John Creswell
John Creswell | |
---|---|
23rd United States Postmaster General | |
In office March 5, 1869 – June 22, 1874 | |
President | Ulysses S. Grant |
Preceded by | Alexander Randall |
Succeeded by | James William Marshall |
United States Senator from Maryland | |
In office March 9, 1865 – March 3, 1867 | |
Preceded by | Thomas Holliday Hicks |
Succeeded by | George Vickers |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Maryland's 1st district | |
In office March 4, 1863 – March 3, 1865 | |
Preceded by | John W. Crisfield |
Succeeded by | Hiram McCullough |
Member of the Maryland House of Delegates from the Cecil County district | |
In office 1861–1862 Serving with Andrew McIntire and Hamilton Morton | |
Preceded by | James W. Maxwell, Andrew McIntire, William R. Miller |
Succeeded by | George W. Boulden, William J. Jones, Slater B. Stubbs |
Personal details | |
Born | John Andrew Jackson Creswell November 18, 1828 Creswell's Ferry, Maryland, U.S. (now Port Deposit) |
Died | December 23, 1891 Elkton, Maryland, U.S. | (aged 63)
Political party | Whig (before 1856) Democratic (1856–1860) Republican (1860–1891) |
Spouse | Hannah J. Richardson |
Relatives | Jacob Tome (uncle) |
Education | Dickinson College (BA) |
John Andrew Jackson Creswell (November 18, 1828 – December 23, 1891)
After attending a local academy, Creswell graduated from Dickinson College in 1848 and passed the bar in 1850. A former Whig, Creswell joined the Democratic Party and supported James Buchanan for president. When the Civil War broke in 1861, Creswell remained loyal to the Union and supported Abraham Lincoln. Creswell joined the Radical Republicans and supported the end of slavery and the civil rights of African Americans. In 1861, 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. In 1862 Creswell was elected U.S. Representative and served from 1863 to 1865. Creswell was elected U.S. Senator in 1864 and served from 1865 to 1867. In 1868 Creswell supported Ulysses S. Grant for president. In 1869, President Grant appointed the "gifted and debonair" Creswell as Postmaster General. His appointment by Grant was very popular in Maryland whose citizens considered themselves part of the South. Having retired as Postmaster, Creswell was appointed by President Grant as an Alabama Claims Commissioner and served from 1874 to 1876. Creswell returned to private law practice and worked in the banking industry.
Modern historians, starting in the 1960s and continuing into the 21st century, have taken a renewed interest in Creswell as a forgotten abolitionist and for his appointments and integration of both male and female African Americans to prominent positions in the U.S. Postal system, viewing him as "a man of the future".
Early life
John A. J. Creswell was born in Port Deposit, Maryland, then known as Creswells Ferry, on November 18, 1828. His father was John G. Creswell, from Maryland of English ancestry. His mother was Rebecca E. Webb, from Pennsylvania, of German and English ancestry. One of Rebecca's forebears was Quaker missionary, Elizabeth Webb.[2] Creswell attended a local academy before moving on to
Family life
During Creswell's early career as a Maryland lawyer, he married Hannah J. Richardson of Maryland. Hannah was considerably wealthy.[2] His uncle was Jacob Tome.[3]
Political career
During the early 1850s, Creswell was a strongly partisan
Maryland delegate and the Civil War
At the outbreak of the
U.S. Representative
Creswell was elected to the
U.S. Senator
Having lost reelection to the House in 1864, Creswell was elected to the
Postmaster General
After
During the beginning of the Grant administration, it was reported by the New York Times, July 29, 1869, that Creswell injured himself in Baltimore while on a visit to his father-in-law Rev. James McIntire, near Elton. His left elbow was fractured by a fall from a porch on a chair. Creswell was in deep pain, but the injury was not considered serious and was expected to heal in a few weeks. Creswell said he felt better and he would take a few days off before he returned to Washington.[6]
Appointed African Americans and patronage
Creswell, as Postmaster-General, had enormous power in distributing patronage nationally in the Postal Service. During
Prior to 1865, African Americans were banned from working in the Postal Department, mostly due to the Southern racism of not allowing blacks to handle the mail.[8] At the end of the Civil War this restriction was lifted, but white postmasters in major cities around the nation only appointed a few African American clerks.[8] Immediately when Creswell took office the conservative policy of appointing only white postmasters ended.[8] When black applicants overcame the difficulty of posting a bond, Creswell began to appoint black postmasters across the country, including the South.[8] One black postmaster, Charles Miller, received as hostile reception among white conservative society in Columbia, South Carolina in 1869.[8] On November 15, 1872 Creswell appointed Mrs. Anna M. Dumas the first female African American postmaster in Covington, Louisiana.[8] 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.[9] Five months later Creswell appointed black Union veteran and first Medal of Honor hero, William Carney, letter carrier of Bedford, Massachusetts.[9] On April 20, 1870 Creswell appointed John W. Curry Washington D.C.'s first black postman.[9] Creswell also appointed Isaac Myers of Baltimore the first African American postal inspector.[9]
