Morristown, NJ - New Jersey Postal History Society

THE MORRISTOWN POST OFFICE ~ Donald A. Chafetz
3. 10/05/1777 King, Frederick (Riding Saddles)
This is the first non-military Morristown financial record listed in “Benjamin Franklin’s
Ledger, p. 46. The actual appointment date of Postmaster King must have been earlier.
THE LEDGER OF DOCTOR BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
Post Office at Morristown, postmaster Frederick King
Entries posted October 5, 1777 – August 27, 1778
Postal Service records also show that Frederick King was appointed sometime between
January 28, 1782 and March 26, 1782. It appears, however, that the office was not in
continuous operation as it is not listed among the original 75 post offices under the
United States Government in 1789.
King’s first quarterly report account was rendered to the post office department on March
26, 1782. He resigned in 1792, four years previous to his death (April 4, 1796) and the
commission of his son, Henry King, from Postmaster General Pickering, was received on
June 14, 1794.
The following letter is the only non-archival one known to the author which mentions the
Morristown post office during this time period.
Datelined
Boston,
February 25,
1778.
Forwarded
from Fishkill,
NY March 12,
1778, via
Morristown to
Headquarters,
Valley Forge,
PA
Postal rates:
Way fee -6 dwt
to Boston; 6
dwt from
Boston to
Valley Forge
(under 400
miles).
NJPH Vol. 31/No. 4
November 2003 124
Whole No. 152