USA > Wisconsin > Grant County > History of Grant County, Wisconsin, preceded by a history of Wisconsin > Part 131
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The present board is made up of Robert Chandler, Director; E. Carrington, Treasurer, and W. A. Thompson, Clerk.
Religious .- Religious services of the Methodist faith were held in early days in the log tavern adjoining the Leadbetter farm, being used for sacred, as also caravansary purposes. Afterward, church was had in private residences, the old fort, and finally, in the several school- houses which have been raised in the village. This was the case until the present Methodist
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HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY.
Church edifice was erected some years ago, since when, it has been occupied for church pur- poses. The Rev. J. V. Bachman is the Pastor at present in charge.
Montfort Cemetery Association-Was organized in June, 1858, when G. Hess, W. O. Thomas, S. D. Green and Edward Bell were elected Trustees. Soon after, they purchased half an acre of ground from Peter Dewill, which was laid out, fenced and otherwise prepared for burial purposes.
The first interment made in these grounds, was that of Margaret, wife of F. McSpaden, her funeral occurring on the 21st of June, 1858. Since that event, numerous "storied urns " and marble headstones have been raised above the verdure and blossoms, to mark the spot where loved ones sleep, awaiting the summons that shall quicken them into life once more, on the shores of the Beautiful River.
During late years, the association has made additions to the original tract, and concluded needed improvements. The affairs of the cemetery are intrusted to a Board of Trustees com- posed of G. Hess, E. Carrington and G. T. Kendrick.
The Post Office .- The first attempt at supplying the inhabitants of Montfort and the sur- rounding country with mail facilities was during the vear 1828, or thereabouts, when Daniel Durnell carried the mail from Mineral Point to Blue River, the post office at the latter point being Centerville. In time the same was changed to Montfort, where it was located under the care of D. S. Benner, it is believed, or Robert Langley. In 1854, S. D. Green succeeded to the trust, establishing the office in his store, where he continued to discharge the duties of the office until 1863. In that year, W. O. Thomas was appointed and served two years, when Mr. Green again took charge, remaining the recipient of Executive confidence four years. At the expiration of that period, W. O. Thomas was once more invested with authority, which he exer- cised until his death in 1873, since which event J. A. Thomas has officiated.
A daily mail from Galena, Woodman and Muscoda is distributed at the Montfort office.
The Montfort Independent-A folio of twenty-eight columns, edited and published by W. A. Thompson, was born March 31, 1881, and though yet an infant gives promise of strength and influence with each succeeding number. Personally, politically, and as the medium for a dissemination of news, the paper, as its title would indicate, aims to cultivate the independent features of journalism, and as such has become a many-winged messenger to the homes of sub- scribers, exerting a general influence, and imparting useful and beneficent knowledge of men and measures.
With the issue of May 26, 1881, the name of the paper was changed to that of the Mont- fort and Fennimore Independent, the design being to extend the benefits of its publication to the flourishing village of Fennimore.
The paper is issued weekly on Thursdays, enjoys a circulation of 500 copies, and is valued at $1,000.
Montfort Lodge, No. 107, I. O. G. T .- Was first organized December 15, 1873, and was conducted until July 31, 1880, when it lapsed and was reduced to a condition of quiescence that at the time seemed hopeless. Meetings had been convened at irregular intervals in the hall over the People's Store during its earlier experience, but the attendance gradually diminished, the spirit of temperance seemed to have departed, and, as already stated, they were finally abandoned entirely.
During the succeeding winter, however, the question of a revival of the Lodge was agitated, and the desire that the same should be accomplished found frequent expression. Finally a meet- ing was convened at the Methodist Church, on the evening of February 19, 1881, at which the initiatory steps to resume service were taken, culminating in the re-organization of the Lodge with twenty-two members, and the following officers : J. A. Jeffrey, W. C. T .; Miss Delia Parish, W. V. T .; Louis Grossenburg and Miss Etta Hess, Secretaries ; Miss Anna Boulder, Treasurer ; Frank Bell, Marshal ; Miss Nellie Bernard, Guard ; Benjamin Jenkins, Sentinel ; R. H. Palmer, Chaplain, and W. J. Gordon, P. W. C. T.
