1838-1938
| West Liberty History 1838-1938 | |
Source: One Hundred Years of History
* Commemorating a Century of Progress in the West Liberty Community * WEST LIBERTY, IOWA
UNITED STATES POST OFFICE Records of the Post Office department indicate the Post Office at West Liberty, Muscatine County, Wisconsin Territory, was established March 24, 1838, with Francis Foote as the first postmaster, and was located at or near the southwest corner of section 1, township 78 N range 4-W near the present intersection where North Point Inn is located, and was known as Old Liberty.
During the fall of 1838, the darkest days ever experienced by the infant settlement owing to famine and disease, Mr. Foote died and the records indicate that Peter Heath, who operated the first general store, acted as postmaster until the appointment of William A. Clark, August 21, 1839, and at that time the office was changed into the Iowa Territory. There were only eight families living here at that time.
Mr. Heath's sons, Joseph A. and John E. who reside in West Liberty at this time, tell the interesting story of their father carrying the mail in his hat and upon seeing patrons for whom mail was intended could easily distribute same.
John H. Heath, a grandson of Peter Heath, is now employed in the local postoffice and will soon have completed twenty years of service. In the distribution of mails during this early period Mr. George J. Bowlsby, grandfather of former postmaster A. L. Richards, had an important part. Mr. Bowlsby carried the mail by horseback from Bloomington, now Muscatine, through West Liberty to Iowa City, making one trip daily.
Simon A. Bagley received his appointment as postmaster March 3, 1840. Asa Gregg who had much to do with the early settlement and development of this township was appointed August 9, 1841 and Freeman Alger March, 23, 1846. The Registry System was inaugurated at all post offices in the United States on July 1, 1855.
With the coming of the railroad in 1855, we find the new town laid out at its present location and the next postmaster Isaac D. Vore, who received his appointment November 17, 1857. Skilman Alger succeeded him July 11, 1859. He was followed by Samuel W. Sedgewick May 29, 1861. The office was then located near the present Ditmars-Kerr corner.
August 1, 1870, the Money Order business was established and on the following day at the local office the first money order was issued for Lemuel J. Platter to J. Schuberk & Co. of New York for $ 1.25, fee 10c. At that time the office was located in the building west of Richard Brooke's present law office and was known as the Childs building. James A. Ball was the postmaster. He received his appointment March 23, 1866.
Jonathan Maxson followed on February 24, 1875, the office then being in the Polders building, which is now occupied by the Wulf Shoe Store. On April 25 1877 Thomas P. Mitchell took the office and it was then located in the Chesebrough building where Irey & Nichols are now located. It remained there through the appointments of Nicholas Stanton May 5, 1887 and Jonathan Maxson April 16, 1899.
When Nicholas C. Stanton received his appointment, June 11, 1894, the office was moved to the old Masonic Temple building at the southwest corner of Third and Calhoun, where it remained until December 14, 1937, where the following postmasters received their commissions: Benjamin A. Nichols, May 28, 1898; A. W. Jackson, March 16, 1910; Samuel W. Koster, March 9, 1914; Albert L. Richards (acting), August 31, 1922; ALbert L. Richards, February 24, 1923; Lindley L. Birkett, January 12, 1932; Harry F. Lewis (acting) February 1, 1936; Harry F. Lewis, April 3, 1936.
After a great deal of effort and expense on the part of postmaster Lewis and by the labor and untiring work of Congressman Edward C. Eicher, the Fourth Assistant Postmaster General granted permission to move the office to the Iowa State Bank Building, now known as the Kimball building, where better fire and burglary protection, more sanitary and adequate quarters were afforded, allowing for the steady growth and development of the postal business. The office was moved on Sunday, December 13, 1937. and the following morning was ready for business.
Before the day of the Rural Free Delivery, a cross country mail route was operated by Ed Gregg with A. L. Sissel as substitute, starting at West Liberty, thence to Springdale, Pedee, then to Rochester, where horses were changed and on to Tipton, driving this route one day and returning the next.
The Rural Free Delivery service was established at West Liberty, August 14, 1900 with two carriers, M. Robert Klotz and James Vore. Klotz was later succeeded by Charles Hessel and Charles Templeman. Vore was succeeded by " Doc " Benchler, then on August 20, 1901 by Lewis Webster, now retired and residing here. Later as the Rural System developed, it became necessary to establish four routes, which later were consolidated into three when motor driven vehicles were available. The rural carriers at this time are Paul J. Angerer, Carroll R. Preiss, and Jay L. Duncan. The Post Office force at the present time are Harry F. Lewis, postmaster, Edward M. Bowman, assistant postmaster, John H. Heath, clerk, Rodger Johnston, assistant clerk, with Frank Horn messenger and Robert Jack, special delivery messenger.
The village carrier system was established during the term of A. W. Jackson, the late Mansell Phillips was an early carrier, the system has been greatly enlarged in the last few years with George J. Harney as City Carrier and John E. Howard as assistant.
Two star routes originate from this office. James Sloan is the carrier on the one to Nichols and thence to Lone tree. George G. Carpenter is the other carrier on the route between West Liberty and Muscatine. Both star routes are traversed daily.
Present employees of the Rail Way Mail Service residing in West Liberty are: R. O. Marsteller, H. V. Kerr, R. A. Aikins, George P. Nichols, Ivan Luse, F. W. Johnston, J. R. Boos, M. A. Campbell, and Charles J. Nartman.
Some of our former mail service residents were: Kason Miller, Arthur Barnes, Walter Protzman, Charles Worell, M. L. Eby, Wm. Bush, Ray Griffith, Harry Tullis, Garfield Hill, Frank Thomas, Robert Harney, Thorn Henderson, Waldo Myers, Joe Howard, Arthur Brown, Bert Hardin, Ray Hazlett, with those now deceased. Merrill Purvis, H. W. Hughes, C. G. Pratt, Will G. Baxter, Will Protzman, and B. W. Rowlen.
