The Development of US Mail Delivery
by Leila B. LaGroneWhen Panola County was founded in 1846, only three community postoffices existed in the territory of the new county. People had to go to the postoffice to pick up mail or depend on passers-by through the area to bring (or carry) family messages; otherwise the communication with families left behind was rare.
When Texas became a State and Panola became a county in 1846, local postoffices began to dot the land. The actual ones already established were near the edge of what territory became Panola, three in number: Parry, Kinlock and McMillan's.
By 1850, eleven were in homes, offices or trading posts in the couinty: Bethany, Carthage, Davis (or Parry), Grand Bluff, Jones, Kinlock, McMillan's, Pulaski, Reed's Settlement, Sugar Hill, Walnut Hill.
Of those eleven, Sugar Hill was the beginning postoffice for Brooks Community. The official postoffice continued until the turn of the century and people had to ride to that area every two to four weeks to get the mail. The location of the mail center depended on who was named as postmaster:
1850-Terrell Henson;
1856-Tyson Sullivan; (discontinued during the Civil War, 1866-1868);
1969-re-established with William Daniels; (discontinued, then re-established 1869) John R. Owen;
1875-1888-Marion J. Williams;
1888-1894-Dr. Mitchell Williams;
1894-1899-Marion J. Williams;
1899-1903-Dr. Mitchell Williams;
1903-1904-James A. Gentry, in his store at Brooks;
1904- Discontinued to Beckville Route. From that time there was a mailbox center at Brooks.
Complete list of Panola County Postmasters