yesterday's tennessee

HISTORY OF THE CHESTERFIELD MAIL SERVICE 1888-1975

B. B. Evans

Newspaper clipping, date and source unknown, noted as being "From Scatterday's History of Chesterfield"; from the Evans family scrapbook of Denise Joyner

Before the railroad was built in 1888 and 1889, there were many small post offices through the country. The Post Office Department tried to place them in traveling distance of everyone as there was no rural services in those days. The mail was delivered about 2 or three days a week by contract carriers. The mail for this section came to Brodie's landing by boat and was then delivered to the post office by horseback. All of the people in this section went to Lone Elm for their mail.

When the railroad was procuring right of way for the road, old Grandfather Washington Walker agreed to give the right of way across his large farm (near 20 acres) if the railroad would have a stop and build, a station on his property. The depot was built near the crossing. of the Middleburg road. It was named Chesterfield for Lord Chesterfield a prominent Englishman of that day.

As soon as the trains began to run the businesses from Lone Elm began to move to the. railroad and the town of Chesterfield was born.

The Bray Brothers (Felix and Curry) who had a large general store, was the first store built. It was near the Ann Evans home. One of the Brays was postmaster at Lone Elm and became the first postmaster here. After several years they sold to a Mr. Patrick. He lived only a short while and died in office. His wife sold the business to Ohlen L. Wallace and E. M. Evans. Mr. Evans was named postmaster and held the job until about 1934. John T. Moore who had bought Mr. Wallace out was made postmaster and. served until about 1942 and was forced to retire on account of health.

Mr. Erby Lloyd Reed was the next postmaster and was called into army service before serving long. During his absence the following served as acting postmasters, B. L. Reed, Auda Duke and Neal Wallace. After Mr. Reed returned from army service he soon resigned and was replaced with Guy Derryberry. Guy did not serve long and was replaced by H. D. Walker.

P. W. Walker was the first rural carrier when the route was established. James A. Bright was the next carrier and died while serving in 1923. B. B. Evans was the next "carrier, retiring in 1972. Cal Shugart is the present carrier.

Since the establishment of the route there have been only three sub, carriers, L. M. Walker, Willhoit Evans and now Edwin Youngerman.

A. G. Hays served the route for several months through the winter of 1917 and 18 as temporary carrier in the absence of Mr. Bright.

We have seen, progress in most anything we can name except our mail service and we are almost back to the horse and buggy days on that.

This post office up until the last few years has had as much as 4 mails a day. For years we had 4 mails a day and were served by railway, post office and mail clerks. Later by highway post office and contract carriers.

The first class letter rate has gone from the 2c stamp to the present l0c and soon to 13c. The penny postcard to 8c.

B. B. Evans
Chesterfield mail carrier
1923-1972

Additional newspaper clipping, date and source not known, from Denise Joyner's Evans family scrapbook

Official ceremonies marking the end of the Chesterfield poet office and retirement of the postmaster were conducted Saturday afternoon. Retiring postmaster Howard Walker was presented a plaque symbolizing appreciation of patrons by Bob Duke, oldest person present. The new mail service becomes effective Oct. 10 and the address then will be Rt. 3, Lexington. Calvin Shugart will be the carrier. Taking part in the ceremonies Saturday were Edde Wallace, Rev. David Walker, Mrs. Eula Scatterday, Lexington Postmaster Thomas E. Bunch, Darden Postmaster John Frost and Scotts Hill Postmaster Gordon Scott, Bradley Evans, retired carrier, and Mr. Shugart.