Winston Cosgrove's
Wolfe Island Past and Present

Excerpts from:

Chapter Nine: Postal Services

Used with the kind permission of Mrs. W.M.
(Phyllis) Cosgrove October 10, 2001

For the purpose of brevity, only portions have been extracted
from the full text. For a genuine appreciation of Mr. Cosgrove’s
writings please read the entire work. The book is available
from the Kingston Public Library.

In 1845 the first post office was established in the Hitchcock House with Mary Hitchcock remaining as postmistress until her death in 1877. For a time when there was no post office, Mary kept letters in a cupboard. Stamps were not used then; people paid for the letters when they picked them up.

Since 1877 the following people have served the public; Mr. Edward Baker and Eliza Baker until 1912 in Baker’s Store; Thomas Friend until 1927 in the general store now operated by Ross Bustard; J.D. Cosgrove 1927-1952 in the east side of the Payne residence and 1952-1957 in the Whitmarsh building later demolished when the new post office was built; Harold Cosgrove until 1970 in the Whitmarsh building and temporarily in the George O’Brien residence; and to the present (1973), Mrs. Giselle Larocque in the new post office opened on Sept. 30, 1970.

Payne Residence

From "Postal Services"
Cosgrove, W.M., Wolfe Island Past & Present, 1973, p. 33

PHOTOS IN BOOK BUT NOT ONLINE:
Wolfe Island P.O page 33 (too light to scan)
Whitmarsh building (photo courtesy Mrs. G. Larocque) page 33 (too light to scan)

The Islands: Books: Winston Cosgroves Wolfe Island Past and Present: Postal Services

Winston Cosgrove's Wolfe Island Past and Present

Chapter Nine: Postal Services

Winston Cosgrove's
Wolfe Island Past and Present