The postal records in the National Archives, Washington, D.C., show that the Benton post office was established as Bloomington in Ringgold County, Iowa on February 20, 1888, with Willard M. WELSHER as postmaster. Its name was changed to Benton president, the postmaster was also a Democrat. When a Republican was elected, the postmaster was changed to a Republican.

Records from the first postal account book, found in the Benton post office, show that following Mr. WELSHER, 1888, Mrs. Jennie CULLEN was postmaster at Bloomington from 1889 to 1891, finishing out her term in Benton. George H. SNEDAKER, Benton, as appointed and served from 1891 to 1892; Samuel HALL, Benton, was postmaster in 1892. This book has been given to the Centennial committee for display. Several Benton people have served as postmaster. They are as follows: Leo FERTIG, LeVantia BUTLER, Kate DALTON, Marshall MATTHEWS, Martina MOBLEY, and Karyn GRAHAM who is the present postmaster.

Benton people who have served as rural carriers are as follows: Ralph GROVES, Doyal HUNTER, Marshall MATTHEWS, Roger MORRISON, Arnold COMBS, and Perry WOOLLUMS who is the present carrier.

The post office was part of the General Store and now is in the east end of the I.O.O.F. Lodge Building. The D.B.M. Electronics, where Denzil WAUGH fixes T.V.s and radios, is in the west end of the building.

Benton won the Community Betterment award in 1981 for an all-out community effort to save their post office.

SOURCE: 1887 - Benton, Iowa Centennial - 1987. p. 122. Courtesy of Mount Ayr Public Library, Mount Ayr IA

Transcriptions and notes by Sharon R. Becker, October of 2012

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