Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1939-07-06

John King, who paid the carriers to
deliver it at his home. Friday, the
day the county papers came, was al
ways big day at country stores.
The merchant was also postmaster
Some folks went many miles TO
get their mail. We remember when
the Ed Murray family, who lived
over the line in Meigsvilie, got their
mail at Bristol; Sangs, their neigh
bors to the south, got theirs at
Meigsville; and the same was true
to the north, folks living away up
the ridge and creek came to Bristol.
They brought their trade and pur-
chased weeks supply Of groceries.
But back to the folks and the old
store. dad" Farus was there to
trade knives; J. A. C. Leland, to see
if any of the farmers had stock to
sell; the Pedicord boys with the
Chambers, Lee and Charley Ander-
son and many whom you will recall.
All important questions were dis
cussed and disposed of. In regard
to the mail service we meant to
tell you that a recent order of the
department requires the carrier to
wait at Reinersville so the inhabi-
tants may have time to answer any
letters that need an immediate an
swer. Then, papers week old were
strictly fresh. Now the morning pa
pers are stale in the evening. Co.
lumbus afternoon papers are deliv-
cred in our village in the early ev-
ening. Many of the men who car
ried the old Star route on horse
back are still living-Rus Law
renee, salesman, McConnelsville;
Vince Lawrence, barber, Newark;
G.. A. Ritchey, jesse Haines, B. F.
Haines, farmers, of our township.
Some of the later r. F. D. carriers
not mentioned used vehicles part or
all the time-W NJ (Mont) New
ton, Jno. Haines, the Prices, and
Dean Hancher. At one time route
from Gaysport to Bristol solved the
problem for Rural Dale, Rowland
and Cloud neighborhoods.
Good Old Days
While we know age is creeping
jump a rail fence of more than
eight rails, we still feel justified in
making the statement that the good
old times have gone never to return,
and the days spent at the old coun-
try stores were bright lights in the
lives of many men, who have gone
out into the broad arena of life's ac-
tivity and made places for them
serves, that makes we of lesser
caliber look up to them, or would,
were they not Of Bristol blood, and
won't let us. They always seem as
pleased to come back to the old
haunts as we are to have them
come. Bristol folks are found in
every state of the union A little
later on We hope to tell you where
they are.
While Bristol township is a farm
ing and stock raising township, with
no factories, many of our younger
men go to the county seat and to the
larger cities for work. With the
improved roads, men can work in
town and be at home in the country
in a short time Many of the high
school pupils out ten and twelve
miles, motor to and from school
each day
Bristol has two grange organiza-
tions. The oldest known as Bristol,
No. 80; the other Meigs Valley,
2374. The former is located at
Cloud, and the latter at Meigs.
Both organizations have comodious
buildings. Bristol grange buildings
are frame, which consist of a two
story building, the first floor having
been used for a store until C. L.
Swallow closed out his stock of mer-
chandise, since which time the
rooms have been vacant The upper
floor is used for grange meetings,
Institutes and so on. They also
have a dwelling house, where the
different merchants have lived. This
store was started by the grange,
but after some years they sold out
to private parties.
The Meigs Valley building is of
concrete blocks, and is also two
stories, the upper floor being used
for grange meetings, plays, lectures,
etc.; the lower floor for the juven-
iles-dinners and socials. The vot-
ers of Bristol south vote here, and
township and school officials hold
their meetings here. These oranges
have been a wonderful help in de-
velopjng the literary and musical tai
ent of the communities they serve.
Quite an array of talent has also
come from other places, to appear
on the programs.
(To be continued)