Fast Facts
The House has elected or appointed employees to carry out a wide variety of tasks throughout its history. The officers’ duties are prescribed both by law and Rule II of the Rules of the House of Representatives.
More >Postmasters of the House
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 (William S. King) served as a U.S. Representative after his service as a House Officer.
Congress and Years | Name | State or Territory | Date Elected |
---|---|---|---|
23rd (1833–1835) | MCCORMICK, William J. 1 | DC | - |
24th (1835–1837) | MCCORMICK, William J. 2 | DC | - |
25th (1837–1839) | MCCORMICK, William J. | DC | Apr 05, 1838 |
26th (1839–1841) | MCCORMICK, William J. | DC | Dec 23, 1839 |
27th (1841–1843) | MCCORMICK, William J. | DC | Jun 09, 1841 |
28th (1843–1845) | JOHNSON, John M. | VA | Jan 04, 1844 |
29th (1845–1847) | JOHNSON, John M. | VA | Dec 03, 1845 |
30th (1847–1849) | JOHNSON, John M. | VA | Dec 08, 1847 |
31st (1849–1851) | JOHNSON, John M. 3 | VA | Jan 16, 1850 |
32nd (1851–1853) | JOHNSON, John M. | VA | Dec 01, 1851 |
33rd (1853–1855) | JOHNSON, John M. | VA | Dec 05, 1853 |
34th (1855–1857) | MORRIS, Robert | PA | Feb 05, 1856 |
35th (1857–1859) | CLUSKEY, Michael W. | GA | Dec 07, 1857 |
36th (1859–1861) | LUCAS, Josiah M. | IL | Feb 06, 1860 |
37th (1861–1863) | KING, William Smith | MN | Jul 05, 1861 |
38th (1863–1865) | KING, William Smith | MN | Dec 08, 1863 |
39th (1865–1867) | GIVEN, Josiah | IA | Dec 04, 1865 |
40th (1867–1869) | KING, William Smith | MN | Mar 05, 1867 |
41st (1869–1871) | KING, William Smith | MN | Mar 05, 1869 |
42nd (1871–1873) | KING, William Smith | MN | Mar 04, 1871 |
43rd (1873–1875) | SHERWOOD, Henry | MI | Dec 01, 1873 |
44th (1875–1877) | STEUART, James M. 4 | VA | Dec 06, 1875 |
45th (1877–1879) | STEUART, James M. | VA | Oct 15, 1877 |
46th (1879–1881) | STEUART, James M. | VA | Mar 18, 1879 |
47th (1881–1883) | SHERWOOD, Henry | MI | Dec 05, 1881 |
48th (1883–1885) | DALTON, Lycurgus | IN | Dec 04, 1883 |
49th (1885–1887) | DALTON, Lycurgus | IN | Dec 07, 1885 |
50th (1887–1889) | DALTON, Lycurgus | IN | Dec 05, 1887 |
51st (1889–1891) | WHEAT, James L. | WI | Dec 02, 1889 5 |
51st (1889–1891) | HATHAWAY, James W. | MT | Dec 10, 1890 6 |
52nd (1891–1893) | DALTON, Lycurgus | IN | Dec 09, 1891 |
53rd (1893–1895) | DALTON, Lycurgus | IN | Sep 07, 1893 7 |
54th (1895–1897) | MCELROY, Joseph 8 | OH | Dec 02, 1895 |
55th (1897–1899) | MCELROY, Joseph | OH | Mar 15, 1897 |
56th (1899–1901) | MCELROY, Joseph | OH | Dec 04, 1899 |
57th (1901–1903) | MCELROY, Joseph | OH | Dec 02, 1901 |
58th (1903–1905) | MCELROY, Joseph | OH | Nov 09, 1903 |
59th (1905–1907) | MCELROY, Joseph | OH | Dec 04, 1905 9 |
60th (1907–1909) | LANGUM, Samuel | MN | Dec 02, 1907 |
61st (1909–1911) | LANGUM, Samuel | MN | Mar 15, 1909 |
62nd (1911–1913) | DUNBAR, William M. | GA | Apr 04, 1911 |
63rd (1913–1915) | DUNBAR, William M. | GA | Apr 07, 1913 |
64th (1915–1917) | DUNBAR, William M. | GA | Dec 06, 1915 |
65th (1917–1919) | DUNBAR, William M. | GA | Apr 02, 1917 |
66th (1919–1921) | COLLIER, Frank W. | WI | May 19, 1919 |
67th (1921–1923) | COLLIER, Frank W. | WI | Apr 11, 1921 |
68th (1923–1925) | COLLIER, Frank W. | WI | Dec 03, 1923 |
69th (1925–1927) | COLLIER, Frank W. | WI | Dec 07, 1925 |
70th (1927–1929) | COLLIER, Frank W. | WI | Dec 05, 1927 |
71st (1929–1931) | COLLIER, Frank W. | WI | Apr 15, 1929 |
72nd (1931–1933) | SCOTT, Finis E. | TN | Dec 07, 1931 |
73rd (1933–1935) | SCOTT, Finis E. | TN | Mar 09, 1933 |
74th (1935–1937) | SCOTT, Finis E. | TN | Jan 03, 1935 |
75th (1937–1939) | SCOTT, Finis E. | TN | Jan 05, 1937 |
76th (1939–1941) | SCOTT, Finis E. | TN | Jan 03, 1939 |
77th (1941–1943) | SCOTT, Finis E. | TN | Jan 03, 1941 |
78th (1943–1945) | SCOTT, Finis E. | TN | Jan 06, 1943 |
79th (1945–1947) | SCOTT, Finis E. | TN | Jan 03, 1945 |
80th (1947–1949) | COLLIER, Frank W. | WI | Jan 03, 1947 10 |
81st (1949–1951) | SCOTT, Finis E. | TN | Jan 03, 1949 |
