Preston County postal records
4 postal location images · 6 postmaster register images · Checked transcription · Research ongoing
Federal postal records trace Amblersburg’s recorded postmasters from Geo. C. Chipman, listed with March 25, 1854, through the later card’s 1937 discontinuance annotation. The earlier register adds John Buchannan and Jared Abbott before James A. Bowermaster, Moses Cilly, and John M. Nine. Nine’s February 10, 1885 date appears in later registers and in the office card’s Confirmed column. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
These are recorded entries, not complete beginning-and-ending terms of service. The office appears as both Amblersburg and Amblersburgh. Its establishment date is not supplied in these transcriptions.
James A. Bowermaster’s June 8, 1857 date appears in both the earlier ledger and the next register. It is combined in the readable roster, while both source appearances remain in the underlying index. [1, 6]
John M. Nine’s repeated 1885 date is combined in this readable roster. Each source appearance remains a separate record in the underlying index. [2, 3, 4, 5]
The earlier register also contains “W.H. Bischoff. 15 Nov 66,” with the name and date crossed out. The legible text is retained as a crossed-out entry; its meaning has not been established. It is not treated as evidence of confirmed service, and no identity is assumed with similarly named postmasters at other offices. [1]
John M. Nine — Confirmed column: “Feb. 10, 1885.” Cause and date of vacancy column: “Res,” with no date supplied. Remarks: “4th Cl.” The abbreviations are retained as transcribed. [5]
The earlier register records “Discontinued” with “5 Apr 60,” interpreted here as April 5, 1860. Later registers again list John M. Nine with the 1885 date. These entries do not supply a reopening date, so the gap is left unexplained. [1, 2, 3, 4]
The later card reads: “Discontinued Mar. 19, 1937. Ef. Apr. 30, 1937. Mail to Terra Alta.” March 19 is retained as the discontinuance directive date and April 30 as its stated effective date. Mail was directed to Terra Alta. The undated “Res” notation is not assigned either of these dates. [5]
U.S. Post Office Department postmaster records for Amblersburg, Preston County, West Virginia. National Archives and Records Administration. Sources [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] belong to NAID 78783820; the earlier register [6] belongs to NAID 78780817. Original image numbers are retained for source tracing.
One partly illegible annotation remains unresolved: “[illegible] B. May 21, 1908,” preserved in the checked spreadsheet alongside John M. Nine. It is retained separately rather than interpreted as a personal appointment action. [4]
The crossed-out Bischoff entry, the two office spellings, and the earlier 1860 discontinuance are retained. No establishment or reopening date is inferred. Two-digit register years are interpreted from the record sequence; the written date forms remain in the master workbook.
The shared register images reproduce several offices. This section covers only the Amblersburg or Amblersburgh entries; the later card is cropped to Amblersburg.
Dates below identify the documents, not the office’s full operating period. Applications and proposed site changes should not be read as confirmed establishment or relocation dates. Original spellings and qualifications are retained in the checked index notes.
NARA page 326 · Record date: 1928
Office / subject as indexed: Amblersburg
Signed John M. Nine, June 1, 1928. Describes Salt Lick Creek, B&O Railroad and distances to Rowlesburg, Amboy and Terra Alta.
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National Archives · M1126, roll 651 · Preston_013_NARApage_326.jpg
NARA page 327 · Record date: 1928
Office / subject as indexed: Amblersburg
Reverse associated with page 326 (date from questionnaire). Shows Salt Lick Creek, B&O Railroad and county road; note identifies Cheat River at Rowlesburg as closest point.
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National Archives · M1126, roll 651 · Preston_014_NARApage_327.jpg
NARA page 328 · Record date: 1885
Office / subject as indexed: Amblersburg
Location paper certified January 12, 1885 by proposed postmaster Thos. W. Nine. Mentions Rodamer, Rowlesburg, Painters Mill, Salt Lick Creek and B&O Railroad. Village population 35; proposed service population 100.
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National Archives · M1126, roll 651 · Preston_015_NARApage_328.jpg
NARA page 329 · Record date: 1885
Office / subject as indexed: Amblersburg
Associated with page 328. Shows Amblersburg, Rodamer, Rowlesburg, Kingwood, Painters Mill, Aurora, Cheat River, Salt Lick Creek and B&O Railroad. February 20, 1885 stamp.
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National Archives · M1126, roll 651 · Preston_016_NARApage_329.jpg