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List of postmasters of Chicago

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A a post office was first established in Chicago on March 8, 1831, with Johnathan N. Baily, a fur trader, being appointed Chicago's first postmaster.[1][2]

Chicago was long the hub of the Railway Mail Service of the United States. Chicago saw particularly large volumes of mail in the peak era of mail-order business by Chicago-based retailers Montgomery Ward and Sears.[1]

Postmasters appointed before 1971

Until the establishment of the United States Postal Service in 1971, the president of the United States appointed local postmasters.

In the 19th century, many appointees of postal positions in the United States were patronage positions, with newspaper editors with close ties to the president's party often receiving postmastership positions.[1]

Name Tenure President appointed by Notes Citation(s)
Johnathan N. Baily March 8, 1831–Nov. 2, 1832 Andrew Jackson
(Democrat)		 First postmaster [2]
John S.C. Hogan Nov. 2, 1832–1837 [2]
Sidney Abell 1837–1841 Martin Van Buren
(Democrat)		 [3]
William Stuart 1841–1845 [3]
Hart L. Stuart 1845–1849 James K. Polk
(Democrat)		 [3]
Richard L. Wilson 1849–1850 Zachary Taylor
(Whig)		 [3]
George W. Dole 1850–1853 Millard Filmore
(Whig)		 [3]
Isaac Cook 1853–1857 Franklin Pierce
(Democrat)		 [3]
William Price 1857–1858 James Buchanan
(Democratic)		 [3]
Isaac Cook 1858–1861 [3]
John Locke Scripps March 26, 1861–1865 Abraham Lincoln
(Republican)		 Left office on March 9, 1865 [3]
Samuel Hoard 1865–1866 Abraham Lincoln
(Republican)		 [3]
Robert A. Gilmore 1866–1867 Andrew Johnson
(Democrat)		 [3]
Francis Trowbridge Sherman 1867–1869 [3]
Francis A. Eastman 1869–1873 Ulysses S. Grant
(Republican)		 [3]
John McArthur 1873–1877 [3]
Francis Wayland Palmer 1877–1885 Rutherford B. Hayes
(Republican)		 [3]
S. Corning Judd 1885–1888 Grover Cleveland
(Democrat)		 [3]
Walter C. Newberry 1888–1889 [3]
James A. Sexton 1889–1893 Benjamin Harrison
(Republican)		 [3]
Washington Hesing 1893–1897 Grover Cleveland
(Democrat)		 [3]
Charles Ulysses Gordon 1897–1901 William McKinley
(Republican)		 [3]
Frederick E. Coyne 1901–1905 [3]
Fred A. Busse 1905–1907 Theodore Roosevelt
(Republican)		 [3]
Daniel A. Campbell 1907–1917 [3]
William B. Carlile 1917–1921 Woodrow Wilson
(Democrat)		 [3]
Arthur C. Lueder 1921–1923
and
1923–1933		 Warren G. Harding
(Republican)		 Resigned in 1923 to unsuccessfully run for mayor of Chicago in that year's election as a Republican. Reappointed postmaster after losing the election. [3]
Ernest J. Kruetgen 1933–1934
and
1934–1948		 Franklin D. Roosevelt
(Democrat)		 [3]
John Haderlein 1948–1949
and
1949–1952		 Harry S. Truman
(Democrat)		 [3]
Vincent F. Werner 1952–1953 [3]
Carl A. Shroeder 1953–1954
and
1954–1961		 Dwight D. Eisenhower
(Republican)		 [3]
Ralph G. Donegan
(unofficial acting postmaster)		 1961 — [3][4]
Harry H. Semrow November 2, 1861–1966 (acting postmaster Nov 2, 1961–Oct. 5, 1962) John F. Kennedy
(Democrat)		 [3][5][6]
William Bochelli 1966 Lyndon B. Johnson
(Democrat)		 [3]
Henry W. McGee Jr. 1966
and
1966–1972		 First African American to hold the position [1][3]

Postmasters appointed after 1971

Name Tenure Notes and references Citation(s)
Emmett E. Cooper Jr. June 1, 1973–April 28, 1977 Left post after being assigned regional postmaster general for the Eastern Region [7][8][9]
Frank C. Goldie August 1977–1987 [9][10]
Janet Norfleet April 1987–December 1990 First female postmaster of Chicago [11]
Gloria Tyson 2006–March 3, 2011 [12]
Nancy Rettinhouse (acting postmaster) 2011– [12]
Wanda Prater 2018–June 12, 2021 Initially acting postmaster before becoming the permanent postmaster [13][14]
Eddie Morgan (acting postmaster) June 2021–January 2022 [15][16]

Officers in charge

The following individuals served as "officer in charge of the Chicago Post Office" during periods in which there was a vacancy in the position of postmaster of Chicago:

Name Tenure Notes and references Citation(s)
William G. Booras 1972–1973 [17][7]
Charles K. Kernan 1972–1973 [9]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d John, Richard R. (2005). "Mail Delivery". www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org. Chicago Historical Society. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  2. ^ a b c Currey, J. Seymour (March 27, 2003). "Chicago's First Post Office". chicagology.com (originally published in Fort Dearborn Magazine in December 1922). Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag "The Political Graveyard: Mayors and Postmasters of Chicago, Illinois". Political Graveyard. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  4. ^ "3 Postal Jobs in Region Go to Democrat". Chicago Tribune. July 20, 1961. Retrieved 13 March 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Take Oath". Suburbanite Economist. November 1, 1961. Retrieved 13 March 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Senate OK's Sermon for Postmaster". Newspapers.com. Chicago Tribune. October 6, 1962. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  7. ^ a b "New Chicago postmaster assumes duties". Chicago Tribune. June 2, 1973. Retrieved 13 March 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Postal pioneers". link.usps.com. United States Postal Service News. January 30, 2018. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  9. ^ a b c "Select New Postmaster". The Daily Calumet. July 25, 1977. Retrieved 13 March 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Martin, Alison (19 May 2022). "This week in history: Chicago's Latino community stages sit-in over mail issues". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  11. ^ Thornton, Jerry (March 24, 1987). "Happiness is mail lover in top job". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 13 March 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ a b "Chicago Postmaster Gloria Tyson Announces Retirement". about.usps.com. United States Postal Service. February 24, 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  13. ^ Yin, Alice (June 16, 2021). "Chicago USPS postmaster replaced following mounting calls for her resignation over mail delays". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  14. ^ "Chicago Post Office delivers important message about dog bites". about.usps.com. United States Postal Service. April 6, 2018. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  15. ^ Anthony, Katie (15 January 2022). "More turnover in Chicago USPS as postmaster leaves job after just 7 months". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  16. ^ "Acting Chicago Postmaster Eddie Morgan Jr. Out After Only 7 Months". Postal Times. 17 January 2022. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  17. ^ "Need Some Cuff Links? Try Local Post Office". Chicago Tribune. June 15, 1972. Retrieved 13 March 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
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