10/08/2026
As we take a closer look at the history of Cedar Falls this year, we have been sharing snippets from Peter Melendy's book, “Cedar Falls, Iowa: 1843-1893.”
Today's excerpt (with errors and outdated language) is from page 77 to 79, and discusses "Uncle Sam's Business" AKA the United States Postal Service.
"Uncle Sam's Business
At the close of the war with England in 1785, the United States took the post office business of this country into her own hands. William Bedlow was the first postmaster in New York.
Cedar Falls Post Office
In the winter of 1849 a post office wa established at Cedar Falls, the first in the county, under the administration of Zachary Taylor, twelfth president of the United States.
D.C. Overman, father of Charles Overman, was appointed postmaster, the first in the county. The arrival of the first mail in 1849 was quite an event to the few settlers.
For some time the mails were so small that the postmaster used to carry the letters and papers in his hat, delivering them as he happened to meet the persons addressed.
There was not other carrier's deliveries in the state at that time. Mr. Overman was the pioneer letter carrier of Iowa, and Cedar Falls has the honor of having had the first free mail delivery in Iowa in 1849.
The mails were carried on horsebak from Dubuque by Thomas W. Case, and the receipts were two and one-tenth dollars ($2.10) per quarter.
The postmaster of Cedar Falls reports the gross receipts of the office for the fiscal year ending March 30, 1891, as reaching the sum of *eleven thousand, one hundred and ninty-six dollars and sixty-five cents ($11,196.65). Thus from $8.40 in 1849 to the amount named above in 1891. Thre is no better criterion fo a city's enterprise and comercial standing than these same post office statements. This large increase is owing to a steady growth of our manufacturing ans State Normal School interests. The gain of the receipts for the last four years has been $3,000.
Postmaster Humbert says, "I am confident that when the postal reports are made up for the fiscal year 1892, it will show that hte volume of business transacted as indicated by the gross receipts in the Cedar Falls post office is greater in proportion to population than is that of any other city in the state."
The free delivery system, now in operation since January, 1892, is working successfully and satisfactorily. There are twenty-five street boxes. The carriers handle a large amount of mail and do it with smiling faces. It is estimated that the weight of papers sent out from Cedar Falls through the office in 1892 amounted to twenty tons.
We think the postal business of Cedar Falls entitles her to a Government Building....
U.S. Mail Carrier
Ed. Jesimore is the United States mail carrier to and from the post office and mail trains of the different railroads.
U.S. Mail Route Agent
Cedar Falls has one of the many mail route agents or clerk in the person of John Glenn. Route from Albert Lea to Burlington and the Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern Railroad.
Cedar Falls has eleven (11) persons employed in Uncle Sam's service, who receive a yearly salary of $7,900.
Ex-Postmasters
There have been thirteen (13) postmasters at Cedar Falls from 1849 to 1893, viz.: D.C. Overman, Edwin Brown, A. Mularkey, S.H. Packard, R.P. Speer, G.M. Harris, H.A. Perkins, W.H. McClure, Fred Boehmler, W.H. Morisson, C.W. Snyder, G.E. Eberhart, N.H. Dufoe, and S.B. Humbert...."
Image:
Inside post office, 1892, from the archives of the Cedar Falls Historical Society
