The six Bluffton postmasters in this iconic portrait taken by Will Triplett represent 66 years of postal history in Bluffton. The eras these men served extend from 1868 to 1934.
They are, standing from left, Russell Day, M.M. Murray and Gibson Locher.
Seated from left are Henry L. Romey, Andrew Hauenstein and George W. Lewis.
The photo was taken sometime in the span from 1930 to 1934. Andrew Hauenstein died in 1937 and Ed Reichenbach became postmaster in 1934.
None of these postmasters held their positions in the present post office, as it was built in 1940.
Bluffton’s post office location moved several times in the community’s early years. When the town hall opened in 1887 the post office was located on its first floor. We aren’t certain of the post office’s location prior to 1887.
Bluffton postmasters Originally established as Croghan in Putnam County Daniel L. Goble, 1837 Erastus Thompson, 1846 William McDermot, 1852 Changed to Allen County by 1854 Erasmus Thompson, 1854 Miles W. Vance, 1856 Erastus Thompson, 1861 Changed to Bluffton on Aug. 7, 1861 Erastus Thompson, 1861 Jacob Moser, 1864 Robert D. Murray, 1865 Abram Long, 1866 Andrew Hauenstein, 1868 Edwin Edsall, 1871 John Martin, 1871 Andrew Hauenstein, 1877 Milton G. Smith, 1885 John H. Patterson, 1889 William P. Bentley, 1890 Henry L. Romey, 1894 Russell B. Day, 1898 George H. Lewis, 1907 Gibson Locher, 1916 Maurice M. Murray, 1924 Edward R. Reichenbach, 1934 Ralph Stearns, 1956 Woodrow W. Little, 1965 Donald I. Gudakunst, officer in charge, 1975 Albert Callihan, 1976 Roger E. Neal, officer in charge, 1983 David L. Boisvert, 1984 Robert A. Schaefer, officer in charge, 1986 Cheryl L. Stacy, officer in charge, 1987 Mark D. Keisay, officer in charge, 1987 James A. Ribley, officer in charge, 1987 Jerry L. Burkholder, 1987 Gary S. Levitt, officer in charge, 1991 Barbara A. Spearman, postmaster, 1992 Michael R. Hoehn, 1995 Margaret Wray, 1998 Everett G. Collier, 1998 Danielle Laing, officer in charge, 2011 Darrell Von Sossan, 2012 Several officers in charge since 2012 Missy Lonsway, 2017-18
Jared Caprella, 2019 - present
Comments