Early Mail Service: Women Postmasters (Pt 7)

By 1889, the Sandwich Observer newspaper reported that there were 300 women in charge of post offices in the nation. Many women took up the role working right out of their own homes.

In his book Cape Cod, Henry David Thoreau declared that "the mail was delivered on Cape Cod by post mistresses and they were the best!"

Mr. John Richardson, a member of the Society of Friends, reported that in his travels through Sandwich he found that women, for the most, part had taken on the role of postmistress. [1]

By 1895, Miss L.B. Taber was postmistress of Spring Hill, and Mrs. Rebecca Ewer was in the same position in East Sandwich. As reported earlier, Miss Sallie Cozzens, eventually replaced Miss Taber after her death.[2] This post office was located at 379 Route 6A, also known as the Old King’s Highway.

Anna Fish had a home at Talbot’s Point near the railroad crossing where Joseph Ewer was born and she served as postmistress for East Sandwich out of her home.

A notable Sandwich character who played many roles in town, including as a longtime Sandwich selectman, George McLaughlin--who had a lovely Victorian style home in Jarvesville, no longer there--was also a postmaster. The Sandwich Observer quotes an article in the Boston Herald about Mr. McLaughlin that is reflective of the character of the man.

It seems that in 1885, following the inauguration of President Cleveland, a delegation of Provincetown Democrats wanted to oust their current postmaster, always a political appointment. McLaughlin listened carefully to them and then replied. “Gentlemen, in as much as your present postmaster is a Union soldier with a bullet hole in his throat and suits the people in his place, I do not feel it is my duty to interfere; but if you will bring me a good Democrat with two bullet holes in his body, I will consider the matter.”[3]

Mr. McLaughlin did not perform his duties as postmaster without the help of women who eventually replaced him upon his death. 

While he was confined to St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Brighton for several months, Miss Ellen Wynne and Miss Edna Small kept affairs in order. [4]

By August of 1928 Edna Small was acting postmistress and Ellen Wynne was her assistant. They were handling huge quantities of mail since there were then 300 men stationed at Camp Edwards. [5]

[1] The Friends A Religious and Literary Journal, Philadelphia, 1866, #26 pg. 201.

[2] Barnstable Patriot 8 October 1900.

[3] Boston Herald as cited in the Sandwich Observer, 23 July 1889. Pg.2.

[4] Yarmouth Register 10 March 1928.

[5] Yarmouth Register 4 August 1928.

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Kaethe Maguire is a member of the Friends of the Sandwich Town Archives, a dedicated, all-volunteer, 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to supporting and promoting the archives’ collections and the rich, diverse history of the town of Sandwich.