USA > Vermont > Rutland County > History of Rutland County, Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 95
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The office at North Sherburne was established more than twenty years ago. 1 .1. Moss now officiates as postmaster there.
Mercanti.c. - There is but one store in town, that kept by Frank Spaul- ding. Hle began trading here in 1883, having succeeded Clayton Woodbury, Way of Rutland. Woodbury's predecessor was Frank Derby; and Derby's wah Augustus Slack. A. D. Estabrook and Mr. Macomber were successors ih the old Union store. This American Protective Union, Division 719, was an unusual success. It continued nearly eleven years, until about 1860. Its Blircess has been happily attributed largely to the honesty and integrity of its agent, Otis Walker, and the uniform and harmonious management of the Glycers. The same board of directors officiated from the beginning to the Close, excepting the substitution of Silas Colton in the place of Anson Wheeler, who removed from town. The directors were: John Johnson, president ;
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TOWN OF SHERBURNE.
Warner Bates, vice-president; L. H. Hodgman, recording-financial secretary ; Daniel W. Taylor, treasurer ; Richard Estabrook and Silas Colton. The twenty-four members each received $140 for three dollars initiation fee, no dividends being made, nor assessments levied, until the business was closed.
Manufacturing Interests. - Milo J. Moore's saw-mill, and stretcher and bowl lathe, situated on Quechee River, in the extreme south part of the town, was built in 1858 by J. P. and B. Wood. They subsequently sold to Mr. Moore. Hamilton Spafford made clothes-pins in part of the mill for several years until 1865. Thomas P. Haywood also made buckets there at one time. Owen W. Bates's saw-mill on Roaring Brook was erected about twenty-five years ago. It is not running at the present writing. Charles C. Willard's saw and grist-mill on Roaring Brook was built about 1865. It is not now running. A. D. Estabrooks's saw and shingle-mill was erected in 1873. The stone dam which furnishes it with water-power was severely damaged by a freshet in the summer of 1885. Isaac A. Morse's saw and planing-mill, at North Sherburne, was built in the year 1874, and was enlarged and furnished with steam power in 1880. Frank Durkee, of Pittsfield, has been operating the mill for the past three years. Levi A. Willard's saw-mill on Roaring Brook was built by him in 1872. It is now operated by Frank Robinson. Russell Madden's chair- stock factory, so called from its builder, was erected in 1876. Silas A. Colton purchased it from him in 1884. D. M. White & Co's. steam saw- mill, owing to a scarcity of timber, is now operated but a little. It is the property of F. Chaffee & Son, of Rutland. Levi A. Willard also owns and operates a steam saw-mill which he built in the spring of 1882. Charles P. Harris, of Rutland, owns a steam saw-mill in the west part of the town, near the stage road, which was built several years ago, and is now operated by Mr. Steinburg. The Killington mill, run by steam and owned by F. Chaffee & Son, of Rut- land, was built in 1884 for them by Frank Plumley, who operates it. There is no grist-mill in town, the grinding being done by Pittsfield and Bridgewater mills. John H. Dutton, shoemaker, harness-maker, tailor, stone and brick- mason, carpenter and joiner, wheelwright and wagon-maker, was born at Cavendish, Vt., July 13, 1834. He came to Sherburne March 12, 1847. He has never been married. He is a natural mechanic. He built the house he lives in and the one occupied by Frank Robinson. He is now engaged in piecing a bed-quilt which will contain 127,000 pieces. It is about half done at this writing, and is a marvel of patient and ingenious workmanship.
Ecclesiastical .- The Union Church was organized in 1840, by Rev. Noah Johnson, who was the first settled minister in town. The original member- ship numbered about twenty-five. The number has increased to about fifty. The church edifice was built in 1840 at a cost of about $1,000. Preaching in the summer of 1885 was by a Congregational student, Harvey P. Powers. There is no regular pastor here at present.
51
802
HISTORY OF RUTLAND COUNTY.
