4 Historical Figures That Worked At The Post Office

Everyone knows about the post office and the dedicated postal workers that will trek through any weather condition to bring the mail. The job might seem dull, but the postal workers are anything but! In fact, there are several famous people who once worked at the post office.

1. Walt Disney

Walt Disney’s story is featured in many rags to riches biographies. Did you know that Walt Disney, who became one of the most famed and beloved public figures in America, worked as an employee at the United States Post Office? 16-year-old Walt was rejected initially, due to his age, but he returned to re-apply…dressed as an older man. He didn’t work there long, though.

2. Abraham Lincoln

When President Abraham Lincoln was a young man, he also worked at the United States Post Office. At 24 years old, he traveled to New Salem, Illinois, a town of less than 50 people. He worked at the local post office where he learned his trade. He would personally deliver mail to the bank, the hotel, and even to people’s homes. Eventually he would become known as the “Postmaster of New Salem.”

3. Harry S. Truman

The 33rd president of the United States, Harry S. Truman was also a postal worker. After getting fired from a Missouri bank and then failing as a farmer, President Truman became the Postmaster of Independence, Missouri, a town in which he lived. It’s an honorable title, but the accompanying salary of $250 dollars a year, even in those days, doesn’t seem worth it.

4. Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin also had his start at the United States Postal Service. When he was a young man, he became an apprentice at age 12 and worked at the post office store. Later on, he would become the postmaster of Philadelphia and a co-founder of The American Philosophical Society.