MISSING LINKS: A Weekly Newsletter for Genealogists Vol. 3, No. 24, 12 June 1998 Was one of your ancestor a postmaster or postmistress? Want to know how to find out? There is some detailed information about U.S. Post Office records to be found at the National Archives and Records Administration Web site: <http://www.nara.gov/genealogy/postal.html The National Archives has microfilmed records that include: -- postmaster appointment records; -- records showing the location of post offices; -- records of Postmaster appointments. Postmaster appointments before 1832 are found in National Archives microfilm publication M1131, "Record of Appointment of Postmasters, Oct. 1789-1832" (4 rolls). These are arranged alphabetically by name of post office. They include the name of each post office and the state in which it was located, dates of establishment and discontinuance of post offices, the names of postmasters, and dates of postmasters' appointments. Postmaster appointments after 1832 are found in National Archives microfilm publication M841, "Record of Appointment of Postmasters, 1832 - Sept. 30, 1971" (145 rolls). These records are arranged alphabetically by state, thereunder by county, and then by name of post office. The content is similar to the pre-1832 records. Postmasters served as little as a few months to more than 30 years. Women were frequently appointed postmasters of small rural post offices, particularly during the latter part of the 19th century. Virginia Crilley 4500 Kenny Lane Waco TX 76710 (254)772-5390 Subscribe to RUFFIN mailing list: Ruffin-L-Request@Rootsweb.com Subscribe to CRILLEY mailing list: Crilley-L-Request@Rootsweb.com Homepages: http://www.eramp.net/~crilley Ruffin homepage: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Meadows/6276 Taylor Co USGenWeb http://www.rootsweb.com/~gataylor/gataylor.htm