Washington, D. C, September 3, 1877.
Hon. Charles Devens, Attorney-General, Department of Justice.}}
Sir,—I have to acknowledge the receipt of a communication from Samuel A. Green, of Boston, Massachusetts, with your endorsement thereon, requesting to be furnished with a list of postmasters at the office of Groton, in that State, from the date of its establishment to the present time.
In reply, I have the honor to inform you, that the fire which consumed the department building, on the night of the fifteenth of December, 1836, destroyed three of the earliest record-books of this office; but by the aid of the auditor's ledger-books, it is ascertained that the office began to render accounts on the first of January, 1801, but the exact day is not known. Samuel Dana was the first postmaster, and the following list furnishes the history of the office, as shown by the old records.
Groton, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. Office probably established in November, 1800. Samuel Dana began rendering accounts January 1, 1801. Wm. M. Richardson, October 1, 1804.
From this time the exact dates are known.
Abraham Moore, appointed postmaster January 31, 1812.
Eliphalet Wheeler, August 20, 1815.
James Lewis, September 9, 1815.
Caleb Butler, July 1, 1826.
Henry Woods, January 15, 1839.
George S. Boutwell, January 22, 1841.
Caleb Butler, April 15, 1841.
Welcome Lothrop, December 21, 1846.
Artemas Wood, February 22-, 1849.
George H. Brown, May 4, 1849.
Theodore Andruss, April 11, 1853.
George W. Fiske, April 22, 1861.
Henry Woodcock, February 13, 1867.
Miss Hattie E. Farnsworth, June 11, 1869, who is the present incumbent.
Each postmaster held the office up to the appointment of his successor, but it is probable that Mr. Boutwell and Mr. A. Wood, although regularly appointed, did not accept, judging by the dates of the next postmasters.
As to the "income" of the office, to which allusion is made, it is very difficult to obtain any of the amounts; but the first year and the last year are herewith appended, as follows:—
(1801) Fiscal Year (1876)
First quarter, $1.91
Second ,, 2.13
Third „ 2.93
Fourth ,, 5.29
For the year, $12.26
First quarter, $314.15
Second ,, 296.94
Third „ 305.71
Fourth ,, 294.28
For the y'r, $1,211.08
Trusting the foregoing, which is believed to be correct, will be acceptable to you, I am, sir, respectfully,
Your ob't serv't,
JAMES H. MARR,
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,
