the inter-
esting history Of that village postofice.
William Kilby, the Oldest member of the family
in the State, and one of the first settlers in the
town, was commissioned postmaster in 1900 by
Postmaster General Joseph Habersham. The
township then comprised what was called Denny's
River and Penemaquant now Pembroke. The
mails were carried in saddle-bags on horse
back through the woods to Ellsworth, Bangor and
Portland, tedious journey requiring some four
weeks to accomplish the round trip Phe postof-
fee was kept in the front room of the old house on
the hill and it was an event of great interest to
the inhabitants when the mail arrived. They
came many miles and watched with earnest atten-
tion every moving object along the road as far as
the eye could reach to catch the first glimpse of
the old horse.
The postmaster was then man of distinguished
official consequence, and the privilege OF being
present s'when the mails were opened was high
fy appreciated by the country folks. Could an ar
tist Of the present day have photographed the
anxiousy waiting group, the picture would be an
interesting one to look upon in these days of light
ming express postal cars and mail steamships.
Deacon Kilby received and dispatched the mails
built the first store in the town. The size OF the
mails increased with the growth and business OF the
place. The new postmaster established the post
Office in his store. The postage on single letters to
Boston was 1884 cents and the number sent dai-
ly was small compared with those at the present
low rates. When weekly mail was granted the
people it was transported i'll zone horse shay or
sulky. The mail bags were after the style and
size of the meal bags in common use. The
Through mails from the British Province, Calais
and Eastport were placed under brass lock at
that office and sent direct to Bangor. That was
styled "dividing Office" The malls for the Prov
inces were sent across st. Andrews Bay from Rob
bnston.
AS time moved on and business increased the
mails were forwarded daily by s'post "A and 81
passenger coaches" Then the dutieslOf:the post
master became laborious. In the small hours of
night the pOstman's horn awoke the quiet villa
gers and sgnalled the postmaster to open his
doors, and drag in the large canvas sacks and
leather poucherS, the contents of which would
cover the floor Of the 7x9 room high above the
base boards. Two hours were allowed the post
master for distributing the mails for which pleas
ant ~ service he received the sum of $50 per an
mum; He faithfully served the department and the
public for more than twenty years. Atvarious times
he strongly entreated his felowcitzens to take the
once OFF OF his hands, and relieve him of "the
plague" but there was no person willing to
"be bothered with it," At one time he agreed to
pay his successor 500 in excess of the amount OF
the commissions of the office, but that not suc-
lent 1nducement for competent man to take 1t.
In 1850 lie resigned the office in favor of his son
Cyrus III. who was commissioned by Hon. Nathan
X. Hall, ptomaster general. The Office was then