Putnam Patriot

First Postoffice Was Established Here February 3rd, 1834. Named West Thompson

Nine Postmasters Have Held Office During the Past Century

The United States Mail Service, which is itself 158 years old, has maintained a postoffice in what is now Putnam for practically 100 years. February third of next year will mark the 100th anniversary of the start of mail service in this vicinity.

A project was started a few years previous to the establishment of a postoffice in Putnam and on February 3, 1834, it was successful and Faxon Nichols was appointed as the first postmaster of the West Thompson postoffice. He served in this office until August 22, 1842 when his place was taken by John O. Fox. During Mr. Fox's term as postmaster, which lasted until June 8, 1861, the name of the postoffice was changed three times. Less than two years after Mr. Fox took office, May 23, 1844, the name was changed from West Thompson to Wilkinson. Again on December 18, 1849, it was changed to Quinebaug.

The town of Putnam was incorporated from parts of the surrounding towns in 1855 and on June 13th of that year, the post office name was changed to Putnam and it has remained as such until the present time.

After serving as postmaster of the Putnam post office for nineteen years, Mr. Fox was succeeded by Hiram N. Brown. Mr. Brown was appointed June 8, 1861 and held office until August 14, 1867 when Mr. Fox was re-appointed postmaster to serve two more years.

Perry P. Wilson was the next postmaster. He served from April 19, 1869 until June 25, 1885 at which time Edward Mullan received the appointment. February 12, 1890, Patrick O'Leary was appointed to the post and he served until August 2, 1894 when he was replaced by Frank G. Letters. Mr. Letters served in the capacity of postmaster of Putnam until February 15, 1915, when Alexander Gilman was appointed. On September 7, 1922, he was succeeded by Archibald Macdonald, present postmaster who has served for the last eleven years.

There is of course talk of a new postmaster in Putnam due to the change of administration at the last Presidential Election. If a new man is appointed, he will take office next January.

The building in which the post office has been located has been changed a number of times In the last hundred years it has been shifted "from pillar to post and back again." For many years it has been in the Union Block and previous to that it was located in the old Quinebaug Block which stood on the site of the present Union Block. The new post office building has been completed and this week the postoffice made still another change.