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Pix #1 - Postmistress Ruth Sayre on duty in the Amsden Post Office

Pix #2 - One view of the interior of the store that occupies part of the building with the post office.

Pix #3 - This is the way the building that houses the Post Office and store Amsden looks in 1984. Built at the turn of the century. It was remodeled in more recent years. Ruth Sayre, postmistress, resides on the second floor.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is the third in a series of articles that started Aug. 16 about the village of Amsden.

The past history of Amsden is so voluminous, so many interesting items to write about that the first two articles in this series may have left some readers dismayed that more of the personal and human interest stories were not included.

In the first article (Aug 16) the U.S. Post Office and the postmistress were mentioned. But the volume of pictures of early Amsden dominated the page along with purely historical data.

One of the accompanying photos here shows the building as it is today. Once a beehive of activity in the heart of Amsden. It housed the general store and the post office from its inception.

The post office is still there and Ruth Sayre is still the postmistress, having held that position for 38 years. During the usual day on her schedule the mail arrives and leaves twice daily by truck from Fostoria. The 40 boxholders can get their mail at their convenience when the post office is open. It is closed from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily.

KIDS BRIGHTEN SAYRE'S DAY

In addition to the folks who come in for their mail, there are kiddies who stop in to buy goodies including potato chips, candy, gum, pop and peanuts. Mrs. Sayre said there is still penny candy among the varieties.

The shelves, cases and other furniture in the large area of the combined post office and store are those that were there from years ago when it was the village "headquarters". The whole first floor of the building is still used. Entrance is on the right, just back of the gasoline pump. Yes, Mrs. Saye mans the gas pump too...the only public one in the village.

The old pot-bellied stove, shown in an accompanying photos, is still used in the winter along with other heating facilities to keep "headquarters" warm. As I stood and gazed aroung the large room I imagined how it must have been 50-70 years ago with the circle of men around the old stove talking politics or other important subjects concerning the village.

HOW IT WAS BACK THEN

I also imagined women in the store doing their shopping for grocery staples, or maybe thread, yarn or needles. They may have also purchased some medicinal home remedies commonly used then even though Amsden had a resident doctor - Dr. Miles.

Many items of food came in the bulk and were displayed in barrels, bins and boxes for customer inspection and selection and sold in any amount desired. Believe it or not those items included butter, lard, coffee, beans, sugar, rice, tea and many other dry food items.

Mrs. Sayre still stocks a few of certain items which the villagers may have forgotten at their supermarket or which are needed in an emergency.

There are still a few of the medicinal items that have continued popularity such as cough syrup and salves. At one time Burgoon's line of home-ready medicines was a big seller.

CLIMALENE WAS OLD FAVORITE

Remember Climalene with the picture of the old settler on the box? There are still a few boxes of it on the shelves in the store.

The post office and store doesn't keep Mrs. Sayre on the jump but she has been involved in both for so many years that she hopes the post office department will keep that office open for a few more years.

The 40 box-holders who visit daily along with the kiddies and adults who drop in make each day interesting and something to look forward to. "Headquarters" provides a place for people to see each other and exchange conversation. That's important in that village just as it is everywhere.

It would be worthwhile for anyone to stop in and look around the place and get a glimpse of yesteryear or maybe even mail a letter or package from there to surprise the recipient with the Amsden mailing address.

Keep things as they are Ruth, as long as you can...very interesting and worthwhile.

AMSDEN AREA RESIDENTS

Here are more biographical sketches of those people who made contributions which benefitted the Amsden area.

EZRA MILLER: Born in Jackson Township Oct. 15, 1845, to Isaac and Susannah (Slosser). Ezra Miller was reared on a farm and received his education in common school of Jackson Township. He was a farmer all of his life except for the time he served in the service during the Civil War. He married Ann Riley in 1868 and they had one child, Wallace. They were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

CONRAD MYERS: Born in Mahoning County, son of Conrad and Barbara (Robb) Myers who emigrated from Maryland settling in eastern Ohio in 1796 where Conrad grew to manhood. He had only 19 days of formal schooling. In 1828 he brought his family to Hancock County and settled in the woods on land near Fostoria. In 1845, he moved to Jackson Township where they remained. They have five sons and four daughters. Three of the sons wer engaged in farming, one was a reformed minister and one was a professional teacher. When his first wife died he married Keziah Fear, Shelbyville, IL. He was a member of the reformed church for 60 years and died Aug. 11, 1885.

JOSEPH SCHUPP: Born in Jackson Township on Sept. 19, 1847, to Jacob and Catherine (Yenney) Schupp. Joseph reared on his parents farm. He was one of six children. In 1871 he married W.G. Saton, daughter of Peter. They had two children, Vincent Peter and Lillian G. He held the office of school director.

HENRY STAHL: Born in Perry County on Jan. 2, 1821, to William and Elizabeth (Boyer) Stahl, natives of Pennsylvania. Henry was the youngest of a large family and resided in the county since 1836. He was the owener of 700 acres of land. He married Elizabeth Rinebold in 1839. She was the daughter of John and Caterine (Wininger) Rinebold. Henry and Elizabeth were the parents of five children: Rebecca, Lucinda, Lydia, Ephraim and Esther.

JACOB STAINBROOK: He was born Aug. 27, 1830, to Abraham and Sarah (Weller) Stainbrook, who were natives of Pennsylvania and Kentucky. He worked at farming awhile and then, in 1853, crossed the plains in a company of 40 people. Eight years later he returned to Seneca County and bought a farm. He married Fannie Swingle, daughter of George in 1864. They were members of the Lutheran Church and had three children: Eli Grant, William Ocsar and Emma I.

WILLIAM STEWARD: He was the second child born in a family of seven to Samuel and Mary (Renner) Steward. His father was wealthy, a retired farmer. William was reared on a farm and spent his whole life farming. In 1882 his large barn and its contents burned, including 700 bushels of whear and four valuable horses. In 1866 he married Sarah S., daughter of Joseph and Catherine (Seizelift) Haggerman. Their children included Glendura, Nora, Hattie, Alice, Ida, Alvertis and Charles. He served his country during the Civil War. He was injured at the Battle of Perryville from which he never recovered. He was a township trustee.