82nd (1951–1953) | SCOTT, Finis E. | TN | Jan 03, 1951 |
83rd (1953–1955) | HESS, Beecher | OH | Jan 03, 1953 |
84th (1955–1957) | MORRIS, H.H. | KY | Jan 05, 1955 |
85th (1957–1959) | MORRIS, H.H. | KY | Jan 03, 1957 |
86th (1959–1961) | MORRIS, H.H. | KY | Jan 07, 1959 |
87th (1961–1963) | MORRIS, H.H. | KY | Jan 03, 1961 |
88th (1963–1965) | MORRIS, H.H. | KY | Jan 09, 1963 |
89th (1965–1967) | MORRIS, H.H. | KY | Jan 04, 1965 |
90th (1967–1969) | MORRIS, H.H. | KY | Jan 10, 1967 |
91st (1969–1971) | MORRIS, H.H. | KY | Jan 03, 1969 |
92nd (1971–1973) | MORRIS, H.H. 11 | KY | Jan 21, 1971 |
92nd (1971–1973) | ROTA, Robert V. | PA | Jun 21, 1972 12 |
93rd (1973–1975) | ROTA, Robert V. | PA | Jan 03, 1973 |
94th (1975–1977) | ROTA, Robert V. | PA | Jan 14, 1975 |
95th (1977–1979) | ROTA, Robert V. | PA | Jan 04, 1977 |
96th (1979–1981) | ROTA, Robert V. | PA | Jan 15, 1979 |
97th (1981–1983) | ROTA, Robert V. | PA | Jan 05, 1981 |
98th (1983–1985) | ROTA, Robert V. | PA | Jan 03, 1983 |
99th (1985–1987) | ROTA, Robert V. | PA | Jan 03, 1985 |
100th (1987–1989) | ROTA, Robert V. | PA | Jan 06, 1987 |
101st (1989–1991) | ROTA, Robert V. | PA | Jan 03, 1989 |
102nd (1991–1993) | ROTA, Robert V. 13 | PA | Jan 03, 1991 |
102nd (1991–1993) | SHINAY, Michael J. | ME | Mar 31, 1992 14 |
Footnotes
1It is assumed that McCormick was the Postmaster during the 23rd Congress, but the documentation is sparse. See, Contingency Expenses of the House of Representatives, H. Misc. Doc. 6, 23rd Cong., 2nd sess. (December 4, 1834): 3.
2See, Contingent Expenses of the House of Representatives, H. Misc. Doc. 19, 24th Cong., 1st sess. (December 16, 1835): 3; Contingencies-House of Representatives and Senate, H. Misc. Doc. 28, 24th Cong., 1st sess. (December 29, 1835): 1; Contingent Fund-House of Representatives, H. Misc. Doc. 7, 24th Cong., 1st sess. (December 6, 1836): 2.
3Appointed on January 16, 1850, See House Journal, 31st Cong., 2nd sess. (January 16, 1850): 333. Election of Postmaster was postponed to March 1, 1851, when it was postponed indefinitely. Johnson retained the duties of Postmaster from the 30th Congress through the 31st Congress. See House Journal, 31st Cong., 2nd sess. (January 19, 1850): 363.
4James M. Steuart’s last name has been spelled “Stewart” and “Steuart” in both the House Journal and the Congressional Directory.
5Resigned on October 1, 1890. See, House Journal, 51st Cong., 1st sess. (October 1, 1890): 1118.
6Elected on December 10, 1890. See, House Journal, 51st Cong., 2nd sess. (December 10, 1890): 42.
7Died on March 24, 1895. See, "A House Official Dead," 25 March 1895, Washington Post: 1.
8Name is listed as both Joseph C. and Joseph B. McElroy in the House Journal.
9Died on August 21, 1907. See, "Postmaster Joseph C. McElroy," 22 August 1907, New York Times: 7.
10Died on October 15, 1948. See, Collier, Frank W.," 18 October 1948, Washington Post: B2.
11Resigned on June 30, 1972. See, House Journal, 92nd Cong., 2nd sess., (June 6, 1972): 621.
12Elected on June 21, 1972., service effective July 1, 1972. See, House Journal, 92nd Cong., 2nd sess., (June 21, 1972): 726.
13Resigned on March 19, 1992. See, House Journal, 102nd Cong., 2nd sess. (March 19, 1992): 317.
14Appointed on March 31, 1992, “to act as and exercise temporarily” duties of the Postmaster; see, House Journal, 102nd Cong., 2nd sess., (March 31, 1992): 317; Congressional Directory, 103rd Congress (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1993): 621. The House formally abolished the Postmaster position and reformed it as the director of House Postal Operations. Instead of being an autonomous House Officer, the director of House Postal Operations reported to the Director of Non-Legislative and Financial Services. See House Committee on House Administration, Investigation of the Office of the Postmaster, Pursuant to House Resolution 340, 102nd Cong., 2nd sess., 1992, H. Rept. 102–713, 55–57.