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)
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Postmasters, State or Territory 1
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|
23rd (1834-35)
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William J. McCormick3
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-
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24th (1835-37)
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William J. McCormick4
|
-
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25th (1837-39)
|
William J. McCormick5
|
-
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26th (1839-41)
|
William J. McCormick
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Dec. 23, 1839
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27th (1841-43)
|
William J. McCormick
|
June 9, 1841
|
28th (1843-45)
|
John M. Johnson, VA
|
Jan. 4, 1844
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29th (1845-47)
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John M. Johnson, VA
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Dec. 3, 1845
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30th (1847-49)
|
John M. Johnson, VA
|
Dec. 8, 1847
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31st (1849-51)
|
John M. Johnson, VA
|
-
|
32nd (1851-53)
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John M. Johnson, VA
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Dec. 1, 1851
|
33rd (1853-55)
|
John M. Johnson, VA
|
Dec. 5, 1853
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34th (1855-57)
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Robert Morris
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Feb. 5, 1856
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35th (1857-59)
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Michael W. Cluskey, GA
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Dec. 7, 1857
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36th (1859-61)
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Josiah M. Lucas, IL
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Feb. 6, 1860
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37th (1861-63)
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William S.
King, MN*
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July 5, 1861
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38th (1863-65)
|
William S.
King, MN
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Dec. 8, 1863
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39th (1865-67)
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Josiah Given, OH
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Dec. 4, 1865
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40th (1867-69)
|
William S.
King, MN
|
March 5, 1867
|
41st (1869-71)
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William S.
King, MN
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March 5, 1869
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42nd (1871-73)
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William S.
King, MN
|
March 4, 1871
|
43rd (1873-75)
|
Henry Sherwood, MI
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Dec. 1, 1873
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44th (1875-77)
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James M. Steuart, VA6
|
Dec. 6, 1875
|
45th (1877-79)
|
James M. Steuart, VA
|
Oct. 15, 1877
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46th (1879-81)
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James M. Steuart, VA
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March 18, 1879
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47th (1881-83)
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Henry Sherwood, MI
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Dec. 5, 1881
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48th (1883-85)
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Lycurgus Dalton, IN
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Dec. 4, 1883
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49th (1885-87)
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Lycurgus Dalton, IN
|
Dec. 7, 1885
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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, 1890 8
|
52nd (1891-93)
|
James W. Hathaway, MT
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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
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56th (1899-1901)
|
Joseph McElroy, OH
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Dec. 4, 1899
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57th (1901-03)
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Joseph McElroy, OH
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Dec. 2, 1901
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58th (1903-05)
|
Joseph McElroy, OH
|
Nov. 9, 1903
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59th (1905-07)
|
Joseph McElroy, OH
|
Dec. 4, 1905
|
60th (1907-09)
|
Samuel A. Langum, MN
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Dec. 2, 1907
|
61st (1909-11)
|
Samuel A. Langum, MN
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March 15, 1909
|
62nd (1911-13)
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William M. Dunbar, GA
|
Apr. 4, 1911
|
63rd (1913-15)
|
William M. Dunbar, GA
|
Apr. 7, 1913
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64th (1915-17)
|
William M. Dunbar, GA
|
Dec. 6, 1915
|
65th (1917-19)
|
William M. Dunbar, GA
|
Apr. 2, 1917
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66th (1919-21)
|
Frank W. Collier, WI
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May 19, 1919
|
67th (1921-23)
|
Frank W. Collier, WI
|
Apr. 11, 1921
|
68th (1923-25)
|
Frank W. Collier, WI
|
Dec. 3, 1923
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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
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Apr. 15, 1929
|
72nd (1931-33)
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Finis E. Scott, TN
|
Dec. 7, 1931
|
73rd (1933-35)
|
Finis E. Scott, TN
|
March 9, 1933
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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
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79th (1945-47)
|
Finis E. Scott, TN
|
Jan. 3, 1945
|
80th (1947-49)
|
Frank Collier, WI
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Jan. 3, 1947
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81st (1949-51)
|
Finis E. Scott, TN
|
Jan. 3, 1949
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82nd (1951-53)
|
Finis E. Scott, TN
|
Jan. 3, 1951
|
83rd (1953-55)
|
Beecher Hess, OH
|
Jan. 3, 1953
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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
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89th (1965-67)
|
H.H. Morris, KY
|
Jan. 4, 1965
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90th (1967-69)
|
H.H. Morris, KY
|
Jan. 10, 1967
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91st (1969-71)
|
H.H. Morris, KY
|
Jan. 3, 1969
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92nd (1971-73)
|
H.H. Morris, KY10
Robert V. Rota, PA
|
Jan. 21, 1971
July 1, 1972 11
|
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
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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, 1992 13
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