The present officers of the town of Sherburne are as follows : Moderator of meeting, E. S. Colton ; town clerk, C. W. Adams ; selectmen, E. W. Prior, P. E. Lewis, Jehial Webb ; overseer of the poor, A. W. Estabrooks ; constable and collector of taxes, J. E. Davis ; listers, E. S. Colton, Levi D. Wilson, O. L. Webb; auditors, John Johnson, H. O. Neil, E. Z. Dutton ; trustee of pub- lic money, A. T. Estabrooks; town grand jurors, E. Z. Dutton, A. F. Esta- brooks ; inspector of leather, J. H. Dutton ; pound-keepers, A. F. Estabrooks, J. E. Davis ; surveyor of wood and inspector of lumber and shingles, L. A. Willard ; town agent, A. F. Estabrooks; county grand jurors, A. T. Esta- brooks, H. H. Spaulding, Benjamin Maxham ; petit jurors, R. L. Madden, H. R. Merrill, James A. Bates, G. L. Estabrooks, L. A. Willard, Leonard Cum- mings.
The following are figures indicating the changes in population : 1791, 32; 1800, 90; 1810, 116; 1820, 154; 1830, 452; 1840, 498; 1850, 578 ; 1860, 523 ; 1870, 462 ; 1880, 450.
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF SHREWSBURY.
HREWSBURY is situated in the eastern part of Rutland county, and is S bounded on the north by Mendon and Sherburne, on the east by Plym- outh, on the south by Mount Holly and Wallingford, and on the west by Clar- endon. It lies on the Green Mountains, the eastern part of the town being especially elevated. Shrewsbury Peak, one of the highest of the Green Moun- tains, pushes its verdant head some 4,000 feet above sea level. The soil is fertile, and is well adapted to wheat, oats and potatoes. It has attained well- earned fame for the excellence of its dairy products, Shrewsbury butter bring- ing as good a price as that of any town in Vermont. The natural drainage and water privileges of the town are unusually good. Mill River flows through the southwestern part, and Cold River through the northern part of the town. Roaring Brook, one of the largest tributaries of Black River, rises on the moun- tain near the farm of John Russell, flows easterly through a deep gorge in the mountain to the Black River at Plymouth. Sargent Brook and Gould Brook are tributaries of Cold River. Near the mouth of the latter tributary is a min- eral spring, called Sulphur Spring, which has been used for medical purposes. The timber is chiefly beech, birch, maple, hemlock and spruce, with a little balsam and black ash.
The old Crown Point road ran through the south part of the town, over the hill by the present residence of Lyman Beverstock, and out by Willard Smith's.
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TOWN OF SHREWSBURY.
Shrewsbury was chartered on the 4th of September, 1761, by Benning Wentworth, governor of New Hampshire, under George III, to Samuel Ashley and sixty- three others, only one of whom ever settled in town. Its organiza- tion was not effected until March 20, 1781. The town still retains its original limits except one square mile taken from Plymouth, Windsor county, and an- nexed to Shrewsbury, October 21, 1823.
The first man that moved into town was the illiterate and eccentric but intelligent Captain Lemuel White, who came from Rockingham, Vt., in 1777, and cleared the farm now owned and occupied by Willard Smith. Here he built the first house in town. He was captain of the first militia, kept the first tavern, was the first representative, and yet could neither read nor write. His reply to a Mr. Aldrich, who had sent to borrow his harrow, was that if Mr. Aldrich would bring his land where the harrow was he might use it. The British at one time, while on a foraging expedition, turned their horses in his wheat field. It was in his house that the charter meeting of the town was held, when he was chosen moderator. He was one of the principal parties to the first wedding that occurred in town, July 23, 1778, when Zilpha Bowdish became his wife. The first birth that occurred in town was that of his daughter Anna, on the 15th day of August, 1779. He died in March, 1813, of the epidemic which prevailed at that time.
Nehemiah Smith and his sons, Nathan, William and Job, came from Smith- field, R. I., in 1780, and settled on land embracing the present farm of Solon Smith. Their advent here, like that of nearly all the early settlers, was at- tended with perils and hardships which can with difficulty be appreciated now. This family were glad of the shelter afforded by a great rock until they had erected their log house. Then while they were clearing a space for cultivation and waiting for the grain to ripen, they subsisted solely by making potash and burning charcoal, which they carried to Troy, seventy-five miles distant, on horseback, and exchanged for grain.