General Tate conversation (1870)
President Grant, at the beginning of his first term in office, initiated an attempt to annex the Dominican Republic, then known as Santo Domingo. President Grant believed that the annexation and eventual statehood of the island country would add to American mineral resources and serve as a refuge for African Americans, who were harassed by violence from the Ku Klux Klan.[10] At a White House reception on January 1, 1870, African Haitian minister, General Alexander Tate, attended. President Grant, who had no racial animosity, cordially shook General Tate's hand.[11] Other white dignitaries refused to associate with General Tate because he was black and ignored him at the reception. Postmaster Creswell, however, noticed that General Tate was being snubbed, and went over and had a pleasant conversation with him.[11]
Attempt to remove Creswell (1870)
Upon assuming office, Postmaster Creswell strongly advocated the abolishment of the franking privilege that allowed Congress, both the Senate and the House of Representatives, to use the U.S. Postal Service paid for by taxpayers. Many in Congress, during November 1870, opposed the removal of this privilege, and friends of President Grant extensively lobbied that Creswell to be removed from office and replaced by Pennsylvanian, John W. Forney. This was done in part to having a Pennsylvanian on the Presidential cabinet so President Grant could freely choose a Revenue Commissioner.[12] President Grant, however, resisted this pressure and kept Creswell in office.
Congressional franking privilege abolished (1873)
On January 28, 1873, President Ulysses S. Grant signed into law the abolition of the Congressional franking privilege. Previously, on January 27, 1873, the U.S. Senate bill, with amendments, to abolish the franking privilege, had been introduced by New Jersey Representative John Hill to vote on by the House of Representatives. Many Representatives in the House attempted by an amendment to make the franking abolition legislature less sweeping, however, these efforts failed. The stronger franking abolition bill passed the House by a vote of 143 to 48. Those who voted against the franking abolition were divided equally among both Republicans and Democrats, mostly from the Southern states. A bill to cut spending on Public Printing was introduced to the House, however, this failed to gain a two-thirds majority to pass. The abolition of the franking privilege would be effective on July 1, 1873.[13] On February 26, 1873 Postmaster Creswell went before the House Committee on Appropriations and testified that federal postage appropriations were necessary for the U.S. Treasury and the Postal Department, after the abolishment of the franking took effect. Federal executive departments were exempt from the law.[14]
Proposed check payable bill (1874)
By law, to secure a postal contract, bidders had to pay a 5% guarantee check at a national bank payable to the Postmaster General.
Alabama claims commissioner
Creswell accepted the appointment of a United States counsel before the Alabama Claims Commission; he served in that position from 1874 to 1876.
Legal and banking career
Creswell resumed practicing law and served as the president of two banks.
Death
Creswell died suddenly at noon at his home a mile outside of
Historical reputation
Historians view Creswell as a forgotten "committed abolitionist" and have taken renewed interest for Creswell's support of the Thirteenth Amendment ending slavery for
Professor Matthew Pinsker, also of Dickinson College, said "[w]hile serving as a Postmaster General during the Grant Administration, Creswell helped to integrate and modernize the federal post office system. He had truly become a man of the future."
Osborne and Bombaro concluded that Creswell was "a true Border State pragmatist who came to embrace what were at the time considered radical ideas about abolishing slavery and promoting equality. He came late to these ideas of 'freedom national,' but when he joined the movement, he was as ardent as any of its adherents. Creswell could be ambitious and opportunistic, but he could also stand firmly for important values."[22]
Memorials
John Creswell is the namesake of Creswell, North Carolina,[23] and Creswell, Oregon.[24]
An inscription on Creswell's enormous and elaborate granite monument located at Elkton Presbyterian Church Cemetery on Creswell's family plot reads:
Lawyer, orator, statesman, patriot, member of the Bar of Cecil County and of the Court of Appeals of Maryland and of the Bar of the Supreme Court of the United States. Adjutant General of Maryland in the Civil War. Member of the House of Representatives and of the Senate of the United States.
