James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, and the Father of Cheap Postage
President Monroe and Secretary of State Adams Appoint the “Father of Cheap Postage”, Barnabas Bates, Collector of the Port of Bristol, RI
Barnabas Bates is remembered as the “The Father of Cheap Postage”. Born in England, while a child he came to the United States, and became a Baptist preacher in Rhode Island. There he became Collector of the port of Bristol. He established himself in New York in 1825. During the administration of...
Barnabas Bates is remembered as the “The Father of Cheap Postage”. Born in England, while a child he came to the United States, and became a Baptist preacher in Rhode Island. There he became Collector of the port of Bristol. He established himself in New York in 1825. During the administration of President Jackson he received an appointment in the New York post office, and was for some time acting postmaster. Here he became interested in the cheapening of letter postage, and advocated it in every way for many years, first investigating the subject thoroughly and then writing and speaking on it continually. Bates succeeded in securing an inexpensive land postage rate of three cents in 1851. At the time of his death was laboring for a corresponding reduction in ocean postage.
This is Bates’ appointment as Collector of the port of Bristol, RI. Document signed by President James Monroe and Secretary of State John Quincy Adams, Washington, April 5, 1820, naming Bates “Collector of the Customs for the District of Bristol.”
An interesting association where we can see Bates at the start of his public service career.
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