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
Members' Post Office, House of Representatives, Washington, DC, Collection of the U.S. House of RepresentativesAbout this object
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 | - | |
| 24th (1835–1837) | MCCORMICK, William J. 2 | - | |
| 25th (1837–1839) | MCCORMICK, William J. 3 | - | |
| 26th (1839–1841) | MCCORMICK, William J. | Dec 23, 1839 | |
| 27th (1841–1843) | MCCORMICK, William J. | 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. | VA | - |
| 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 | 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 | Aug 05, 1861 |
| 38th (1863–1865) | KING, William Smith | MN | Dec 08, 1863 |
| 39th (1865–1867) | GIVEN, Josiah | OH | 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. 5 | WI | Dec 02, 1889 |
| 51st (1889–1891) | HATHAWAY, James W. | MT | Dec 15, 1890 6 |
| 52nd (1891–1893) | HATHAWAY, James W. | MT | Dec 08, 1891 |
| 53rd (1893–1895) | DALTON, Lycurgus | MT | Sep 07, 1893 |
| 54th (1895–1897) | MCELROY, Joseph 7 | 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 |
| 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. | WI | 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 |
| 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. 8 | KY | Jan 21, 1971 |
| 92nd (1971–1973) | ROTA, Robert V. | PA | Jul 01, 1972 9 |
| 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. 10 | PA | Jan 03, 1991 |
| 102nd (1991–1993) | SHINAY, Michael J. | VA | Mar 31, 1992 11 |
Footnotes
1See, contingency report H. Misc. Doc. 28 from the 24th Congress, 1st sess.
2See, contingency report H. Misc. Doc. 19 and H. Misc. Doc. 7 from the 24th Congress, 1st sess.
3It is assumed that McCormick was the Postmaster during the 25th Congress, but the documentation is sparse.
4James M. Steuart’s last name has been spelled “Stewart” and “Steuart” in both the House Journal and the Congressional Directory.
5Resigned October 1, 1890. See, Chicago Daily Tribune, (October 2, 1890): 7.
6Elected December 15, 1890. See, House Journal, 51st Cong., 2nd sess. (December 15, 1890): 15.
7Name is listed as both Joseph C. and Joseph B. McElroy in the House Journal.
8Resigned, June 30, 1972. See, House Journal, 92nd Cong., 2nd sess., (June 6, 1972): 621.
9Elected July 1, 1972. See, Congressional Record, 92nd Cong., 2nd sess., (July 1, 1972): 726.
10Resigned March 19, 1992. See, Congressional Record, 102nd Cong., 2nd sess., (March 19, 1992): 1356.
11Appointed March 31, 1992, “to act as and exercise temporarily” duties of the Postmaster; see, Congressional Record, 102nd Cong., 2nd sess., (March 31, 1992): 2070.