Ziba Aldrich settled in Shrewsbury also in 1780, beginning near the farm now owned by Amos Pratt, on Mill River. This was the fourth family that came to town. In 1780, too, Jeffrey A. Barney came from Richmond, N. H., and settled on Mill River, on a tract embracing the present farm of David Waterman. Mrs. Barney traveled this distance on horseback, and her hus- band on foot, driving two cows.
Benedict Webber and his family began a settlement in Shrewsbury, in 1780. His mother, Mrs. William Webber, died on the 9th of April, 1782, from falling into a fire-place and being burned.
Uriah Cook, a Revolutionary soldier, came here from Richmond, Mass., in 1780, and cleared the farm now occupied by Jerome Atwood. His son, Hiram Cook, occupied the farm until his death, September 19, 1884. He left three children, still residents of Shrewsbury, Daniel Cook, Harriet, wife of Jonah
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HISTORY OF RUTLAND COUNTY.
S. Aldrich, and Elvira S., wife of Jerome Atwood. David Holden, another early settler, came at an early date on to the farm now owned by S. F. Smith.
John Kilburn, a surveyor, migrated to Shrewsbury in 1785, from Walpole, N. H. In 1789 he was elected town clerk and remained in the office for forty consecutive years. It is said that during the Revolutionary War, he, with his wife, son and daughter, successfully resisted an attack of nearly four hundred Indians on their New Hampshire home. In 1836 he removed to Canton, St. Lawrence county, N. Y., where he died at an advanced age. So highly was he esteemed in Shrewsbury that at the March meeting held in Shrewsbury in 1878, it was voted that a set of marble head stones be erected above his grave in Canton, at the expense of the town of Shrewsbury. The vote was carried out to the letter.
Philip Billings came to Shrewsbury in October, 1783, from Sunderlin, Mass., and settled on the farm recently owned by Enoch Smith, of Clarendon. He was a Revolutionary soldier, and resided in town until his death in Octo- ber, 1808. The house which he built in 1794 is still standing.
Willard Colburn came from Dedham, Mass., in 1790, and cleared and oc- cupied the farm now owned by David C. Colburn, his great-grandson. Nathan Russell moved from Barry, Mass., in 1786, to the farm now owned by William Russell. He died in 1856, at the age of ninety-two years, eighteen children surviving him.
Phileman Adams, in 1792, came from Medway, Mass., upon the farm now owned by Perrin Johnson.
Benjamin Needham came very early from Billerica, Mass. He and his de- scendants have shown themselves to be a family of soldiers. He was a soldier in the Revolution ; his sons, Benjamin and Joseph, and a grandson, Benjamin, took active part in the war of 1812; another grandson, Horace, died while in service in the Mexican War; while his three great-grandsons, Benjamin, Joseph and Horace, were all engaged in the Civil War, Horace meeting his death in action at Richmond, Va.
Jacob Guild, of Walpole, N. H., and a Mr. Morse, of Medway, Mass., in the year of 1795, came on foot from their respective homes, and cleared land embracing the present possessions of N. J. Aldrich & Co. in the northeast part of the town. Captain Anderson came from Lunenburgh, Mass., in 1785 ; Samuel Dennis came from Hardwick, Mass., about the same time. James Rob- inson kept the first store in town on the premises now occupied by Alvin Ald- rich. Job Buckmaster, Martin Dawson, Abram Gibson, Ephraim Pierce and Moses Colburn were also among the pioneer inhabitants of Shrewsbury.
Four Kingsley brothers came to America in the eighteenth century and set- tled in Hartford, Conn. Salmon Kingsley came to Rutland county about 1775 or 1780 and took up his residence in Ira. He afterwards removed to Michigan, where he died in 1828. His sons were William, Joseph, Chester, Salmon,
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TOWN OF SHREWSBURY.
