Postmasters of the House
(1834 to 1993)
An elected officer for nearly 160 years (24th through the 102nd Congresses), the Postmaster managed mail operations in the House. Initially, workers in the Doorkeeper’s office were paid additional compensation to perform mail duties. A December 13, 1832, resolution made the Postmaster a distinct and permanent House employee. In 1834, William J. McCormick, a Doorkeeper’s employee, was named the first House Postmaster. Four years later, the House adopted a rule that charged the Postmaster with superintending the post office in the Capitol and overseeing the delivery of mail to Members and Officers. The House Reform Resolution of 1992 (H. Res. 423, April 9, 1992), abolished the Office of the Postmaster and reassigned mail handling procedures for the House of Representatives among other House Officers and private entities.
A total of 21 Postmasters
served in the House. One Postmaster served as a U.S. Representative (indicated
by an asterisk) after his service as a House officer. By clicking on the name,
viewers will be linked to the individual biography in the online Biographical
Directory of the United States Congress.
| Congress (Years) |
Postmasters, State or Territory 1 |
Date Elected2 |
|---|---|---|
| 23rd (1834-35) | William J. McCormick3 | - |
| 24th (1835-37) | William J. McCormick4 | - |
| 25th (1837-39) | William J. McCormick5 | - |
| 26th (1839-41) | William J. McCormick | Dec.
23, 1839 |
| 27th (1841-43) | William J. McCormick | June
9, 1841 |
| 28th (1843-45) | John M. Johnson, VA | Jan.
4, 1844 |
| 29th (1845-47) | John M. Johnson, VA | Dec.
3, 1845 |
| 30th (1847-49) | John M. Johnson, VA | Dec.
8, 1847 |
| 31st (1849-51) | John M. Johnson, VA | - |
| 32nd (1851-53) | John M. Johnson, VA | Dec.
1, 1851 |
| 33rd (1853-55) | John M. Johnson, VA | Dec.
5, 1853 |
| 34th (1855-57) | Robert Morris | Feb.
5, 1856 |
| 35th (1857-59) | Michael W. Cluskey | Dec.
7, 1857 |
| 36th (1859-61) | Josiah M. Lucas | Feb.
6, 1860 |
| 37th (1861-63) | William S. King, MN* | July
5, 1861 |
| 38th (1863-65) | William S. King, MN | Dec.
8, 1863 |
| 39th (1865-67) | Josiah Given, OH | Dec.
4, 1865 |
| 40th (1867-69) | William S. King, MN | March
5, 1867 |
| 41st (1869-71) | William S. King, MN | March
5, 1869 |
| 42nd (1871-73) | William S. King, MN | March
4, 1871 |
| 43rd (1873-75) | Henry Sherwood, MI | Dec.
1, 1873 |
| 44th (1875-77) | James M. Steuart, VA6 | Dec.
6, 1875 |
| 45th (1877-79) | James M. Steuart, VA | Oct.
15, 1877 |
| 46th (1879-81) | James M. Steuart, VA | March
18, 1879 |
| 47th (1881-83) | Henry Sherwood, MI | Dec.
5, 1881 |
| 48th (1883-85) | Lycurgus Dalton, IN | Dec.
4, 1883 |
| 49th (1885-87) | Lycurgus Dalton, IN | Dec.
7, 1885 |
| 50th (1887-89) | Lycurgus Dalton, IN | Dec.
5, 1887 |
| 51st (1889-91) | James L. Wheat, WI7 James W. Hathaway, MT |
Dec.
2, 1889 Dec. 15, 18908 |
| 52nd (1891-93) | James W. Hathaway, MT | Dec.
8, 1891 |
| 53rd (1893-95) | Lycurgus Dalton, IN | Aug.
7, 1893 |
| 54th (1895-97) | Joseph McElroy, OH9 | Dec.
2, 1895 |
| 55th (1897-99) | Joseph McElroy, OH | March
15, 1897 |
| 56th (1899-1901) | Joseph McElroy, OH | Dec.
4, 1899 |
| 57th (1901-03) | Joseph McElroy, OH | Dec.
2, 1901 |
| 58th (1903-05) | Joseph McElroy, OH | Nov.
9, 1903 |
| 59th (1905-07) | Joseph McElroy, OH | Dec.
4, 1905 |
| 60th (1907-09) | Samuel A. Langum, MN | Dec.
2, 1907 |
| 61st (1909-11) | Samuel A. Langum, MN | March
15, 1909 |
| 62nd (1911-13) | William M. Dunbar, GA | Apr.
4, 1911 |
| 63rd (1913-15) | William M. Dunbar, GA | Apr.
7, 1913 |
| 64th (1915-17) | William M. Dunbar, GA | Dec.
6, 1915 |
| 65th (1917-19) | William M. Dunbar, GA | Apr.
2, 1917 |
| 66th (1919-21) | Frank W. Collier, WI | May
19, 1919 |
| 67th (1921-23) | Frank W. Collier, WI | Apr.
11, 1921 |
| 68th (1923-25) | Frank W. Collier, WI | Dec.
