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Tri-Counties Genealogy &
History by Joyce M. Tice
Tri-County Articles
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Bradford County PA
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Chemung County NY
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Tioga County PA
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Canton Post Office, Canton,
Bradford County PA
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Canton Post Office 1898 |
| Article - Canton Post Office |
| Township: Canton Borough, Bradford County
PA |
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| Year: 1950s? |
| Photos from Don Stanton |
| Article by Eleanor PARSONS Keagle submitted
by Don Stanton |
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Joyce's Search Tip - January 2008
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Do You Know that you can search just the
Business
pages of the site by using the Business button in the
Partitioned search engine at the bottom of the Current
What's New Page? You will also find extensive business information
in the Directory section. |
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CANTON POST OFFICE
Canton’s first postmaster was Asa Pratt, whose commission was dated
December 31, 1825. The first post-office was operated from his small log
house, located on Troy Street. Mr. Pratt also served as Justice of Peace
and performed many marriages during the years 1828 to 1841. A stage line
operating between Elmira, New York and Williamsport, PA served the post-offices
between these towns.
The Rev. James Parsons, a circuit-riding Baptist minister, was the
second post-master, receiving his commission from President Andrew Jackson,
dated September 23, 1828. The post-office was established in Mr. Parson’s
newly built log house located on Troy Street, a short distance north of
the Pennsylvania Railroad station. Describing his father’s duties, H. B.
Parsons wrote: "The duties of post-master at that time were not very onerous.
Two or three times a week the heavy stage, drawn by four horses, halted
at the door of the office and the mail had to be changed, leaving perhaps
three or four letters and taking away as many. The postage on a letter
cost from 25 cents and upward, according to distance. Envelopes had not
yet been invented and the letter sheet had to be so folded as to leave
a blank face for the address. Then the letter was sealed either with wax
or wafers made for the purpose. Postage might be paid by the sender of
the letter, but was usually paid by the party receiving it."
The stagecoaches were described as " fine upholstered coaches with
sleek horses." The relay station for changing horses on both the Williamsport-Elmira
route, and one operating between Towanda and Morris, was Canton. The latter
stage used Concord coaches with one team, and operated daily at the time
of the Civil War and later. With the coming of the railroad in 1854, the
Elmira-Williamsport route was abandoned.
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| Canton PO from rear 1898 |
The Parsons family moved to Barre, New York in 1832, and J. R. Pratt
was commissioned postmaster on March 23, 1832. His post-office was in the
"Red Tavern", present site of the T. Burk & Co, store. John Cummings,
commissioned August 8, 1835, retained the post-office in the "Red Tavern",
which he operated, but Bernard Wood moved it to his home situated on Troy
Street. In 1841, Benjamin Coolbaugh moved it back to the Red Tavern, but
on October 28, 1841, Senaca Kendall moved it to his wagon shop on Lycoming
Street. Charles Stockwell ran the post-office from his home on Troy Street,
but on January 1848, Mr. Kendall was again made postmaster and moved it
back to his wagon shop. On April 1848, John VanDyke succeeded Mr. Kendall
and moved the office to a small store at the corner of Main and Sullivan
Streets.
Thus with nearly every new postmaster, the site of the office was
changed, until about 1900, when a location in the Lewis Building was established
during the latter part of Charles E. Riggs term as postmaster, and a location
in this building was retained until it burned in November 1942, while Otis
S. Williams was postmaster. The office was then established at its present
location on Troy Street after being located on the north side of Main Street
for a time after the fire. Upon Mr. Williams’ resignation in 1949, James
Taylor was appointed postmaster and held this post for many years.
Rural Delivery was begun from the Canton office on May 2, 1904 with
three carriers, Earl Furman, Fred Furman and William Mason. Another route
was added in 1905 with Arthur Putman as carrier. With improved roads and
the use of automobiles, these four routes were consolidated into two. City
Delivery was established on October 1, 1915, with William Foster, carrier
and Robert Northrup assistant carrier. Later two routes were needed and
Fidello Biddle and Walter Gardner were carriers, with John Fulkerson, assistant.
Eleanor P. Keagle (1896-1971)
Canton Independent Sentinel: March 22,
2007
Time Capsule 1937
A Few Prices
Annual Income: $1,259
Man’s Dress Shirt: $1.39
Nurses uniform: $1
Large eggs: 45¢ a dozen
Floor wax: 39¢ a pint
Ground beef: 2 lbs. for 29¢
Linoleum: 22¢ a square yard
Gasoline: 20¢ a gallon
Bacon: 18¢ a pound
Lemons: 11¢ a dozen
Potatoes: 10¢ for 3 pounds
Toilet paper: 6¢ for two rolls
Yeast: 3¢ a cake
First-class stamp: 3¢
Daily newspaper: 2¢
Split peas 1¢ for 2 pounds
75 Years Ago – 1932
After April 1 the D. M. Packard Meat Market will be located next
to the Market Basket in the building formerly occupied by Keagle’s Music
Shop.
On Saturday evening about six o’clock fire was discovered in the
apartment over Rod Stull’s grocery store at the corner of Centre and Main
Streets. The fire department soon had the fire under control and
damage is estimated at $500, mostly from smoke and water. Within
twenty minutes Mr. Stull was conducting business as usual at the old stand.
90 Years Ago – 1917
Walter Scott Newman died at his home on Centre Street aged one hundred
years, nine months and nine days. At the time of his death he was
the oldest man in Bradford County. His brother, also residing in
Canton, is ex-postmaster Edwin Newman, who is 94. He was a grandson
of Ezekiel Newman, a Revolutionary soldier, who also lived to be slightly
over one hundred years of age. In 1846, Walter and his brother Samuel
came to Canton and established a mercantile business. In 1849 he
got the gold fever when news came of the wonderful gold field of California.
He joined an expedition that crossed the plains by wagon train. He
ran trading posts in various mining camps and “grubstaked” miners. Several
of whom made rich strikes, and Walter returned to Canton in 1852 with a
fortune estimated at $100,000, which was almost as food as a million would
be now. We are convinced that he is the last survivor of those who
sought the golden fleece in 1849 and for several years he has held the
title, “The Last of the Argonauts.” With a part of his fortune he
built the three story wooden structure at the corner of Sullivan and Lycoming
streets, and in this the firm of Newman Brothers continued their mercantile
business until the dissolution of the firm in 1870.
The business office of the Farmers National Bank was shifted on Wednesday
form the old quarters in the Donovan Block to their new building at the
corner of Main and Centre Streets.
Open Hand Grange celebrated the anniversary of the Grange.
Mr. and Mrs. A. T. Lilley and Robert Mason, three of the five living charter
members, were able to be present.
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Bradford County PA
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Chemung County NY
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Tioga County PA
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Published On Tri-Counties Site On Sept 2001
Photos added 12JAN 2004
By Joyce M. Tice
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