The following is taken from "Ilion 1852-1952." We thank the Mayor and other officials of Ilion for granting us permission to provide this information to our visitors.

The Ilion Post Office

In 1843 what is now Ilion was called Remington's Corners. At this time the necessity for a post office had increased correspondingly with the prosperity of the Corners and became a topic of conversation in the stores, shops and firesides.

When Hon. L. L. Merry was postmaster at Mohawk from 1840-1844 he used to send the mail to the Corners tied up in a handkerchief. Sometimes the villagers would have to go from two to ten miles to get letters and papers. In 1843, Dr. David D. DeVoe was appointed postmaster and the office was opened in a store where the Giblin Coal Co. is now located. It moved from there to the Cutler house on First Street. Then in 1889, through the efforts of Postmaster Heacock, a new two-story brick building was erected at 14 First St. by John F. Thomas and the interior was designed by Farnsworth of Camden, N. Y. The post office at this place was removed by Postmaster Rasbach in 1896 from First St. to 12 Otsego St. where the B. A. Russell Pharmacy is now located. It contained 1130 lock and call boxes. Many villagers will remember this landmark by the black iron watering trough for the horses and the drinking fountain with the tin cup. It was moved again in 1916 to the Empire Block on the corner of E. Clark St. and Central Ave. and remained in that location until the present building was erected with Federal funds in 1936.

In 1895 the Ilion Post Office was raised to a second class office and the salary increased from $1900 to $2000. In 1918 it became a first class office with David Dunham postmaster. In 1897, the trustees of the Village said, "Number your houses and buildings on or before May 1st in view of receiving free mail delivery." Under Postmaster Dr. Warner, free mail delivery was begun in September 1898. The first mail carriers appointed were: George Kittams, Edmund A. Steele and Charles Luce and the substitute was Ernest Hoffman. The clerks were: Charles Lewis, Nancy Goo and W. J. Powers. The carriers' uniforms were made by Maher Bros. Of Utica, N. Y. Rural mail service to accommodate 160 families and 500 individuals, including about 21 miles, was begun in 1900. Erfurt Avery was the carrier. R. F. D. service was increased in 1902 to serve an added population of 441 with 105 houses enroute. Robert J. Foley was the carrier for this route. It is interesting to note that the R. F. D. carriers were not required to break their own roads.

Prior to 1936 the office of postmaster was a political appointment but in 1936, President Roosevelt by executive order placed the office of postmaster of the first three classes under Federal Civil Service. Thomas R. Morris was appointed postmaster,

The following have served as postmasters:

David D. DeVoe
I. E. L. Hamilton
L. L. Merry
A. E. Brooks
George W. Cutler
A. D. Morgan
Seth Heacock
John A. Rasbach
Dr. R. W. Warner
Floyd Brooks
David Dunham
Clarence Chismore

The present force is composed of: Postmaster, Thomas R. Morris; Assistant postmaster, L. T. Groat; ten regular clerks with three substitutes; ten regular carriers with two substitutes and two rural carriers.

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