History of Mount Ayr Post Office

TEDFORD, MAGRATH, LESAN, DUNNING, BEALL, MILLER, KINSELL, MCGAUGHEY, RICHEY, HARROUN, WHITE, POOR

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 5/13/2010 at 17:58:19

Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
August 22, 1940

History of the Mount Ayr Post Office
By Howard Tedford

Apropos to the dedication of Mount Ayr's new post office home, Postmaster P. J. MaGRATH has asked the writer to contribute for his happy event a historical sketch of the local office since its establishment. This call to service is accepted both with pleasure and from a sense of duty.

The archives of the local post office furnish no records for the researching of history. Postmasters are required at stated intervals to destroy their old records and no historical data is handed down from one postmaster to his successor. Therefore, it will be necessary to rely largely on tradition and local history for the facts in connection with the Mount Ayr post office.

In the year 1926, the then postmaster was asked by Mrs. B. M. LESAN for the names and dates of service of various postmasters who have served this community. A request was made to the department at Washington [D. C.] for this information which was furnished and is a part of Mrs. LESAN'S invaluable history of Ringgold County.

The Birth of the Office.
This record discloses the fact that the Mount Ayr post office was established August 30, 1855 - just eighty-five years ago. To the younger generation this may seem like an interminable period of time, but even then sixty-five years had elapsed since the birth of the Constitution, and a hundred and fifty years is a fleeting breath in the history of the world.

Our First Postmaster.
Barton B. DUNNING was Mount Ayr's first settler, our first postmaster, our first merchant and our first booster. Mr. DUNNING was born in New York state in 1909. After his marriage he moved to Chicago and soon concluded to push further west. he came to Iowa to look at the country and decided to pitch his tent on this side of the Mississippi. At that time Mount Ayr had just recently been surveyed as the location of the county seat of Ringgold county. Leaving his family at Decatur City [Decatur County], which was then quite a metropolis for those days, Mr. DUNNING came on to Mount Ayr and built the first pole cabin in town on the lot where the United Presbyterian church now stands. After the completion of the cabin he returned to Decatur City for his wife and sons, Walter, Frank, and Day. They arrived in Mount Ayr in June of 1855. Their son Charley was the first white child born in Mount Ayr. Soon after establishing his family in their temporary cabin, he decided to move to the square and built a double-log house and store room on the lots now occupied by the Clyde LESAN Company, and the R. S. BEALL insurance office. The postal service has always followed closely on the heels of advancing civilization and Mr. DUNNING lost no time in securing the establishment of a post office in the future capital of the new county of Ringgold. The mail service was nothing to brag about in those pioneer days. The first mail to reach this new outpost came from Mt. Pisgah, a small settlement a few miles northeast of Afton, which had been started by the Mormons as a midway station on their long overland trek from Nauvoo, Ills. to Salt Lake City, Utah.

The earliest settlers in Mount Ayr were treated to mail once a month. Mr. DUNNING would go to Mount Pisgah on horseback for the mail or dispatch one of his sons on the errand which required two days.

Mr. DUNNING received his appointment as postmaster during the administration of Franklin PIERCE - the sixteenth president of the United States. He served as postmaster for several years or until his successor, John A. MILLER, was appointed on August 24, [1859] but the year is not legible on the old records of the department. During the LINCOLN administration or from May 2, 1861, to December, 1867, five postmasters served with commissions signed by Abraham LINCOLN. They include D. C. KINSELL [appointed May 2, 1861] , John McGAUGHEY [appointed October 30, 1865], David RICHEY [appointed February 5, 1867], Alexander HARROUN [appointed September 30, 1867], and John A. LESAN [appointed December 2, 1867].

Judging by the frequent changes, it appears quite evident that postmaster in those good old days were men that the spoils of office could not corrupt and they evidently rendered service from a sense of public duty.

Mr. MILLER who succeeded Mr. DUNNING, resigned in the early part of the Civil war to enter the service of his country and was killed in action. His widow and son, Lee C. lived and died in Mount Ayr. Mr. MILLER was a brother of Ellis C. MILLER and the Mount Ayr G.A.R. Post was named in his [Ellis] honor.

D. C. KINSELL and his respected family have always occupied a large place in the business and social affairs of Mount Ayr. John McGAUGHEY was an uncle by marriage of Mrs. Julia BAILEY. Alexander HARROUN was an upstanding pioneer citizen and was the grandfather of W. T. HARROUN. David RITCHEY was the step-father of Major D. M. MARSHALL. John A. LESAN was a loved, respected and honored citizen of Mount Ayr.

