Redwood County, Minnesota - Chapter 40: Postal Service, 1916

Chapter 40: Postal Service

Postal service in Redwood county, aside from that inaugurated to the Lower Agency before the Massacre, dates from July 12, 1864, when Saml. R. Thompson was appointed postmaster at Redwood Falls. Mail was brought from Ft. Ridgely by the soldiers on horseback. Later a stage service was established to New Ulm.

In the early days, postoffices sprang up along the lines of the principal highways. In 1868 a postoffice was established at the Lower Agency, in Sherman township, on the Redwood Falls- New Ulm stage line. In 1869 a postoffice was established in section 26, Swedes Forest township, on the line of the Redwood Falls-Yellow Medicine stage line. About this time another office, Ceresco, was established in section 20, Underwood township, on the line of the road which extended along the southern bank of the Redwood river from Redwood Falls into Lyon county.

Redwood Falls, Lower Agency, Swedes Forest and Ceresco were thus the four stage-route postoffices of the county in the pioneer period. Three were along the line of the old Minnesota river (Ft. Rigely, Lower Agency, Upper Agency route) Military trail, and one was on the line of the Redwood river road which the government surveyed and the county later established.

In 1872 the Winona & St. Peter railroad was built through the southern part of the county. Charlestown and Summit postoffice were established, Charlestown in section 20, Charlestown; and Summit in section 30, Springdale. They were discontinued soon after the establishment of Lamberton and Tracy. Lamberton and Walnut Station (Walnut Grove) postoffice were established in 1873.

In the meantime, the northern part of the county was still without railroads. Settlers began to spread southward from Redwood Falls, and in 1875 a postoffice was established in Three Lakes township. A farmer living nearby was sworn into service, and was supposed to make weekly trips between the postoffice in Three Lakes township, and the postoffice at Redwood Falls. The service was irregular, and the office consisted of a box on a kitchen table, in the cabin of a pioneer. At Riverside, on the banks of the Minnesota, not far from what is now North Redwood, was established in 1876 the Riverside postoffice, later called Honner. It was on the stage route between Redwood Falls and Beaver Falls.

railroad mail service was thus established at Redwood Falls, though the stages continued to operate for many years thereafter. When the railroad was built, a postoffice was established at Morgan, at the present site of Morgan village, and at Paxton, in Paxton township, not far from the present station of Gilfillan.

In the next few years, several offices were established, away from the lines of the two railroads. In the extreme western part of the county, in 1878, West Line postoffice was established in section 26, West Line township. It was a few miles south of the old pioneer postoffice of Ceresco. Box Elder postoffice was established in 1879. New Avon postoffice was established about the same time at the home of J. S. Towle, in New Avon township.

Sanborn postoffice was established on the railroad in the southern part of the state in 1880, the village of that name being started at about the same time.

In 1880, Vesta postoffice was established at the home of James Arnold, in section 22, Vesta township, not far from the present village of Vesta.

The Minneapolis & St. Louis railroad was built through the northern part of the county in 1884. A postoffice was established at North Redwood, and at Delhi. On the same line of railroad the postoffice of Belview was opened in 1888.

About this time, or possibly a year earlier, in 1887, a postoffice called Rock was established in Granite Rock township, not far from the present village of Lucan.

In 1899 the railroad had been built from Sanborn to Vesta, and in that winter or the next spring, the postoffices of Wabasso, Seaforth and Wanda were established, while the Vesta postoffice was moved from section 22, Vesta township, to the new village of that name.

In 1902 the railroad was built east and west through the central part of the county, and the offices of Milroy, Lucan and Clements established, the office of Three Lakes being moved to Clements and the office of Rock to Lucan.

