The History of Caroline County, Maryland, From Its Beginning

Early Postal Service

      Years before the Colonial Mail Service which was established about 1790, the Legislature of Maryland established a law providing for the more speedy passage of public letters and packets and the payment thereof.  This measure provided that the Sheriff of Anne Arundel County would deliver all such mail for the Eastern Shore to the Sheriff of Queen Anne County at Kent Island, thence to the Sheriff of Caroline County from Queen Anne, etc.  For this service our sheriff received about $25 per year.  Doubtless as the quantity of mail increased the compensation increased accordingly until the Federal Government, about 1789, took charge of the mail service thereby releasing the states.
        As to postmasters and postal routes the following is taken from the official records at Washington: The earliest record shows Charles Sevins as postmaster at Denton in 1801, followed by Thomas Culbreth in 1810; Montgomery Denny in 1811; George A. Smith in 1814; William Mulliken in 1815; Gove Saulsbury in 1822; John R. Wright in 1825; George Martin in 1825 and Oscar Jones in 1831.
        The postmasters at Hillsboro were: John Tillotson in 1807; Francis Sellers in 1811;
James G. Seth in 1812, and David Casson in 1816, and Wm. B. Tillotson in 1831.
        At Greensboro the records show postmasters William Crawford in 1801; Warner Busteed in 1807; Robert Fountain in 1812; John Matthews in 1813 and William Turner in 1831.
        The earliest record of a postmaster at Upper Hunting Creek that could be found was that of John L. Mills in 1831.
        One record was found showing the amounts of postage accruing for the year ending March 31, 1827, at Denton $97.22; Greensboro $63.31; Hillsboro $25.48; and Hunting Creek $2.24.
The earliest record noted of post routes was in 1824.  Route No. 41 apparently began at Easton, running through Hillsboro, Denton, Greensboro, Whitelysburg, and ending at Frederica.
        In connection with the bid for carrying the mails on Route No. 1403, Easton, Maryland to Laurel, Delaware, Rhoades Hazzard in his bid of October 2, 1835 states:

        "I will also carry the mail on Route No. 1403 from Easton to Laurel, Del., once a week part of the route say from Easton to Seaford in two horse stage or other passage carriage the balance of the route on horseback or in sulky for two hundred and forty dollars annum."