Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1914-09-18

its provision general postoffice was estab
lished in North America and West Indies
and in 17l7 settled post was established
from Virginia to Maryland
1t was not until 1883 that the practice
of delivering letters by the penny-post, OF
letter carrier. and of advertising letters or
hand. Newspapers were carried by mai
free of charge until 1888, when. by rea-
son of their great increase, they were
charged with postage at the rate of nine
pence each year for fifty miles. and one
shilling and six pence for one hundred
miles. The postal routes were few and far
between and did not afford sufficient facil-
ties for the convenience of the public.
The gentlemen of the towns and neigh
borhoods were in the habit of making up
purse to supply a regular mail carrier,
generally going to single postoffice of the
province, as, in Maryland. to Annapolis
and depositing all letters he was intrusted
with, and on his return bringing letters and
papers to correspondents and subscribers.
The stage shallop was dug-out rig upon
wheels to carry passengers. 1t often be-
came necessary on these routes to cross
streams that were not fordable. The new
post-rider between Frederick and Hagers-
town announced that he had made Mr..
Steels tavern his stopping place. where
letters for and from those places would
be received and carefully delivered.
The mails in Western Maryland were
carried from Baltimore to Chambersburg
twice week and have been described
before in this paper
In 1915 the Postmaster advertised for a
letter carrier. A daily mail for Washing
ineton, Baltimore and Wheeling was first
made up at Hagerstown and started in
1922.
In 1859 the location of the Hagerstown
postofiice was changed from the old place
to the new building erected by Postmaster
General Logan. from which the mail is
still delivered.
Now will try to give you little de-
scriptiOn of the early stage and mail of
Poolesville as far back as can learn.
Away back in the eighteen-sixties we only
had mail three times week. stage ran
from Rockville to Poolesville, which carried
the mail, and connected with another stage
in Rockville, which conveyed the mail to
Georgetown and Washington
The first postmaster of this town, before
my days, was named Dennis Locklin. and
do surmise we had no mail oftener than
once a week during his term. He was sue
ceeded by Philip Reed. cabinet-maker.
who kept the office in log house situated
in the corner of Moneys yard. adjoining
Sellman's lane. The house, as remember.
was built high up off the ground and had
four or five board steps to 60 up into it.
That road then was the main road which
led to Rockville. The first house built in
1898 by John Poole is part of the house
in which the Moneys live. 1t seems as If
that part of the village was to be the pro-
gressive part, but buildings went up more
rapidly in other parts of the town. Then
new and straighter road was laid off.
and the first road was called the back road
II was over that road the first stage brought
mail to this place. The road is now closed
to the public.
Reed was succeeded by VIM. Metzgar,
and the Office was then moved and kept in
the house now owned by Isaac Fyffe and
occupied by DIR. Milford as his Office. Mr..
Metzgar held the position during the Civil
War. He was succeeded by Samuel Gator.
and the Office was then moved from the
western part of the village to the eastern
part and kept in the shop opposite T. X.
Halls residence. Gator held the position
twelve years.
The following is a verse found in an
old scrap book. slur on the mail being so
far out Of town:
IF from the East or South you hail.
Besure to keep close to the mail
Or you may find yourself let down
Within the suburbs of ScuffletOwn'
SuflletOwn was about two miles down the
road The residents complained so much
about the mail being so far-away that the
old gentleman was compelled to move up
into town, and then kept the postOfflce in
the old house, recently torn down. owned
by the late +. r. Hall, just about where the
pOstOffce is now kept in the new building.
Gator was succeeded by j. T. Norris He
held the position during Cleveland's adj
ministration. When the next President,
Harrison. was elected, Henson Allnutt was
appointed postmaster and held the position
until Cleveland's second administration.
and Arthur Poole Fletchall was appointed
postmaster.
Henson Allnutt. filling the office for the
Under the new Presidents administration
Mr.. Allnutts death occurred soon after his
appointment. Mr.. Browning was chosen
in his place and held the position for four
years, and was succeeded by Harry Will
lard under Roosevelts second administra-
ton.
And now we have mail three times a
day instead of three times week. 1t is
brought to our Office now in an auto or
motor car instead of "a rough twO-hOrse
team. We can see by the quick delivery
the progress we have made with the mail
in this little village Of Poolesvie.
UNLESS you REGISTER At THIS TIME you
WILL BE UNABLE TO VOTE AT THE GENERAL
ELECTION IN NOVEMBER AND AT THE PRIMARY