Since that date, the Lodge has increased its membership to fifty, and meetings are held weekly, on Saturday nights, in the hall of Bunt's Building.
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HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY.
The present officers are : J. A. Jeffrey, W. C. T .; Miss Anna Straw, W. V. T .; Jasper Palmer and Miss Etta Hess, Secretaries ; Miss Allie Bachman, W. T .; F. Parish, W. M .; C. James, W. C., and Miss Jennie Bernard and G. G. Palmer, Guards.
Ferrin Lodge, No. 165, A., F. ยง A. M .- During the year 1866. upon the petition of S. A. Ferrin, M. D., and others, of the village of Montfort and vicinity, a dispensation was granted under and by which the present lodge was worked. This continued for the space of a year, at the conclusion of which period the lodge was duly organized under a charter bearing date June 11. 1867, with the following officers : S. A. Ferrin, W. M .; E. T. Comfort, S. W .; G. Hess, J. W .; James Chandler, Secretary ; Edward Bell, Treasurer ; Samuel Taylor, S. D .; Marion Sylvester, J. D., and Martin Van Buren, Tiler.
Regular meetings were convened in the second story of a vacant building in the western part of the village, where proceedings were conducted until 1869. In October of that year, the soci- ety erected a hall on Main street, which was completed and dedicated the same year, and has since been occupied. The building is of frame, 20x40, with a hall 20x33, substantially con- structed and handsomely furnished, and cost a total of $1,500.
The present membership numbers forty-seven, and the official roster is made up of: D. T. Stephens, W. M .; O. P. Comfort, S. W .; George P. Smith, J. W .; O. P. David, Treasurer ; James S. Chandler, Secretary ; W. H. Van Dusen, S. D .; John Bideg, J. D., and J. H. Lincoln, Tiler.
Meetings are held monthly on the Saturday nearest the full moon, and the property of the Lodge is valued at $700.
WYALUSING.
Early in the forties, the chances afforded for a good landing-place at the point occupied by the village of Wyalusing attracted the attention of parties interested in the building up of the county, and predicating their expectation on the fact that, with an exceptionally good landing, they might attract trade in that direction and gradually build up a thriving town, E. P. Finn, James M. Otis and L. O. Schrader became the possessors of eighty acres of land, situated just above the present village. Here they laid out a village, and waited for purchasers of town lots. That others had thought this a good point, at least for the manufacture of logs and cord- wood, was evinced by a solitary cabin, which remained there as a reminder of those whose feet had pressed the soil before. The first settler in the village was Mr. Cranston, who was donated a lot by the proprietors, on the understanding that he was to keep a house of entertainment for those happening in this section. The scheme proved not so successful in practice as in theory. Like many other schemes, it looked well on paper, but that was the only place where it did look well. The property passed into different hands until it reached those of Mr. N. W. Kendall. The latter gentleman erected a saw-mill at this point, and, together with Charles Blanford and Robert Glenn, surveyed and platted the village of Wyalusing, in July, 1856. From the elaborate character of the plat, it was evident that great expectations lingered in the minds of the proprietors. In the meantime, Mr. John Otis had opened a store in the new town, and trade was being slowly attracted in that direction. A large stone warehouse was in process of erection, and the fates seemed propitious for an extensive trading-post, when the iron rails were laid, linking the eastern and western portions of the State, and Wyalusing. with its proprietors, suffered a crushing set-back. Although it staggered bravely on for a time, the place never recovered, and gradually began to settle back to its original status. To-day it is but a feeble reminder of "what might have been."
In 1854, the town of Wyalusing was erected from Patch Grove, and the first election was held April 3, 1855, when the following officers were chosen : Supervisors, Joakim Gulick, Chairman, Robert Glenn, H. R. Miles ; Clerk, S. II. Seaman ; Treasurer, N. W. Kendall ; Assessor, W. P. Stephenson ; Superintendent of Schools, David Brodt ; Justices of the Peace, R. Jacobs, long term, S. Brodt, Charles Blanford, short term ; Constables, J. Brodt, B. Y. Griffen, W. H. Harvey. The present officers of the town are as follows : Supervisors, Edwin Glenn, Chairman, H. Strong, Lewis Glass; Clerk, L. Wellard; Treasurer, A. Calkins; As-
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HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY.
sessor, David Brodt ; Justices of the Peace, J. A. Harford, William Kern, long term, J. A. Bradley, L. Jacobs, short term ;. Constables, A. Shrake, J. Vanamee, J. B. Palmer.