Dennis, Orrin and Hiram. Chester lived for a time in Burlington, but came to Shrewsbury in 1812. He was a clothier and wool-carder, and had a shop near the Clarendon line. He had nine sons, two of whom, Horace and Har- rison, live in Clarendon, one, Henry, lives in Middlebury, Chester lives in Salis- bury, Amos lives at Long Lake, Wis., Harvey lives in Rutland, at the age of seventy-eight years, and three are dead. He also had seven daughters, two of whom now live in Brandon. (See biographical sketch of L. G. Kingsley, of Rutland, in later pages.)
The first school-house was built of logs, and stood in the woods near the site of Willard Smith's residence. The first saw-mill and grist-mill were on the farm now owned by Webb Sinclair and were carried away by a freshet in July, 1811.
Perhaps the most prominent of all the early settlers, and certainly the one most clearly remembered, was Nathan Finney. He was born on the 28th of June, 1858, probably in Massachusetts, and was the fifth man who made Shrewsbury his home. For a good many years he kept tavern on the farm now owned by Amos Pratt. He built the first framed house in town. His death occurred in 1813. Neighbors of his were Doctor Asahel Holton, a son- in-law, who resided, however, in the middle of the town; Captain Calvin Robinson and Martin Robinson, who lived about half a mile above Finney's, and Captain Lemuel White, already mentioned.
Levi Finney, son of Nathan Finney, born August 20, 1787, married Orpha Clark May 28, 1813, and succeeded his father in the old tavern in the same year. This was a famous place in its day, as the following well-written ex- tract from the Vermont Tribune will testify. The author is Mr. L. Dawley, a resident of Cuttingsville : -
" There is probably no place in town where so much convivial enjoyment has been indulged in as at what was once known as the old Finney Tavern. We remember over half a century ago the sign with the square and compass and other emblamatical designs glittering in the sunshine of this ancient hos- telry. The place was known from the Canadian provinces to Boston, and was a home for the weary traveler, and a resort for pleasure seekers and invalids in search of health. Colonel Finney, the proprietor, was far above the medioc- rity of men, affable, jovial, of fine physique, a man of full habits and liberal indulgences, which called around him a large circle of friends. Two or three four-house coaches called daily at the door, the stables afforded room for at least one hundred horses, and were often filled. Immense droves of cattle were driven over the road from Northern New York and the lake towns to Bos- ton markets, and, stopping over night at this old stand, would litterly cover the meadows and hill sides with lowing herds. But those 'good old times' are gone. Mails, passengers, freights and live-stock are now rushed by like the wind by steam. The old inn has been demolished (at least portions of it) and
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HISTORY OF RUTLAND COUNTY.
a commodious farm-house stands in its place. The worshipers of Bacchus no longer assemble there, the jovial song and the merry raps of the toddy-stick are heard no more. This valuable old farm is now owned by Amos Pratt, esq., was purchased by him at $14,000, the highest price ever paid for a farm in town. It is one mile below the village."
The first town meeting was held on the 20th of March, 1781, and the fol- lowing persons chosen first officers : Lemuel White, moderator ; Aaron Esty, town clerk ; Lemual White, Samuel Benton, and Nehemiah Smith, selectmen ; Benedict Webber, treasurer; Zebediah Green, constable; Samuel Benton, Joseph Randall, William Smith, listers ; Samuel Benton, grand juror.
From this time on the town began to increase in population, so that by 1791 it numbered 383, and by 1800 had grown to the number of 748. One of the most prominent of the immigrants was Stephen Gleason, who was born in Worcester, Mass., January 9, 1783, and came here from Petersham, Mass., in 1807. He settled in the middle of the town on the farm still owned by his son, H. C. Gleason. Stephen Gleason was undoubtedly the first postmaster in town, receiving the appointment as early as 1811. He remained in this office until as late as 1846. He died on the 19th of September, 1853.
In 1810 the population of the town had still further increased to 990, in 1830 to 1, 149, in 1830 to 1,289, and in 1840 it decreased to 1,218.
This town suffered severely from the epidemic which raged with such fury in 1813. Nathan Finney, Esquire Marsh, Doctor Asahel Holton and others, all died of it.
