Parcel Baby Delivery through the Post office was Very Common
Parcel Baby Delivery through the post office was very common. There was a time when parcels can only sent to Europe by US mail, but when local parcel delivery became available in 1913, rural areas took full advantage. Instead of expensive journeys to distant cities, they found a facility that people use to send butter, eggs, chickens, chicks, and even their small children from one place or town to another.
Human children Also Parcel
Yes, you read that right. Human children whose parents would send through parcels commonly said parcel Baby. this way not only because they trusted the US Postal Service, but also because they were looking for a cheaper solution. In fact, for some parents, train or coach travel was too expensive, so they wondered why. This new service should not use and children should also be parcel at cheap prices.
US state of Ohio
According to research by Joe Silvia, a Beagle couple in the US state of Ohio were about to send their infant son to his grandmother a mile away when they got the idea. Postman Vernon O’Little happily delivered their baby safely to the destination, for which the Beagle family only had to pay a discounted fee of 15 cents, but with $50 insurance.
New York Times
The incident was report in the New York Times. The news was that when the postman arrive to collect the child, he was well-wrap and ready for the mail. Mr. Little (the postman) deliver the boy safely to the address on the card, which is the home of the boy’s grandmother, Mrs. Louise Beagle. She lives about a mile away.
US Postmaster General Frank Hitchcock
When this news was publish, US Postmaster General Frank Hitchcock receive an application from a person who wish to adopt a child. The application read, May I ask you what the instructions for the parcel so that It (the child) should comply with the regulations and allow shipment by Parcel Post as Express handles very badly.
US Postmaster General’s office
Following this request from Pennsylvania, the US Postmaster General’s office was force to issue a statement that ‘children, in the opinion of the Postmaster General, do not belong to the category of bees and insects, only living things which Can sent by post. It was find that sending children by mail was not the official policy from the end, but in such a situation, more cases of sending children by mail kept coming up.
Two-year-old grandson to his aunt sent in Wellington
When a woman in Oklahoma sent her two-year-old grandson to his aunt in Wellington, Kansas, the New York Times report that ‘the boy had a tag around his neck that indicate he was 18 when he was mail. Cents have spent. It was brought 25 miles down a country road before reaching the railroad tracks. He rode with the postmen, share his lunch with them, and arrive here in good condition.
Henry Euler, in La Porte
An interesting incident occurred in June 1914 when a woman “posted” her two-year-old son to his father, Henry Euler, in La Porte. Euler’s mother refuse to accept the ‘delivery’ because her daughter-in-law was divorce. A case was file. Now the child is strand in a post office in rural LaPorte County. The Star wrote, “Apparently she was suppose to go to the dead letter office after that, but the excitement end with Avelar claiming the baby.” The child enjoy the trip, perhaps because postman Fred Stoll deliver the parcel in an automobile.
Charlotte May Pierstorff
The most famous case of mail baby parcel to children is that of Charlotte May Pierstorff. Who was sent by train to her grandparents’ home 73 miles away. On February 19, 1914. Had dream of meeting a woman who, according to him, live a million miles away in the old Idaho mountains.
Train Ticket
But May’s family couldn’t afford a train ticket to make this dream come true, so they came up with the creative solution of sending May to her grandparents’ house in Grangeville, Idaho. Because May’s mother’s cousin, Leonard Mochel, worked in the railroad mail service. It may have because of their influence and assurance that the girl would take care of that the local staff agree to send the girl through the mail. May’s adventure became so famous that Michael O’Tunnel wrote the book Mailing May. After the incident, US Postmaster General Burleson ban sending humans in the mail.
Combs’ daughter Helen via parcel post for 10 cents to her grandmother
However, just a month after the announcement, postman BH Kniper deliver the 14-pound baby. To his mother’s home in Clear Spring, Maryland, 12 miles from his grandmother’s home. On February 25, 1915, Missouri postman Charles Hayes deliver Combs’ daughter Helen via parcel. Post for 10 cents to her grandmother, whose house was on his route.
Alexandra Danzer
According to Alexandra Danzer, the reason the practice flourish was because it was extremely expensive to send children by train. Costing a few parents a full day’s wages. Second, people had confidence in the postal staff at that time.
Asking the Postman on the way to Drop off Our Baby
“It was almost like asking the postman on the way to drop off parcel our Baby,” says Sylvia. The story also mentions a 9-year-old girl who went to Washington City’s Central Post Office by herself. She was told to sent to Kentucky, but she was denied. According to Pope, some of these children. Were being taken a short distance down the same road. But some were also sent away. Edna Neff of Pensacola, Florida. She was 6 years old when she was sent to live with her father in Christiansburg. Virginia, 720 miles away on March 27, 1915. Little is known about the details of Neff’s train journey, other than his weight, which was under the 50-pound limit. Stamps worth 15 cents placed on them.