Early Post Offices

File submitted by Mrs. Inez Bridges Tate and prepared by D.N. Pardue

From publication "Old Montpelier, 1804, New Montpelier, 1904" compiled by Inez B. Tate and published by St. Helena Historical Association, 1993. Reprinted with permission.

A very early Post Office was located at St. Helena Courthouse, Montpelier. Records from National Archives indicates it was established 7 March 1814. The "Great Mail, A Postal History of New Orleans" by Leonard Huber and Clarence Wagner verifies that this Post Office was connected to the Natchez Trace.

The route from Natchez to New Orleans crossed Spanish West Florida. Here the Spaniards "inspected" the mail, a fact that slowed the service and shortened American tempers. In the latter part of 1810 American patriots finally succeeded in capturing St. Francisville and forced the Spaniards from Baton Rouge. This ended the censoring.

By 1812 the Trace route was a bustling highway and, in addition to the mails, over some portions freight and passengers were carried by wagons and coaches.

A shorter route from Natchez by way of Lake Pontchartrain was also used. This road followed a more southeasterly course:

Natchez — 0
St. Catherine's Creek — 4
Second Creek — 14
Homochitto River — 20
31st Degree line — 55
Amite River — 59
Spillers — 73
St. Helena Courthouse — 88
Tickfaw Crossing
Springfield on Natalbany River — 98
Ponchatoula Creek — 103
Tangipahoa River — 112
Madisonville — 127
Mouth of Tchefuncta River — 130
Over Lake Pontchartrain to Fort St. John — 150
Fauburg St. John — 154
New Orleans — 156

While the route via Madisonville was 60-odd miles shorter than the one via Baton Rouge, it was necessary to cross Lake Pontchartrain from the former town to New Orleans (24 miles by water). High winds on the lake frequently made passage impossible and thus delayed the mail. Because of this, the longer route via Baton Rouge was preferred by the merchants of both New Orleans and Natchez.

Postmasters who served at Saint Helena Courthouse are:

David Wright — 7 March 1814
William Spiller — 1 April 1814
Michael Smelser — 22 April 1816
James McKie — 8 April 1817
Jacob Smith — 2 June 1824
Samuel Rannels (or Rannells) — 2 January 1825
John Holloway — 30 December 1830
Parish Childress — 12 February 1833
I. Williams
T.G. Davidson — 3 July 1833
Daniel Sharp — 23 June 1836
Frederick Starns — 4 September 1836
Glass Spiller — 18 August 1841
George Packwood — 20 September 1842
Joseph Killian — 20 September 1853
Discontinued — 20 January 1859

Listing of Postmasters and dates served were obtained from National Archives, Washington, D.C.