The Nineteenth-Century Postmaster and His Duties

National Archives By Claire Prechtel-Kluskens The nineteenth-century postmaster and his duties he post office, the newspa- Chances are good that one 1832 (4 rolls). The post offices per, and the grapevine. Those of your relatives was a postmas- are arranged alphabetically by were the sources for your ter. Records of appointment of post office name. Tancestor’s family and public news postmasters are among the many • M841, Record of Appoint- before the telephone, telegraph, records of the Post Office Depart- ment of Postmaster, 1832–30 telegram, radio, television, e-mail, ment (Record Group 28), and relat- September 1971 (145 rolls). cell phone, instant messaging, ed record groups, in the custody of The post offices are arranged Blackberry, and the Internet. the National Archives and Records alphabetically by state, then by The post office was so impor- Administration (NARA). This county, then by blocks of years, tant that every crossroads commu- article will highlight microfilmed and then alphabetically by post nity in America wanted one. When records and published government office name. (See Figure 1) a small community’s post office documents. Postmaster appointment records closed in the early twentieth cen- provide the name and date of ap- Postmaster appointments tury, it was either the harbinger or pointment of each postmaster. The Postmaster appointments have the result of that village’s demise. postmaster officially served until been microfilmed in two National Some postmasters served only his successor took over, so also Archives publications: a few months, while others served make note of the successor’s name • M1131, Record of Appointment for decades. Most were men; some and date of appointment. of Postmasters, October 1789– were women. It was a political appointment and a position of trust. The postmaster handled money; other federal agencies counted upon the postmaster for honest opinions. For example, throughout the mil- lions of Civil War pension files there are countless letters by postmasters penned in answer to a Pension Of- fice request for information about a person’s honesty or the claimant’s physical condition or economic situ- ation. On 11 August 1882, Postmas- ter Zabina E. Chambers of Hartland, Michigan, told the Pension Office that Dr. William M. Hayford’s tes- timony “is not only unimpeachable but unquestionable” and that Civil War veteran David C. Smith’s health “was good” before the war “but is verry Poorley now and has been for Figure 1. Postmaster appointments for Livingston County, Michigan, from some years.” M841, Record of Appointment of Postmaster, 1832–30 September 1971. NGS NewsMagazine 33 Let’s follow one postmaster’s political affiliation. The alert gene- and very strongly suggests Worden career and see what can be learned alogist will compare appointment was a Republican appointed to from the dates of his appointment. dates to the date spans of presiden- replace Democrat Hayford. Then, William McCullar Hayford was tial administrations. Some dates of for Hayford, there was a long dry appointed postmaster in Hartland, appointment suggest removal for spell, since he was not appointed Livingston County, Michigan four political reasons, while others may postmaster again for nearly twenty- times: not. Hayford’s 1853 appointment five years. Timing strongly implies 1. Appointed 15 January 1853; was near the end (3 March 1853) of that politics drove Hayford’s 1885 followed by Abram F. Cham- Whig President Millard Fillmore’s and his successor Wallace’s 1889 bers, who was appointed 30 term. Chambers’ 1856 appoint- appointments. Hayford was ap- January 1856. ment and Hayford’s 1857 appoint- pointed soon after the inauguration 2. Appointed 23 January 1857; ment were both during Democratic of Democrat Grover Cleveland (4 followed by Albert L. Ha- President Franklin Pierce’s term. March 1885), and Wallace even thaway, who was appointed 5 Hathaway’s 1858 appointment more quickly after the inauguration January 1858. and Hayford’s 1859 appointment of Republican Benjamin Harrison 3. Appointed 28 January 1859; were midway through Democratic (4 March 1889). followed by Chauncey P. President James Buchanan’s term. The appointment and removal Worden, who was appointed 19 None of those changes (without of most postmasters was handled March 1861. other information) show a strong by the First Assistant Postmaster 4. Appointed 5 June 1885; fol- political motive; the Whig party General in Washington, D.C. How- lowed by G. Winfield Wallace, had collapsed by 1856. ever, the postmasters who earned appointed 24 April 1889. Chauncey P. Worden’s 19 more than $1,000 annually were The postmaster was a political March 1861 appointment within nominated by the President and patronage job and so the dates of two weeks after Republican Abra- confirmed by the U.S. Senate, and appointment sometimes provide ham Lincoln’s