Thomas Lemuel James
Encyclopedia
Thomas Lemuel James was an American journalist, government official, and banker who served as the United States Postmaster General
in 1881.
, to William James and Jane Maria Price. His grandparents on both sides had emigrated from Wales in 1800. He had very little formal schooling, though studied for a short time at the Utica Academy. At the age of 15, James learned the trade of printing at the office of Utica "Liberty Press" under Westley Bailey, a noted abolitionist of the time. The abolition paper printed here later partnered with Francis B. Fisher in Hamilton, New York
to form the Whig newspaper Madison County Journal which he bought in 1851. When the Republican party made their first canvass in 1856, the newspaper merged with the Democratic Reflector under the name of the Democratic Republican, which would lead the opposition against the Know Nothing Party.
James married four times, first to Emily Ida Freedburn in 1852, then to E. R. Borden, later to Edith Colborne, and in 1911 to Florence MacDonnell Gaffney.
James was appointed to the position of deputy collector in 1870 and put in charge of the warehouse division and bonded warehouse
s of the port. James had much success in the new position, organizing the records of the division, which had been in confusion, in only a month, and bringing the work up to date, which had been up to three years behind, in only six months. Afterwards he was appointed by Chester A. Arthur
, then Collector of the Port of New York, to be a member of the civil service board of the collector's and surveyor's offices and made its chairman. He became one of the first public officials to advocate for the reform of civil service by appointing positions on the basis of examination and merit.
James urged President Grant
to allow him to succeed Alonzo B. Cornell
as Surveyor of the Port. Grant instead did one better and made him the Postmaster of New York on March 17, 1873, and four years later reappointed by President Hayes
. James instituted several reforms during his terms, including increasing the efficiency of the postal workforce and improving postal facilities wherever possible. Once General Arthur stepped down, James was offered the position but turned it down as he did not feel it right to supersede his superior. However, David M. Key
resigned as Postmaster General in 1880, and James was offered that position by Hayes instead. After consulting with his friends, he declined it as well. He was asked to be the Republican nominee for mayor of New York the same year, but turned this down also.
announced his new cabinet, which included James as Postmaster General. Stepping down from his previous position as Postmaster of New York (which was to be succeeded by his son-in-law), he entered into office two days later. In only ten month he enacted lasting reforms. When he first took office, he found an annual deficit of $2 million, varying in amounts with few exceptions going back to 1851. He immediately began a policy of reform, making reductions in the star service amounting to $1,713,541, and in the steamboat service saving over $300,000, and thus clearing the debt. Moreover he cooperated with the Department of Justice to undertake a thorough investigation of abuses and frauds within his department. The end result of this was the famous Star routes
trials. In giving his annual report to Congress, he declared that his reforms would allow for a two or three cent reduction in postage, which was enacted shortly thereafter. He also set up a convention of money ordering with Jamaica and the Australian colonies. However shortly after with the assassination of Garfield and Arthur becoming president, the entire cabinet would have been shuffled, and James decided to resign in December of the same year, and withdrew from politics altogether.
in 1885. By 1896 he again entered politics, serving as the mayor of Tenafly. He died in New York City, and is interred at the Church of the Heavenly Rest
in Manhattan.
United States Postmaster General
The United States Postmaster General is the Chief Executive Officer of the United States Postal Service. The office, in one form or another, is older than both the United States Constitution and the United States Declaration of Independence...
in 1881.
Early life and family
James was born in Utica, New YorkUtica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
, to William James and Jane Maria Price. His grandparents on both sides had emigrated from Wales in 1800. He had very little formal schooling, though studied for a short time at the Utica Academy. At the age of 15, James learned the trade of printing at the office of Utica "Liberty Press" under Westley Bailey, a noted abolitionist of the time. The abolition paper printed here later partnered with Francis B. Fisher in Hamilton, New York
Hamilton (town), New York
Hamilton is a town in Madison County, New York, United States. The population was 5,733 at the 2000 census. The town is named after American patriot Alexander Hamilton....
to form the Whig newspaper Madison County Journal which he bought in 1851. When the Republican party made their first canvass in 1856, the newspaper merged with the Democratic Reflector under the name of the Democratic Republican, which would lead the opposition against the Know Nothing Party.
James married four times, first to Emily Ida Freedburn in 1852, then to E. R. Borden, later to Edith Colborne, and in 1911 to Florence MacDonnell Gaffney.