Provided with five railroad lines, as the county now is, the present postal service is excellent. Thirty rural routes originate in offices of this county, and some of the people of the county are served by routes from Springfield in Brown county, and Morton in Renville county. With a few exceptions every farm house in the county is within a mile of a rural route, so that every inhabitant of the county is within easy daily mail connection with the outside world. Redwood Falls is a second class office and has four rural routes. Lamberton, with four rural routes, Morgan with three rural routes, Sanborn with three rural routes, and Walnut Grove with four rural routes, are third class offices. Belview and Wabasso, with two routes each, are fourth class. Clements, Delhi, Lucan, Milroy, North Redwood, Revere, Seaforth and Vesta are fourth class offices with one route each. Wanda is a fourth class office and is the only office in the county without a rural route.

Redwood Falls. A movement for postal service in Redwood Falls was inaugurated July 12, 1864, when a petition was presented to the Postmaster General asking for the establishment of a postoffice. The petition was granted and in the fall of that year Saml. R. Thompson was appointed postmaster. Previous to this the soldiers had brought mail to the settlers from Fort Ridgely, and after the establishment of the office, the soldiers for some time continued to be the mail carriers. Mr. Thompson kept the office at his home in the west end of the McPhail cabin, which was within the stockade. The next postmaster was L. M. Baker. He kept the office at his home on lot 11, block 8, which is nearly opposite the present jail location. He had no postoffice fixtures but distributed the mail in his front room, making delivery through the window when weather permitted.

About this time William Mills was appointed mail carrier. He brought the mail from New Ulm with a pair of Indian ponies, supposedly once a week, although there were many irregularities. Later, the Minnesota Stage Company established a triweekly service to New Ulm, with postoffices at Lone Tree Lake and Golden Gate. Still later, Thomas McMillan established another route to New Ulm, by way of Beaver Falls and Fort Ridgely, also giving a tri-weekly service. The railroad was built from Sleepy Eye to Redwood Falls in 1878, thus giving the village daily mail service. However, after that date, the mail stages continued to run to New Ulm and Sleepy Eye for several months and mail and stage routes were also operated to Beaver Falls, Yellow Medicine and Minnesota Falls for a number of years.

Mr. Baker was followed by L. 0. Root. Mr. Root was succeeded by W. C. March. Robert Watson was appointed in 1872 and served ten years. In 1882 Stephen W. Hayes was appointed and served four years until 1886 when James L. Thompson received the appointment under the first Cleveland administration. In 1890 the Republicans, having returned to power, William S. McKay was appointed postmaster. He served four years, or until 1894, when Dallas E. Laird received the appointment from the second Cleveland administration. He held the office until 1898 when George B. Hughes was appointed. In 1902 he was succeeded by A. E. King who served twelve years. In 1914

As already stated, Saml. R. Thompson kept the postoffice at his home in the stockade and Mr. Baker kept the office at his residence on lot 11, block 8. L. 0. Root, the next postmaster, kept the office in a small building on the south side of Second street about lots 2 and 3, block 15. W. C. March kept the office in connection with his wife's millinery store in a building on the southwest corner of Washington and Second streets, being the north east corner of block 15. Later he put up a building on the west side of Mill street, between Second and Third, the lower floor being used for the postoffice and the upper floor for the Masonic hall. During the Watson administration the office was in his book and notion store on the north side of Second street, near the site later occupied by the Dickenson Bank building. About this time the office was made third class and from the beginning of Mr. Hayes administration was maintained independent of any private business. During Mr. Hayes' term the office was at the northwest corner of block 15 in the same building occupied by Mr. March when the office was in his wife's millinery store. J. L. Thompson moved the office to a building on the south side of Second street, a few doors east of Washington street. Mr. McKay removed the office to an entirely new location in a small building on the west side of Washington street, formerly occupied by the United States land office. Upon the advent of Mr. Laird the office was again moved to the north side of Second street to a building near the place where it had formerly been for a long term in the store of Mr. Watson. In 1899 the fine brick building at the northeast corner of Washington and Third streets was erected by a syndicate of citizens for the express purpose of securing for that locality the location of the postoffice. In the fall of 1899, by direction of the Postal Department at Washington, the office was removed to the corner room of this building, where it has remained until the present time and now occupies the entire first floor of the building and a store room in the basement. To show the extension of the work and the growth of the business it may be mentioned that when, in 1902, A. E. King became postmaster, he, with one clerk and the occasional employment of temporary help, attended to the entire business of the office, including janitor work. There are now employed in the office, including the rural carriers, ten people, and several more will be added soon by the introduction of city delivery. Much of the increased work is owing to the introduction of rural free delivery, together with parcel post and the large increase in money order business.