first inaugural (4 the dates of some of these actions valuable clues to the postmaster’s March 1861) is clearly different, are noted in Microfilm Publication M841. Presidential nomination and Senate confirmation will lead you to published government documents available at U.S. Govern- ment Deposi- tory Libraries (large public Figure 2 (above). Exact text of the James L. Scott nomination as postmaster for or univer- Mattoon, Illinois, from Journal of the sity libraries). Executive Proceedings of the Senate of The Senate’s the United States of America, volume receipt and 26, page 23. Figure 3 (right). The confirmation same appointment for James L. Scott as condensed in the Congressional Record, of the nomi- volume 19, page 63. nation will be found in both the Journal of the Executive Proceedings 34 January/February/March 2007 of the Senate of the United States of Immediately upon receiving his master would write the name of the America and in the Congressional appointment, the postmaster was post office, the date it would leave Record. The difference between to sign an oath of office before a his post office, and the amount of the two is that the Senate Executive magistrate (or justice of the peace) postage. Before 1 April 1855, you Journal will have the complete text and execute a bond providing that could prepay postage or make the of the President’s nomination (see two sureties would pay the amount recipient pay postage! The post- Figure 2). For example, James L. of the bond in the event of the master was to sort and bundle the Scott was nominated by President postmaster’s malfeasance in office. outgoing mail in packages marked Cleveland on 14 December 1887, (The date and amount of the bond to expedite their way either di- and confirmed by the Senate on 20 are sometimes shown in M841.) rectly to their destination or routed December 1887. The president’s Upon receipt of these documents, through the appropriate distribu- form language nomination read: the First Assistant Postmaster tion office. Naturally, there was General would issue the postmaster paperwork that had to be properly To the Senate of the United States: his commission authorizing him to prepared and attached to the bun- serve. The postmaster was required dles. The receiving postmaster also I nominate James L. Scott to to serve until his successor was had to check the paperwork and be postmaster at Mattoon, in appointed and received his com- the contents of the bundles to make the County of Coles and State mission, even if his own term had sure none of the letters were under- of Illinois, in the place of John expired. or over-charged. And there were Cunningham, resigned. Upon taking charge of the post quarterly reports to be made to the office, he would inventory all its Postmaster General of the various GROVER CLEVELAND property and the mail on hand. types of mail sent and received, Executive Mansion All postmasters were required to moneys received, and expenses Washington, December 14, appoint an assistant postmaster to paid. 1887. do his work in case the postmaster Pay was absent, traveling, sick, dead, or Related records in Record How much was the postmas- tendered his resignation. (Assistant Group 130, Records of the White ter paid? That depended upon the postmasters were likewise required House Office, include registers postage sold per quarter. The 1852 to sign an oath of office but records of appointments to public office, Laws and Regulations describe of appointment of most nineteenth- 1857–1913, that include postmas- the compensation as a percent of century assistant postmasters do ters with their dates of nomination the quarterly sales: for sales under not exist, since that arrangement and confirmation. These records, $100, 40 percent; sales from $100 was between the postmaster and the which have not been microfilmed, to under $400, 33-1/3 percent; sales assistant. Often the assistant would are lists of names that provide no from $400 to under $2,400, 30 be the postmaster’s spouse.) personal data. percent; and for sales over $2,400, The postmaster was to keep the The postmaster’s duties 12-1/2 percent. post office open Monday through Names and amounts of com- Post Office regulations speci- Saturday during the “usual business pensation of nearly all U.S. Gov- fied in great detail the duties of hours” of his town. When mail ar- ernment employees, including postmaster. Here are some of the rived on Sunday, he was to keep his postal employees, are found in the more interesting aspects from office open for one hour or more biennial Register of Officers and the Laws and Regulations for the after its arrival “after religious ser- Agents, Civil, Military, and Naval, Government of the Post Office vices” had ended. in the Service of the United States, Department (Washington, D.C.: Mailing a letter was normally on the Thirtieth September, [year], C.

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