On January 1, 1913, the then Cabinet-level U.S. Post Office Department — now the U.S. Postal Service — first started delivering packages. Americans instantly fell in love with the new service and were soon mailing each other all sorts of items, like parasols, pitchforks and, yes, babies.

As documented in the article, “Very Special Deliveries,” by curator of the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum Nancy Pope, several children, including one “14-pound baby” were stamped, mailed and dutifully delivered by the U.S. Post Office between 1914 and 1915.

The practice, noted Pope, became affectionately known by letter carriers of the day as “baby mail.”

According to Pope, with postal regulations, being few and far between in 1913, they failed to specify exactly “what” could and could not be mailed via the still very new parcel post service. So in mid-January 1913, an unnamed baby boy in Batavia, Ohio was delivered by a Rural Free Delivery carrier to its grandmother about a mile away. “The boy’s parents paid 15-cents for the stamps and even insured their son for $50,” wrote Pope.

Despite a “no humans” declaration by the Postmaster General, at least five more children were officially mailed and delivered between 1914 and 1915.

Today many parents today can’t even fathom shipping your child through the U.S. Postal Service. Over a brief period of 6 years, it was possible to mail a baby or small child through the U.S. Postal Service.

In 1913, The United States Postal Service introduced parcel posts. Before then, all packages sent by mail had to weigh 4 pounds (1.8 kg) or under.

It didn’t take people long to realize that sending babies and young children in the mail was cheaper than purchasing train tickets. In 1913, the first baby was sent in the mail: 8-month-old James Beagle, who weighed 10 and 3/4 pounds, was sent from Glen Este, Ohio to his grandmother’s home in Batavia, a few miles away. The parents paid 15 cents for postage and $50 for insurance.

One child did make the trip in a railway mail car: 5-year-old May Pierstorff was sent from Grangeville to Lewiston, Idaho, to visit her grandmother on February 19, 1914. May was just under the weight limit at 48.5 pounds, and her parents realized that sending her by mail would be cheaper than buying her a train ticket. They attached the postage — 53 cents in parcel post stamps — to May’s coat, and she rode in the train’s mail compartment all the way to Lewiston. She was personally delivered to her grandmother’s home by Leonard Mochel, the mail clerk on duty.

One child did make the trip in a railway mail car: 5-year-old May Pierstorff was sent from Grangeville to Lewiston, Idaho, to visit her grandmother on February 19, 1914. May was just under the weight limit at 48.5 pounds, and her parents realized that sending her by mail would be cheaper than buying her a train ticket. They attached the postage — 53 cents in parcel post stamps — to May’s coat, and she rode in the train’s mail compartment all the way to Lewiston. She was personally delivered to her grandmother’s home by Leonard Mochel, the mail clerk on duty.

(Photo credit: National Postal Museum / Getty Images / Smithsonian).

Edna Neff, 6, was sent 720 miles from Pensacola, Florida to Christiansberg, Virginia, where her father lived. Finally, in 1915, several newspapers including the Washington Post, the New York Times, and the Los Angeles Times all ran stories stating that the postmaster had officially decreed that children could no longer be sent through the mail.

The legality of shipping humans even back in 1913, but in 1920, the postmaster general finally ruled once and for all that children may not be shipped through the mail. Ever since, babies and young children have had to ride the train, plane, or bus with everyone else!

While the brief history of shipping kids in the mail may seem neglectful or downright cruel, it was actually a sign of how much rural communities trusted local postal workers.

“Mail carriers were trusted servants, and that goes to prove it. There are stories of rural carriers delivering babies and taking [care of the] sick. Even now, they’ll save lives because they’re sometimes the only persons that visit a remote household every day.

Audrey Childers is a published author, blogger, freelance journalist and an entrepreneur with over a decade of experience in research and editorial writing. She is also the creator and founder of the website the hypothyroidismchick.com. Where you can find great tips on everyday living with hypothyroidism. She enjoys raising her children and being a voice for optimal human health and wellness. She is the published author of : A survivors cookbook guide to kicking hypothyroidism booty, Reset your Thyroid, The Ultimate guide to healing hypothyroidism and  A survivors cookbook guide to kicking hypothyroidism booty: the slow cooker way. You can find all these books on Amazon.   This blog may be re-posted freely with proper attribution, author bio, and this copyright statement.

