Old Post Offices In Covington
by Peter A. Brannon
Article From
The Montgomery Newspaper
July 04, 1939



Compiled & contributed by Lisa Graham, OCT 2004.

Montezuma was the first County seat in Covington, Andalusia the second, and Vera Cruz (1891). The Post Office at Montezuma was created June 9, 1829, and John Devereaux was named postmaster. Mr. Devereaux served from June 9, 1829 to July 1, 1835. He was succeeded as postmaster by Charles G. Lynch who served through the year 1838 to be succeeded by James M. Thompson, who seems to have been succeeded on October 1, 1840, by David Dunn. J. J. Donelly succeeded Dunn and served until Sept. 30, 1842. Charles A. Stanley was serving on Sept. 30, 1842. The Income for a postmaster was not quite $2.00 per year.

Charles A. Stanley is shown in the postal records as the successor to J. J. Donelly, old postmaster of Montezuma, and as the official Andalusia post office is not recorded until the end of the current year, Sept. 1845. He must have been postmaster at the new site and probably the one who turned it over to Charles G. Lynch on the creation of the Andalusia Office. Here are the Postmasters who served from 1845-1911 (I do not have a record after that time).

Charles G. Lynch
Alfred Holley
John P. Nicholas
William Thomas Acree
G. R. Salter
W. J. Riley
Mrs. M. Dixon
Lawrence Salter
Ephraim Dixon
J. W. Smith
A. B. May
J. A. Prestwood
Henry B. O'Neal
Sidney J. Harrell
Thomas E. Windham
William H. Woodruff
Cyrus R. O'Neal

William T. Acree was The confederate Postmaster and the United States paid him a salary up to May 31, 1861. The official United States entry shows that he made a report and kept out his salary of $63.18. Mrs. Dixon was appointed office on April 1, 1869 and her salary for April- Sept., 6 months was $7.50.

OTHER COVINGTON COUNTY TOWNS

There was a post office created in 1841 called Cauleyville. The office during one year earned $5.76, $2.44 being set aside for the postmaster, J. Parker. Green Land had a post office in 1854 and during part of 1855. W.W. Williams served three-quarters of a year and Jesse Gainor one- quarter. Their combined salary was $9.46. That office was discontinued May 4, 1865. The County in 1875 had six offices. J. W. Smith was at Andalusia, Susan B. Hunter was at Cottles Mills, R. H. Gaiford was at Fairfield,
G. W. Kierce was at Red Level. Rose Hill had J. K. Thomas and at Williams Mill, W. S. Watkins was postmaster.The latter office paid $2 per year & was ordered discontinued. In 1891 the Place names in the County were Vera Cruz, Shirley, Red Level, Hamptonville, Loango, Fairfield, Beda, Cameron, Andalusia, William's Mill, Rose Hill, Hilton, Wiggins, Sanford, Lakeview, Dannelly, Opine, Halton and Green Bay, Lakeview is now Florala. The 5 commissioners named to organize the County were William Carter, James R. Mobley, Aaron Lockhart, Henry Jones and Abel Polk. Apparently they did not select a County seat or carry out original plans indicated, so the Legislature in 1822 named John M. Chapman, William Arthur, Henry Jones, Abel Polk and John Cruse to carry the act into effect.



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