More About the Post Office in Chattanooga, Ohio

A couple weeks ago I posted some photos of Chattanooga, Ohio, postmarks. Since then I discovered yet another.

Below is a photo of an envelope that bears a 7 January 1895 Chattanooga, Ohio, postmark. The return address is to Geo Heffner, Chattanooga, Ohio, and the letter was sent to Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Chattanooga, Ohio, postmark.

1895 Chattanooga, Ohio, postmark.

And I learned more information about the post office that once was in the village of Chattanooga.

Chattanooga postmaster Phillip Hill got in a little trouble back in 1885. Well, actually probably a lot of trouble. And it appears that Hill was likely Chatt’s first postmaster.

Arrest of a Postmaster
Washington, D.C., April 17—Phillip Hill, the Postmaster at Chattanooga, Ohio, has been arrested by Post-office inspectors for stealing registered letters.
[1]

Hill 1885

Chattanooga, Ohio, Postmaster arrested, 1885.

In the following list of Chattanooga’s postmasters Hill is indexed as Philip Z Hill, although I do not see the Z.

Philip Hill was appointed postmaster of Chattanooga, Ohio, 18 September 1882. The next postmaster was John Schlenker, appointed 31 August 1885. Then William Fender, appointed 8 September 1888. And last on that line is postmaster Jacob Deitsch, appointed 24 December 1889. [2]

Chattanooga, Ohio, postmasters.

Chattanooga, Ohio, postmasters, 1882-1889.

There is a notation above Hill’s name: NB June 18, 1885, which probably refers to the fact that Hill had to leave the position. The NB means: Some mention of the office was made in the Postal Bulletin, a publication of the Post Office Department. Copies of these publications are in the Reference Library of the Post Office Department and in the Library of Congress. No copies are in the National Archives Building.

The next list of postmasters in the next volume:

Jacob Deitsch, appointed 24 Dec 1889
Henry J. Cordier, appointed 9 July 1891
Frederick Heffner, appointed 15 Jan 1894
Phillip Deitsch, appointed 18 July 1895
Andress Leistner, appointed 10 April 1899-23 March 1903
Mail to Rockford 3 May 1900
George R. Hagerman, appointed 30 Nov 1891, Effective 31 May 1900
Charles F. Wagner, appointed 14 Sep 1904 [3]

Chattanooga, Ohio, postmasters.

Chattanooga, Ohio, postmasters, 1889-1904.

Who was Phillip Hill, Chattanooga’s infamous postmaster?

I am not sure.

One Philip Hill, 10, was living in Blackcreek Township in 1850 with Christina Hill, age 40, born in Germany, probably his mother. Also in the household: Christina, 19, Germany; Anton, 14, Germany; Fredrick, 12, Ohio; and Elizabeth, 7, Ohio. [4]

Philip Hill was living with Casper and Christena (Hill) Lichtensteiger in 1860 in Blackcreek Township. Christena was Philip’s sister and Philip was their farm hand. He was age 18 and born in Ohio. How ironic that the Lichtensteiger family once owned the farm where I grew up north of Chatt. Wildcat School No. 9 was on the corner but they owned 110 acres around the school. [5]

Philip Hill was living in Willshire in 1870. Philip Hill, 28, born in Ohio, was living with Christena Hill, 61, born in Hesse, who was probably his mother. Philip was a boot and shoemaker at that time. [6]

In 1900 it appears the same Phillip Hill was living at the Mercer County Infirmary. He was age 58, single, born in Ohio in February 1842. His father was born in Germany, his mother in Pennsylvania. [7]

Philip Hill died of dropsy on 23 September 1909 in Jefferson Township, Mercer County, Ohio. He was 68 years old, born in Ohio, and his occupation was shoemaker. His death certificate indicates he was buried on 24 September in Pleasant Grove Cemetery, Van Wert County, aka Plank Cemetery, aka Winkler Cemetery, aka Van Wert-Mercer Cemetery. Although he has no tombstone Van Wert County Cemetery Inscriptions Vol. V indicates he was born 18 July 1842 and that he was the son of Philip and Christenia Hill.

Whether this is the same Philip Hill that was Chattanooga’s first postmaster remains to be discovered.

 

[1] Alton Evening Telegraph, Alton, Illinois, 17 Apr 1885, p.1: Newspapers.com, (www.newspapers.com : accessed 13 Oct 2013).

[2] Appointments of U.S. Postmasters, 1832-1971, Vol.38, p.316-17, Mercer Co, Ohio; Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 15 Apr 2016); from Records of the Post Office Department, Record Group No. 28, Vol.38, p. Washington, D.C., NARA Microfilm M841.

[3] Appointments of U.S. Postmasters, 1832-1971, Vol. 79, p.367-68; Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 15 Apr 2016); from Records of the Post Office Department, Record Group No. 28, Washington, D.C., NARA Microfilm M841.

[4] 1850 U.S. Census, Black Creek, Mercer, Ohio, p.289A, dwelling 52, family 55, Christina Hill; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 21 Apr 2016); from NARA microfilm M432, roll 710.

[5] 1860 U.S. Census, Black Creek, Mercer, Ohio, p.332, line 1, dwelling 617, family 622, C Lichgruster; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 21 Apr 2016); from FHL microfilm 805009, from NARA microfilm M653, roll 1009.

[6] 1870 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, p.449A, dwelling 24, family 26, Philip Hill; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 21 Apr 2016); from FHL microfilm 552774, from NARA microfilm M593, roll 1275.

[7] 1900 U.S. Census, Jefferson, Mercer, Ohio, ED 83, p.16A, line 40, Phillip Hill; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 21 Apr 2016); from FHL microfilm 1241304, from NARA microfilm T623, roll 1304.

[8] “Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org : accessed 21 Apr 2016), Philip Hill, 23 Sep 1909; citing Jefferson Twp, Mercer, Ohio; from FHL microfilm 1927185.

 

 

 

 

 

2 comments

    • sharon schaadt cowen on April 22, 2016 at 10:58 am
    • Reply

    Hi Karen,

    Once again, thank you so much for the great info!

    1. Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the information.

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