A biography on Amos Kendall, who served as postmaster general from 1835 to 1840, is now available on usps.com.
Kendall was a lawyer and journalist who became a top adviser to President Andrew Jackson, including serving as the U.S. Treasury auditor.
Jackson later named him the nation’s 11th postmaster general. Kendall helped shape the Post Office Department into a national institution by using letter carriers for local delivery and increasing the number of post roads.
His tenure was also marked by a fire in 1836 that destroyed the Washington, DC, building that served as postal headquarters, consuming vital records and correspondence.
The USPS historian’s office prepared the Kendall biography, the 14th in an ongoing series.
