United States Postmaster General - wikipedia United States Postmaster General This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( July 2013 ) Postmaster General of the United States Chief Executive Officer of the United States Postal Service Incumbent Megan Brennan since February 1, 2015 United States Postal Service Appointer Board of Governors Term length Indefinite Inaugural holder Benjamin Franklin Formation 1775 Deputy Ronald A. Stroman Salary $276,840 Website about.usps.com/leadership The Postmaster General of the United States is the chief executive officer of the United States Postal Service ; Megan Brennan is the current Postmaster General. Appointed members of the Board of Governors of the United States Postal Service select the Postmaster General and Deputy Postmaster General, who then join the Board. Contents 1 History 2 Postmasters General under the Continental Congress 3 Postmasters general over the U.S. Post Office Department, 1789 -- 1971 3.1 As non-Cabinet department, 1789 -- 1829 3.2 As cabinet department, 1829 -- 1971 4 Postmasters General over the U.S. Postal Service, 1971 -- present 5 Living former Postmasters General 6 See also 7 Notes 8 External links History The office, in one form or another, is older than both the United States Constitution and the United States Declaration of Independence. Benjamin Franklin was appointed by the Continental Congress as the first Postmaster General in 1775, serving just over 15 months. Until 1971, the postmaster general was the head of the Post Office Department ( or simply `` Post Office '' until the 1820s ). During that era, the postmaster general was appointed by the President of the United States, with the advice and consent of the United States Senate. From 1829 to 1971, the postmaster general was a member of the President 's Cabinet. The Cabinet post of Postmaster General was often given to a new President 's campaign manager or other key political supporter, and was considered something of a sinecure. The Postmaster General was in charge of the governing party 's patronage, and was a powerful position which held much influence within the party. In 1971, the Post Office Department was re-organized into the United States Postal Service, an independent agency of the executive branch. Therefore, the Postmaster General is no longer a member of the Cabinet and is no longer in the line of presidential succession. The postmaster general is now appointed by nine `` governors, '' appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate. The governors, along with the postmaster general and the deputy postmaster general, constitute the full Postal Service Board of Governors. The Postmaster General is the second - highest paid U.S. government official, based on publicly available salary information, after the President of the United States. Postmasters General under the Continental Congress Name Date appointed Benjamin Franklin July 26, 1775 Richard Bache November 7, 1776 Ebenezer Hazard January 28, 1782 Samuel Osgood ( 1747 -- 1813 ) Postmasters general over the U.S. Post Office Department, 1789 -- 1971 As non-Cabinet department, 1789 -- 1829 Name State of Residence Date appointed President ( s ) served under Samuel Osgood ( pictured right ) Federalist Massachusetts September 26, 1789 Washington Timothy Pickering Federalist Pennsylvania August 12, 1791 Washington Joseph Habersham Independent Georgia February 25, 1795 Washington, Adams, Jefferson Gideon Granger Democratic - Republican Party Connecticut November 28, 1801 Jefferson, Madison Return J. Meigs, Jr. Democratic - Republican Party Ohio March 17, 1814 Madison, Monroe John McLean Democratic - Republican Party Ohio June 26, 1823 Monroe, J.Q. Adams As cabinet department, 1829 -- 1971 Parties No party Federalist Democratic - Republican Democratic Whig Republican Political Party Name State of Residence Date appointed President ( s ) served under William T. Barry Kentucky March 9, 1829 Jackson Amos Kendall Kentucky May 1, 1835 Jackson, Van Buren John M. Niles Connecticut May 19, 1840 Van Buren Francis Granger New York March 6, 1841 W.H. Harrison, Tyler Charles A. Wickliffe Kentucky September 13, 1841 Tyler Cave Johnson Tennessee March 6, 1845 Polk Jacob Collamer Vermont March 8, 1849 Taylor Nathan K. Hall New York July 23, 1850 Fillmore Samuel Dickinson Hubbard Connecticut August 31, 1852 Fillmore James Campbell Pennsylvania March 7, 1853 Pierce Aaron V. Brown Tennessee March 6, 1857 Buchanan Joseph Holt Kentucky March 14, 1859 Buchanan Horatio King Maine February 12, 1861 