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Old-Fashioned Spirit Still Alive At Essie Post Office In Leslie Co. Bowling Family Has Served 80 Years At Community Post Office By James Bowling, Jr. - 2004 In 1924
a small community in Leslie County, located at the head of Stinnett
Creek, was about to see a change. James Bowling, my great-grandfather,
who was a magistrate in the community, wanted to get a post
office established. He wrote to the postal service in Washington
D. C., requesting the establishment of a post office in the Stinnett
Creek area. At that time there were probably only five or six
families living there. The postal service asked James to submit
four names for the post office. He had four daughters: Marie,
Mellie, Essie, and Ludeema; so he submitted their names. The
postal service chose the name Essie. A building was soon erected,
and the Essie Post Office was established. On October 13, 1924,
the post office opened for business and James Bowling served
as the first postmaster. James held that position for about
13 years when he suffered a stroke and had to give it up. On
August 30, 1937, James's daughter Essie, for whom the post office
was named, was appointed postmaster. Essie held that position
for about three years, when she became ill, and had to give up
the position. On Feburary 16, 1940, Sarah Bowling, James's daughter-in-law,
was appointed. Sarah had held her position for 37 years when
she retired on March 24, 1977. I, Sarah's grandson, worked as
her replacement for a few years. When Sarah retired, Lola Harrison
was appointed officer-in-charge. Lola was going to have a baby,
so she did not work very much, so I worked most of the time.
On October 1, 1977, I was appointed postmaster, and I still hold
that position. The post office has moved twice from it's original
site and has been at its present location for about 45 years.
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