Acting First Ass't P.M. General.
It will be seen that the net income of the office, during the first
seventy-five years of its existence, increased one hundred fold.
West Groton is a small settlement that has sprung up in the western part
of the town, dating back in its history to the last century. It is
pleasantly situated on the banks of the Squannacook River, and in my
boyhood was known as Squannacook, a much better name than the present
one. It is to be regretted that so many of the old Indian words, which
smack of the region, should have been crowded out of our local
nomenclature. There is a small water-power here, and formerly a sawmill,
gristmill, and a paper-mill were in operation; but these have now given
way to a factory, where leather-board is made. The Peterborough and
Shirley branch of the Fitchburg Railroad passes through the place, and
some local business is transacted in the neighborhood. As a matter of
course, a post-office was needed in the village, and one was established
on March 19, 1850. The first person to fill the office was Adams
Archibald, a native of Truro, Nova Scotia, who kept it in the
railway-station.
The following is a list of the postmasters, with the dates of their
appointment:--
Adams Archibald, March 19, 1850.
Edmund Blood, May 25, 1868.
Charles H. Hill, July 31, 1871.
George H. Bixby, June, 1878.
During the postmastership of Mr. Blood, and since that time, the office
has been kept at the only store in the place.
A post-office was established at South Groton, on June 1, 1849, and the
first postmaster was Andrew B. Gardner. The village was widely known
as Groton Junction, and resulted from the intersection of several
railroads. Here six passenger-trains coming from different points were
due in the same station at the same time, and they all were supposed to
leave as punctually.
The trains on the Fitchburg Railroad, arriving from each direction, and
likewise the trains on the Worcester and Nashua Road from the north and
the south, passed each other at this place. There was also a train from
Lowell, on the Stony Brook Railroad, and another on the Peterborough and
Shirley branch, coming at that time from West Townsend.
A busy settlement grew up, which was incorporated as a distinct town
under the name of Ayer, on February 14, 1871.
The following is a list of the postmasters, with the dates of their
appointment:--
Andrew B. Gardner, June 1, 1849.
Harvey A. Wood, August 11, 1853.
George H. Brown, December 30, 1861.
William H. Harlow, December 5, 1862.
George H. Brown, January 15, 1863.
William H. Harlow, July 18, 1865.
The name of the post-office was changed by the department at Washington,
from South Groton to Groton Junction, on March 1, 1862; and subsequently
this was changed to Ayer, on March 22, 1871, soon after the
incorporation of the town, during the postmastership of Mr. Harlow.
The letter of the acting first assistant postmaster-general, printed
above, supplements the account in Butler's History of Groton (pages
249-251). According to Mr. Butler's statement, the post-office was
established on. September 29, 1800, and the Honorable Samuel Dana was
appointed the first postmaster. No mail, however, was delivered at the
office until the last week in November. For a while it came to Groton
by the way of Leominster, certainly a very indirect route. This fact
appears from a letter written to Judge Dana, by the Postmaster-General,
under date of December 18, 1800, apparently in answer to a request to
have the mail brought directly from Boston. In this communication the
writer says:--
It appears to me, that the arrangement which has been made for
carrying the mail to Groton is sufficient for the accommodation of
the inhabitants, as it gives them the opportunity of receiving their
letters regularly, and with despatch, once a week. The route from
Boston, by Leominster, to Groton is only twenty miles farther than by
the direct route, and the delay of half a day, which is occasioned
thereby, is not of much consequence to the inhabitants of Groton.
If it should prove that Groton produces as much postage as Lancaster
and Leominster, the new contract for carrying the mail, which is
to be in operation on the first of October next, will be made by
Concord and Groton to Walpole, and a branch from Concord to
Marlborough.