Did you know?

[sheshe2]

Postmasters Abraham Lincoln and Harry Truman

Two postmasters became U.S. Presidents later in their careers –
Abraham Lincoln and Harry Truman. Truman held the title and signed
papers but immediately turned the position and its pay over to an
assistant. Lincoln was the only President who had served as a
postmaster.


Abraham Lincoln
On May 7, 1833, 24-year-old Abraham Lincoln was appointed
postmaster of New Salem, Illinois. Lincoln served until the office was
closed May 30, 1836. The United States Official Register, published in
odd-numbered years, dutifully records A. Lincoln as receiving
compensation of $55.70 in the 1835 volume and $19.48 for one quarter's
work in the 1837 volume. Besides his pay, Lincoln, as postmaster, could
send and receive personal letters free and get one daily newspaper
delivered free.

Mail arrived once a week, delivered on a route running from Springfield
to Millers Ferry. If an addressee did not collect his or her mail at the Post
Office, as was the custom, Lincoln delivered it personally – usually
carrying the mail in his hat. Even then, Lincoln was "Honest Abe."

Read more: https://about.usps.com/who-we-are/postal-history/abraham-lincoln-harry-truman-postmasters.pdf

[handmade34]

1. years ago...

in school, I researched and wrote a paper on USPS... as a kid I loved the story of the "Pony Express"

another part of history Republicans cannot appreciate... although, camels were used by the Confederate Post Office Department for awhile

this restriction, I can get behind...

[sheshe2]

2. OMG!

For real!?

[handmade34]

4. 1913-1919 or so

Just a few weeks after Parcel Post began, an Ohio couple named Jesse and Mathilda Beagle “mailed” their 8-month-old son James to his grandmother, who lived just a few miles away in Batavia. According to Lynch, Baby James was just shy of the 11-pound weight limit for packages sent via Parcel Post, and his “delivery” cost his parents only 15 cents in postage (although they did insure him for $50). The quirky story soon made newspapers, and for the next several years, similar stories would occasionally surface as other parents followed suit.

[sheshe2]

6. They insured him for $50.

WTF!?

[Totally Tunsie]

3. Well, there goes our budget vacation plans...

[handmade34]

5. ...

[spicysista]

7. Great post!