Postmaster General in the Cabinet of President Grant. Eloquent defender of the Union. Faithful to every trust. Loyal to every friend. Generous to every cause. A wise Counsellor, an able advocate.
His career was an honor to the county which gave him birth and to his state. He was dignified in demeanor, commanding in person, courtly in manner. Fearless in defence of the right, upright in his dealings with his fellow men. Exemplary in his domestic life, pure in morals. Faithful in religious duties. Generous but unostentatious in charity.[25]
References
- ^ Some sources refer to him as John Angel James Creswell; however, no evidence that he ever used "Angel James" has been found. His birth entry in his family Bible, matriculation and graduation records from Dickinson College in the mid-1840s, and letters from Ulysses S. Grant late in his career all refer to him as "John Andrew Jackson Creswell." See Osborne, John M. and Christine Bombaro (2015), Forgotten Abolitionist: John A.J. Creswell of Maryland, Carlisle, PA: House Divided Project at Dickinson College, notes 4, 8, 36, 94, and 117.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Dictionary of American Biography (1930), Creswell, John Angel James, p. 541
- ^ "Historical List, House of Delegates, Cecil County (1790-1974)". Maryland Manual On-Line. Maryland State Archives. February 1, 2000. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
- ^ Allan Nevins, Hamilton Fish (1937) 139
- ^ The New York Times (July 29, 1869).
- ^ a b c Friedenberg, pp. 142–143.
- ^ a b c d e f Osborne & Bombaro (2015), p. 53.
- ^ a b c d Osborne & Bombaro (2015), p. 54.
- ^ McFeely (1981), Grant: a biography, pp. 336-337
- ^ a b McFeely, Grant: a biography, p. 337
- ^ New York Times (November 4, 1870), "Contemplated Official Changes"
- ^ New York Times (January 28, 1873), "Abolition of the Franking Privilege"
- ^ New York Times (February 27, 1873), "Departmental Postage"
- ^ a b c New York Times (February 9, 1874) "The Postal Contracts"
- ^ Dickinson College, John Andrew Jackson Creswell (1828-1891) Archived June 8, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Chicago Daily Tribune (December 24, 1891), J. A. J. Creswell Dead, p. 9
- ^ Osborne & Bombaro (2015), pp. 6, 12.
- ^ a b Osborne & Bombaro (2015), p. 10.
- ^ a b Osborne & Bombaro (2015), p. 6.
- ^ a b White 2016, p. 473.
- ^ Osborne & Bombaro (2015), p. 58.
- ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 96.
- Eugene Register-Guard. January 4, 1942. p. 4. Retrieved May 10, 2017.
- ^ Moore 2017.
Sources
- ISBN 978-0-385-53241-9.
- Creswell Credited With Keeping State From Seceding From Union - Delmarva Heritage Series
- Friedenberg, Robert V. (Summer 1969). "John A. J. Creswell of Maryland: Reformer in the Post Office". Maryland Historical Magazine. pp. 133–143.
- ISBN 0-393-01372-3.
- Moore, Beth Boulden (May 27, 2017). "Elkton Presbyterian Church Cemetery: A who's who of local history". Cecil Whig. cecildaily.com.
- [1]Osborne, John M.; Bombaro, Christine (2015). "Forgotten Abolitionist: John A. J. Creswell of Maryland". SmashWords (PDF). Carlisle, PA: Dickinson College.
- ISBN 0-684-84927-5.
- "The Accident to Postmaster-General Creswell" (PDF). July 29, 1869.
- United States Congress. "John Creswell (id: C000904)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
- White, Ronald C. (2016). American Ulysses: A Life of Ulysses S. Grant. Random House Publishing Group. ISBN 978-1-5883-6992-5.
External links
- Osborne, John M. and Christine Bombaro (2015). Forgotten Abolitionist: John A.J. Creswell of Maryland. Carlisle, PA: House Divided Project at Dickinson College. ISBN 978-0-9969321-0-3.
- Works by John Creswell at Project Gutenberg
- Works by or about John Creswell at Internet Archive