CONKLIN, George - Putnam

Greencastle, Ind July 22 – George H. Conklin, of this city, believes he holds a Hoosier record for length of service.  Mr. Conklin has been operating a dry or transfer wagon here since 1874 and few are the days he has missed in those 48 years. He is still in active and daily service and he usually may be found at one of the four railroad stations here six mornings a week when the clock is striking 6 and never later than 6:30.  He has done this every day since he started in the dray business. Mr. Conklin is 71 years old and in the best of health. When he started transferring freight from the stations to the business houses here nearly 50 years ago, he used a horse, and he is the only drayman here now who has not resorted to a gas-driven vehicle. Mr. Conklin has driven some horses for 10 years or longer and he has hauled everything imaginable in his many years of service.  He recalls when Greencastle had no paved streets and only cinder and wooden sidewalks. He recalls seeing many persons come here from a distance to see the first brick sidewalks that were put down. Mr. Conklin used to haul flour in barrels and coffee in the green state and Orleans molasses in the hogshead. He remembers well when the first grocery here started its regular delivery service because previous to that time he delivered most of the town’s groceries. None of the transfer men who started with Mr. Conklin is in business here now and he has seen scores come and go and so far he has some customers he has served for periods ranging for 20 years to almost the whole time of his service. - kbz