Government career
For the next ten years he would continue in the field of journalism while also serving as a canal toll collector in Hamilton from 1854 to 1855. By 1861 he was made an inspector of customs in New York City, and promoted three years later to weigher. In 1863 he received a degree from Hamilton College.James was appointed to the position of deputy collector in 1870 and put in charge of the warehouse division and bonded warehouse
Bonded warehouse
A Bonded warehouse is a building or other secured area in which dutiable goods may be stored, manipulated, or undergo manufacturing operations without payment of duty. It may be managed by the state or by private enterprise. In the latter case a customs bond must be posted with the government...
s of the port. James had much success in the new position, organizing the records of the division, which had been in confusion, in only a month, and bringing the work up to date, which had been up to three years behind, in only six months. Afterwards he was appointed by Chester A. Arthur
Chester A. Arthur
Chester Alan Arthur was the 21st President of the United States . Becoming President after the assassination of President James A. Garfield, Arthur struggled to overcome suspicions of his beginnings as a politician from the New York City Republican machine, succeeding at that task by embracing...
, then Collector of the Port of New York, to be a member of the civil service board of the collector's and surveyor's offices and made its chairman. He became one of the first public officials to advocate for the reform of civil service by appointing positions on the basis of examination and merit.
James urged President Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
to allow him to succeed Alonzo B. Cornell
Alonzo B. Cornell
Alonzo Barton Cornell was a New York politician and businessman who served as 27th Governor of New York from 1880 to 1882.-Early years:...
as Surveyor of the Port. Grant instead did one better and made him the Postmaster of New York on March 17, 1873, and four years later reappointed by President Hayes
Rutherford B. Hayes
Rutherford Birchard Hayes was the 19th President of the United States . As president, he oversaw the end of Reconstruction and the United States' entry into the Second Industrial Revolution...
. James instituted several reforms during his terms, including increasing the efficiency of the postal workforce and improving postal facilities wherever possible. Once General Arthur stepped down, James was offered the position but turned it down as he did not feel it right to supersede his superior. However, David M. Key
David M. Key
David McKendree Key was a Democratic U.S. Senator from Tennessee from 1875 to 1877 as well as the U.S. Postmaster General under President Hayes.-Biography:...
resigned as Postmaster General in 1880, and James was offered that position by Hayes instead. After consulting with his friends, he declined it as well. He was asked to be the Republican nominee for mayor of New York the same year, but turned this down also.
United States Postmaster General
On March 5, 1881, President GarfieldJames Garfield
James Abram Garfield served as the 20th President of the United States, after completing nine consecutive terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. Garfield's accomplishments as President included a controversial resurgence of Presidential authority above Senatorial courtesy in executive...
announced his new cabinet, which included James as Postmaster General. Stepping down from his previous position as Postmaster of New York (which was to be succeeded by his son-in-law), he entered into office two days later. In only ten month he enacted lasting reforms. When he first took office, he found an annual deficit of $2 million, varying in amounts with few exceptions going back to 1851. He immediately began a policy of reform, making reductions in the star service amounting to $1,713,541, and in the steamboat service saving over $300,000, and thus clearing the debt. Moreover he cooperated with the Department of Justice to undertake a thorough investigation of abuses and frauds within his department. The end result of this was the famous Star routes
Star routes
Star routes is a term used in connection with the United States postal service and the contracting of mail delivery services. The term is defunct as of 1970, but still is occasionally used to refer to Highway Contract Routes or which replaced the Star routes.-Background:Prior to 1845,...
trials. In giving his annual report to Congress, he declared that his reforms would allow for a two or three cent reduction in postage, which was enacted shortly thereafter. He also set up a convention of money ordering with Jamaica and the Australian colonies. However shortly after with the assassination of Garfield and Arthur becoming president, the entire cabinet would have been shuffled, and James decided to resign in December of the same year, and withdrew from politics altogether.
Later life
He later became president of the Lincoln National Bank in 1882, as well as the Lincoln Safe-deposit Company of New York., and serving on their board of directors until his death. James moved to Tenafly, New JerseyTenafly, New Jersey
Tenafly is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 14,488. Tenafly is an affluent suburb of New York City....
in 1885. By 1896 he again entered politics, serving as the mayor of Tenafly. He died in New York City, and is interred at the Church of the Heavenly Rest
Church of the Heavenly Rest
The Church of the Heavenly Rest is an Episcopal Church on the Upper East Side of New York City, located on the corner of Fifth Avenue and 90th Street, opposite Central Park and the Carnegie Mansion...
in Manhattan.