Hunt Co., TX - News: Postmaster S. M. Compton, Retiring ******************************************************* This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb by: Sarah Swindell USGenWeb Archives. Copyright. All rights reserved http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ******************************************************* Retiring Celeste Postmaster S. M. Compton, 1961 Retiring Postmaster S. M. Compton has received a certificate of honorary recognition for his service from the United State Post Office Department in Washington, D. C. The certificate was signed by J. Edward Day, Postmaster General. Mr. Compton’s retirement was effective on Saturday, September 30, 1961. (September 29, 1961) On Saturday, September 30, 1961, Monroe Compton will have reached retirement years under Civil Service, after having been Celeste Postmaster since March 4, 1937, twenty-four years, six months, and seventeen days. He has served under four US Presidents, F. D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, and John F. Kennedy. During his term of office, the Celeste Post Office went from a third to a second class rating. It was in 1955 that the volume of business increased so that the classification was second class. Mr. Compton was born and reared in this community. He married a local girl, Miss Jewel Comer, a pretty girl than and a beautiful lady now. Postmaster and Mrs. Compton have reared and education in the Celeste School, eight children, four boys and four girls, all married and in good homes and positions. There are grandchildren who love to come with their parents to the family home and loyal family ties. In his younger years, Mr. Compton was a schoolteacher. Among the schools taught were Hogeye, Crescent, Union Valley, Honey Creek, and Hendricks near Caddo Mills. In WWI, he was a member of the 39th Balloon Company and was training at New Port when the war was over. (September 22, 1961) H. S. Byers was appointed Acting Postmaster for Celeste, effective Saturday, September 30, 1961. Mr. Byers, local feed storeowner, is a native of Celeste and has been in business here for a number of years. The new post office building now being built adjacent to Stapleton’s Service Station will be ready for occupancy on February 1, 1962. (September 29, 1961)