The postmaster of the United States House of Representatives was an employee of the United States Congress from 1834 to 1992.

Before the creation of the office of postmaster, mail duties were handled by workers in the office of the doorkeeper, who were paid additional compensation. The postmaster was made into a distinct and permanent House of Representatives employee in 1832, and in 1834, William J. McCormick, a doorkeeper's office employee, was named as the first House postmaster. Four years later, the postmaster was also given responsibility for the Capitol post office. The office of postmaster was abolished in 1992; House mail handling procedures were reassigned to other officers and private entities.

A total of twenty-one postmasters served in the House. One postmaster, William S. King, served as a U.S. representative after his service as postmaster.

List of postmasters Congress (years) Postmasters, state or territorySpecific state information provided when known. Date electedThe postmaster position was appointed from the 23rd through the 26th Congresses. The first recorded vote in the House Journal took place on January 4, 1844, between William J. McCormick and John M. Johnson. See, House Journal, 28th Cong., 1st sess., (January 4, 1844): 174. Specific appointment and election dates are provided when known. 23rd (1834–35) William J. McCormick, DCSee, contingency report H. Misc. Doc. 28 from the 24th Congress, 1st sess. - 24th (1835–37) William J. McCormick, DCSee, contingency report H. Misc. Doc. 19 and H. Misc. Doc. 7 from the 24th Congress, 1st sess. - 25th (1837–39) William J. McCormick, DCIt is assumed that McCormick was the postmaster during the 25th Congress, but the documentation is sparse. - 26th (1839–41) William J. McCormick, DC December 23, 1839 27th (1841–43) William J. McCormick, DC June 9, 1841 28th (1843–45) John M. Johnson, VA January 4, 1844 29th (1845–47) John M. Johnson, VA December 3, 1845 30th (1847–49) John M. Johnson, VA December 8, 1847 31st (1849–51) John M. Johnson, VA - 32nd (1851–53) John M. Johnson, VA December 1, 1851 33rd (1853–55) John M. Johnson, VA December 5, 1853 34th (1855–57) Robert Morris, PA February 5, 1856 35th (1857–59) Michael W. Cluskey, GA December 7, 1857 36th (1859–61) Josiah M. Lucas, IL February 6, 1860 37th (1861–63) William S. King, MN* July 5, 1861 38th (1863–65) William S. King, MN December 8, 1863 39th (1865–67) Josiah Given, OH December 4, 1865 40th (1867–69) William S. King, MN March 5, 1867 41st (1869–71) William S. King, MN March 5, 1869 42nd (1871–73) William S. King, MN March 4, 1871 43rd (1873–75) Henry Sherwood, MI December 1, 1873 44th (1875–77) James M. Steuart, VAJames M. Steuart's last name has been spelled "Stewart" and "Steuart" in both the House Journal and the Congressional Directory. December 6, 1875 45th (1877–79) James M. Steuart, VA October 15, 1877 46th (1879–81) James M. Steuart, VA March 18, 1879 47th (1881–83) Henry Sherwood, MI December 5, 1881 48th (1883–85) Lycurgus Dalton, IN December 4, 1883 49th (1885–87) Lycurgus Dalton, IN December 7, 1885 50th (1887–89) Lycurgus Dalton, IN December 5, 1887 51st (1889–91) James L. Wheat, WIResigned October 1, 1890. See, Chicago Daily Tribune, (October 2, 1890): 7.James W. Hathaway, MT December 2, 1889December 15, 1890Elected December 15, 1890. See, House Journal, 51st Cong., 2nd sess. (December 15, 1890): 15. 