Whether it be today or bygone days, the Harlan County postal system is still the same efficient organization. Even though the delivery was slow many years ago, the service was handled throught contracts. It was a tremendous shift when early citizens had to get adjusted to the railroad.

The traffic from the outside world came mostly by horse, wagon, or by boats. In about the year of 1875 contracts for delivery of mail from harlan Court House by Poor Fork to Perry County were taken by bids.

The distance of 39 miles and back was to be covered once in two weeks. The mail was to leave Harlan early Tuesday at 5 a.m. and arrive in Brashersville at 7 p.m. the same day.

Route Bids Revealed

Every other Monday the mail was to leave Brasherville at 5 a.m. and arrive at Harlan Court House the same day at 7 p.m. Harlan was known then as Mount Pleasant.

These are some of the bids made for the route: Henry Farley, $100; A.C. Godsey, $150; John Lewis Sr., $110; and Robert Smith $99. The contract was given to Moses Cawood for $73. The problem as always was to save as much money for the county as possible.

By 1838 the Post Office Department was really beginning to get tough. One of the specifications read like this; "seperate proposals are invited to carry this mail at the rate of not less than four miles per hour running time and for any greater speed that may be offered in vehicles constructed according to a model to be prescribed by the department, in which the mails shall be secured under lock and key, with the priviledge of carrying three passengers only, in seats made for purpose on the outside."

Women Interested In Job

Records dating 136 years ago show that John P. Martin was postmaster at Harlan Court house and in 1828 his bond was set at $500. Lewis Farmer was post master beginning on 27 Nov. 1857.

Then too there were women interested in the job and as early s 23 April 1861 Sally M. Brittian was at the head of the post office.

For a spell the postal service was discontinued and reestablished 16 Nov. 1865 under Leander Skidmore. On 21 june 1865 the name of the post office changed to Spurlock.

The history of the postal system carrying the record 89 years ago states the service of Hiram S. Powell should be recognized and referred to the auditor to pay $374 per annum subject to fines.

Benjam Franklin was appointed by the Continental Congress to head the first postal system and later was appointed by George Washington. The first records in Kentucky were dated Oct. 1, 1794 according to Kentucky archives taken from the records by Fred Gayton.

May 9, 1954

Volume 53 Number 108

page 1 & 8

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