Michigan Place Names, by Walter Romig, states that Curran Everts served as the first and only postmaster of Aabec in Antrim County from April 19, 1895, to May 12, 1896. David M. Ellis’ Michigan Postal History – The Post Offices also notes the post office’s existence, but the location is not noted on his map. No map has been found that shows the short-lived town’s location, but I believe I have found the location.
Findagrave.com states that Curran Everts was born on June 13, 1816, in Logan, Schuyler County, New York. Curran married twice, first to Mary Dickerson, then to Esther Ann Dickens. He lived most of his life in Schuyler County, New York, but moved to Antrim County, Michigan just prior to 1880. Curran died in Antrim County on April 15, 1896. Where he was buried is unknown, and its possible that his spouse Ester provided postmaster duties for the four weeks following his death.
Looking at the 1880 Census, Curran Everts is noted as a farmer living in Custer Township in Antrim County, just across the border from Helena Township. After Aabec closed, mail was redirected to Alden, which is in Helena Township.
I found the 1897 Plat Map of the township at https://historicmapworks.com and there is a plot of land marked as “C. Everts” in Section 18. Look for HELENA printed vertically, and it’s the second property in from the A. The post office Aabec must have been there. Note the northwest corner’s proximity to the Chicago & West Michigan Railroad railroad (the curved hatched line).
On the 1910 plat map, Esther Ann Dickens, Curran’s second wife, held the same acreage.
Here is a Google Earth screenshot near the northwest corner of the property. Looking closely at the tree line, one can see where the railroad ran. Also note the road, which would have been the western border of the township, and how it curves near the railroad.
Here is a current plat map of the property, the orange section being the majority of the 80 acres that Everts owned (the other being the rectangle in the southwest. You can see in the northwest corner where the property meets the road – an ideal location for a general store or post office.
It is my belief that the Aabec post office was located where the Everts property meets the road, or somewhere close nearby, during the 1895-1896 timeframe.
After further investigation, Antrim County GIS (Geographic Information Systems) notes that there was a railroad stop called “Comfort Station” at the northwest corner of the property.
Ellis’ Michigan Postal History – The Post Offices notes a post office called Comfort in operation from January 28, 1913 through October 31, 1917 in Custer Township.
It is my belief that the Aabec post office was located where the Comfort Station location later followed.