52nd (1891–93) James W. Hathaway, MT December 8, 1891 53rd (1893–95) Lycurgus Dalton, IN August 7, 1893 54th (1895–97) Joseph C. McElroy, OHName is listed as both Joseph C. McElroy and Joseph B. McElroy in the House Journal. The correct name is Captain Joseph C. McElroy of Oak Grove, OH. Born at Oak Grove, prospected in the California goldfields in 1849. During the Civil War he raised a militia company at Racine, and was later promoted Captain of Co. K, 18th O.V.I. After the war, he served on the Racine Village council, Sheriff of Meigs County, and was a member of the Ohio General Assembly. He was Secretary-Treasurer of the Ohio Commission for the Chickamauga Battleground National Park, and served 14 years as postmaster of the U.S. House of Representatives. He died August 21, 1907, as noted next day in NYT December 2, 1895 55th (1897–99) Joseph C. McElroy, OH March 15, 1897 56th (1899-1901) Joseph C. McElroy, OH December 4, 1899 57th (1901–03) Joseph C. McElroy, OH December 2, 1901 58th (1903–05) Joseph C. McElroy, OH November 9, 1903 59th (1905–07) Joseph C. McElroy, OH December 4, 1905 60th (1907–09) Samuel A. Langum, MN December 2, 1907 61st (1909–11) Samuel A. Langum, MN March 15, 1909 62nd (1911–13) William M. Dunbar, GA April 4, 1911 63rd (1913–15) William M. Dunbar, GA April 7, 1913 64th (1915–17) William M. Dunbar, GA December 6, 1915 65th (1917–19) William M. Dunbar, GA April 2, 1917 66th (1919–21) Frank W. Collier, WI May 19, 1919 67th (1921–23) Frank W. Collier, WI April 11, 1921 68th (1923–25) Frank W. Collier, WI December 3, 1923 69th (1925–27) Frank W. Collier, WI December 7, 1925 70th (1927–29) Frank W. Collier, WI December 5, 1927 71st (1929–31) Frank W. Collier, WI April 15, 1929 72nd (1931–33) Finis E. Scott, TN December 7, 1931 73rd (1933–35) Finis E. Scott, TN March 9, 1933 74th (1935–37) Finis E. Scott, TN January 3, 1935 75th (1937–39) Finis E. Scott, TN January 5, 1937 76th (1939–41) Finis E. Scott, TN January 3, 1939 77th (1941–43) Finis E. Scott, TN January 3, 1941 78th (1943–45) Finis E. Scott, TN January 6, 1943 79th (1945–47) Finis E. Scott, TN January 3, 1945 80th (1947–49) Frank W. Collier, WIDied October 15, 1948, See, Collier, Frank W.," 18 October 1948, Washington Post: B2. January 3, 1947 81st (1949–51) Finis E. Scott, TN January 3, 1949 82nd (1951–53) Finis E. Scott, TN January 3, 1951 83rd (1953–55) Beecher Hess, OH January 3, 1953 84th (1955–57) H.H. Morris, KY January 5, 1955 85th (1957–59) H.H. Morris, KY January 3, 1957 86th (1959–61) H.H. Morris, KY January 7, 1959 87th (1961–63) H.H. Morris, KY January 3, 1961 88th (1963–65) H.H. Morris, KY January 9, 1963 89th (1965–67) H.H. Morris, KY January 4, 1965 90th (1967–69) H.H. Morris, KY January 10, 1967 91st (1969–71) H.H. Morris, KY January 3, 1969 92nd (1971–73) H.H. Morris, KYResigned, June 30, 1972. See, House Journal, 92nd Cong., 2nd sess., (June 6, 1972): 621.Robert V. Rota, PA January 21, 1971 July 1, 1972Elected July 1, 1972. See, Congressional Record, 92nd Cong. 2nd sess., (July 1, 1972): 726. 93rd (1973–75) Robert V. Rota, PA January 3, 1973 94th (1975–77) Robert V. Rota, PA January 14, 1975 95th (1977–79) Robert V. Rota, PA January 4, 1977 96th (1979–81) Robert V. Rota, PA January 15, 1979 97th (1981–83) Robert V. Rota, PA January 5, 1981 98th (1983–85) Robert V. Rota, PA January 3, 1983 99th (1985–87) Robert V. Rota, PA January 3, 1985 100th (1987–89) Robert V. Rota, PA January 6, 1987 101st (1989–91) Robert V. Rota, PA January 3, 1989 102nd (1991–93) Robert V. Rota, PAResigned March 19, 1992. See, Congressional Record, 102nd Cong., 2nd sess., (March 19, 1992): 1356.Michael J. Shinay, VA January 3, 1991March 31, 1992Appointed March 31, 1992, "to act as and exercise temporarily" duties of the Postmaster; see, Congressional Record, 102nd Cong., 2nd sess., (March 31, 1992): 2070.

Notes

Sources Postmasters of the House, Office of the Clerk House Journal, various editions; Congressional Globe, various editions; Congressional Record, various editions; Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (2005); Congressional Pictorial Directory, various editions. Official Congressional Directory, various editions.