Mrs. Lydia Meech, daughter of Nathan Finney, in an article contributed to the Vermont Historical Gasetteer, thus describes its works : " I was married at this time and lived in Glens Falls, N. Y. Father died of the epidemic March 29, 1813. It was the time of the breaking up of the ice. We went, my husband and I, in a gig, and men came out at Castleton to help us ford the stream. When we arrived it was a terrible time in Shrewsbury ; many heads of families had died, all of the town was in sorrow. How we sat down and talked about it and wept ; the frightful disease smote not only in Vermont but in New York State also. The heads of a family just below us at Glens Falls both died of it. . . Dr. Holton, who had married my sister, for six weeks slept only in his arm chair. He kept several horses and always one har- nessed. He at length took it. His wife wanted to send to Wallingford for Dr. Fox. 'No,' said he, 'I know all about the disease; it will do no good.' She sent, however, for Dr. Porter, of Rutland, but he lived but a day and a half after he was taken."
In the dark days of 1861-65, when treason threw off its disguise and en- deavored openly to dismember the Union, Vermont, in common with other Northern States, and Shrewsbury in common with the other towns in Vermont, poured fourth her best blood and money with a lavish patriotism. The names of the following men who were soldiers from this town have been preserved :-
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TOWN OF SHREWSBURY.
Volunteers for three years credited previous to the call for 300,000 volun- teers of October 17, 1863. - Orlando E. Adams, Duane C. Barney, 7th regt .; Oliver Barrett, Joseph Belney, 9th regt .; George P. Bixby, Peter Brady, 5th regt .; Nathan L. Brown, Edward R. Caswell, co. C, 4th regt .; William E. Cas- well, co. G, 7th regt .; Nathan Deforge, William A. Dodge, co. B, 9th regt .; William Fisher, John Flanagan, 5th regt .; Dwight C. Gould, co. C, 4th regt .; Nathan W. Hewitt, co. I, 5th regt .; Hollis K. Holden, 7th regt .; Squire H. Hol- den, co. C, 10th regt .; George M. Huntoon, co. C, 4th regt .; John Huntoon, co. C, Ioth regt .; Hiram J. Huntoon, co. I, 5th regt .; Newton R. Johnson, co. C, 4th regt .; John Leonard, George H. Lewis, co. H, 2d regt .; William H. Lord, Charles S. Monroe, co. G, 5th regt .; Peter Madeline, 9th regt .; Elijah Needham, Joseph Needham, co. C, 4th regt .; Archibald M. Persons, co. I, 5th regt .; George P. Phalon, co. I, 7th regt .; Eli J. Pierce, co. C, 4th regt .; Peter Poacher, co. B, 9th regt .; George Puffer, Robert P. Ripley, James B. Royce, co. 1, 7th regt .; Thomas Ripley, 9th regt .; John Smalley, James R. Wilson, co. B, 2d regt.
Credits under call of October 17, 1863, for 300,000 volunteers and subse- quent calls. Volunteers for three years. - Edward Armstrong, Benjamin E. Crapo, John Crapo. 11th regt .; Josiah W. Crapo, co. H, cav .; Alfred Desan- tells, Florence Driscoll, 11th regt .; David Headle, Levi Headle, co. E, 2d s. s .; John Johnson, William Mandigo, John McClay, 11th regt .; William Rix, co. I, 17th regt .; Curren A. Shippee, Henry A. Starkey, co. H, cav .; John Thomas, 10th regt .; Rufus M. White, co. E, 2d s. s.
Volunteers for one year. - Francis Belony, Orrin B. Cook, co. B, 9th regt .; William H. H. Cummings, co. K, 9th regt .; Albert Knight, co. I, 7th regt .; Daniel Patch, co. K, 9th regt .; Converse T. Trask, co. B, 9th regt .; James R. Wilson, co. B, 2d regt .; Henry S. York, co. B, 9th regt.
Volunteers re-enlisted. - George P. Bixby, William Caswell, William Fisher, Mortimer K. Headle, James R. Martin, George P. Phalon, John Pratt. Not credited by name, two men.
