By Dennis Sadowski
Postal history is just about everyone’s history.
The study of mail, from correspondence to invoices, sheds light on life, whether it’s decades ago or today.
For devotees of Ohio postal history, the Ohio Postal History Society can help.
Born 50 years ago in March 1976, the society has contributed vast amounts of information about postal rates, routes and postmarks as well as what society President Matthew Liebson calls “social history”.
“There are more people who are interested in local history and their family history and where they came from than ever,” Liebson said. “The challenge is getting them to understand that local history and finding where they are connected”.
The concept of social history has evolved over the last two decades as people seek to understand their roots and get a glimpse into their family background. They want to know what life was like for long-ago generations, which is what letters and messages on the back of postcards illustrate, said Liebson, who has developed several Ohio-themed exhibits including one featuring early 20th-century street car mail service in Cleveland.
“For me, it’s always been sort of that, hey, what went on here and what happened and how did it work,” he said. “How do you know where you’re going if you don’t know where you came from?”
The society was formed in 1976 during meetings weeks apart at the Garfield-Perry Stamp Club’s annual show, the March Party and the Columbus Philatelic Club’s annual show, known as COLOPEX, or the Columbus Philatelic Exposition. Postal history collectors around the state were undertaking research and were seeking ways to present what they learned as well as to identify other sources of information to build their understanding of mail service.
Back then, even the Ohio Historical Society joined the effort. Carl Albrecht of the Ohio Historical Society agreed to acquire and maintain books and articles of interest to postal history collectors. The trove of material included lists of Ohio post offices and who served as postmasters in the thousands of post offices that existed.
Such information may seem trivial but it provides insight into what life was like in local communities, many of which no longer exist but are still of interest to people researching their ancestors. And the more someone digs, there’s a better connection to social history, as Liebson described.
Later in 1976, the society began publishing the Ohio Postal History Journal. The first spotlighted Lorain County postal history. To date, 178 issues have been published.
Ohio natives Denise and Jay Stotts, now of Houston, joined the society more than 40 years ago. For Jay, who grew up in Richland County, it was a worthwhile discovery.
“I’m a history buff. My mother was a teacher. She taught fourth grade and in Ohio that was when Ohio history was taught,” said Stotts, who has widely exhibited Ohio postal history among other themes.
Family vacations often included time spent at historical sites across the state, he recalled. Years later as an adult and serious collector, when he heard about a society devoted to Ohio postal history, he was all in.
For Denise — one of her grandfathers was born in Lorain — postal history is a compelling part of her philatelic journey. While she leaves collecting Ohio postal history to Jay, she still was curious enough to serve as society secretary for 28 years.
She finds that the growth in genealogical research can help boost interest in postal history in any setting.
In my case, I have been studying, collecting and writing about Ohio and Lorain County postal history for more than 30 years. Initially my focus was on the traditional areas of postage rates, styles of postmarks and inks used, and routes mail traveled years ago. Joining the Ohio Postal History Society led me to invaluable resources that helped uncover some of the stories published in this column over the years.
As my collection expands, I continue to find fascinating letters, correspondence from early businesses and community leaders, and addressees with a Lorain County connection who have played a significant role in U.S. history. Those discoveries are invaluable links between postal history and social history.
Learn about the Ohio Postal History Society on Facebook. Its website is undergoing reconstruction.
Club Meeting
The Black River Stamp Club meets at 5 p.m. June 10 at the Avon branch of the Lorain Public Library, 37485 Harvest Drive. The evening will include time for socializing, buying, selling and trading stamps, covers and post cards. The meeting is open to all.
Dennis Sadowski can be reached at sadowski.dennis@gmail.com.