the first carrier on Route No. 1, is still serving that route, having now nearly completed his fourteenth year of service on the same route. William Fish has a record for long carrier service, having served Route No. 2 from 1904 to July, 1916.

Parcel post was introduced January 1, 1911, and has rapidly increased until at the present time it is one of the most extensive and a very important branch of the service.

The postal savings system was added in October, 1911. In common with other western rural offices, this branch did not prove popular and the business which was extremely small at first has not increased.

In 1912 the office fixtures, which up to this time were owned by the postmaster, were discarded and new fixtures, furnished under government specification, were installed by the owners of the building and rented by the government.

July 1, 1913, the office was advanced from third to second class, this placing all the force except the postmaster under civil service rules. The volume of business now done entitles the office to city delivery and that will be inaugurated within the next few months, or as soon as the city government complies with the requirements as to marking the streets and numbering the buildings.

The present roster of the office is as follows: C. A. Lauterbach, postmaster, was appointed by President Wilson in June, 1914; W. C. Hyde, assistant postmaster, was transferred from the Carrier's Division of the Chicago office, July, 1913; Mrs. Frances Davis, head clerk, has been in the service since 1910; A. B. Winters, routing clerk, entered the service March, 1914; A. F. Carr, auxiliary clerk, has filled that position for two years.

Belview. The Belview postoffice was established in the north room of the store now occupied by 0. H. Mogen, the date of establishment being February 6, 1888. Charles H. Jones, the oldest resident citizen of Belview, was the lucky man to receive the appointment as first postmaster of the thriving little village. Mr. Jones held the important position until February, 1891, when Ole Hanson succeeded him, removing the office to the present Louis Leonard hardware building, where it remained until 1896. During this time G. F. Rahn was appointed to conduct Uncle Sam's affairs in the postoffice. In 1896 the office was removed to the site now occupied by A. T. Abraham's drug store and barber shop. Mr. Rahn served from July 2, 1893, to September 30, 1897. During the Ole Hanson incumbency the office was made a money order office. The first money order was written on November 7, 1892. Mr. Rahn proved himself a loyal Democrat and basked in the sunshine of the administration's good graces for over four years, being succeeded by August F. Pottratz on September 30, 1897. Mr. Pottratz served the people well until

October, 1905, when the veteran newspaper man, F. G. Tuttle, editor at that time of the Belview "Independent," was given the office, which was removed to the building last occupied by the Hubbard Davis Clothing Company. After a year or so a removal was again effected, the new site being the present "Independent" office. Mr. Tuttle resigned and was succeeded by his wife, Dora Tuttle, on April 1, 1911. The office was conducted by Mrs. Tuttle until July 1, 1913, when she was succeeded by Otto Flom, who tired of newspaper and postoffice life in a few months, resigning the office and being succeeded by the present postmaster, Dr. Frederick H. Aldrich, on March 8, 1914. Dr. Aldrich selected a new site and for the first time in the history of the Belview office it was housed in a building by itself, no other business being run in connection. The site chosen was in the Louis Leonard building, the most centrally located building in the village. The office has been a registered letter office from the start. It is not a postal savings depository, but under new instructions from the department, all fourth-class offices may receive deposits to be forwarded to postal savings stations selected by the depositors. The first rural route was established in 1903, Hendrick Odegaard being the first carrier to test the muddy roads of twelve years ago. There are now two rural routes, serving over 150 boxes. The carriers at present are Rudolph Hoppenrath and Glenroy E. Mareyes. Each receives a salary of $1,200 a year. They serve their routes a majority of the number of days of the year with automobiles. G. F. Rahn is assistant postmaster. The Misses Ada Scholz and Mina Hjeldness are the efficient clerks. It is not saying too much in claiming that at present the patrons of the Belview post office receive the best service ever given them in the history of the local office.