Volunteers for nine months. - Nye J. Allen, Francis Bellamy, Thomas Cal- lahan, Oren P. Cook, Benjamin E. Crapo, Luther R. Dyke, Francis Fish, George W. Foster, John Gilman, jr., Archibald Hanley, Calvin B. Jewett, John B. Johnson, George W. Kinsman, Richard Marshall, Benjamin B. Needham, Isaac Needham, Edwin Pierce, George D. Pierce, Newton Pratt, William L. Pratt, Walter G. Sawyer, William D. Sherman, Almore E. Walker, Henry L. York, 14th regt.
Furnished under draft and paid commutation. - Bradford B. Aldrich, Jasper Aldrich, Truman Aldrich, Franklin M. Plumley, Ira A. Russell, Lyman A. Russell, Harvey Saunders, Nathaniel Spafford, jr., Bensley Twining, Volney W. Waterman.
Procured substitutes. - Simon Gould, James Rodgers, Croman A. Shippee, Ephraim S. Smith, Henry A. Waterman.
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HISTORY OF RUTLAND COUNTY.
The population of Shrewsbury has varied as shown by the following fig- ures : 1791, 383 ; 1800, 748; 1810, 990; 1820, 1,149; 1830, 1,289; 1840, 1,218; 1850, 1,268 ; 1860, 1, 175 ; 1870, 1,145 ; 1880, 1,235.
Ecclesiastical. - The first minister of the gospel who resided in Shrewsbury was Rev. Moses Winchester, who was born in Westmoreland, N. H., March I, 1798, and came here when he was eighteen years of age. Although not pos- sessed of a theological education, he was an earnest Christian, and a fervent preacher. Being the first resident clergyman in town he drew the ministerial land. He won the affections of the people here, notwithstanding his many pe- culiarities. At one time while visiting at the house of a neighbor, the hostess, as they sat down to tea, apologetically remarked that she had nothing fit to eat, whereupon Mr. Winchester, to her consternation, replied that if she had nothing fit to eat, he would eat nothing, and left the table. He died March 6, 1868.
The first church edifice erected in town was the Universalist Church at the middle of the town, which was built in 1805, on the site of the present meet- ing-house. The Universalist society was organized there in 1807 by John Kil- burn, jr. The membership numbers about twenty-five.
A Christian church was organized at North Shrewsbury, November 9, 1822, by a council of forty-two, of which Pearl Parker and Jonah Aldrich were members. Rev. Noah Johnson was the first pastor. They erected a meeting- house in 1840 at a cost, including grounds and all, not exceeding $1,000. It will comfortably seat 300 persons. They were aided in the building of this edifice by the Universalists in town. The church building is now occupied by the second Advent Church which was organized April 19, 1877, by Rev. W. I. Blanchard, the first pastor. The present membership of this organization is just thirty, and the average attendance at Sunday-school is twenty-five. Rev. George F. Earle, of North Springfield, Vt., preaches every other Sunday. The present church officers are W. Guild, clerk; L. E. Lord, treasurer ; Daniel Balch and L. E. Lord, committee to secure preaching.
The Union Church of Cuttingsville was organized in 1842 by the Baptist and Congregational members of the community, who at once, under the pasto- rate of Rev. M. A. Wicker, erected the house of worship still in use. They were barely able to sustain themselves until 1859, when the trustees gave the Methodists permission to occupy the church premises, and the Methodist Church was consequently organized. The present pastor is the Rev. W. W. Gillis, and the Sabbath-school superintendent is Miss H. M. Crowley. The average at- tendance at Sabbath-school is about twenty.
Following are the town officers of Shrewsbury, elected in March, 1885 : Town clerk and treasurer, E. O. Aldrich ; selectmen, C. C. Holden, E. W. Al- drich, L. W. Beverstock ; constable, D. E. Aldrich ; superintendent of schools, Mrs. G. J. Crowley ; listers, W. L. Bucklin, A. W. Aldrich, Amos Pratt; over-
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TOWN OF SHREWSBURY.
seer of the poor, WV. L. Bucklin ; agent to prosecute and defend suits in which the town is interested, C. C. Holden.
MUNICIPAL HISTORY.
There is in town but one village of importance, viz., Cuttingsville, although there is a settlement called Northam, or North Shrewsbury, four miles north- east from Cuttingsville, which contains one store, a saw-mill and a church, and another at the middle of the town, so called, or Shrewsbury post-office.
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