Montpelier Post Office

Montpelier Post Office, St. Helena Parish, Lousiana
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.

First known as "Mount Pelier".

List of Postmasters and appointment dates:

John W. Wilson — 22 June 1888
Doctor S. Killian — 30 Oct. 1890

Name changed to "Montpelier" — 22 May 1905

Cecil E. Tillery — 22 May 1905
Samuel F. Morgan — 12 Aug. 1908
Samuel F. Morgan, Jr. — 4 Jan. 1935
Percy L. Davis — 1 Apr. 1936
Hilary E. Watson — 16 Feb. 1941

Discontinued effective 31 Aug. 1954 (1)
Mail to Amite

Reopened as Montpelier Branch of the Amite Post Office on Sept. 1, 1954

Hilary E. Watson, Clerk

Both Marsha & Janice Grantham served as clerks between 1971 - 1974.

Discontinued 1 July 1974 (2)

A rural station provided the same service as a Post Office. The clerk was appointed by the Postmaster General. "At the rural stations mail shall be dispatched, received and delivered, money orders issued, mail registered and stamp supplies sold." (3)

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(1) List received from National Archives, Washington, D.C.

(2) Postal Laws & Regulations, Edition of 1948, Jesse M. Donaldson, Postmaster General

(3) Letter dated 11-5-91 from Research Administrator/Historian, Office of the Postmaster General, Washington, D.C.

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While the Post Office was a full service Post Office, mail was brought in by a person paid for this service. During the time the train was in operation through Montpelier, mail came in on the train.

When the Post Office became a rural station in 1954, the mail carrier brought the sacks of mail out from Amite. Residents received their mail addressed: MRS, Amite, Louisiana. (Montpelier Rural Station)

Many who lived near Montpelier received their mail "Route 1, Amite." Mail carriers remembered: Sam Frey, Sr., Robert Frey, Sam Frey, Jr., and Clay Brumfield.