The Gum Kirby Chapter
This brings us down to the seventies and eighties during the administrations of GRANT, HAYES, GARFIELD and the first term of Grover CLEVELAND. Acknowledgement is made to G. M. KIRBY for the history of this period. Here are his memories as written in a letter dated July 10, 1940:

"My earliest memory of Mount Ayr postmasters begins with John A. LESAN who had the office in a frame building on a lot south of the location of the Record-News office. At that time the mail reached Mount Ayr by stage from Keokuk via Decatur City. This stage line extended from Keokuk to the Missouri river through the southern tier of counties. The four horses used were exchanged every twelve miles. In 1868-69 we lived in the John ARMSTRONG property, built by my father, three blocks east of the square on Madison street, and our home was the east limit of the town and all east of this was open prairie and twice prairie fires came up to the road that runs north and south as it does today.

"The big thrill of the day to me, then a boy of six, was to climb onthe fence and watch that four-hours mail and passenger stage go by. With the establishment of this stage coach line mail was received in Mount Ayr six days each week instead of once a month. The speeding up process had commenced.

"My uncle, Geo. B. ROBY became the next postmaster and moved the office to his print shop where he issued the Ringgold Record over the Z. T. KINSELL hardware store located on the lot now the location of the PRENTIS Hatchery. When my uncle, W. S. BERKEY had the office, it was moved back to the LESAN building on depot street and the BERKEY family lived in the rear and I was often there and was permited to go behind the boxes. I noted the money was kept loose in a desk drawer. There was no hard money except pennies. It was all paper "shin plasters" in denominatin from 5-cents to 50-cents. I recall in the office front window one pane was replaced with a sheet of tin having a slot to receive mail.

"Day after day there appeared a shortage in the money drawer and suspicion pointed to some boys who were spending liberally for candy and tobacco. The boys were able to rob the till by taking out the tin window and putting a smaller boy through to rake in the small change. As susal the law administered a useful lesson to the culprits.

"It was during Mr. BERKEY's term of service that the C.B.&Q. [Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad] was extended from Burlington to Council Bluffs and with the completion of this line, Mount Ayr was served with mail by stage from Afton via Eugene."

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Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, March 28, 1991

AYR VIEWS
By Shirley Hickman

The Eighties and Gay Nineties
Henry C. MARKHAM was serving as postmaster in the year 1879 and our branch railroad was completed was completed the next spring to a point just north of Ben THOMPSON'S home. Mr. MARKHAM served as postmaster during the HAYES administration and the office was located in a frame building on the Dr. E. C. SHEUMAKER lot across the alley from the last location of the office.

Mr. MARKHAM was succeeded by Hon. Geo. S. ALLYN on March 27, 1879. This was after concluding his term of service as clerk of the district court. He resigned as postmaster after serving a year and two months to enter the banking and real estate business in partnership with Cal MORRIS. He was succeeded by his deputy, Wm. A. REGER.

At this time the office was moved to a larger fram building on a lot south of the city hall corner. [Mr. REGER'S] four year's administration brings us to the first CLEVELAND administration and for the first time since the Civil war, republican office holders were asked to take a walk. The rule of Andrew JACKSON that to the 'victors belong the spoils' was religiously adhered to.

A Democrat Takes The Reins
Samuel HENDERSON served for four years from 1886 to 1890. He was a loveable old character who moved to Mount Ayr to engage in the harness business. He was a soldier of both the Mexican and Civil wars. WHen he took the notion in his head that he wanted to be postmaster he did not waste time consulting with the local and state democratic bosses. Instead, he wrote to his old friend and neighbor Senator Isham H. HARRIS back in Tennessee advising him of his desire. The senator went at once to call on President Grover CLEVELAND and asked him for the appointment of his old friend. Of course the request was grant. Mr. HENDERSON moved the office to the west side of the square on the lot where Frank F. WILSON'S law office is now located.

Turning the Rascals Out
During this period of administration chades became more common in our political history. Hugh A. WHITE served the term as postmaster during the HARRISON administration and when Grover CLEVELAND staged his come-back four years later, Wm. A. TODD was appointed. Both of these postmasters were deservedly popular and served the patrons of the office with great efficiency. Mr. WHITE caused the office to be moved from the west side to its first brick building on the TIMBY lot, now occupied by the JOHNSON barber shop. Mr. TODD later moved the office to the I.O.O.F. building.

When the republicans were returned to power with the election of Wm. McKINLEY in 1896, Wm. A. DeLASHMUTT was named postmaster and he moved the office to the brick building he owned which is now occupied by the offices of the Iowa Southern Utilities Company. Here the office remained for twenty years.

At the end of four years more the appointment went to A. C. INGRAM who held the office for about two years when he resigned to re-enter buisness. James BEARD took charge of the office November 17, 1903 and served through the ROOSEVELT administrations. Mr. BEARD was a civil war veteran and was universally loved and respected. he had previously served as sheriff of the county and proved a courageous officer. It was during his administration that he selected Clarence E. HOLLOPETER for his assistant. Clarence lived with his parents in Mount Ayr, but Mr. BEARD discovered him in a one-room school house in District No. 4 of Tingley township where he was endeavoring to demonstrate to a future generaion the venerable and now almost obsolete theorum that two plus two equals four. He entered the service March 1, 1910 and was made assistant postmaster by appointment on September 1st of the same year. He has served the patrons of Mount Ayr postoffice faithfully and with rare efficiency during all of the intervening years. It was during Mr. BEARD'S administration that the old home-made fixtures were discarded and modern ones installed. Rural route service was also instituted at this time.

