The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-08-17
Postmaster Seventy-Four Years.

NORTH LANSING, N. Y, Aug. 16.-
Only one man in the world can boast
of such a record as this:
The oldest appointive officer in the
United states in point of service.
The Oldest postmaster in point of
service in the United States or in the
world
The only man who has continuously
filled one government Office for seven
ty-four years.
The only man who held government
office before there was a railroad in
the United States, and is holding that
office now.
The only man living who received a
government appointment through the
influence of a man thirty-three years
before that man became cabinet of
fcer, and is still holding that same Of
nee, thirty years after the man to
whom he owes his appointment is dead.
The only man ninety-three years of
age holding an appointive office under
the United States government.
That man is Roswell Beardsley, and
he resides at North Lansing, Tompkins
county, N. Y, being postmaster at that
place, an Office he has filled creditably
for seventy-four years, and which he
will fill until his dying day, as he has
no idea of resigning, and there is no
man or woman in all North Lansing
who would seek to displace Uncle
Roswell as he is Familiarity called. in
the office he has filed so creditably for
nearly three-quarters of a century.
Even should they have the temerity.
however, to ask for the postmastership
of the town, the postofice department
would take no notice of the appIica-
ton, for Uncle Sam is not the indi
vidual to discharge an employe who
has served him SO long and so faith
fully as has Roswell Beardsley.
Appointed in 1923.
Uncle Roswell was appointed post
| master at North Lansing, June %. 1928.
when John Quincy Adams was presi-
dent, John G. Calhoun was vice presi-
dent, Henry Clay was secretary of
state, and John Mclean was postmas-
ter general. He owes his appointment
to William H Seward, who thirty-three
years after the appointment of Uncle
Roswell became secretary of state I'M
| der Abraham Lincoln.
AT the time of Uncle RosweHs" ap-
| pointment as postmaster at North
Lansing Seward was associated with
/! Beardsley's brother, Nelson Beardsley.
in the practice of law. They dissolved
partnership shortly, and Mr.. Beardsley
turned his attention to farming Sew
ard continued in public life, and soon
attained national prominence
Roswell Beardsley, was born July 5.
loO9, near where he now resides, and
Wnen In a reminiscent mood he talks
| entertainingly of the early days of the
republic. He was born the same year
| as Abraham Lincoln. Being of the
same political faith, and having served
as postmaster through Lincoln's adj
mlnistration, he is naturally a great
admtrer Of the martyred president
Eight years after his birth slavery
was abolished in New York state, but,
of course, Uncle Roswell was too young
to remember this. He does remember
distinctly, however, many other i'm
portant events connected with the his
tory of the Empire state as well az
those having to do with the history of
the United States. Among these is
the opening of the first railroad ever
built In America, running from Albany
to Schenectady, N. Y, distance of sew
enteen. miles. The first train passed
over this road in 1881 and Uncle Ros-
Wen remembers that event as if it were
but yesterday.
He was eight years old when work
was begun on the Erie and Cham
plain canals, and their completion. in
1926 and 1923, respectively, is still vivid
IN his memory. He often saw. and
was great adTnirer of Governor De-
Witt Clinton.
Uncle Roswell was fifty-two years
of age when the civil war began, and
| although he took no active part in that
memorable conflict, his sympathies
were naturally with the union. 1t is
interesting to hear him talk of those
troublous days and of the valor dis
played by both those who wore the
blue and those who wore the gray.
Has Many Grandchildren.
He has reared large family. and
besides his own children he has ten
grandchildren and thirteen great
grandchildren. Recently all of these.
together with the other relatives and
friends to swell the number to sixty-
eight, held reunion with Uncle Ros-
we'll as the central figure, to celebrate
the seventy fourth anniversary of his
connection with the postoffice at. North
Lansing.
All ages were represented. from the
little child to the reat-grandfather
nlnety-three years old His sons were
all together for the first time in six
teen years. The reunion was held at
the home of his daughter, Mrs. Charles
q. Barger, whose husband is promi-
nent citizen Of North Lansing
On the lawn a canvass was erected
Tor protection from the sun and easy