1. John Creswell modernized the US Postal system to adapt to an expanding demand for increased postal routes throughout the Western states and remain competitive worldwide.
50 Facts About John Creswell
1. 2.
John Creswell integrated the US Postal system appointing both male and female African American postmasters throughout the United States, giving them significant positions of federal authority.
3.
John Creswell developed a codified classification system of offenses against postal laws.
4.
John Creswell streamlined and reduced postal costs making the United States Postal System run efficiently creating a fair pricing system domestically, and reducing international mailing prices.
5.
John Creswell developed and implemented the United States first penny postcard.
6.
John Creswell joined the Radical Republicans and supported the end of slavery and the civil rights of African Americans.
7.
In 1861, John Creswell was elected to represent Cecil County in the Maryland House of Delegates and served until 1862, where he helped keep the state from joining the Confederacy.
8.
In 1862 John Creswell was elected US Representative and served from 1863 to 1865.
9.
John Creswell was elected US Senator in 1864 and served from 1865 to 1867.
10.
John Creswell returned to private law practice and worked in the banking industry.
11.
John Creswell's father was John G Creswell, from Maryland of English ancestry.
12.
John Creswell's mother was Rebecca E Webb, from Pennsylvania, of German and English ancestry.
13.
John Creswell attended a local academy before moving on to Dickinson College where he graduated with honors in 1848.
14.
John Creswell studied law for two years and was admitted to the bar in Baltimore in 1850, commencing practice in Elkton, Maryland.
15.
In 1850, John Creswell was an unsuccessful candidate to the Maryland Reform State Convention.
16.
At the outbreak of the Civil War, John Creswell became a devoted and strongly influential Radical Republican.
17.
In 1861 John Creswell was elected for the first time to public office, as a loyalist Union member of the Maryland House of Delegates.
18.
John Creswell served until 1862 and worked to prevent Maryland from leaving the Union and joining the Confederate States.
19.
In 1863, John Creswell was appointed the state's adjutant general, where he was in charge of raising Maryland's quota of troops for the Union war effort.
20.
John Creswell was elected to the US House of Representatives in 1862, serving from 1863 to 1865.
21.
At the Republican National Convention in 1868, John Creswell's name was put forward for either the presidential or vice presidential nominations.
22.
John Creswell proved to be one of the ablest organizers ever to head the Post Office.
23.
John Creswell cut costs while greatly expanding the number of mail routes, postal clerks and letter carriers.
24.
John Creswell introduced the penny postcard and worked with Fish to revise postal treaties.
25.
John Creswell asked for the total abolition of the franking privilege since it reduced the revenue receipts by five percent.
26.
When John Creswell suddenly resigned in 1874, historians have speculated this was due to impending scandals that plagued the Grant administration John Creswell gave no official reason for his resignation.
27.
John Creswell's left elbow was fractured by a fall from a porch on a chair.
28.
John Creswell was in deep pain, but the injury was not considered serious and was expected to heal in a few weeks.
29.
John Creswell said he felt better and he would take a few days off before he returned to Washington.
30.
John Creswell appointed more African Americans than any of his predecessors.
31.
In distributing patronage John Creswell followed the spirit of Civil Service reform and improved the efficiency of the postal service.
32.
Immediately when John Creswell took office the conservative policy of appointing only white postmasters ended.
33.
When black applicants overcame the difficulty of posting a bond, John Creswell began to appoint black postmasters across the country, including the South.
34.
On November 15,1872 Creswell appointed Mrs Anna M Dumas the first female African American postmaster in Covington, Louisiana.
35.
John Creswell ended the policy of whites only mail carriers and appointed James Christian of Richmond, Virginia, the first black mail carrier, on June 1,1869.
36.
Five months later John Creswell appointed black Union veteran and first Medal of Honor hero, William Carney, letter carrier of Bedford, Massachusetts.
37.
John Creswell appointed Isaac Myers of Baltimore the first African American postal inspector.
38.
Postmaster John Creswell noticed that General Tate was being snubbed, and went over and had a pleasant conversation with him.
39.
On February 26,1873 Postmaster John Creswell went before the House Committee on Appropriations and testified that federal postage appropriations were necessary for the US Treasury and the Postal Department, after the abolishment of the franking took effect.
40.
On February 8,1874, in order to solve the problem, Postmaster John Creswell wrote a bill to Congress that required the correct "Postmaster General" format be put on all postal route guarantee checks.
41.
John Creswell accepted the appointment of a United States counsel before the Alabama Claims Commission; he served in that position from 1874 to 1876.
42.
John Creswell resumed practicing law and served as the president of two banks.
43.
John Creswell died suddenly at noon at his home a mile outside of Elkton, Cecil County, Maryland, on December 23,1891.
44.
John Creswell had contracted the flu and then succumbed to pneumonia.
45.
John Creswell had truly become a man of the future.
46.
John Creswell came late to these ideas of 'freedom national,' but when he joined the movement, he was as ardent as any of its adherents.
47.
John Creswell could be ambitious and opportunistic, but he could stand firmly for important values.
48.
John Creswell is the namesake of Creswell, North Carolina, and Creswell, Oregon.
49.
John Creswell's career was an honor to the county which gave him birth and to his state.
50.
John Creswell was dignified in demeanor, commanding in person, courtly in manner.