Natchez Trace Postal Route

Natchez Trace Parkway Postrider Logo

NPS

We didn't mean to do it. Honest. It's called "interpretive lore." It's passing on information that for many years was believed to be true. We are setting the record straight.

So what was our mistake? You can read it on the front of the previous versions of our Natchez Trace Parkway maps. It says, "In 1801 President Thomas Jefferson designated the Trace a national post road from mail delivery between Nashville and Natchez."

Sounds good, doesn't it? So what's wrong with it? It was 1800 and President John Adams who established the official postal route. According to the US Postal Service Historian and Corporate Information Services Manager it happened in the 6th Congress. Session 1, Chapter 32, 1800.

 

Page 43 from the Sixth Congress Records in 1800

Relevant Text:

Page Title: Sixth Congress Sess I Ch 32 1800 (page) 43

Under second side heading "New post roads established," and after descriptions of Georgia's, five, South Carolina's six, North Carolina's seven new postal routes.

In Tennessee, from Knoxville to Marysville; from Sullivan Courthouse, by Hawkins Courthouse, and Orr’s tavern, to Knoxville: from Nashville by Robertson Courthouse, and Montgomery Courthouse, to Palmyra; from Nashville to Natchez, in the Mississippi territory.

Then one additional, and a partial listing of one in Kentucky

 

Partial Timeline

From letters written by Postmaster General Joseph Habersham

• June 28, 1799 - In a letter to William Stothart (Postmaster, Davidson County Tennessee (Nashville)– Habersham asked Stothart to contact the Secretary of State and the Secretary of War to establish a Post Road to Natchez.
• October 30, 1799 - To Abijah Hunt, (Deputy Postmaster at Natchez, MS)- Habersham discussed Hunt contracting to have mail delivered from Nashville to Natchez and back in 30 days. He was willing to pay $2,400 a year, or $200 a month (equivalent of nearly $5000 a month in today’s dollars)
• April 23, 1800 - The 6th Congress. Session 1, Chapter 32, 1800 established a post road from Nashville to Natchez.
• March 12, 1801 - (8 days after President Jefferson took office) - Habersham informed General Henry Dearborn, Secretary of War. “A post road has been established for some time between Nashville in Tennessee to Natchez in the Mississippi Territory and the mail has been carried upon it since the beginning of last year. This has been done at a great disadvantage and at an extraordinary expense to the public on account of the badness of the road which is said to be no other than an Indian footpath very devious and narrow.”
• June 30,1801 - Habersham to Hunt. Informs Hunt that a post office was established in the Chickasaw Nation and that John McIntosh was appointed Post Master. (Tockshish stand mp 249.6)

From Letters Written by Postmaster General (new) Gideon Granger

• February 15, 1802 - to C C Claiborne, Governor of Mississippi Territory
  • Mail was ordered to run weekly and at 50 miles per day.
• April 25, 1805 - Postal route was divided into four sections.

 

Proposed Postrider Schedule

Proposed Riders’ Schedules between Nashville to Natchez.
Starts every other Sunday heading to Natchez

• Under contract with Mathew Lyon
  • Leave Nashville by 9am (Sunday)
    • Arrive at McIntosh’s on the next Friday by 8pm
• Under Contract with Abijah Hunt
  • Leave McIntosh’s the Sunday by 5am
    • Arrive at Natchez the next Saturday by 2pm
      • Return to Nashville
• Contract with Hunt
  • Leave Natchez on Sunday by 5am
    • Arrive McIntosh’s by the next Friday 8pm
• Contract with Lyon
  • Leave McIntosh’s Monday by 5am
    • Arrive Nashville by the next Saturday 5pm

 

Initial Route Divided into Four Sections

(and notes in letter)

1. 70 miles, Natchez to Grindstone Ford - Noted: Road is in decent order and requires no expenditure
2. 40 miles Grindstone Ford toward Chickasaw towns to Snake Creek. (Vicinity of Raymond/Clinton where there is a Snake Creek Road) - Noted: Military Road that needs brush clearing
3. 186 miles Snake Creek to Buffalo Creek 40 miles south of TN river - Noted: Entirely in wilderness state.
4. 154 miles TN River to Nashville - Noted: Part of military road that needs expenditure for clearing brush

 

How Much Did a Postrider Earn?

You do the math.

From John Habersham
March 26, 1801 – Habersham informed John Steele, Secretary of the Mississippi Territory
(paraphrased) that postriders received $3.00 per mile (one way) but that was not enough where roads were bad, and expenses were high. Habersham authorized $4.00 per mile.

 

Did You Know?

• The first official post office in Mississippi was opened in Natchez, November 29, 1799
• Postriders were guaranteed a fresh horse at every stop.

 

Sections of the Old Trace traveled by the postriders are protected by the Natchez Trace Parkway,

Marc Muench