Frank Harris Hitchcock

Frank Harris Hitchcock (October 5, 1867 – August 5, 1935), was chairman of Republican National Committee from 1908 to 1909. He was then Postmaster General of the United States under President William Howard Taft from 1909 to 1913.

Biography Frank Harris Hitchcock was born in Amherst, Ohio on October 5, 1867.

He is credited with establishing the first U.S. airmail service. As Postmaster General, he made prosecution of mail fraud a top priority, and led a major crackdown on people using the mails to sell shares in worthless companies. He's also credited with starting the US Postal Service's Operation Santa in 1912, instructing local postmasters to let workers and citizens respond to Santa letters that were popping up in post offices.

Hitchcock managed the campaign to nominate Taft for the presidency at the 1908 Republican Convention. Hitchcock's subsequent role as Postmaster General made him the main dispenser of patronage jobs for the Taft administration, giving him control over many delegates at the 1912 Republican Convention and prompting anxieties on the part of Taft and others over rumors that Hitchcock might support Roosevelt that year.

Hitchcock moved to Arizona in 1928 where he invested in mining and was an owner of the Tucson Citizen. He advocated the creation of Catalina Highway and Saguaro National Monument. Frank Harris Hitchcock died in Tucson, Arizona on August 5, 1935.

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