Stamps: Hayes' birth in 1822 led to a new stamp series 100 years later

Oct. 4 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Rutherford B. Hayes, the native of Fremont who was the country's 19th president from 1877 to 1881. The day also marks the 100th anniversary of the debut of a new series of postage stamps with Hayes featured on the first stamp — an 11-cent value — issued Oct. 4, 1922, in Fremont. It was the first time postal officials held a dedication ceremony for a U.S. stamp release. Known among collectors as the Fourth Bureau Issue, the stamp set depicts presidents, nonpresidents and iconic images from across the country. It included denominations from a half-cent to $5. Mansfield native Jay Stotts, now living in Houston, is an expert on the issue, having collected and exhibited the stamps and postal history related to the series since 1980. There is no particular reason that the Hayes stamp, printed in greenish blue, was the first to be issued in the set, said Stotts, who chairs the Fourth Bureau Issues Committee of the U.S. Stamp Society. The story begins under the administration of President Warren G. Harding, another Ohioan. Officials at the old U.S. Post Office Department decided it was time to cater to stamp collectors and they decided to open a philatelic stamp agency bureau at the main post office in Washington, D.C., Stotts said. Soon someone came up with the idea of having first-day-of-issue ceremonies at sites across the country to release new stamps. Stotts suggested that someone realized that the centennial of Hayes' birth was approaching and postal officials decided to issue the 11-cent stamp (Scott 563) in Fremont in what was to be the first such ceremony. The development of the Fourth Bureau Issue came after Harding's Republican administration took office in 1921 and installed party loyalists in government positions. Stotts described a post office press release quoting W. Irving Glover, an assistant postmaster general who oversaw the country's stamp program, which told how an immigrant arriving in New York would be inspired by seeing the Statue of Liberty and thinking about other landmarks and great presidents. The post office set out to develop the stamp series, which primarily featured Republican presidents including Hayes. President Grover Cleveland, the only chief executive to serve two nonconsecutive terms, was the lone Democrat shown in the series. He is depicted on the 12-cent stamp (Scott 564). Stotts said stamp publications of the era questioned why Hayes was included. "He was not there because he was a great president," Stotts said. "He didn't fit in the realm of Lincoln. He was what the party required. He was a former Republican president." The stamp set was released throughout 1922 and 1923. It was produced on flatbed presses and perforated 11. The set was reprinted on rotary presses in 1926-1927 and 1931 with different perforations: 11 by 10 1/2 or 10 1/2 by 11, depending on the design. Coil, booklet and imperforate stamps also make up the series. In 1929, after several post office robberies, the 1-cent through 10-cent values were overprinted "Kans." and "Nebr." for use in those states. The Hayes Presidential Library and Museums at the Spiegel Grove grounds in Fremont will mark the birth bicentennial Sept. 30-Oct. 2 and Oct. 4. Admission to the museum will be free and a reduced price on tours of the Hayes home will be available Oct. 1-2. A ceremony commemorating Hayes' birth is planned for Oct. 2. It will include a wreath-laying at his tomb, followed by a reception. Details are online at rbhayes.org. Stamp collector Dave Gill of Port Clinton has arranged for special postmarks to be available at Spiegel Grove on Oct. 4. One features a portrait of Hayes and the Hayes home and commemorates the 100th anniversary of first-day-of-issue ceremonies. The second incorporates the bicentennial logo developed by the presidential library and museum. Wording added to both designs includes the date and Spiegel Grove Station. If you can't make the celebration on Oct. 4, the postmarks can be obtained by sending stamped envelopes to Spiegel Grove Station, Postmaster, P.O. Box 9998, Fremont, OH, 43420-9998. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope to have the postmarked covers returned and a cardboard filler to avoid bending. Club meeting Interested in collecting stamps? Then join the Black River Stamp Club for its monthly meeting at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 14 at Harvest Christian Church, 907 Eastern Heights Blvd. in Elyria. The club also will be discussing its annual show set for Nov. 19 at St. Jude School's gym, 590 Poplar St., Elyria. Dennis Sadowski can be reached at sadowski.dennis@gmail.com.