Sanborn postoffice was established in May, 1880, with Thomas Poole as postmaster. The office was kept at the house of J. W. Doston, who was appointed postmaster in the fall of 1880. Following him the postmasters have been : J. A. Letford, John H. Posz, W. A. Hackley, Ernest Rebstock, G. E. Bartholomew, Enos P. Dotson, Angus D. McRae, Enos P. Dotson, Adolph Schellenberg and H. E. Kent. All the records of the office were destroyed by fire in 1912. There are three rural routes, extending into Charlestown, "Willow Lake, Germantown and Stately townships.

Revere postoffice, an office of the fourth class, was established and started service March 1, 1893, with Lewis J. Rongstad as postmaster. The changes of postmasters have been as follows: Lewis J. Rongstad, from March 1, 1893, to March 30, 1894; Andrew K. Moen, March 30, 1894, to January 15, 1895 ; Herman Dahl, January 15, 1895, to September 30, 1906; Florence J. Nelson, September 30, 1906, to December 22, 1908 ; Jans K. Nicolayson, December 22, 1908, to the present date. The last mentioned was reappointed by passing the civil service examination, October 22, 1914, and is now under the classified service. Revere became a money order office April 15, 1899, and there have to this date been issued 13,489 orders. The steady increase in this division can best be seen in the figures for the past eight years, as by June 24, 1908, 6,044 orders had been issued, and since that date 7,445 more. Rural free delivery was started July 1, 1906. Route No. 1 has a length of twenty-six miles, serving patrons in North Hero township, Redwood county, and Ann township, Cottonwood county. This route gives service at this time to sixty-eight families. Nearly all of these families take a daily newspaper, as well as a number of farm papers, of which "The Farmer" has the largest circulation. Next to this comes the "Farm Journal." The "Breeder's Gazette" has only three subscribers. Otherwise there is a large circulation of weekly journals, while a few are taking "The Ladies' Home Journal," "The Youth's Companion," "The American," etc. A number of foreign newspapers are also taken and papers of a religious character.

Seaforth postoffice was established in 1900 with J. L. Pratt as postmaster. Since him the postmasters have been, Fred S. Moulster, Glen R. Tuttle, A. W. Milbrandt, Mrs. Minnie Milbrandt, Ernie Milbradt and Mrs. Minnie Sharratt The rural route was established in 1904 and extends into Sheridan, Vail, Vesta and Granite Rock townships.

Clements postoffice was established as Three Lakes postoffice about a mile from the present village. L. J. Rongstad, the postmaster, moved the postoffice to the new village of Clements, in June, 1900. He was followed by William Kuehn, who served from April 1, 1912, to Jannuary 1, 1915. Then came the present postmaster, Gustave Backer.

Delhi. There was a postoffice in Delhi as early as 1884, it being located in the Atkinson & Herbert general store, with R. R. Herbert as postmaster. Mr. Herbert held office one year and then resigned in favor of Ed. Atkinson, who held the office until 1888. D. R. McCorquodale, appointed May 18, 1888, changed the location to the Borg building in the extreme north end of town, and held the office two years, resigning in favor of Ed. Atkinson, who was subsequently the postmaster until 1903, when he resigned. His successor was J. A. Lagerstrom, who held office until his resignation, which was offered in October, 1913, and accepted in the following February, when, through the civil service commission, Mrs. Ethlyn D. Leonard, the present postmistress, was appointed. Then again the location was changed to the north end of town. The office was made a registration office in 1886. The date when money orders were first issued is uncertain. The first one now on file in the office is dated June, 1904, but it is thought that an older record may have existed,

