major l. c. easton was the first postmaster general of the united states.
major l. c. easton was the first postmaster general of the united states.
who was the first postmaster general of the united states?
major l. c. easton
rufus easton was appointed by thomas jefferson first postmaster of st. louis under the recommendation of postmaster general gideon granger. rufus easton was the first postmaster and built the first post office west of the mississippi. at the same time easton was appointed by thomas jefferson, judge of louisiana territory, the largest territory in north america. bruce adamson wrote that: "next to benjamin franklin, rufus easton was one of the most colorful people in united states postal history." it was easton who educated abraham lincoln's attorney general, edward bates. in 1815 edward bates moved into the easton home and lived there for years at third and elm. today this is the site of the jefferson memorial park. in 1806 postmaster general gideon granger wrote a three-page letter to easton, begging him not to partake in a duel with vice-president aaron burr. two years earlier it was burr who had shot and killed alexander hamilton. many years later in 1852, easton's son, major-general langdon cheves easton, was commissioned by william t. sherman, at fort union to deliver a letter to independence, missouri. sherman wrote: "in the spring of 1852, general sherman mentioned that the quartermaster, major l.c. easton, at fort union, new mexico, had occasion to send some message east by a certain date, and contracted with aubrey to carry it to the nearest post office (then independence, missouri), making his compensation conditional on the time consumed. he was supplied with a good horse, and an order on the outgoing trains for exchange. though the whole route was infested with hostile indians, and not a house on it, aubrey started alone with his rifle. he was fortunate in meeting several outward-bound trains, and thereby made frequent changes of horses, some four or five, and reached independence in six days, having hardly rested or slept the whole way."
united states post office department
in addition to his normal duties, on 10 april 1837, shortly after the proclamation of south australia, thomas gilbert was appointed by governor hindmarsh as first postmaster in south australia, with the first post office being operated from his private residence. thomas gilbert was never officially given the title of postmaster general and was granted a salary of thirty pounds per year for the postmaster position. he managed the post office for approximately fifteen months, at which point he lodged a grievance with the south australian government as he had not been paid for this role. the government published an official censure on gilbert and, as a result, he resigned the position of postmaster effective 13 december 1838 but continued in his capacity as colonial storekeeper. officially, the general post office in adelaide does not recognise thomas gilbert as the first postmaster general and, instead, they have an oil painting of charles todd as their first postmaster general.
thomas gilbert (pioneer)