Thehypothyroidismchick.com is dedicated to covering health and science news that matters most to our generation. We cover a wide range of stories, but ultimately we are driven by two core values: first, to contribute to our readers’ understanding of what is a very complex and constantly changing field of information, and second, to keep in mind the ultimate “smell test” — we want our stories to be the kind of things you talk about at a bar with your friends. Thehypothyroidismchick.com determines coverage based on relevance, clinical significance, and editorial integrity. We give no priority to commercial considerations, and will always clearly distinguish between factual content, commentary, and opinions to avoid misleading readers with institutional propaganda. and speculation.

From my terms of service “License to content: You are receiving one license for personal viewing and implementation of the material in the program. You are in violation of United States copyright laws and contract law if you use the material for any other purpose, including making derivative materials, selling it, sharing it with others who are not program members, training others in the program, displaying it publicly or on the internet, and/or sharing your login credentials. Licenses for these items are available for purchase, starting at $5,000 per license. License is good for one sale to one customer. If you choose to take these actions, you will be notified and billed accordingly, $5,000 per license used.”There’s been 36 violations. Not sure how they thought that was worth it.

Poisoned Profit

The Keto Autoimmune Protocol Healing Book for Women: Strengthen Your Immunity, Fight Inflammation and Love Your Incredible Body

A Women’s Holistic Holy Grail Handbook for Hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s: How I healed my Hypothyroidism and Autoimmune Disorder with Personalized Nutrition

Disclaimer

The information and recipes contained in blog is based upon the research and the personal experiences of the author. It’s for entertainment purposes only. Every attempt has been made to provide accurate, up to date and reliable information. No warranties of any kind are expressed or implied. Readers acknowledge that the author is not engaging in the rendering of legal, financial, medical or professional advice. By reading this blog, the reader agrees that under no circumstance the author is not responsible for any loss, direct or indirect, which are incurred by using this information contained within this blog. Including but not limited to errors, omissions or inaccuracies. This blog is not intended as replacements from what your health care provider has suggested.  The author is not responsible for any adverse effects or consequences resulting from the use of any of the suggestions, preparations or procedures discussed in this blog. All matters pertaining to your health should be supervised by a health care professional. I am not a doctor, or a medical professional. This blog is designed for as an educational and entertainment tool only. Please always check with your health practitioner before taking any vitamins, supplements, or herbs, as they may have side-effects, especially when combined with medications, alcohol, or other vitamins or supplements.  Knowledge is power, educate yourself and find the answer to your health care needs. Wisdom is a wonderful thing to seek.  I hope this blog will teach and encourage you to take leaps in your life to educate yourself for a happier & healthier life. You have to take ownership of your health.

The views and services offered by Thehypothyroidismismchick.com are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical service, but as an alternative for those who are seeking solutions for better health. We do not claim to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any disease, but simply help you make physical and mental changes in your own body in order to help your body heal itself. Keep in mind that results may vary, and if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medications, or have a serious condition, you should consult a physician or other appropriate medical professional prior to using any products or information on this site. Thehypothyroidisimchick.com assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. Your use of this website indicates your agreement to these terms. Our full disclosure, terms of use, and privacy policy.

The information on this site is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content, including text, graphics, images, and information, contained on or available through this website is for general information purposes only. Opinions expressed here are the opinions of the writer. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment because of something you have read on or accessed through this website.

This site is designed for educational purposes only and is not engaged in rendering medical advice, legal advice, or professional services. If you feel that you have a medical problem, you should seek the advice of your physician or health care practitioner. For additional information please see Our full disclosure, terms of use, and privacy policy.

Our full disclosure, terms of use, and privacy policy. | thehypothyroidismchic