3, 1923 |
| 69th (1925-27) | Frank W. Collier, WI | Dec.
7, 1925 |
| 70th (1927-29) | Frank W. Collier, WI | Dec.
5, 1927 |
| 71st (1929-31) | Frank W. Collier, WI | Apr.
15, 1929 |
| 72nd (1931-33) | Finis E. Scott, TN | Dec.
7, 1931 |
| 73rd (1933-35) | Finis E. Scott, TN | March
9, 1933 |
| 74th (1935-37) | Finis E. Scott, TN | Jan.
3, 1935 |
| 75th (1937-39) | Finis E. Scott, TN | Jan.
5, 1937 |
| 76th (1939-41) | Finis E. Scott, TN | Jan.
3, 1939 |
| 77th (1941-43) | Finis E. Scott, TN | Jan.
3, 1941 |
| 78th (1943-45) | Finis E. Scott, TN | Jan.
6, 1943 |
| 79th (1945-47) | Finis E. Scott, TN | Jan.
3, 1945 |
| 80th (1947-49) | Frank Collier, WI | Jan.
3, 1947 |
| 81st (1949-51) | Finis E. Scott, TN | Jan.
3, 1949 |
| 82nd (1951-53) | Finis E. Scott, TN | Jan.
3, 1951 |
| 83rd (1953-55) | Beecher Hess, OH | Jan.
3, 1953 |
| 84th (1955-57) | H.H. Morris, KY | Jan.
5, 1955 |
| 85th (1957-59) | H.H. Morris, KY | Jan.
3, 1957 |
| 86th (1959-61) | H.H. Morris, KY | Jan.
7, 1959 |
| 87th (1961-63) | H.H. Morris, KY | Jan.
3, 1961 |
| 88th (1963-65) | H.H. Morris, KY | Jan.
9, 1963 |
| 89th (1965-67) | H.H. Morris, KY | Jan.
4, 1965 |
| 90th (1967-69) | H.H. Morris, KY | Jan.
10, 1967 |
| 91st (1969-71) | H.H. Morris, KY | Jan.
3, 1969 |
| 92nd (1971-73) | H.H. Morris, KY10 Robert V. Rota, PA |
Jan.
21, 1971 July 1, 197211 |
| 93rd (1973-75) | Robert V. Rota, PA | Jan.
3, 1973 |
| 94th (1975-77) | Robert V. Rota, PA | Jan.
14, 1975 |
| 95th (1977-79) | Robert V. Rota, PA | Jan.
4, 1977 |
| 96th (1979-81) | Robert V. Rota, PA | Jan.
15, 1979 |
| 97th (1981-83) | Robert V. Rota, PA | Jan.
5, 1981 |
| 98th (1983-85) | Robert V. Rota, PA | Jan.
3, 1983 |
| 99th (1985-87) | Robert V. Rota, PA | Jan.
3, 1985 |
| 100th (1987-89) | Robert V. Rota, PA | Jan.
6, 1987 |
| 101st (1989-91) | Robert V. Rota, PA | Jan.
3, 1989 |
| 102nd (1991-93) | Robert V. Rota, PA12 Michael J. Shinay, VA |
Jan.
3, 1991 March 31, 199213 |
Sources:House Journal, various editions; Congressional Globe, various editions; Congressional Record, various editions; Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (2005); Congressional Directory, various editions.
1. Specific state information provided when known.
2. The Postmaster position was appointed
from the 23rd through the 26th Congresses. The first recorded vote in the House
Journal took place on January 4, 1844, between William J. McCormick and John
M. Johnson. See, House Journal, 28th Cong., 1st sess., (January 4, 1844):
174. Specific appointment and election dates are provided when known.
3. See, contingency report H. Misc. Doc. 28 from the 24th Congress, 1st sess.
4. See, contingency report H. Misc. Doc.
19 and H. Misc. Doc. 7 from the 24th Congress, 1st sess.
5. It is assumed that McCormick was the Postmaster during the 25th Congress, but the documentation is sparse.
6. James M. Steuart’s last name has been spelled “Stewart” and “Steuart” in both the House Journal and the Congressional Directory.
7. Resigned October 1, 1890. See, Chicago
Daily Tribune, (October 2, 1890): 7.
8. Elected December 15, 1890. See, House
Journal, 51st Cong., 2nd sess. (December 15, 1890): 15.
9. Name is listed as both Joseph C. and Joseph B. McElroy in the House Journal.
10. Resigned, June 30, 1972. See, House
Journal, 92nd Cong., 2nd sess., (June 6, 1972): 621.
11. Elected July 1, 1972. See, Congressional
Record, 92nd Cong., 2nd sess., (July 1, 1972): 726.
12. Resigned March 19, 1992. See, Congressional
Record, 102nd Cong., 2nd sess., (March 19, 1992): 1356.
13. Appointed March 31, 1992, “to act as and exercise temporarily” duties of the Postmaster; see, Congressional Record, 102nd Cong., 2nd sess., (March 31, 1992): 2070.
