Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-10

Eugene B. Pendleton, at the regular
meeting of the Westerly Historical
society he!5 Thursday evening in the
Memorial building, delivered a very
interesting paper on The Old Post
masters of Westerly. The first post
office established in the town was in
1776, when Benjamin Franklin, post
master general, appointed DR.. Joshua
Babcock postmaster. The entire re-
ceipts for the year were $6.01, and the
postoffice was located in the house
now owned by Miss Julia Smith in
Granite street.
Rowse Babccck was appointed post
master in 1894. and he conducted the
office at his home in the house now
occupied by Oscar Vose in Granite
street.
Paul Rhodes became postmaster in
1902, and the Office was removed to
The Tavern or The Inn, in the present
Broad street.
In 1916 Amos Cross was appointed
postmaster. He was a judge in Rhode
| Island courts and with his family was
| identified largely with the social life
| of the town.
Jesse Maxson was appointed post
master in 1924, who was town clerk for
many years. The Office was still in
The Tavern in Broad street
In 1892 Lemuel Vose became post
master, with office in the building in
| MAIN street no" OCCup1Su ny L. L
| Kenyon company, and stood on the site
| of the building owned by Edward j.
| Fene1in, which was Westerly's first
| brick building. 1t was during Mr..
| Vose's term that mail was carried by
steam railroad trains to and from
| Westerly.
Jesse L. Moss was appointed post
master in 1871, with Office in the build
ing now occupied by George F. Brough-
| ton in Main street
In 1914 Lyndon Taylor became post
master and establish Office in the store
in Main street now occupied by Rob-
ert Drysdale.
John Holmes Cross in 1S49 became
postmaster, with Office at the old stand
for a time, but subsequently in the
store now occupied by Milo NJ. Clarke
in Main street.
Colonel George Brown was the next
postmas ter, being appointed in 1853
held the office for eight years, and wa:
q democrat of the old school and from
an old South county family, to the
west room of the ground floor Of the
old Leonard house, then in Broad
street, but now in Canal street, and
formerly owned by Charles Dan
, Thompson. 1t was moved there from
; the site of the present Dixon house
! At this period the Westerly office hat
become the largest between Provi
dence and New london, and John I
: Coy served as assistant postma steI
Mr.. Pendleton said: MIR. Coy is tn
, oldest person living who ever worked
: in the Westerly postoffce. While w
. see him moving about our streets wi
: the elasticity of a man Of 20 years, til
> town records show him to be past fou
score years"
Enoch B. PerdIeton succeeded to tt
poStmastership in 1861, with the post
: office in the old location in the hote
: building In 1855 the office was move
= IN Iha I ND h1nplr -
> | back to the east store of the then ne1
= Dixon house in G67. The office beam
i a presidential office.
:, Eugene B. Pendleton. the reader c
; the paper, who had been in the Offic
>, nine years. succeeded his father a
, | pOstma ster in 1875. Then the rostG
- card was not known, and the lette
g ! postage was ten cents to Canada, te
! cents to California, to Great Britai
= | twenty-fOur cents, and to other pla Ce
h California, three cents. When Nj
), ! EendletOn retired in 1887 the pOstag
. rate was two cents for anywhere
:, the United States and Canada an
= five cents TO the postal unions,
was through Mr.. PendIeton that tn
I delivery system was secured for West
a eTly, ALTHOUGH it was not in effect fc
q three months after he retired, an
- then two years prior to such servic
. for the city Of New London.
. Frank e. Rich succeeded Mr.. Per
- dleton as postmaster, and two veal
- after appointment the office was re
moved to the new brick building thu
stood in part on the site of the preser
new postoff1ce building.
s, In 1891 James H. Cross became pos
is master. after serving as two clerk fl
S, thirty years, and holding several sta
tt Offices
William P. Clancy became postmat
ter in 1895. During his term of off,
70 the free rural delivery service WI
'' established.
o, In 1900 Walter Price was appoint,