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POST OFFICE BRANCH OFFICE OPENED IN DESLOGE
Published by the LEAD BELT NEWS, Flat River, St. Francois County, Mo.,
Wednesday, June 2, 1965

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The new Desloge branch of the Flat River Post Office was officially opened Tuesday morning, June 1 [1965], reports Postmaster Robert Hahn of Flat River who announced that an Open House is to be held in the near future.  Although the office is operational, minor installations remain to be completed.

The office is located at the corner of Main & Oak Street in a brick building which was formerly a two story hotel.  The structure has been cut down to one story and has been completely renovated and modernized inside and out.  Containing some 2000 ft. of floor space, the branch office has up-to-the-minute facilities and is equipped with central heating and air conditioning.  The building is owned by Herbert Gremminger and is leased under terms negotiated by the Post Office Department.

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Mrs. Grace Davis is Branch Superintendent and Miss Alberta Smith is employed as clerk.  Charles Ford and Wayne Odgers are the two regular carriers and a sub-carrier is assigned daily from the Flat River office to complete deliveries in Desloge.   

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DESLOGE POST OFFICE BACKGROUND
By: Martha DeClue

Published by the LEAD BELT NEWS, Flat River, St. Francois County, Mo.,
Wed. June 23, 1965.

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Hotel building at corner of Oak & Main Streets in Desloge, Missouri which was cut
down to one story and modernized to  make the new Desloge Post Office

The newly opened post office in Desloge reminds old timers of other places and faces. When the community of unmarked streets was known as Leadville, postage was cheap and service was slow -- but the mail did get through. With the passage of years, facilities have been improved and the present post office in Desloge is one in which the citizens can take pride.

There are several people around who remember when the post office was in the W. P. Giessing store at what is now the corner of Lincoln and Elm streets. This was in the early 1900's and Mr. and Mrs. Giessing managed the operation -- without the benefits of air conditioning and ZIP codes.

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W. P. Giessing Store, Desloge, Missouri

When the office was moved out of the Giessing store it was located next door and John T. Dinkins was appointed Postmaster.

Several years later the facilities were moved again to what is now the corner of Lincoln and Chestnut St. and the new Postmaster was W. T. Newman. During his tenure of office the post office was extensively damaged by fire. Arrangements were then made to put the post office in a section of a new commercial building constructed on Desloge's main business street by I. W. Miller. There the post office was maintained until moved this spring to its present location at Main and Oak.

Following W. T. Newman as postmaster was Mrs. Margaret Lester, wife of a Desloge physician. From the time of her appointment to the present day the post office has remained under the supervision of women. Succeeding Mrs. Lester in 1933 was Mrs. Ella B. Newman, wife of W. T. Newman. When she became ill and unable to continue, her daughter, Mrs. Grace Davis, was appointed to the post. From 1944 until March, 1963, Mrs. Davis was postmaster; at the latter date the Desloge installation became a branch of the Flat River Post Office and since then Mrs. Davis' title has been Branch Superintendent. By tradition and experience, Mrs. Davis is admirably equipped to operate a post office. It is a family trait. Beyond her own career, extending now to a period of more than 21 years, three of Mrs. Davis' forbears have been postmasters. Her maternal grandfather, Frank E. Coffman, was postmaster at Coffman, Mo., and her parents, W. T. and Ella Newman, were both Desloge postmasters.

Mrs. Davis has an interesting background. After graduation from Desloge High School she prepared herself for a teaching career, attending Southeast Missouri State College, University of Wisconsin, University of California and Pittsburg, Kansas, State Teachers College. She taught in grade school at Desloge, high school at Jennings, Mo., grade school and Clayton, Mo., and junior high school at Nevada, Mo.

She married Dr. W. M. Davis who practiced dentistry in Nevada, Mo., until his death in 1937. After her husband's death Mrs. Davis returned to Desloge to make her home. Deciding to enter the business world, she attended Rubicam Business College in St. Louis.

After completion of the course she was employed by St. Louis University School of Dentistry; Bureau of the Census; State Treasurer and Secretary of State in Jefferson City; and the Post Office Department.

Although carriers now deliver mail door to door, a great deal of over-the-counter business is still conducted and a number of individuals and business firms rent boxes. The mail is now delivered to the post office by truck. Time was when it was brought from the depot by railroad station agent T. E. Ruffing, who was required to carry a gun in making the delivery.

Many other innovations have transformed the Desloge post office branch into one of the most attractive and up-to-date installations of its kind to be found. The general public will be invited to view the facility at an open house event to be held in the near future.

Published by the LEAD BELT NEWS, Flat River, St. Francois Co. MO, Wed. June 23, 1965.

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