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On 30 December 1847 John A. Brooks established a post office at his mill and called it "Newaygo". Newaygo Post Office being one of the first two post offices located in Newaygo Co., the other being Stearn's Mills, located on the Muskegon River at what was called Muskegon Forks, later called Croton. Both of these post offices were established on the same day, so they have to share the claim of being the first post office established in Newaygo Co.
Newaygo Post Office was discontinued on November 1, 1851 and re-established on January 5, 1852 with Gaylord C. Warner as the Postmaster. Newaygo Post Office is the oldest remaining post office in Newaygo County. Newaygo has had nearly 40 Postmasters, with most of the early ones only lasting a year or so. Charles P. Sawyer became Postmaster on May 15, 1933, lasting a little over 18 years. Some of the other early Postmasters of the Newaygo office were; Saban Alverson - May 1852. Harvey Henry - Sept 1853, Robert Traey - Feb. 1854, Charles Leonard - June 1856, Daniel Stearns - Sept. 1857, George Lester - Dec. 1858, William Mead - May 1860, William Latimer - April 1861, John Tatman - Sept 1862, Solomon Riblets - Mar. 1865, William Mead again Oct. 1866, Solomon Riblets again May 1867, John Brown 1869 and Erwin Shaw in May 1871. In May of 1875, while Edwin O. Shaw was Postmaster, a man came into the post office and tried to sell him some postage stamps. Postmaster Shaw became suspicious and sent for the sheriff. When the sheriff arrived the man said that his name was Lewis Hatch, and stated that he lived in Middleburg, Elkhart County, Indiana. Hatch had also tried to sell some of the stamps in the saloon. Sheriff Fry arrested Hatch and brought him before commissioner A. G. Day, Esq. Hatch waived an examination and stated that he was with the party that broke open the Alpine Post Office in Kent County. In default of bail he was sent to Grand Rapids to await the sitting of the U. S. Court. |