NV Postmasters, clerks, and rural carriers

Municipal Building and Post Office Completed June 1939.  Located on corner of 3rd Street and Main.

Prior to 1939 the Post Office was located in a store on the north side of Main Street.  What year did the new post office open?

New Vienna Post Office built about 1980 at 209 West Main Street.

From USPS Postmaster Finder:

Q: How were postmasters appointed and what were the necessary qualifications?

A: From 1836 to 1971, postmasters at the larger Post Offices were appointed by the President, by and with the consent of the Senate. Postmasters earning less than $1,000 per year were appointed by the Postmaster General, generally upon the advice of the local congressman or townspeople. Regulations required that postmasters execute a valid bond and take an oath of office. Minors were ineligible, and U.S. citizenship was required for appointment to all but the smallest Post Offices. Prior to 1971, it was also required that postmasters live in the delivery area of their Post Office. Since 1971, postmasters have been selected through the merit system.

Following is a list of appointed postmasters in or near New Vienna from the U.S. Appointments of U.S. Postmasters, 1832-1971.

Post Office		Name		Date Appointed
Snow Hill	-	Harris, Charles	-	Jan 20, 1835
Snow Hill	-	Harris, Elisha	-	Jul 16, 1836
NV	-	Thornburgh, Isaac	-	Sep 2, 1841
NV	-	Matthews, John	-	Apr 12, 1847
Snow Hill	-	Harris, Elisha	-	Oct 27, 1847
NV	-	Amberg. Abraham A.S.	-	Jul 14, 1849
NV	-	Matthews, John	-	Jul 29, 1853	later became postmaster in Lees Creek
NV	-	Morris, Gideon	-	Jan 1, 1857	or Gidcourt Moore?
NV	-	Moore, Gidcourt	-	Jun 29, 1857	or Gideon Morris?
NV	-	Smith, Benjamin	-	Apr 8, 1861
Snow Hill	-	Johnson, J. M	-	Feb 12, 1863
Snow Hill	-	Gregory, Robert W	-	Mar 28, 1863	Civil War Vet, Private Co. K, Ohio Inf, 149 Reg
NV	-	Swarts, John L	-	Jun 30, 1865
Snow Hill	-	Barnes, Maklon K	-	Aug 5, 1865
NV	-	Morey, George W	-	Dec 15, 1865
NV	-	Matthews, Isaac W	-	May 18, 1869
NV	-	Grady, Michael J.	-	Nov 21, 1870	Civil War Vet, left leg shot off below knee
NV	-	Barrow, George E.	-	Oct 27, 1881
NV	-	Haynie, George E	-	Jan 8, 1885
NV	-	Barrow, George E.	-	Jul 1, 1885
NV	-	Brown, George W	-	Jun 19, 1889
NV	-	Matthews, Isaac W	-	Dec 14, 1889
Careytown	-	Carey, Ellwood O	-	Jan 23, 1890
Careytown	-	Engle, Samuel	-	Jun 25, 1890
NV	-	Shockley. Edwin	-	Dec 6, 1893
Careytown	-	Edwards, Edgar H	-	Nov 6, 1896
NV	-	Clark, Grant	-	Nov 17, 1897
Careytown	-	Moser, J. F.	-	Feb 26, 1899
NV	-	Clark, Hannah	-	May 16, 1899
Careytown	-	Wright, Lewis A	-	Jan 12, 1900
NV	-	Pemberton, Dewitt Clinton	-	Feb 10, 1905
NV	-	Hale, Roy C	-	Jul 15, 1913
NV	-	Coffin, Monto Bernard	-	Nov 18, 1922
NV	-	Coffin, Monto Bernard	-	Apr 16, 1930
NV	-	Ivan Schuler	-	Jun 15, 1934
NV	-	Chaney, Catherine (Mrs.)	-	Dec 19, 1937
NV	-	Rice, Thomas H (Hamer)	-	Jun 13, 1938 - *see below
NV	-	Rice, Thomas H (Hamer)	-	Sep 30, 1942
NV	-	Huffman, Vaughn E	-	Sep 16, 1946
NV	-	Powell, Russell M	-	Nov 16, 1946
NV	-	Powell, Russell M	-	Mar 24, 1949
NV	-	Curtis, Richard	-	Dec 31, 1952
NV	-	Carey, Floyd L	-	Jul 28, 1954
NV	-	Rice, Thomas H (Hamer)	-	Dec 9, 1960
NV	-	Flint, Billy Lee	-	Feb 28, 1961
NV	-	Flint, Billy Lee	-	Nov 14, 1963

A list of postmasters and clerks from Shirley Carey McKamey also provided a list of more current postmasters, all of which are listed above except current postmaster, Mark Garen.

New Vienna Postal Clerks have included:

• Glenn Purtee
• Treva Fisher
• Beverly Harper
• Bonnie Watters
• Rita Davidson
• Sandy Kretchek

From Clery’s Rural Mail Directory for Clinton County 1924-1927 the following were the rural mail carriers during the mid-1920s:

• John W. Hoskins - RFD #1 route started on Main St; east on Highland Pike; north to Centerville road, and west and north to Wilmington and Centerville Pike; east two miles and then west to Highland Road; south to New Vienna road; north and west to Wilmington and New Vienna Pike and then to Post Office.
  
• C.H. Rulon - RFD #2 started on Main street, south to Mt. Olive Church, west to Lacy Pike and back to Church; west to Lynchburg Pike; south to Willetsville road, west to Lynchburg road; west to Martinsville Pike, east to Clark road, north to Wilmington and New Vienna Pike and then to Post Office.
  
• O.T. Bartlett - RFD #3 started on Main street, north to Leeka road; south to Highland Pike; north to Burnett Cemetery; south to Careytown Pike, west to Edwards; then south to Auburn Chapel to James Roads Pike to Round Head north to Ross Pike to Careytown road to Post Office.

Other details that I've heard or read about (but haven't researched):

• John Ivan Schuler - postmaster 1934-37 was related to the Schuler who was a blacksmith in what became Kenny Williams service station.  
• Roy C. Hale - postmaster in 1913-1922, he was also the town undertaker
• Joe Rambo - pushed the mail cart from RR to PO when mail arrived by train (1930s-1950s?)

* Thomas "Hamer" Rice also known as T.H., was pictured in the c1920 picture of the Harris Grocery and the Irons Building.  He later was a rural mail carrier.  The 1920 census shows him living in New Vienna and clerking in a grocery story, He is listed as postmaster in the 1940 census.  Hamer was married to Clara and they had a son, Robert, born 1916, who died in WW2.  At some point Hamer possibly had his own grocery store in the location which later became Masters and then Sweeney’s.  

From a 1953 news article about upcoming civil service tests for postmasters for many communities including New Vienna.  New Vienna is listed under "Second Class" post offices.