Which was lost or destroyed when the office was last moved, as there is a record of money orders paid, dated October, 1892, and it is probable that they were issued as early as they were paid. The Delhi office is not a postal savings station. The rural route was established Friday, July 15, 1904, with Robert W. Stevenson, carrier, at a salary of $750 per annum, including horse hire. The route served fifty-four families from forty-two boxes. In 1906 Maggie A. Parker took the examination and was appointed carrier, following the resignation of Stevenson. Mrs. Parker still serves the route, which has twice been amended and now covers twenty-nine miles and serves sixty-nine families. Before this office was established the majority of settlers got their mail from Redwood Falls, but a few, mostly the Scandinavian settlers, received their mail from a small offices in Swedes Forest township, located on the farm now tenanted by Nels Jacobson. The mail was brought to this office by stage from Redwood Falls. The office was discontinued after the Delhi office was established.

Lamberton postoffice was established in the fall of 1873 and was located in C. R. Kneeland's store. John S. Letford was followed as postmaster by L. S. Crandall. Following him came C. Querle, Richard Morton, John Larsen, Hogen E. Anderson, George B. Tretbar, Alfred J. Gebhard and John Haas.

WaJnut Grove postoffice was established as Walnut Station postoffice in 1873 with Lafayette Bedal as postmaster. In 1879 J. H. Anderson was appointed. Following him have been Andrew S. Carlson, Asa Way, Robert Hall, A. J. Swaffer, John G. Cheshire, Fred F. Goff, John A. Larson, Daniel A. Malloy, and Chauncey W. Bulen. Mr. Larson was postmaster from 1904 to 1907; Mr. Malloy from 1907 to 1915; Mr. Bulen appointed Jannary 8, 1915, having since held the office. The assistant postmaster is Jessie Bulen, with Minnie H. Nelson as clerk. Walnut Grove was made a third-class postoffice October 1, 1910. The first route was established in 1901 ; at present there are four routes. The present carriers are Ulric Dilger, Route 1 ; Gust H. Ochultz, Route 2 ; J. M. Corcoran, Route 3 ; and O. V. Anderson, Route 4.

Lucan postoffice was established as Rock postoffice some distance from the present village of Lucan. The records have been lost, but it is believed that Rupert Schamberger, the first postmaster, opened the office about 1887 in his store on the southwest quarter of section 14, a mile and three quarters east of the village. He was followed by C. A. Taft. In 1899 A. D. Norcutt, the next postmaster, moved the store and office to the old Jefferson farm, on the southeast corner of section 20, with the expectation that the future village would be located on that spot. The next postmaster was C. A. Nelson, who bought the store, and served as postmaster from November 23, 1901, to February 3, 1903. While he was postmaster, the office was moved to the new village of Lucan, and located in the store on Main street, now occupied by John Zeng's general store. The postoffice was opened there November 1, 1902, and remained till February 13, 1903, when it was moved to its present location. Jens Larson, having been appointed postmaster, erected the first building in the new town, a two-story frame, 20 by 50 feet. Mr. Larson still presides, ably assisted by his wife. They also have a small stock of general merchandise. The office has always been a registered letter office and was made a money order office April 1, 1904. In 1909 it was made a postal savings station, but this branch was discontinued in the following year. There is one rural route, established in 1907, which has been served from the beginning by Henry C. Dittbenner. The West Line postoffice was discontinued in 1902, the mail formerly distributed from that point having been since distributed from Lucan. The Lucan office was continued under the name of "Rock" postoffice until April 1, 1908, as there was another office in the state of similar name to Lucan, but that office being discontinued, the name of Rock postoffice was changed to Lucan on the above-mentioned date.