GLEN HAVEN.
The history of this town is included in the history of Cassville up to the year 1859, when the latter town was divided into two parts on the township line, separating Townships 3 and 4. To the northern portion the name of Glen Haven was given. The earliest settler in the town of Glen Haven was A. D. Ramsey, one of the earliest of the little band of pioneers who opened up the hidden riches of Grant County. Some years later on he was joined in the present town limits by James C. Orr, who entered the farm, on which he afterward resided, in 1836; and Richard Ray, who came later. From the latter, the present site of the village took the name of "Ray's Landing," by which name it was known up to the birth of the new burg. One by one other settlers began to come in, until the settler's cabin peeped forth from its woody covert, or stood outlined against the prairie sky in every direction.
As early as 1850, a log warehouse was erected on the bank of the broad river that washes the western coast of the town. Mr. Jesse Brooks, now of Bloomington, then teaching school in the Ray Schoolhouse, assisted at the raising. This starting post in the village history was erected by Dr. Grinter and Mr. George Burroughs, the latter afterward erecting a frame dwell -. ing-house about one-fourth of a mile below the present village, near the river, where he resided for many years.
The village itself was laid out in the year 1857, by a company of six gentlemen-C. P. Goodrich, D. P. Grinter, M. H. Hayes, J. B. Sargent, R. Noble and George Burroughs. Two of these, as has been seen, had already struck the entering wedge. A steam saw-mill was erected this year, and a few dwelling-houses. A small store, the first in the town, was opened by Ed Palmer, but it soon gave way to others keeping more extensive stocks. The succeeding year a number of new buildings were added. The old log warehouse had disappeared, and in its place soon appeared a substantial frame building, large and commodious, at present used by Mr. William Tate. Among those who figured in mercantile pursuits in early times, were Messrs. Boylan and Oliver, who opened larger stocks in their respective establishments than had been brought before the people of this section heretofore. They were followed ere many years had elapsed, by the firm of Scott & Basford. The village in the meantime had continued on in a steady growth, accumulating to itself buildings and population. It became an important point for shipment of stock and farm produce generally. The mill, which had been erected by Mr. Sargent was first run by Mr. McIntosh, but the building was afterward torn down, and the machinery taken away. After the storm clouds of war had swept over the country and given way to the clear and broadening horizon of peace, a second mill was erected and fitted up with the most improved machinery with a view of making this an important manufacturing point, but it was found to be a non-paying investment, and a few years ago the machinery was sold and removed to other points, while the building passed into the hands of Messrs. Basford & Humphrey, and by them is now used as a warehouse.
July 3, 1874, a destructive conflagration destroyed one-half the village, and only ,by the most strenuous exertions on the part of the citizens was the remaining portion sared. The fire first broke out in a stone building standing on the present site of Dr. Grinter's warehouse. A strong southwest wind fanned the flames and they swept rapidly on, licking up the buildings standing in its pathway until, with the best portion of the village in ruins, its work was at length stayed. This was a hard blow to the thriving town, but with characteristic energy the inhabitants set to work to replace the burnt buildings with others, and better, and to the visitor of to-day a single dismantled shell tells of the ravages of the red-tongued flames. The village at present contains three stores, two carrying extensive and well-selected stocks, two blacksmith and wagon shops, two hotels of medium capacity, one shoemaker, two physicians, three ware- house firms and other minor industries.
The first schoolhouse in the town was the old Ray Schoolhouse, where in early times,
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HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY.
under the regimes of Mr. Jesse Brooks, David Brown and other teachers the younger inhabi- tants climbed the rude ascents that led to the mount of learning.
The first school taught in the village was held in an old frame building, then and now the property of Dr. D. P. Grinter. The present school building was erected about 1868, and so far furnishes ample facilities for the intellectual advancement of the youth of the village, under the guidance of Mr. Hendershot.
