Postmaster of the United States House of Representatives
Encyclopedia
The Postmaster of the United States House of Representatives was an employee of the United States Congress
from 1834 to 1993.
Before the creation of the office of Postmaster
, mail duties were handled by workers in the office of the Doorkeeper
, who were paid additional compensation. The Postmaster was made into a distinct and permanent House of Representatives
employee in 1832, and in 1834, William J. McCormick, a Doorkeeper's office employee, was named as the first House Postmaster. Four years later, the Postmaster was also given responsibility for the Capitol
post office. The office of Postmaster was abolished in 1992; House mail handling procedures were reassigned to other officers and private entities.
A total of twenty-one Postmasters served in the House. One Postmaster, William S. King
, served as a U.S. Representative after his service as Postmaster.
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
from 1834 to 1993.
Before the creation of the office of Postmaster
Postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
, mail duties were handled by workers in the office of the Doorkeeper
Doorkeeper of the United States House of Representatives
An appointed officer of the United States House of Representatives from 1789 to 1995, the Doorkeeper of the United States House of Representatives was chosen by a resolution at the opening of each United States Congress. The Office of the Doorkeeper was based on precedent from the Continental...
, who were paid additional compensation. The Postmaster was made into a distinct and permanent House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
employee in 1832, and in 1834, William J. McCormick, a Doorkeeper's office employee, was named as the first House Postmaster. Four years later, the Postmaster was also given responsibility for the Capitol
United States Capitol
The United States Capitol is the meeting place of the United States Congress, the legislature of the federal government of the United States. Located in Washington, D.C., it sits atop Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the National Mall...
post office. The office of Postmaster was abolished in 1992; House mail handling procedures were reassigned to other officers and private entities.
A total of twenty-one Postmasters served in the House. One Postmaster, William S. King
William S. King
Colonel William Smith King was a Republican United States Representative for Minnesota from March 4, 1875 to March 3, 1877. He engaged in a variety of other activities, including journalism and surveying. King was born in Malone, New York in Franklin County where he grew up and attended the...
, served as a U.S. Representative after his service as Postmaster.
List of Postmasters
| Congress (Years) | Postmasters, State or Territory | Date Elected |
|---|---|---|
| 23rd (1834-35) | William J. McCormick | - |
| 24th (1835-37) | William J. McCormick | - |
| 25th (1837-39) | William J. McCormick | - |
| 26th (1839-41) | William J. McCormick | December 23, 1839 |
| 27th (1841-43) | William J. McCormick | June 9, 1841 |
| 28th (1843-45) | John M. Johnson, VA | January 4, 1844 |
| 29th (1845-47) | John M. Johnson, VA | December 3, 1845 |
| 30th (1847-49) | John M. Johnson, VA | December 8, 1847 |
| 31st (1849-51) | John M. Johnson, VA | - |
| 32nd (1851-53) | John M. Johnson, VA | December 1, 1851 |
| 33rd (1853-55) | John M. Johnson, VA | December 5, 1853 |
| 34th (1855-57) | Robert Morris | February 5, 1856 |
| 35th (1857-59) | Michael W. Cluskey | December 7, 1857 |
| 36th (1859-61) | Josiah M. Lucas | February 6, 1860 |
| 37th (1861-63) | William S. King William S. King Colonel William Smith King was a Republican United States Representative for Minnesota from March 4, 1875 to March 3, 1877. He engaged in a variety of other activities, including journalism and surveying. King was born in Malone, New York in Franklin County where he grew up and attended the... , MN* |
July 5, 1861 |
| 38th (1863-65) | William S. King William S. King Colonel William Smith King was a Republican United States Representative for Minnesota from March 4, 1875 to March 3, 1877. He engaged in a variety of other activities, including journalism and surveying. King was born in Malone, New York in Franklin County where he grew up and attended the... , MN |
December 8, 1863 |
| 39th (1865-67) | Josiah Given, OH | December 4, 1865 |
| 40th (1867-69) | William S. King William S. King Colonel William Smith King was a Republican United States Representative for Minnesota from March 4, 1875 to March 3, 1877. He engaged in a variety of other activities, including journalism and surveying. King was born in Malone, New York in Franklin County where he grew up and attended the... , MN |
March 5, 1867 |
| 41st (1869-71) | William S. King William S. King Colonel William Smith King was a Republican United States Representative for Minnesota from March 4, 1875 to March 3, 1877. He engaged in a variety of other activities, including journalism and surveying. King was born in Malone, New York in Franklin County where he grew up and attended the... , MN |