Milroy postoffice was established June 26, 1902 and located in the store of the Milroy Hardware Company, Looney and Rashkopf, proprietors, which building is now being used by Joseph W. Dysart, implement dealer. Jerry A. Looney was the first postmaster. Previous to the date above mentioned the mail for this section had been delivered by rural free delivery from Marshall. E. M. Wilson succeeded Mr. Looney as postmaster in 1905 and held the office until 1910, when he was succeeded by Maxwell W. Johnson, who still conducts the office ably assisted by Miss Lucile Leach. After several removals, the office was established in its present location during Mr. Wilson's incumbency. It has been a registered letter and money order office since it was established. July 1, 1913, it was made a postal savings station, but the savings department was discontinued, owing to lack of business, July 1, 1914. Rural free delivery was established May 15, 1906, with Thomas O. Loovald as carrier. He was succeeded September 1, 1914, by Alfred F. Brakke, who still continues in the service. From Westline township the route extends into Clinton in Lyon county.

Morgan. When the railroad was being constructed, Tom Holland, being section boss, acted as temporary postmaster at Morgan and continued to do so for several years. The first postoffice was established on First street, George Knudson, the first regular postmaster, serving until 1882, the office being made a registered letter and money order office in 1878. Lewis Gerstman, proprietor of a hardware and general merchandise store located on First street, followed Mr. Knudson as postmaster, serving from 1882 to 1886, and having the office located in his store. Nick Eischen was appointed postmaster from 1886 to 1890, the office then being located on Front street, in connection with a general mercantile store. Mr. Eischen 's successor was Richard Gertes, who served from 1890 to 1894, when the office was moved from Front street up on Main street. The next postmaster following Mr. Gertes was Joe Hartwick, 1894 to 1898, the office being moved from Main street down on First street, in the building know as the old Fred Fixsen building. William Kinman, the next postmaster, served from 1898 to 1904, and moved the office from First street up on Main street. F. S. Pollard succeeded Mr. Kinman and served until 1915, the office being located on Main street. In 1915 H. F. Hopfenspirger was appointed postmaster and is still serving. The postoffice, located on Main street, is now equipped with all the latest fixtures. Miss Rose A. Fixsen, assistant postmaster, has served from 1906 up to the present time. The first rural route was established in 1902 with George Goodell as carrier and he is still carrier on Route No. 1, Route No. 2 was established one year later, in 1903, with Andrew Thompson as carrier for one year. Then Fred Cass was appointed in 1905 and served till 1906, when H. F. Hopfenspirger was appointed carrier, serving till 1911, and being succeeded by William Koehue, who has served as carrier up to the present time. Route No. 3 was established in 1904, with Julius Conrad as carrier, he serving till 1906. His successors have been A. A. Carlile, 1906-1912 ; Rub Gluth, 1912-1913 ; Paul Zeug, 1913-1914, and Walter Beltz, 1914 to present year (1916). Morgan postoffice became a postal savings depository November 10, 1911, and is one of the largest in the county. The Lone Tree postoffice was discontinued into this office in 1906, John Gluth being postmaster at that time. Previously, the above mentioned office had been served from Morgan postoffice, on Route No. 2. In 1911 this office went into the third class. It is now serving about 1,600 patrons, with receipts increasing each year. When the rural routes were started each carrier handled about 3,000 pieces and served forty boxes. Now they handle 6,000 pieces, each route being twentyeight miles and serve eighty-five boxes.