Of churches, Glen Haven, the village proper, can boast of but one-Roman Catholic- which is a substantial structure, standing on a gentle rise of ground on the north of the village. Services are held by a priest from abroad.
A lodge of the I. O. G. T. was organized December 26, 1876, the charter members being C. C. Basford, Mrs. Ocea Basford, Mrs. M. Scott, Mrs. Lizzie Basford, Mr. A. Humphrey, William Weaks, M. C. Weaks, G. W. Taylor, E. M. Winslow, Mrs. L. Grinter, A. Weaks, J. Burroughs, W. J. Winney, E. Barr, Mrs. A. Barr, Mrs. J. Humphrey. This organization was not very long-lived, and, April 6, 1878, the present lodge of Ancient Order of Mendotas was organized by Grand Sachem P. Bartley, of Bloomington, and the following officers elected : W. J. Winney, W. S .; A. Scott, W. Q .; George Taylor, W. P .; L. Burton, P .; E. M. Curtiss, W. W .; Lizzie Basford, W. T .; Lucy Thomas, W. G. The present officers are F. Weiland, W. S .; W. Kidd. W. Q .; Mrs. L. Grinter, W. T .; P. D. Hendershot, W. W .; Rosa Hampton, P .; William Dortham, W. P .; Mrs. A. M. Knapp, W. G.
The town of Glen Haven was set off by the County Board in 1859, and the first town meet- ing was held in the "Yellow Schoolhouse," April 3, 1860. The first meeting of the Town Board was held at the same place, April 7, the same year. The following is a complete roster of the town officers from the town organization to the present date :
1860-Supervisors, A. A. Bennett, Chairman, A. D. Ramsey, Joseph Werry ; Clerk, William Tate; Treasurer, Henry Schneider ; Assessor, Matthew Metcalf; Superintendent of Schools, James M. Scott ; Justices of the Peace, George Burroughs, A. A. Bennett, D. Oliver, L. S. Reynolds ; Constables, F. R. Delaware, Ed Doughty, Ed Bownas.
1861-Supervisors, A. A. Bennett, Chairman, A. D. Ramsey, William Harkins; Clerk, William Tate; Treasurer, E. A. Kidd; Assessor, M. Metcalf; Superintendent of Schools, James M. Scott ; Justices of the Peace, D. Oliver, L. S. Reynolds ; Constables, J. L. Kauffman, J. Ackerman, Ed Doughty.
1862-Supervisors, A. A. Bennett, Chairman, A. D. Ramsey, William Harkins; Clerk, William Tate ; Treasurer, E. A. Kidd ; Assessor, William Curtis ; Justices of the Peace, George Burroughs, A. A. Bennett ; Constables, E. Doughty, F. R. Delaware, J. L. Kauffman.
1863-Supervisors, A. A. Bennett, Chairman, A. D. Ramsey, J. Ackerman ; Clerk, William Tate ; Treasurer, James M. Scott ; Assessor, William Curtiss ; Justices of the Peace, P. Harkins, L. S. Reynolds ; Constables, J. Ackerman, Joseph Werry.
1864-Supervisors, E. A. Kidd, Chairman, A. D. Ramsey, J. Ackerman ; Clerk, James M. Scott ; Treasurer, M. Metcalf; Assessor, E. A. Kidd ; Justices of the Peace, George Bur- roughs, William Curtis ; Constables, George Henderson, J. Ackermann, E. S. Tuttle.
1865-Supervisors-A. A. Bennett, Chairman, John Ryan, John Ackerman ; Clerk, William Tate; Treasurer, William Curtis ; Assessor, William Curtis; Justices of the Peace, L. Reynolds, Peter Thornton ; Constables, J. Ackerman, A. J. Vedder, M. Dolphin.
1866-Supervisors, A. A. Bennett, Chairman, J. Ackerman, John Ryan; Clerk, William Tate; Assessor, William Curtis ; Treasurer, James C. Orr; Justices of the Peace, George Bur- roughs, A. A. Bennett, J. Johnson (to fill vacancy). Constables, J. Ackerman, William Hawks, Levi Sixbey.
1867-Supervisors, E. A. Kidd, Chairman. Jacob Ackerman, John Ackerman ; Clerk, William Tate ; Treasurer, E. W. Banks ; Assessor, William Curtis ; Justices of the Peace, L. S. Reynolds, J. Johnson ; Constables, L. Sixbey, A. Meyers, William Keinbrough.