Buchanan Montgomery Blair District of Columbia March 5, 1861 Lincoln William Dennison Ohio September 24, 1864 Lincoln, A. Johnson Alexander W. Randall Wisconsin July 25, 1866 A. Johnson John A.J. Creswell Maryland March 5, 1869 Grant James W. Marshall Virginia July 3, 1874 Grant Marshall Jewell Connecticut August 24, 1874 Grant James N. Tyner Indiana July 12, 1876 Grant David M. Key Tennessee March 12, 1877 Hayes Horace Maynard Tennessee June 2, 1880 Hayes Thomas L. James New York March 5, 1881 Garfield, Arthur Timothy O. Howe Wisconsin December 20, 1881 Arthur Walter Q. Gresham Indiana April 3, 1883 Arthur XX Frank Hatton Iowa October 14, 1884 Arthur XX William F. Vilas Wisconsin March 6, 1885 Cleveland XX Donald M. Dickinson Michigan January 6, 1888 Cleveland XX John Wanamaker Pennsylvania March 5, 1889 B. Harrison XX Wilson S. Bissell New York March 6, 1893 Cleveland XX William L. Wilson West Virginia March 1, 1895 Cleveland XX James A. Gary Maryland March 5, 1897 McKinley XX Charles Emory Smith Pennsylvania April 21, 1898 McKinley, T. Roosevelt XX Henry C. Payne Wisconsin January 9, 1902 T. Roosevelt XX Robert J. Wynne Pennsylvania October 10, 1904 T. Roosevelt XX George B. Cortelyou New York March 6, 1905 T. Roosevelt XX George von L. Meyer Massachusetts January 15, 1907 T. Roosevelt XX Frank H. Hitchcock Massachusetts March 5, 1909 Taft XX Albert S. Burleson Texas March 5, 1913 Wilson XX Will H. Hays Indiana March 5, 1921 Harding XX Hubert Work Colorado March 4, 1922 Harding XX Harry S. New Indiana February 27, 1923 Harding, Coolidge XX Walter F. Brown Ohio March 5, 1929 Hoover XX James A. Farley New York March 4, 1933 F. Roosevelt XX Frank C. Walker Pennsylvania September 10, 1940 F. Roosevelt, Truman XX Robert E. Hannegan Missouri May 8, 1945 Truman XX Jesse M. Donaldson Missouri December 16, 1947 Truman XX Arthur E. Summerfield Michigan January 21, 1953 Eisenhower XX J. Edward Day California January 21, 1961 Kennedy XX John A. Gronouski Wisconsin September 30, 1963 Kennedy, L. Johnson XX Lawrence F. O'Brien Massachusetts November 3, 1965 L. Johnson XX W. Marvin Watson Texas April 26, 1968 L. Johnson XX Winton M. Blount Alabama January 22, 1969 Nixon Postmasters General over the U.S. Postal Service, 1971 -- present Name Date appointed President ( s ) served under Winton M. Blount July 1, 1971 Nixon E.T. Klassen January 1, 1972 Nixon, Ford Benjamin F. Bailar February 16, 1975 Ford, Carter William F. Bolger March 15, 1978 Carter, Reagan Paul N. Carlin January 1, 1985 Reagan Albert Vincent Casey January 7, 1986 Preston Robert Tisch August 16, 1986 Anthony M. Frank March 1, 1988 Reagan, H.W. Bush Marvin Travis Runyon July 6, 1992 H.W. Bush, Clinton William J. Henderson May 16, 1998 Clinton, Bush John E. Potter June 1, 2001 Bush, Obama Patrick R. Donahoe January 14, 2011 Obama Megan Brennan February 1, 2015 Obama, Trump Note that, while the above table indicates the President under which each postmaster general served, these postmasters general were appointed by the governors of the Postal Service and not by the President. Living former Postmasters General As of November 2017, there are four living former Postmasters General, the oldest being Anthony M. Frank ( 1988 -- 1992, born 1931 ). The most recent Postmaster General to die was Paul N. Carlin ( 1985 - 86 ), on April 25, 2018. The most recently serving Postmaster General to die was Marvin Travis Runyon ( 1992 -- 2000 ), on May 3, 2004. Name Term of office Date of birth Anthony M. Frank 1988 -- 1992 ( 1931 - 05 - 31 ) May 31, 1931 ( age 87 ) William J. Henderson 1998 -- 2001 ( 1947 - 06 - 16 ) June 16, 1947 ( age 71 ) John E. Potter 2001 -- 2010 1956 ( age 61 -- 62 ) Patrick R. Donahoe 2011 -- 2015 c. 1955 ( age 62 -- 63 ) See also Postmaster General ( disambiguation ) John Henninger Reagan, the only Postmaster General of the Confederate States of America Notes Jump up ^ O'Keefe, Ed ( May 10, 2011 ). `` Salaries of top Postal Service executives revealed ''. Washington Post. Retrieved 5 September 2011. Jump up ^ Publication 100 -- The United States Postal Service : An American History 1775 -- 2006. United States Postal Service, May 2007. Also available in PDF format. ^ Jump up to : United States Postal Service. `` Postmasters General ''. about.usps.com. Retrieved 2018 - 05 - 18. Jump up ^ United States Postal Service. `` About the Board of Governors ''. about.usps.com. Retrieved 2018 - 05 - 18. Jump up ^ Michael B. Sauter and Jon C. Ogg. `` The 10 Highest - Paid Government Jobs ''. 24 / 7WallSt.com. Retrieved 5 September 2011. Jump up ^ `` Wayback Machine ''. 