This year makes 150 years that two families, Hutchinson and
Pfeiffer, have been postmastersof the Middle Island post
office, except for two years.
Benjamin Hutchinson was appointed postmaster in 1811, and
it continued in the Hutchinson family until 1901. Edward
Pfeiffer was appointed postmaster March 5, 1901 and moved
the office up the hill to his general store, where it is
still located. Mr. Pfeiffer retired as postmaster in 1939,
and his son, Everett, was appointed and now conducts the
office in the west end of the Pfeiffer homestead.
The whole end of the building is now used for post office
work, as a lot of room is needed. Modern fixtures of all
kinds have been installed and the operation of the office is
up to date in every way.
The Middle Island post office was the first one established
in Brookhaven town, and was opened in 1796, with Apollus
Wetmore as postmaster. This locality was called Middletown
then, and a few years later the name of the post office was
changed to Brookhaven, and about 1820 changed to Middle
Island.
Benjamin Hutchinson kept the post office in his home in
1811, which was located on the site of the present home of
Leo Lentin. His son, Benjamin T. Hutchinson, was appointed
postmaster in 1834 and moved the office down the hill to the
old Brewster homestead on the farm he purchased in that
year. This house was built about 1750 and was torn down
several years ago, and Kogel's sand and cement plant is
located there now. Mr. Hutchinson's daughter, Miss Cynthia,
was appointe in 1877 and kept the office inthe old home
until her death in 1901, after which Edward Pfeiffer was
appointed.
Skinner's New York State Register for 1830 shows mail being
dispatched from New York on Monday and Friday for Coram,
Middle Island and Suffolk Court House (Riverhead). The mail
was very light in those days and only a handful of letters
were received or sent out in one mail. Rates on letters were
6 cents up to 30 miles, 10 cents up to 80 miles, sheet of
paper cost 25 cents, and two sheets of paper was double that
rate, so present rates look cheap in comparison. The report
of the post office for 1811 shows receipts for that year
of $17.92. In 1943 this had increased to $757 and in
1959 it was $9374, which shows the tremendous growth of the
postal business in this area. A post office was opened at
Ridge in 1949, which had been served by the Middle Island
office before that time. There are about 600 boxes onthe
rural free delivery route, which covers 47 miles with George
Wilgeroth as carrier. This was established in 1953 with 148
boxes. The office was raised to a second class rating July
1, 1960.
The old Hutchinson homestead was in public service for many
years, and in addition to being the post office, was a stage
coach stop in the years before the railroad was opened to
Greenport in 1844. It was here the passengers on the mail
stages stopped for meals and sometimes to stay over night.
The town clerk's office for Brookhaven Town was located here
for over 30 years, and Benjamim T. Hutchinson was elected
town clerk in 1848 and kept the office most of the time
until his death in 1877. His son Henry P. Hutchinson was
then elected to the office and kept it until 1890.
In those years it was the custom for the elected town clerk
to keep the office in his home. For many years this old
house also served as polling place for Middle Island, Ridge,
Yaphank, and Coram, and all the Spring and Fall elections
were held here. At six o'clock the inspector of elections
would step to the front door and call out, "Hear ye; hear
ye; I now declare these polls closed." Election day was a
social event in those days and dinner was served by the
Hutchinsons for 50 cents.
Edward Pfeiffer kept the post office in his country general
store after his appointment in 1901. This old store has had
a long and colorful history. Built about 1735, it was
conducted as a country store for over 100 years before the
post office was located in it. The country store was an
important place in the years gone by and supplied most of
the wants of the people living for miles around. It was also
a social center for the men and boys of the neighborhood,
and around the old pot-bellied stove in the rear of the
store was the scene of many a checker gam, and here were
discussed the events of the dayand the fate of the nation
argued.
After the death of Everett Pfeiffer in 1957 the store was
closed, and this ended the long years this store has served
the public. The old country store has disappeared from the
scene with the march of pogress, and has been taken over by
the supermarkets and specialty stores. The good old days
when it was the center of neighborhood life have gone
forever.