Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/504

 >

��490

��HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

��displayed, that the paper never missed an issue. Thi'ough the courtesy of the Messrs. Myers, of the Herald, Mr. Glessner was enabled to issue a half-sheet the same week of the fire, and to continue its publication without interruption. During the thirty -nine years of his connection with this paper, it has never missed an issue. It is the organ of the Democratic party of Richland, and the official paper of the county. 80 far as can be ascertained, the first post office was established (as has been mentioned in the general history of Mansfield) on a very large white-oak log that lay between the two block-houses on the square. Two men b}- the name of Facer and Hatfield were the earliest mail-carriers. They carried the mail from Cleveland and Sandusky City, to Mansfield, Mount Vernon and Columbus ; sometimes on horseback, but. during the war of 1812, gener- ally on foot for greater safety : packing the mail-liags through the woods, hiding in swamps and skulking in the bushes to save their scalps and the mail from a savage foe. Henry New- man says : • We few inhabitants of Mansfield, on the day Hatfield was expected, would as- seml)le together on and against a ver}- large white-oak log, that lay between the block-houses, and there await the arrival of the mail. Some one was always ready to read the news, for the mail was then and there opened on the big log." It was generally Andrew Coffinbeny, or, as he was usually called, '■ Count Coffinberry," or sometimes •• Count Puffindorf " who would read the news from the top of the log. The settlers were anxious to hear from the war, and a newspaper, though it might be a week or two old. was quickly seized, no matter to whom it belonged, and the news read aloud to all the citizens of Mansfield. A'local post office became a necessity after a time : some place where the letters, which of course soon liegan to accumu- late, could be kept in safety until called for, and where the weary and mud-spattered mail-carrier could rest and warm, before starting; asain

��on his lonely journe3^ That well-dressed, wigged and powdered, foppish luit smart little Winn Winship was selected as Postmaster. A description of this gentleman, and also of his house, is given in the general history of Mans- field and need not be repeated here. It is suffi- cient to say that he lived by himself in the only frame house in town, which he built just oppo- site the present site of the North American, where Purdy's Bank was for many years located. In this house, therefore, was established the first post office in Mansfield and the first in Richland County. The exact date when this post office was estal)lished and also the names and dates of appointment of all subsequent Postmasters have been obtained from the Post Office Depart- ment, through the kindness of vSecretary Sher- man, and from this report it is found that Mr. \(\\\- ship received his appointment 3\\\y 1. 1811, and held the office nine years. He was succeeded. May 30, 1820, by R. McCombs, who kept a store on the southwest corner of Main and Third streets, where the Mansfield Banking Company now is.

To show the postal routes of that da}', the fol- lowing card was exhibited on the post-office door : " Arrival and Departure of Mails.

"To Columbus, via Bellville, &c., every Mondaj', Wednesday and Friday, at 6 P. M. To Sandusky City, via Truxville, Plymouth, &c., Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, at 6 A. M. To Millersburg, via Perrysville and Loudonville, Wednesday, at 6 A. M. To Bucyrus, via Gallon, Wednesday, at 6 A. M. To Pittsburgh, via Hays' Cross Roads, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, at 6 A. M. To Delaware, via Lexington, &c., Wednes- day, at 6 A. M."

Mr. McCombs held the office until January 25, 1830, when Hugh McFall was appointed, and the office removed to the McFall corner — northwest corner of Main and Third. Mr. Mc- Fall was appointed by Gen. Jackson, then Pres- ident, and held the office eleven 3'ears and six months. Those were the days of stages. In the transportation of mails, one step forward had been made — instead of going afoot, or horseback, the never-to-be-foi'gotten stage-coach

��-V

�� �