Cato

Cato Schoolhouse

From Early Barry County

Cato Post Office—In the year 1892, Allen Hailey and Cris Snider decided a post office was needed in the Cato area. These men asked the Postal Department for a permit. Cato was selected for the name of the new post office. The post office was in Cris Snider's home. After the office left the Snider home, it was kept in the Allen Hailey home, then moved to the George Snider home. History has it J. Z. Ferrill kept the post office following George Snider, and Andy Clevenger was the next postmaster and moved the office to his country store. Next postmaster was a Mr. Bateman; M. Y. Henson came next and George Hailey moved into the post office when Henson moved out; following Hailey was W. E. Stumpff.
1940 Ruth Hailey Stumpff was appointed postmaster, and served until the post office discontinued, Dec. 31, 1958, after a steady operation for 70 years. The post office was located in the store of Mrs. Stumpff's husband, Olen Stumpff, on Highway 39, across the road from her father, Allen Hailey's old home place. Mr. Hailey kept the post office in the late 1890s, a star route mail carrier delivering mail from CassviIle to the Cato office were: Cris Snider, George Hailey, Lewis Smith, D. Griffith, Wes Roden, Jim Ayler, Jim Clevenger, Newt Hailey, Mary Hailey, Mrs. Curtis Bowen, Orville Kirby, Ulyses Reding, Martin Reding, Lee Sturgell, Willie Brooks, John Purdom, George Bowen, Clark Cornell, Ernest Clevender. Transportation of the mail through the years was by horseback, mail hack, buggy and car.

Cato on 1924 Map of Barry County