You’ve Got Mail
Lucretia Justice Butterworth was Barnegat City, NJ’s storekeeper and postmistress for 34 years from 1878 to 1918. She assumed the official role of postmistress after her husband Lloyd passed away in 1905 and continued in it until her retirement in 1918. She was born just four short years after Ellen S. Low left the Barnegat Lighthouse in 1839 as its first and only female principal keeper.
Butterworth loved and cared for her neighbors. It was no secret she wanted to know all about them. How she went about it, however, was a bit of a scandal.
Coastal Living LBI sat down with Butterworth and through the voice of reenactor Reagan White found out what the fuss was all about.
Coastal Living LBI: Did you ever think you would end up living on Long Beach Island, NJ?
Butterworth: I can’t say that I did. I guess nobody really expects to end up where they do. They just do. By luck or by fate. I was a big city girl for a while when I lived in Camden NJ. I married my husband Lloyd on May 10, 1876, in Falls River, NJ after a lot of waiting for the right one. There was a shortage of men then because of the Civil War. It forced me to lie about my age. Nothing worth paying attention to. Next question.
Any idea that you might end up managing a general store and a post office?
Low: I don’t know if I ever thought I would end up here doing any of that or that it was a bad idea. Lloyd and I came down here after he accepted the position of postmaster. No, I can’t say staying here was a bad idea. After I became a widow, I made the choice to stay. I got a formal ranking from the government as postmistress. I have to say I was happy doing what I was doing. The life of a widow was fine by me.
What was it like for you as a widow?
Low: You don’t ever expect to become a widow. After Lloyd died it was probably one of the lowest times of my life. But I have to say looking back and becoming a widow was both a blessing and a curse. I was grieving. To cope I got right back into my work as store manager and postmistress. But losing Llyod was hard. I considered myself to be a partner with my husband.
Were you paid fairly for your work?
Low: I suppose so. I made a decent living. I made $331 as postmistress and $500 as a shop keeper. There was also Lloyd’s pension. As the years went on, I had a pretty comfortable life.
What stood out to you during your time in Barnegat City?
Low: When we got here it was very rural. But over the years I witnessed a great many changes. We got our first public phone at the corner of 4th and Long Beach Blvd. We saw gas lighting. In 1910 we had a water hook up and sea planes were starting to drop our letters.
From the many pictures there are of you it’s obvious you wear your clothes and not the other way around.
Low: Why thank you. I try to keep up with the styles. I lived in the city don’t forget. So, I certainly liked to look my best especially after I retired in 1918 and got a chance to travel a bit.
We hope you are ready for this next question. You were postmistress of Barnegat City, and your neighbors were suspicious you were reading their mail before you delivered it to them. Is this true?
Low: There was talk, I won’t deny that. People accused me of reading their mail before I delivered it and I must say I was quite offended. I really cared about the people of Barnegat City. To me everyone was family. As far as I was able to, I felt it was my duty to know all about them. I took care to know what people were up to. Yes, I kept tabs on my friends. It’s good to be involved in the community especially as it keeps me active. What can I say? It was a very small town here and people will gossip. Everyone who knows me knows I am an efficient civil servant. And that’s all I have to say about that.
Was there anything you liked to do when it came time to call it a day?
Some light reading maybe.
Image: Marjorie Amon