SMALL-TOWN POST OFFICES
1824, 1851 & 1911
Montgomery County, N.Y.
The lists of official post offices on Jan 1, 1824 come from Spafford's 1824 New York State
Gazetteer, which was reprinted in 1981 by Heart of the Lakes Publishing Co. Some current
towns had not yet been created, while others are now officially in Fulton County, a daughter county
of Montgomery Co.
The 1851 lists were abstracted from Hayward's United States Gazetteer, published in
1853, and are the names of official post offices which existed on the 31st of May, 1851 in the
State of New York. The compilers of the 1853 gazetteer stated that these were places of "small
note" yet large enough to warrant having a separate post office from larger towns.
1/25/06 The 1911 listings come from the United States Official Postal Guide, Third Series. Vol. 4, No. 1. July 1911. For Sale by J. B. Lyon Company,
Printers, Lyon Block, Market Square, Albany, N.Y. Changes over 60 years are partially accounted for by the changes in importance of railroads vs. the canal system.
| OFFICIAL LIST OF US POST OFFICES, 1 Jan 1824 : MONTGOMERY COUNTY Note: Some of these post offices are now in Fulton County. |
|---|
| Post Office | Town Where Located | Distance From Albany |
|---|---|---|
| Amsterdam | Amsterdam | 31 mi |
| Auriesville | Glen | 40 mi |
| Broadalbin | Broadalbin | 45 mi |
| Canajoharie | Canajoharie | 39 mi |
| Charleston | Charleston | 39 mi |
| Corrytown | changed to Root | |
| Cranberry Creek | Mayfield | 45 mi |
| Florida | Florida | 35 mi |
| Fort Plain | Minden | 53 mi |
| Glen | Glen | 40 mi |
| Johnstown | Johnstown | 42 mi |
| Lasselsville | Palatine | 53 mi |
| Mayfield | Mayfield | 49 mi |
| Northampton | Northampton | 42 mi |
| Oppenheim | Oppenheim | 56 mi |
| Palatine | Palatine | 51 mi |
| Palatine Bridge | Palatine | 46 mi |
| Root | Root | 46 mi |
| St. Johnsville | St. Johnsville | 53 mi |
| Voorheesville | changed to Glen |
Some Historical Perspective: According to Spafford's 1824 Gazetteer, in 1789 there were only 7 official post offices in New York State. These were Albany, Claverack, Fishkill, Kinderhook, New York City, Poughkeepsie, and Rhinebeck, i.e. up and down the Hudson River Valley.
By 1793, there were 20 post offices in New York State: Albany, Goshen, Kingston, Poughkeepsie, Schawangunk, Canajoharie, Hudson, Lansingburgh, Red Hook, Wardsbridge, Claverack, Kinderhook, New York City, Rhinebeck, Warwick, Fishkill, Kingsbridge, Peekskill, Schenectady, and Windsor.
On 1 Jan 1824, there were 876 official US post offices.
| MONTGOMERY COUNTY 1851 POST OFFICES |
|---|
Ames
Auriesville
Buel
Burtonsville
Charleston Four Corners
Cranesville
Flat Creek
Fort Hunter
Freysbush
Hagaman's Mills
Hallsville
Hessville
Minaville
Mindenville
Palatine Bridge
Port Jackson
Saint Johnsville
Spraker's Basin
Sprout Brook
Stone Arabia
Tribe's Hill
In 1911, some locations had salaried postmasters. Yearly salary in parentheses.
| MONTGOMERY COUNTY 1911 POST OFFICES |
|---|
Akin
Ames
Amsterdam ($3,200)
Burtonsville
Canajoharie ($2,500)
Cranesvlle
Fonda ($1,600)
Fort Hunter
Fort Plain ($2,300)
Fultonville ($1,500)
Glen
Hagaman
Harrower
Marshville
Minaville
Nelliston
Palatine Bridge
Randall
Saint Johnsville ($2,100)
Sprakers
Tribes Hill
* Post Offices Discontinued on Account of Rural Delivery July 1, 1908 - June 30, 1911
Lassellville - St. Johnsville
Lykers - Sprakers