The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1910-01-06
An AGED Postmaster.

fslttt % the map hui y Noaiu ~ marx
"a Ne stDong 81 rs post Offices il
Tie United States. u the osilncn wur
rated from the seniority rankiaes o
ibe po.imasiets
Chester Benson wilhams. Who ha
TIE remarkable distinction ~ being ibl
oldest postmaster Ia the tuited States
aud probably ihe oldest Official 81 "a,
government IA year, 81 continuous ser
wee. Is moi ga extremely old man. al
year, arr ordinarily cunnteti but he has
the advantage ia gaining hls record by
receiving bis commissiun rs postmAsi,
bat little more Than Two weeks after b,
attained biz majority, aud his scryic,
from thai time has been unbroken.
His commission bears the date Dee
ember rs, 1851. and assigned by Nathan
H. Hall, who WIS postmaster general
ia the cabinet Of President Willard Fill.
more. Il will thus be seen that Mr..
Williams has completed Is years in the
service Of Uncle Sam and Is well start.
ed on his j9th year.
Mr.. Williams was born IN Winhall,
November -, 100. His parents. Wal
ter aud Susan tRusselll Williams. lived
on a farm about half a mile from the
village Of Bondville, which is but little
more than hamlet. containing at the
present time two general stores, a
hotel, one church, school house. and
some 30 dwelling house.
Mr.. Williams boyhood was like that
of many other lads in the country. He
attended the district school and learn.
ed TO make himself useful on his faith.
er's farm. At the age Of IL he began
working in J. G.. Summers store, which
was in the building containing the
well known Williams store and post
Office of the present day. The Bond
vile post Office was established in 1919,
in the building where il has always
been located. Previous to It's estab.
lishment the people went 10 South Lon.
donderry and Jamaica for their mails.
Mr.. Sumner was the first postmaster.
Mr., Williams as youth showed an
aptitude for business. and his oppoi.
tunity to strike out for himself came at
an early age, and four years after he
entered the store he bought ont the
business of his employer with c. G.
Wheeler as partner. This partner
ship continued until 1857 when Mr..
Williams bought out the interest of Mr..
Wheeler and became sole proprietor.
Mr.. Williams ian the store without
partner 30 consecutive years, and then
retired in favor Of his son, Harold c.
Williams, who bought the store and
stock of goods, November 10, 1905.
For ten years previous to making the
purchase Harold Williams had worked
in the store with his father.
When the Office was first opened the
postmaster's yearly income after set.
Ting with the government was about
$50. During the Civil War the com
pensation rose to about 500. The gain
has been slow and gradual since then
and the postmaster now receives about
$3.50 year for his work.
The Office has never been robbed, the
accounts with the Government have al
ways been handled with absolute ex
actness, and there have never been
any exciting experiences in connection
with handling the mails in Bondville.
The Office has not been a sinecure and
the postmaster has earned all that was
coming to him beyound question. The
hours for opening and closing the mails
have not always been in accordance
with modern banking schedules. Dur
ing one winter, for instance, the mail
left at a. m and arrived about 10 D. |
m. 1t was necessary Tor the postmas-
ter to be up in time to have the mail
made up in the morning and to be
ready TO receive it when the stage driv.
er returned at night.
Even at the present time the mail
must be ready at o'clock for the stage
which carries it four and one half miles
to Winhall station on the West River
railroad The stage is due to bring
back the mail at $50 to 9.l5 in the eve
ming, but as the West River trains do
not run close to schedule the mail is
frequently late. The federal authori
lies evidently have never spent sleep.
ess nights worrying about the Bond.
vile Office. In the first fifty years of
Mr.. Williams term only three inspec-
,ors ever visited the Office.
Mr.. Williams home is in hand
ZONE and substantial house adjoining
he store. 1t was built by him in 1892,
when he tore down the old house in
which he had lived almost from the be.
,inning of his career in the store.
Mr.. Williams was elected town clerk
i the annual March meeting in 1853.
lie continued to hold this Office until
iarch, 1908, when, having served so
consecutive years, his son. Harold, who |
nd been his assistant for several years,
ras chosen his successor. Mr.. Will
ANS has been town treasurer since
S53, this being bis 9th year in that
flee. Although urged TO do so re-
eatedly Mr.. Williams steadily refused
D accept other public Offices. He is a
,ember Of Winball River Lodge, No.
/. 0. 0. f., Of Bondvilie. being mi
ated in March, 1880, the night the
,dge was instituted. He was secre.
,ry of the lodge twenty five years, was
representative to the grand lodge six
.rms, and served as district deputy
rand master two terms.
MIR. Williams married Emma Jane
enson. November II, 1850. Mrs.
Williams. who was highly estimabie
oman, died January ~, 1909. more ,
ian 81 years after their marriage took