2 February 2017. Jump up ^ Since July 1, 1971, the Postmaster General has been appointed by and serves under the Board of Governors of the United States Postal Service. External links Official site Papers of Arthur E. Summerfield, Postmaster General, 1953 -- 1961, Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library United States Postal Service Organizations American Letter Mail Company American Postal Workers Union Board of Governors of the United States Postal Service Bureau of Transportation Citizens ' Stamp Advisory Committee National Alliance of Postal and Federal Employees National Association of Letter Carriers National Association of Presort Mailers National Postal Mail Handlers Union National Rural Letter Carriers ' Association Postal Regulatory Commission Postal Transportation Service PostalWatch Incorporated United States Postal Inspection Service United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General Systems Address Management System Advanced Facer - Canceler System Coding Accuracy Support System Flats Sequencing System Locatable Address Conversion System United States Postal Savings System Services Click - N - Ship Express mail in the United States National Change Of Address Permit mail Permit Reply Mail Postal notes Railway Mail Service Registered mail Special Delivery Special handling Facilities Air Mail Facility Boat Railway Post Office Community post office Dead letter office Highway Post Office J.W. Westcott II List of United States Post Offices National Postal Museum Network Distribution Center Railway mail service library Red Brick Roads Sectional center facility Streetcar Railway Post Office Terminal Railway Post Office Legal Comstock laws Post Office Act Postal Reorganization Act Postal Service Act Private Express Statutes Rural Post `` Good '' Roads Act of 1916 Title 39 of the United States Code Related Airmails of the United States CAR - RT SORT Catcher pouch Cimarron Redoubt Domestic Mail Manual Facing Identification Mark Flats Grumman LLV Information - Based Indicia The Inspectors Intelligent Mail barcode Label 228 List of postal killings List of U.S. state abbreviations List of United States airmail stamps Mail bag Mail cover Mail hook Mail Isolation Control and Tracking Mail jumping Mail pouch Mail sack Mail satchel The Mail Story Nixie ORM - D Owney ( dog ) Pony Express mochila Postage stamps and postal history of the United States Postal Alpha Numeric Encoding Technique Postal Clause Postal worker Postmaster General Prohibitory Order Remote Bar Coding System Rural Free Delivery Rural letter carrier STD - 4C United States post office murals List of murals USPS Post Office Box Lobby Recycling program United States Postal Service creed United States Postmasters General Confederal Franklin Bache Hazard Federal Osgood Pickering Habersham G. Granger Meigs McLean Cabinet level Post Office Department Barry Kendall Niles F. Granger Wickliffe Johnson Collamer Hall Hubbard Campbell A. Brown Holt King Blair Dennison Randall Creswell Marshall Jewell Tyner Key Maynard James Howe Gresham Hatton Vilas Dickinson Wanamaker Bissell Wilson Gary Smith Payne Wynne Cortelyou Meyer Hitchcock Burleson Hays Work New W. Brown Farley Walker Hannegan Donaldson Summerfield Day Gronouski O'Brien Watson Blount U.S. Postal Service Blount Klassen Bailar Bolger Carlin Casey Tisch Frank Runyon Henderson Potter Donahoe Brennan Leaders of the United States federal executive departments Current Agriculture Commerce Defense Education Energy Health and Human Services Homeland Security Housing and Urban Development Interior Justice Labor State Transportation Treasury Veterans Affairs Past Commerce and Labor Health, Education, and Welfare Navy Post Office War Benjamin Franklin January 6, 1706 -- April 17, 1790 President of Pennsylvania ( 1785 -- 1788 ), Ambassador to France ( 1779 -- 1785 ) Second Continental Congress ( 1775 -- 1776 ) Founding of the United States Join, or Die ( 1754 political cartoon ) Albany Plan of Union Albany Congress Hutchinson Letters Affair Committee of Secret Correspondence Committee of Five Declaration of Independence Model Treaty Franco - American alliance Treaty of Amity and Commerce Treaty of Alliance Staten Island Peace Conference Treaty of Paris, 1783 Delegate, 1787 Constitutional Convention Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly Postmaster General Founding Fathers Inventions, other events Franklin 's electrostatic machine Bifocals Franklin stove Glass armonica Gulf Stream exploration, naming, and