Postal History of Newport by Jerry B. Devol Tallow Light, vol. 3, # 2, July- August 1968, Washington County historical Society, Marietta, Ohio The Newport Post Office was established on November 5, 1815.  These are the postmasters to date: 1. Thomas Ferguson, November 15, 1815 2. Luther D. Barker, November 13, 1821 3. Rev. James McAboy, May 21, 1825 Ebenezer Battelle, Jr., October 11, 1825 5. Joseph T. Crandall, September 8, 1843 6. Thomas O’Neal, November 25, 1854 7. John W. Gale, October 24, 1857 8. Samuel Amlin, April 5, 1859 8. Alfred P. Cree, April 10, 1863 10. Lieut. George Davenport, March 22, 1866 11. Joseph Leonard Reckard Jr., March 3, 1868 12. John M. Gano, August 24, 1868 13, Edward A. Jones, May 4, 1876 14. Martin Wilbur Rea, May 12, 1884 15. George W. Haight, June 19, 1886 16. Preston G. Hays, April 17, 1889 17, George W. Haight, June 19, 1893 18. William S. Gano, June 19, 1897 19. Fred J. Kerr, December 30, 1913 20. Joseph E. W. Greene, June 3, 1922 21. Robert H. Gano, March 3, 1927-1969 22. Dwight Sanford, March 6, 1971 – Rural Route, December 28, 1952 until 1969 23. Opal M. Mendenhall, April 13, 1983 – September 28, 1992  AS respects to the postal service in and out of Newport Township, there was an early need for an office at the point where Dana’s Run empties into the Ohio River because a cluster of cabins sprang up here within the next few years after the arrival of the Dana’s and Greene’s in 1798.       The Newport Post Office was established on November 15, 1815 with Thomas Ferguson named the first Postmaster. He was born in Loundon County, Virginia, and arrived in Newport Township in1801. Postal Records do not indicate the post office ever in operation until the appointment of Luther d. Barker, November 13, 1821. The explanation for this is possibly because of the inconvenient location at Ferguson’s Landing on the Ohio River opposite Middle Island about 1 ½ miles above the settlement.       The earliest known letter posted at Newport is a stamp less folded letter postmarked in the manuscript of Luther Barker on December 16, 1822. Barker’s brick residence was a half mile closer than Ferguson’s but he soon moved to McConnellsville and the Rev, James McAboy took over the duties of postmaster near his Baptist church in Newport settlement effective May 21, 1825. Elder McAboy held the office less than five months when it was removed to the centrally located two-story log house of Ebenezer Battelle Jr. who was commissioned about October 11, 1825. It was on part of Captain Battelle’s extensive property that the town of Newport was laid out in 1839. The office was placed in the hostelry of Joseph T. Crandall, and he was appointed postmaster on September 8, 1843. Crandall received $40.33 pay for the fiscal year 1848-1849. He died in 1854 at the age of 38 and Thomas O’NeaI succeeded him, effective November 25, 1854. John W. Gale was then named postmaster on October 24, 1857 at the age of 18 years old. Samuel Amlin took charge on April 5, 1859 when he was about 83 years of age. Squire Amlin died in Newport in 1872, aged 94 years. His successor in the Post Office was Alfred P. Cree, on April 10, 1863 who held it until it was removed to Lieut. George Davenport’s Dry Goods Store, on March 22, 1866. His brother-in-law Joseph Leonard Reckard Jr., was named postmaster on March 3, 1868 but held it only five months when it was placed in John Gano’s store on August 24, 1868, when Mr. Reckard moved to Marietta to take over his father’s livery stable. Edward A. Jones kept the Newport Post Office in his store beginning May 4, 1876 with J. M. Dana his postal clerk for a time. Jones moved to Columbus in 1884 and Martin Wilbur Rea, a lawyer in Marietta, purchased his goods and rented his building the firm became “M. Rea & Co.” Rea was appointed postmaster on May 12, 1884 but ill health soon forced him to retire in favor of George W. Haight on May 12, 1886. The popular Mr. Rea died soon afterward, on November 1, 1887. The post office was then removed from Haight’s grocery into the store of Preston G. Hays on the Ohio River bank, on April 17, 1889. A traveling writer for the Marietta “Resister” newspaper noted in the issue of October 27, 1891”--P. 0. Hay’s--daughters attend to the office and it is well done. The business has picked up somewhat since the oil excitement in the vicinity.--” George W. Haight received a second appointment as the Newport Postmaster in a political change made on June 19, 1893. William S. Gano took charge on July 16, 1897 and held the office over 16 years until replaced by Fred J. Kerr, on December 30, 1913. Joseph E. W. Greene took the office on June 3, 1922 and then Robert H. Gano came into office on March 3, 1927 and efficiently served the Newport Post Office for more than 41 years until his retirement in 1969. He was the third member of his family to be postmaster here. Dwight E. Sanford became acting postmaster on November 1, 1969 and officially on March 6, 1971 . Opal M Mendenhall became Postmaster on April 13, 1983 Newport is the only office of the ten that have existed in the township that is still in operation. The Post Office was moved to its present site at the back of Harris’ Super market in 1970. In August of 1956, Newport office received modem postal equipment from the U. S. Post Office Department. Mail carriers from Newport to St. Marys 1. Dudley Myers, by boat 2. Albert Myers, by boat 3. Floyd Riggs, by boat 4. Steve Delong, by boat 5. William Torner, by boat 6. Norris Torner, by boat  Rural Mail Carriers 1. Bill Kirkbride 2. Steve Delong 3. Forrest Knowlton 4. Dwight E. Sanford 5. Earl Rouse, sub. & carrier 6. Sam Greenwood, sub. 7. Beulah Congelton 8. Paul Harris, sub. & carrier 9. Rema Robbins, sub.