HISTORIES: "The Barron Post Office" of Barron, Barron County, WI ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor, or the legal representative of the contributor, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Linda Mott 27 June 2000 ==================================================================== Barron Post Office The first post office in Barron was located in the Johnson House on the north shore of the Yellow River and some distance below the lower dam. It was established in 1868 and S.P. Barker was the first postmaster. James Bracklin, who was a superintendent for Knapp Stout and Company, carried the mail from Barron to and from Menomonie. In 1869 the Johnson House was designated as county headquarters and this spot as long been called "the old county seat." The county board ruled that one-fourth of the Johnson House should be used for the post office. In 1872 John Quaderer became postmaster and he moved the post office to his house south of Quaderer Creek. In 1881 John Conner was appointed postmaster. He had a helper, J.J. Smith. They established the office in their store at the head of Third Street until 1885. They then moved their store and post office to a new location on the northeast corner of Fourth and La Salle Streets. The next postmaster was Benjamin Harrison. He moved the office to a place near the northwest corner of Fifth and La Salle Streets. Jared W. Taylor became the next postmaster. He left Mrs. Harrison in charge of operating the office much of the time. When J.J. Smith took the office he moved it to a location near the northeast corner of La Salle and Third Streets. H.G. Ellsworth followed J.J. Smith. The next man to hold the office was Fred B. Kinsley and he served for 12 years. K.E. Thompson held the office for 4 years. A.J. Osborne followed and served for 6 years. Lester B.West was the next post master. He served for 12 years, 1920-1932. A.J. Osborne was postmaster from 1932-1941. Charles R. Lawton served as postmaster from November 1941 until 1957. Golden Barritt has been postmaster since 1957. Golden M. Barritt--started as sub clerk in December, 1930, regular clerk May, 1935; assistant postmaster, 1956, acting postmaster, April 1957; postmaster April 1958. Frank G. Thompson--started as sub clerk May, 1922; regular clerk April, 1925; transferred to rural carrier, January, 1955; now serving as rural carrier on Route 1. Verl L. Maas--Started as sub clerk January, 1936; transferred to rural carrier January, 1955; now serving as rural carrier on Route 2. Edwin A. Ostenson--Served as sub city carrier March, 1949; regular carrier May, 1952; transferred to clerk January, 1955; promoted to assistant postmaster May, 1958; presently serving in that position. Philip H. Barritt--Started as sub carrier March, 1948; regular carrier January, 1958; presently serving in that position. Gordon J. Anderson--Started as city carrier January, 1955; transferred to clerk, January, 1958; presently serving in that position. Frederic H. Stair--Started as sub clerk--carried in December, 1951; presently serving in that position. Victor C. French--Started as a sub city carrier January, 1958; presently serving in that position. Philip D. Ward--Started as sub city carrier 1959; presently serving in that position. Clarence R. Place--Started as clerk about 1917, served as clerk and assistant postmaster until retirement in 1956. Others who served in the post office for a period of years between 1900 and 1935 were J.E. Burton, Louise Burton and Leonard Weisensel. Wm. Johnson, Donald Johnson and Herbert Voll served as mail messengers hauling mail to and from the railroad depot. Some of the Star Route carriers who hauled mail to and from the towns in the southern part of Barron County were Ray Stalker, Eddie Anderson, Orville Anderson, Herman Dietert and Robert Dietert. City delivery service started in Barron in March, 1949, with Edwin Ostenson and DeWayne Stokes as carriers. Present carriers are Philip Barrit and Victor French. Rural delivery service from Barron started December 1, 1903. Routes were established at that time by interested persons securing signatures to petition from people that would be served. They were then appointed carriers. Four rural routes were established at that time with the following carriers: Route 1--Wm. Hood Route 2--Silas Speed Route 3--Claude Edwards Route 4--Roy Mason Harry Harbaugh was appointed substitute carrier November 15, 1905, serving as such on all routes until 1910 when he became regular carrier on Route 4 and served as rural carrier until his retirement August 31, 1954. Other rural carriers in the early years of the service were, Dr. Wm. Ellis, Maude Stoddard and Ansel Atwater on Route 1. Ansel Atwater transferred to Route 2 following the death of Silas Speed, and Ed Pecore became carrier on Route 1. Andrew Eckland became carrier on Route 2, following Ansel Atwater in 1921, and continued as rural carrier until his retirement in 1954. Alfred E. Coons became carrier on Route 3 in 1915, and served until he retired in 1948. Maude Bartlett Kolb followed Roy Mason as carrier on Route 4, and served until 1910 when Harry Harbaugh took over that route. Route 2 and 3 were consolidated in 1934, Andrew Eckland taking Route 1, Alfred Coons Route 2, and Harry Harbaugh Route 3, Ed Pecore resigning at that time. Following Alfred Coons retirement in 1948, the three routes were further consolidated by giving the south portion of Route 2 to Hillsdale and dividing the remainder of the 3 routes into 2 parts which constitute the present Routes 1 and 2. Following retirement of Andrew Eckland and Harry Harbaugh the routes were carried by temporary carriers for short periods until Frank Thompson and Verl Maas were transferred from clerk positions to rural carriers. --From the Souvenir Historical Album of the Barron Centennial-1960 (used by permission)