March 5, 1869 |
| 42nd (1871-73) | William S. King William S. King Colonel William Smith King was a Republican United States Representative for Minnesota from March 4, 1875 to March 3, 1877. He engaged in a variety of other activities, including journalism and surveying. King was born in Malone, New York in Franklin County where he grew up and attended the... , MN |
March 4, 1871 |
| 43rd (1873-75) | Henry Sherwood, MI | December 1, 1873 |
| 44th (1875-77) | James M. Steuart, VA | December 6, 1875 |
| 45th (1877-79) | James M. Steuart, VA | October 15, 1877 |
| 46th (1879-81) | James M. Steuart, VA | March 18, 1879 |
| 47th (1881-83) | Henry Sherwood, MI | December 5, 1881 |
| 48th (1883-85) | Lycurgus Dalton, IN | December 4, 1883 |
| 49th (1885-87) | Lycurgus Dalton, IN | December 7, 1885 |
| 50th (1887-89) | Lycurgus Dalton, IN | December 5, 1887 |
| 51st (1889-91) | James L. Wheat, WI James W. Hathaway, MT |
December 2, 1889 Dec. 15, 1890 |
| 52nd (1891-93) | James W. Hathaway, MT | December 8, 1891 |
| 53rd (1893-95) | Lycurgus Dalton, IN | Aug. 7, 1893 |
| 54th (1895-97) | Joseph McElroy, OH | December 2, 1895 |
| 55th (1897-99) | Joseph McElroy, OH | March 15, 1897 |
| 56th (1899-1901) | Joseph McElroy, OH | December 4, 1899 |
| 57th (1901-03) | Joseph McElroy, OH | December 2, 1901 |
| 58th (1903-05) | Joseph McElroy, OH | November 9, 1903 |
| 59th (1905-07) | Joseph McElroy, OH | December 4, 1905 |
| 60th (1907-09) | Samuel A. Langum, MN | December 2, 1907 |
| 61st (1909-11) | Samuel A. Langum, MN | March 15, 1909 |
| 62nd (1911-13) | William M. Dunbar, GA | April 4, 1911 |
| 63rd (1913-15) | William M. Dunbar, GA | April 7, 1913 |
| 64th (1915-17) | William M. Dunbar, GA | December 6, 1915 |
| 65th (1917-19) | William M. Dunbar, GA | April 2, 1917 |
| 66th (1919-21) | Frank W. Collier, WI | May 19, 1919 |
| 67th (1921-23) | Frank W. Collier, WI | April 11, 1921 |
| 68th (1923-25) | Frank W. Collier, WI | December 3, 1923 |
| 69th (1925-27) | Frank W. Collier, WI | December 7, 1925 |
| 70th (1927-29) | Frank W. Collier, WI | December 5, 1927 |
| 71st (1929-31) | Frank W. Collier, WI | April 15, 1929 |
| 72nd (1931-33) | Finis E. Scott, TN | December 7, 1931 |
| 73rd (1933-35) | Finis E. Scott, TN | March 9, 1933 |
| 74th (1935-37) | Finis E. Scott, TN | January 3, 1935 |
| 75th (1937-39) | Finis E. Scott, TN | January 5, 1937 |
| 76th (1939-41) | Finis E. Scott, TN | January 3, 1939 |
| 77th (1941-43) | Finis E. Scott, TN | January 3, 1941 |
| 78th (1943-45) | Finis E. Scott, TN | January 6, 1943 |
| 79th (1945-47) | Finis E. Scott, TN | January 3, 1945 |
| 80th (1947-49) | Frank W. Collier, WI | January 3, 1947 |
| 81st (1949-51) | Finis E. Scott, TN | January 3, 1949 |
| 82nd (1951-53) | Finis E. Scott, TN | January 3, 1951 |
| 83rd (1953-55) | Beecher Hess, OH | January 3, 1953 |
| 84th (1955-57) | H.H. Morris, KY | January 5, 1955 |
| 85th (1957-59) | H.H. Morris, KY | January 3, 1957 |
| 86th (1959-61) | H.H. Morris, KY | January 7, 1959 |
| 87th (1961-63) | H.H. Morris, KY | January 3, 1961 |
| 88th (1963-65) | H.H. Morris, KY | January 9, 1963 |
| 89th (1965-67) | H.H. Morris, KY | January 4, 1965 |
| 90th (1967-69) | H.H. Morris, KY | January 10, 1967 |
| 91st (1969-71) | H.H. Morris, KY | January 3, 1969 |
| 92nd (1971-73) | H.H. Morris, KY Robert V. Rota, PA |
January 21, 1971 July 1, 1972 |
| 93rd (1973-75) | Robert V. Rota, PA | January 3, 1973 |
| 94th (1975-77) | Robert V. Rota, PA | January 14, 1975 |
| 95th (1977-79) | Robert V. Rota, PA | January 4, 1977 |
| 96th (1979-81) | Robert V. Rota, PA | January 15, 1979 |
| 97th (1981-83) | Robert V. Rota, PA | January 5, 1981 |
| 98th (1983-85) | Robert V. Rota, PA | January 3, 1983 |
| 99th (1985-87) | Robert V. Rota, PA | January 3, 1985 |
| 100th (1987-89) | Robert V. Rota, PA | January 6, 1987 |
| 101st (1989-91) | Robert V. Rota, PA | January 3, 1989 |
| 102nd (1991-93) | Robert V. Rota, PA Michael J. Shinay, VA |
January 3, 1991 March 31, 1992 |
Sources
- Postmasters of the House, Office of the Clerk
- House Journal, various editions;
- Congressional Globe, various editions;
- Congressional RecordCongressional RecordThe Congressional Record is the official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress. It is published by the United States Government Printing Office, and is issued daily when the United States Congress is in session. Indexes are issued approximately every two weeks...
, various editions; - Biographical Directory of the United States CongressBiographical Directory of the United States CongressThe Biographical Directory of the United States Congress is a biographical dictionary of all present and former members of the United States Congress as well as its predecessor, the Continental Congress...
(2005); - Official Congressional DirectoryOfficial Congressional DirectoryThe Official Congressional Directory is the official directory of the United State Congress, prepared by the Joint Committee on Printing and published by the United States Government Printing Office since 1888...
, various editions.