Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1922-02-09
NOTES BY OBSERVER.

On oaa-,in3tion will be held in
VIZ VII. Nnwn, when candidates for the
Cit;,;;C of postmaster at Shepherds
po9' ,,.;u he required TO show their
s,ncss n for this important once. IL Is
~, ~" N Republicans and Democrats
.ii.s and is supposed to be non parti-
-, 60 the position being awarded 10 the
ssSa,4;5gte showing the greatest ef-
sa;o,cv AS a matter of fact, however,
.Se," ne is not the slightest probability
.Le, .,o any Dmocrat will have chance
va" ,he ;ob for il is said that not a
a;,sie solitary Democrat has been ap-
sn;S,c5 s%S nv President Harding since he
S.s heer in the presidential chair.
The T SALARY of the Office here is $1,000
: year and Postmaster Lucas's time
eynires March Sth next
observer has made inquiry about
tho Shepheristown postoffice in days
lone rast and has learned some in7
,srestinr facts. Among the early post
masters was John T. Cookus, who kept
he nostonfce in the building now oc
cuoied hv / NJ. Rush, in connection
with 4 general store. Another post
master bfore the Civil War was John
White. who was prominent in bus
mess here. His store and the postof
Hcs were in the stone building on Main
street that was destroyed by fire some
wears ago, just across the alley from
the Entler Hotel Daniel and Alex
Cameron we're clerks. The mail was
brought from Kearneysville, on the
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, in those
davs nv stage coach-but there was
NOT yerv much of it. Mr.. White be-
came involved financially and finally
broke I'D with a crash, involving
number Of persons in this communi-
~.
william Moulder, who had a big
store in the building now occupied by
HI .Schley's place of business, waa
postmaster just prior to the Civil War.
He died while that great conflict was
in progress.
DAME s. Rentch was commissioned
as postmaster by Jefferson Davis,
President of the Southern Confederacy
during the Civil War, and he kept a
Confederate postpffice for about a
year. 1t worked all right as long as
the Confederates held possession Of
this section, but when the Union forces
came to town the postoffice would go
out of business. Jerome Dushane was
deputy postmaster under Mr.. Rentch
and on one occasion when a rumor
came that the Yankees we're advanc-
ing on the town he gathered up the
postoffice supplies in a big red ban
danna handkerchief and carried them
off TO safe place until the enemy
had retired. Later Mr. Dushane
went into the army, taking along with
him for the Confederacy about S1O,-
600 worth Of Confederate postage
stamps. Mr.. Rentch had so much
trouble with the Union people that the
postottice was finally closed. 1t had
been located during these troublbus
times in the room now occupied by !.
h, Schoppert's store. William Crpwl
was mail carrier for the Confederate
poStottice, and made three trips a week
10 Winchester, which was a sort of
headquarters for southern mail. He
mad some lively experiences in lodging
'he Yankees on his adventurous err
rands.
Albert Humrickhouse, who had a
stage route between Shepherd stown
ana winchester and other points south,
kept up sort of private postoffice
curing the war. and in this way our
soiaiers at the front kept in touch with
tleir families back home. Then, too,
mere were always messengers going
pack and forth by whom letters could
oe sent, though this method OF carry
ing on correspondence was not always
satisfactory.
On one occasion the Second Vir-
s,nla sh Regiment, to which many Of the
SImepnefoStown men belonged. was on
uGty aong the Clarke county line
Snlie at the same time the Yankees
ne'd Shepherdstown and this end of
nu county The women of the COM
,,u'''ty were most anxious to get let
,t LS helr relatives and friends in
p,C second Regiment, and Aunt lula
t'I' puINe' a devoted friend of the Con-
NfSueI''eS' undertook to deliver them.
vi d certain day she gathered I'D a
nu!lVer of letters and notes and ac-
sunel s. many verbal messages and
S.Saa S.Sl'ea out, She walked to Dufields,
I;ahI IrG me Union lines were estab-
dsnca ,bn of course she was halted by
,s ;ns'' Elar'' hut, assuming the air OF an
,oInt sis.oI old country woman, she in.
10 soI on going on to Charles Town
TO- 'Ie ner sick daughter who had sent
She ne ner 1t was finally agreed that
vorII LUG 20 on her way provided she
She Sbe'- SH,.nfnlt to thorough search.
iro t1 ti.a1,lv agreed to this, and throw
sbSc '..' ,. ,nawi on the grass in the ward
coroE,,,n E,nt into house, where she was
No,h:LF searched by "loyal" woman
wac s contraband was found, and il
co,,r, 20 reported. She was told She
bor v, go on her way and picking up
10 ,bo ,,SWl NV she rendered effusive thanks
let,oc. 'anEees and trudged along. The
s., were delivered the next day