Postmaster of New York City


A post office may have operated in New York City as early as 1687. The United States Postal Service has no information on New York's postmasters prior to the year 1775. The New York City Post Office is first mentioned in Hugh Finlay's journal dated 1773 which lists Alexander Colden as the postmaster of New York City. Other sources indicate that Colden may have served as postmaster as early as 1753. Postmasters are appointed by the President of the United States.
NameTitleDate appointedNotes and references
Alexander Colden PostmasterThe date of appointment is not known.
John Holt PostmasterThe date of appointment is not known. He is listed as postmaster in a document written by Mary Katherine Goddard.
Ebenezer HazardPostmasterOctober 5, 1775He was appointed on October 5, 1775 according to his letter to Congress on November 14, 1776. He was later appointed as the United States Postmaster General.
William BedlowPostmaster April 5, 1784The date of appointment is not known. He submitted financial accounts for the post office from April 5, 1784 through October 1789.
Sebastian BaumanPostmasterFebruary 16, 1790The date is for his first financial accounts to Congress. His appointment date is not known.
Josias Ten EyckPostmaster January 1, 1804The date is for his first financial accounts to Congress. His appointment date is not known.
Theodorus BaileyPostmasterJanuary 2, 1804He died in office.
Samuel Laurence Gouverneur Postmaster11/19/1828
Jonathan J. CoddingtonPostmaster 07/05/1836
Col. James Lorimer GrahamPostmaster 03/14/1842
Robert Hunter MorrisPostmaster05/03/1845He was later the Mayor of New York City
William Vermilye Brady Postmaster05/14/1849He was later the Mayor of New York City
Isaac Vanderbeck FowlerPostmaster 04/01/1853
John Adams DixPostmaster 05/17/1860
William B. Taylor Postmaster 01/16/1861
Abram WakemanPostmaster 03/21/1862
James KellyPostmaster09/19/1864
Patrick Henry JonesPostmaster 04/27/1869
Thomas Lemuel JamesPostmaster 03/17/1873He was later appointed as the United States Postmaster General.
Henry G. PearsonPostmaster 03/22/1881
Cornelius Van CottPostmaster 04/05/1889
Charles W. DaytonPostmaster 06/05/1893
Cornelius Van CottPostmaster 05/12/1897This was his second non-consecutive term. He died in office.
William Russell WillcoxPostmaster 12/07/1904He resigned office to become the head of the Public Service Board.
Edward M. MorganPostmaster August 14, 1907He was postmaster for the first airmail delivery.
Thomas Gedney PattenPostmaster 03/16/1917
Edward M. MorganPostmaster 06/23/1921
John J. KielyActing Postmaster 01/10/1925
John J. KielyPostmaster 01/22/1925He was promoted from Acting Postmaster to Postmaster.
Albert GoldmanActing Postmaster 08/31/1934
Albert GoldmanPostmaster 01/16/1935He was promoted from Acting Postmaster to Postmaster. Albert Goldman was the first Jewish postmaster of New York City.
George M. BragaliniActing Postmaster 04/30/1952
James B. TunnyActing Postmaster 03/31/1953
Colonel Harold Riegelman Acting Postmaster 05/04/1953
John H. SheehanActing Postmaster 08/04/1953
Robert H. SchafferActing Postmaster 08/16/1954
Robert H. SchafferPostmaster 08/02/1955He was promoted from Acting Postmaster to Postmaster.
Howard CoonenActing Postmaster 05/31/1957
Robert K. Christenberry Acting Postmaster 06/03/1958
Robert K. ChristenberryPostmaster 09/21/1959He was promoted from Acting Postmaster to Postmaster.
Eugene PinsonActing Postmaster 07/01/1966
John R. StrachanActing Postmaster11/04/1966
John R. StrachanPostmaster 06/26/1967He was promoted from Acting Postmaster to Postmaster.
George J. HassOfficer-In-Charge 07/16/1971
Thomas V. Flanagan Officer-In-Charge 07/01/1972
John R. StrachanPostmaster 12/09/1972This was his second non-consecutive term.
George F. ShumanOfficer-In-Charge01/13/1979
Paul E. DonovanOfficer-In-Charge 02/16/1979
George F. Shuman Postmaster 05/19/1979He was promoted from Officer-In-Charge to Postmaster following the intervening appointment of Paul E. Donovan.
John M. NolanPostmaster01/05/1985
William J. DowlingOfficer-In-Charge 03/03/1989
John F. KellyPostmaster 11/04/1989
Sylvester Black Postmaster 01/09/1993
Vinnie MalloyPostmaster 12/19/1998
Robert A. Daruk, Sr. Officer-In-Charge 02/28/2007
Robert A. Daruk, Sr.Postmaster 03/17/2007He was promoted from Officer-In-Charge to Postmaster.
William J. SchnaarsPostmaster January 31, 2009
Lorraine G. CastellanoPostmaster October 24, 2009
Aracelis M. OsorioOfficer-In-Charge July 3, 2010
Robert J. Brown PostmasterOctober 23, 2010
Elvin MercadoOfficer-In-Charge December 13, 2013
Elvin MercadoPostmasterMarch 8, 2014He was promoted from Officer-In-Charge to Postmaster.
Kevin J. CrocillaPostmasterFebruary 20, 2016