chart Lightning rod Kite experiment Pay it forward Associators 111th Infantry Regiment Junto club American Philosophical Society Library Company of Philadelphia Pennsylvania Hospital Academy and College of Philadelphia University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Contributionship Union Fire Company Early American currency Fugio Cent United States Postal Service President, Pennsylvania Abolition Society Master, Les Neuf Sœurs Other social contributions and studies Gravesite Writings Silence Dogood letters ( 1722 ) A Dissertation on Liberty and Necessity, Pleasure and Pain ( 1725 ) The Busy - Body letters ( 1729 ) Pennsylvania Gazette ( 1729 -- 1790 ) Poor Richard 's Almanack ( 1732 -- 1758 ) The Drinker 's Dictionary ( 1737 ) `` Advice to a Friend on Choosing a Mistress '' ( 1745 ) `` The Speech of Polly Baker '' ( 1747 ) Observations Concerning the Increase of Mankind, Peopling of Countries, etc. ( 1751 ) Experiments and Observations on Electricity ( 1751 ) Birch letters ( 1755 ) The Way to Wealth ( 1758 ) Pennsylvania Chronicle ( 1767 ) Rules by Which a Great Empire May Be Reduced to a Small One ( 1773 ) Proposed alliance with the Iroquois ( 1775 ) A Letter To A Royal Academy ( 1781 ) Remarks Concerning the Savages of North America ( 1784 ) The Morals of Chess ( 1786 ) An Address to the Public ( 1789 ) A Plan for Improving the Condition of the Free Blacks ( 1789 ) The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin ( 1771 -- 90, pub. 1791 ) Bagatelles and Satires ( pub. 1845 ) Franklin as a journalist Legacy Franklin Court Benjamin Franklin House Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology Benjamin Franklin National Memorial Franklin Institute Benjamin Franklin Medal Depicted in The Apotheosis of Washington Benjamin Franklin statue, Washington D.C. In popular culture Ben and Me ( 1953 short ) Ben Franklin in Paris ( 1964 musical play ) 1776 ( 1969 musical 1972 film ) Benjamin Franklin ( 1974 miniseries ) A More Perfect Union ( 1989 film ) Liberty ! ( 1997 documentary series ) Liberty 's Kids ( 2002 animated series ) Benjamin Franklin ( 2002 documentary series ) John Adams ( 2008 miniseries ) Sons of Liberty ( 2015 miniseries ) Sons of Ben ( supporters group for the Philadelphia Union soccer club Refunding Certificate Franklin half dollar One - hundred dollar bill Washington - Franklin stamps other stamps Cities, counties, schools named for Franklin Franklin Field State of Franklin Ships named USS Franklin Ben Franklin effect Related Age of Enlightenment American Enlightenment The New - England Courant The American Museum magazine American Revolution patriots Syng inkstand Family Deborah Read ( wife ) Sarah Franklin Bache ( daughter ) Francis Franklin ( son ) William Franklin ( son ) Richard Bache Jr. ( grandson ) Benjamin F. Bache ( grandson ) Louis F. Bache ( grandson ) William Franklin ( grandson ) Andrew Harwood ( great - grandson ) Alexander Bache ( great - grandson ) Josiah Franklin ( father ) Jane Mecom ( sister ) James Franklin ( brother ) Mary Morrell Folger ( grandmother ) Peter Folger ( grandfather ) Richard Bache ( son - in - law ) Ann Smith Franklin ( sister - in - law ) Government of the United States under the Articles of Confederation Congresses 1st Continental Congress 2nd Continental Congress The US in Congress Assembled Delegates Committee of the States Congressional Officers President Secretary Civil Offices / Officers Postmaster General Superintendent of Finance / Agent of the Marine Secretary at War Secretary of Foreign Affairs Court of Appeals Military Board of War Continental Army Commander in Chief Continental Navy Continental Marines Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=United_States_Postmaster_General&oldid=851679151 '' Categories : Former United States Executive Cabinet positions United States Postal Service United States Postmasters General 1775 establishments in the Thirteen Colonies Hidden categories : Articles needing additional references from July 2013 All articles needing additional references All articles with vague or ambiguous time Vague or ambiguous time from July 2017 Articles containing potentially dated statements from November 2017 All articles containing potentially dated statements Talk Contents About Wikipedia Dansk Deutsch Español Français Italiano 日本 語 Norsk Polski Português Русский Simple English 4 more Edit links This page was last edited on 23 July 2018, at 21 : 53 ( UTC ). About Wikipedia

Question: who was the first postmaster general of the united states
Answer: Benjamin Franklin