North Redwood postoffice was established August 1, 1886, in the railroad depot, J. S. G. Honner, the first postmaster, serving until January 1, 1887, since which time the postmasters have been as follows : E. N. Swan, to June, 1891 ; H. W. Shoemaker, to May 1, 1894; E. H. Gasper, to April 1, 1896; M. W. Knox to April 1, 1898; A. A. Lindeman, to December 31, 1899; F. F. Hammer, to November 8, 1902; H. W. Shoemaker, since 1902. The office has been located in stores since Mr. Hanner's time and is now in Mr. Shoemaker's store on Front street. It was made a registered letter office August 1, 1886 and a money order office in October, 1898. Mrs. H. W. Shoemaker is assistant postmaster and Dewey Lindeman, clerk. There is one free rural delivery route, which was established May 1, 1904, and which has been served by the following carriers : John F. Swoboda, to January, 1905; George F. Dittbenner, to July 1, 1906; Robert T. Benson, to November, 1910; August E. Lindeman, to September 1, 1915; Frank H. Schumacher, to May 1, 1916, when he was succeeded by Ralph E. Hutchinson, the present carrier. The offices of Bechyn and Florita, Renville county, Minnesota, have been discontinued into that of North Redwood.

Vesta postoffice was established long before the village was projected. The old office was located in section 22, Vesta township. T. L. Cronley was the first postmaster and James Arnold the second. When the village was established, Mr. Arnold moved the office to the village, and appointed F. H. Bendix as his deputy, the office being kept in the store of Matz & Schroeder. Some months later, H. R. Draper was appointed first postmaster of the village, and moved the office to a small building on lot 4, block 7. In 1904, Morgan E. Lewis became the postmaster. Harvey Harris, the present postmaster, was appointed March 14, 1906. The office became a money order office in 1903, and was a postal savings station from July 1, 1913, to July 1, 1914. F. H. Bendix is the assistant postmaster, and Sadie Wilkerson is the clerk. The rural route was established in 1904. The carriers have been F. L. Frost, B. C. Lewis and A. D. Wyman.

Wabasso. The postoffice was established May 1, 1900, with J. H. Rahskopf as postmaster. In April, 1904, he was followed by Dayton Billington, who served until December 1, 1914, when Joseph Groebner was appointed. Theresia Groebner is the assistant. There are two routes, served by Louis Fixen and Howard W. Pickett, the first route being established in 1906. The office was made a money order office in 1901.

Wanda postoffice was established in 1900, with Valentine P. Eichten as postmaster. He served some six years and was followed by M. J. Eichten, the present postmaster.

Early Offices

Cnarlestown postoffice was established in section 20, Lamberton, in 1872. It was located in the store of Praxel & Schandera, at Cottonwood crossing, just south of the railroad track. The first postmaster was A. A. Praxel. He resigned when the store was moved, and G. L. Wagner appointed postmaster. He held the office about two years and it was then discontinued.

Summit postoffice was established on the west line of Springdale township about 1872 and discontinued when Tracy was established a year or two later.

Swedes Forest postoffice was established about 1869. Peter Swenson was appointed postmaster and he kept the office at his house in section 26 until 1877 when he resigned and turned the office over to the postmaster at Redwood Falls. No successor was appointed.

Weldon postoffice was established in 1873, with Thomas Barr, postmaster. The office was discontinued after a few years. The office was located not far from the present site of Seaforth.

Three Lakes postoffice was established in 1875 and discontinued in two years. Another Three Lakes postoffice was established about 1900 and moved to Clements in 1902.

West Line postoffice was established in the fall of 1878 with N. B. Weymouth appointed postmaster and the office located at his house in section 26. It was discontinued in the summer of 1880. It appeared again before 1889 and was discontinued into Lucan about 1902.

Box Elder postoffice was established in 1879 and Eben Martin appointed postmaster. The office was located in section 39, Underwood township.

New Avon postoffice was established before 1880, with J. S. Towle, postmaster, the office being kept at his house. It was discontinued in the middle eighties. About 1900 the office was revived with William Lindeman as postmaster. Later it was discontinued into Wabasso.

Authority. The material for this chapter has for the most part been furnished by the postmasters. The Northwestern- Gazetteer, 1876-1916, has been consulted. Material regarding the postoffices established before 1882 has been secured from the History of the Minnesota Valley, published in 1882. A. E. King, for many years postmaster at Redwood Falls, has written the article concerning the postal service in that city, and has also furnished notes regarding many of the discontinued offices.