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THE FIRST POSTOFFICE

The first postoffiee was established at Andalusia, April 24, 1846, with Dr. Edward H. Bowman, postmaster, but the office was discontinued February 29, 1848. On May 4,1848, with James, widely known as "Scotch" Taylor, postmaster, an office was established at his farmbouse, nearly six miles southeast of Andalusia, and named Pleasant Ridge, but March 5, 1850, this post office was moved to Andalusia, and given its present name, and Dr. Bowman again became postmaster. He was succeeded by Myron B. Clark, July 23, 1851.

On September 30, 1851, the name was again changed to Pleasant Ridge, with James Taylor again postmaster. His successors remained in office until it was discontinued in 1877, by the establishment of the Taylor Ridge office at the railroad station of that name close by. The permanent Andalusia post office was established July 6, 1860, with Frank Eby, postmaster. The successive postmasters until 1912 have been:

F. M. Boney, Sauiuel Love, Oilman Parker, Asa Parker, B. A. Yandeveer, Samuel Goode, R. E. Reede, C. A. Hayes, J. H. Brookiuan, J. H. Ballard and C. L. Wenks.

Previous to the general extension of the postal order system, in 1890. Postmaster Reede had the postoffiee established as a money order office. Since 1863, there has been one mail each way daily; first carried by the Rock Island and Aledo stage line; for forty years by carrier from Milan, eight miles east. Prior to 1863, Andalusia had mail twice a week from Pleasant Ridge office referred to. antecedent to that service sometimes once weekly.

"When in his teens in the forties, the late James Hill of Andalusia, carried mail on horseback, throush bridle paths, in timber and over prairies, from Rock Island to New Boston, Mercer county, en route delivering mail for a "neighborhood'' of several miles in extent at a designated cabin home or store, or at times to the teacher at the place he "kept school." The late Hon. John. W. Spencer, of Rock Island, brought to Fort Armstrong, from Galena, Ill., the first news of the election of President Jackson, four months after the election.

Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois

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Illinois Ancestors

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