1868-Supervisors, E. A. Kidd, Chairman, John Ackerman, E. Wood; Clerk, William Tate ; Treasurer, A. A. Kidd; Assessor, William Curtis ; Justices of the Peace, William Curtis,
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HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY.
William Tate, A. J. Long (to fill vacancy). Constables, A. Ortscheid, J. Grandrath, William Keinbrough.
1869-Supervisors, E. A. Kidd, Chairman, John Ackerman, John Ryan; Clerk, William Tate; Treasurer, A. A. Kidd; Assessor, William Curtis; Justices of the Peace, J. Johnson, L. S. Reynolds ; Constables, William Bateman, A. Ortscheid, J. Grandrath.
1870-Supervisors-A. A. Bennett, Chairman, James C. Orr, John Ackerman ; Clerk, William Tate; Treasurer, J. S. Kauffman ; Assessor, J. Ryan; Justices of the Peace, A. A. Bennett, William Tate (C. Heilermann to fill vacancy); Constables, William Bateman, William Weaks, A. Ortscheid.
1871-Supervisors, A. A. Bennett, John Ackerman, James C. Orr; Clerk, William Cur- tis ; Treasurer, J. S. Kauffman ; Assessor, J. Ryan ; Justices of the Peace, Luther Basford, Ira S. Bennett ; Constables, W. Bateman, C. V. Royster, Joseph Bowers.
1872-Supervisors, William Curtis, Chairman, Ed Bownas, Jacob Kuenster ; Clerk, Will- iam Tate; Treasurer, J. S. Kidd; Assessor, J. Ryan ; Justices of the Peace, William Tate, J. S. Kauffman ; Constables, William Bateman, C. W. Bushnell, Richard Kidd.
1873-Supervisors-D. P. Grinter, Chairman, Charles Heilermann, Andrew Meyers ; Clerk, William Tate; Treasurer, J. S. Kidd ; Assessor, J. Ryan ; Justices of the Peace, Luther Basford, J. Ryan (E. Wood to fill vacancy); Constables, Richard A. Kidd, C. W. Bushnell, Jac Ackerman.
1874-Supervisors, D. P. Grinter, Chairman, Charles Heilermann, Andrew Myers ; Clerk, William Tate ; Treasurer, Joseph S. Kidd; Assessor, John Ryan; Justices of the Peace, Will- iam Curtis, A. J. Long; Constables, R. A. Kidd, William Bateman, C. W. Bushnell.
1875-Supervisors, D. P. Grinter, A. Myers, C. Heilermann ; Clerk, William Tate; Treas- erer, A. Humphrey ; Assessor, W. J. Winney ; Justices of the Peace, J. Rvan, W. N. Ram- sey ; Constables, R. A. Kidd, M. Kidd, A. Ortscheid.
1876-Supervisors, J. Ryan, Chairman, J. S. Kidd, Jacob Ackerman ; Clerk, William Tate; Treasurer, C. Peacock ; Assessor, William Curtis; Justices of the Peace, C. Schwaller, W. A. Sprague ; Constables, R. A. Kidd, G. Myers, Jac Lepper.
1877-Supervisors, J. Ryan, Chairman, J. S. Kidd, Jacob Ackerman ; Clerk, William Tate; Treasurer, C. Peacock ; Assessor, William Curtis; Justices of the Peace, J. Ryan, W. N. Ramsey ; Constables, R. A. Kidd, G. Myers, J. Lepper.
1878-Supervisors, Joseph S. Kidd, Chairman, William Wildman, Jacob Ackerman ; Clerk, William T'ate; Treasurer, Anton Vogt; Assessor, William Curtis ; Justices of the Peace, W. A. Sprague, S. Chandler ; Constables, A. Ortscheid, Robert Wood, James Burton.
1879-Supervisors-Joseph S. Kidd, Chairman, Jacob Ackerman, William Wildman ; Clerk, William Tate ; Treasurer, Anton Vogt; Assessor, William Curtis ; Justices of the Peace, J. Ryan, W. N. Ramsey (A. H. Bennett to fill vacancy); Constables, Robert Wood, Henry Schrader, C. Brookens.