The World War Period
The next shift of postmasters occurred after Woodrow WILSON became president. John A. McNERNEY pulled the wires successfully and served for eight years of until June 3, 1924. This administration was thoroughly approved by the patrons of the office. it was during this time that the service was seized with growing pains. The office emerged from the 3rd to the 2nd class. Receipts of $8000.00 per annum are required for a second-class rating and this goal was reached on January 1, 1919 and the office attained to a civil service status. The work was very arduous during the war period with increasing duties and a limited clerical force, but long hours with pay for overtime, solved the problem until the advent of civil service.

More Changes of Base
Various locations of the post office have been noted. Another occurred during Mr. McNERNEY'S second term when the office was moved to the BARTOW building by reason of the need of more floor space. Again after the termination of a ten-year lease it was moved to the WILSON building and new fixtures were installed by the department. This completes the circuit of location around the square and side streets. These changes often resulted in much controversay.

Now that the office has been provided with a permanent home, moving from pillar to post will become a thing of the past.

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Creston News Advertiser
Creston, Union County, Iowa
Thursday, May 27, 1938

Site of New Mt. Ayr Postoffice
By Irene HOOD

The buildings which will be torn down for the site of the new Mt. Ayr $75,000 post office on the northwest corner of the square are Dr. J. W. HILL building which is occupied by the Ladies Toggery and in the rea Dr. HILL's office; TODD Hardware; E. S. SHEUMAKER'S veterinary office; and Harold DAVIS Garage. These businesses will move and the buildings will be razed. P. J. MaGATH is postmaster at Mount Ayr.

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Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa

AYR VIEWS
By Shirley Hickman

Parcel Post Office
An important improvement in the postal service was the inauguration of the parcel post system in 1913. After a long contest the monopoly of carrying packages was wrested from the express companies and the people were given this service at rates that were fair and equitable. This service brought the city to the country and the country to the city.

Free Rural Delivery
The Rural Free Delivery service was instituted in 1896 and today the service comprises some 33,000 carriers who travel a million miles daily. The first route from Mount Ayr was established September 2, 1902 with Ed WHITE as carrier. Willie W. POOR took over the route October 16, 1906 and has completed thirty-three years of service and is entitled to retirement. He is now serving on R.F.D. No. 2. His friends are numbered by all of his acquaintances. Four other routes were afterward established and the farmers were given service for about 12 miles in every direction from Mount Ayr. The old horse-drawn route was about 25 miles in length. Since the advent of the auto the routes have been reduced to four wihtout any curtailment in the service.

Pointing With Pride
The department can point with pride to the service record of the 22 postmasters who have served this community in the 85 years that have passed since the office was established. The average tenure of each postmaster has been about four years. Many of the changes were brought about by resignation, none by death, and the most of them were due to the fortunes of politics. In all of this time no postmaster has been removed for malfeasance in office and each and every postmaster has rendered a true and accurate account of his stewardship. It is an enviable record of faithful and conscientious public service, and deserved to be recorded as a historical fact.

The Speeding Up Process
During the time of the Mount Ayr post office the country has witnessed an undreamed of development in rapid transit facilities. First our mail was brought on horseback once a month. The four-hourse stage coach, in the old steam boat and river packet gaveus mail from Keokuk when that town seemed destined to outrival Chicago in importance. It was during this period that the pony express was established between St. Joe and San Francisco. It took 75 ponies and 10 1/2 days to make the trip to the coast, and a maximum speed of 7 days and 17 hours was finally attained. At first the charge for carrying a letter was $5.00, but it was afterwards reduced to $1.00. To-day a letter mailed from San Francisco and sent by air mail at a cost of six cents will be delivered in Mount Ayr in 23 hours.

With the advent of the Burlington road at Afton in 1868 we were still dependent on stage coach facilities until the completion of the Burlington branch from Chariton to Mount Ayr, inthe spring of 1880. Later the C.G.W. [Chicago Great Western] was built through the county and star route service was installed from Benton. During the eighties [1880's] the railroads competed for mail contracts, a speed of a mile a minute being required under the contracts with the post office department.

It is less than fifteen years since the first air-mail letter was received at the post office and the event called for an item in the Record-News. Soon afterwards Colonel [Charles] LINDBERGH thrilled the nation by flying across the Atlantic in his epoch making adventure. Then came the rapid development of air mail service and these routes now traverse the continent and extend to South American neighbors and across the seas. In the slowing down of our railroad service the motor bus has come to the rescue to give Mount Ayr postal facilities comparable with all our county seat towns.

Transcriptions and notes by Sharon R. Becker, May of 2010

Mount Ayr Post Masters
 

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