1880-Supervisors, Joseph S. Kidd, Chairman, William Wildman, Jacob Ackerman ; Clerk, William Tate; Treasurer, Anton Vogt; Assessor, William Curtis; Justices of the Peace, W. A. Sprague, A. HI. Bennett; Constables, H. Shrader, Thomas Mernaugh, Ben Mueller.
1881-Supervisors, Joseph S. Kidd, Chairman, William Wildman, Jacob Ackerman ; Clerk, William Tate; Treasurer, W. N. Ramsey ; Assessor, John Dolphin ; Justices of the Peace, James Wildman, William Ramsey ; Constables, John Curry, Thomas Myers, Ben Mueller.
TOWN OF MILLVILLE.
This town was first settled by Elihu Warner, Jared Warner, Henry Foster and Isaac Revel, who came with their families in April, 1838, from Ohio, by the Ohio, Mississippi and Wiscon- sin Rivers, in a large keel-boat. Elihu Warner brought with him a house all framed and ready for erection. This pioneer cabin was principally black walnut, and was put up on Section 26. It is still standing. William Kidd came from Ohio in 1844 and located on Section 2, Town-
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HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY.
ship 6, Range 5 west, and Norman Washburn settled on Section 1, Township 6, Range 5 west, in 1846. Joseph Horsfall came from Ohio in 1849, and settled on Section 2, Township 6, Range 5 west, locating at this time only 40 acres of land. He is still living on this same loca- tion, and owns and operates about 400 acres.
This, of course, is not a complete list of those who settled here during these years, as some have died, others have moved away, and their names have dropped from the page of public exist- ence and the memories of their pioneer associates.
The first saw-mill was built by Jared Warner, on Section 34, in 1840. This was intended merely for custom-work. The dimensions was 20x40, with a capacity of about 1,000 feet of lumber per day. The first flouring-mill was erected by William Kidd, in 1844, on Section 2. During this same year, Jared Warner built a second saw-mill, near the site of his first one, of larger dimensions and with a capacity of between 2,000 and 3,000 feet of lumber per day. In 1845, C. C. Drake, a son-in-law of Elihu Warner, erected a chair and bedstead factory, and, for a few years, carried on an extensive business. Joseph Horsfall built a woolen mill in 1850, the dimensions being 16x44. This was torn down and a new one erected in 1866, the main building being 32x44, with two wings 15x24 each. This was entirely consumed by fire in 1869. Not in the least disheartened by his comparatively heavy loss, Mr. Horsfall erected his third mill in 1871. His misfortunes, however, did not cease here, as this mill was carried away and destroyed by a freshet in 1876 ; but, with renewed energy and perseverance, he constructed his fourth and present mill during the same year, its dimensions being 20x30.
The first school was taught in the summer of 1847, in a room in the dwelling-house of Jared Warner, by Cassanna McDonald (afterward the wife of William Kidd, Jr.). The first schoolhouse was erected in the fall of 1848, by subscription, and is still used for school pur- poses in District No. 1. There is at present only one whole and two joint school districts in the town.
The first store was opened by Jared Warner in 1849, but was run by him only a short time, and a second one opened by Henry Horsfall in 1855. During this year, also, one Manchester purchased the property of Elihu Warner, and established a horse ferry across the Wisconsin River. This he kept in active operation until 1851, when his ferry-boat sunk and he then dis- posed of the property to George Schlund, who ran the ferry until 1865, when it was discon- tinued.
In the year 1853, the present Methodist, and only church in the town, was erected on Section 35, and was dedicated during the same year, Rev. Alfred Bronson delivering the dedi- catory sermon. Prior to the building of this church, however, meetings of the society were held as far back as 1845-46, at the dwelling of William Kidd, Jr., and at the schoolhouse, the min- isters being J. H. Penman, Enoch Tasker, Frank Smith and a few others.
The post office was established in 1855, with C. C. Drake as Postmaster. He was suc- ceeded by William Kidd, Jr. Mr. Kidd's death occurred soon afterward and his wife succeeded him, and held the position until 1867, when Joseph Horsfall, the present incumbent, was ap- pointed.
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