As the 18th Century became the 19th, the mail was becoming increasingly secure. As a result, people were becoming more confident in entrusting US postal workers with their keepsakes and valuables. Not all mail reached its destination initially and often found itself in the Dead Letter Office. In one year, for example, 71,336 letters contained checks, postal notes, or money orders worth $2,308.046 arrived ‘dead.’ In light of the money, jewels, and other precious treasures that were handled by the DLO, that branch preferred to employ retired clergy as clerks because they felt ‘men of God’ could be trusted with items of value.
 
Woman’s Work – Working women have always been a part of the U.S. Post Office. They were, in fact, considered superior employees compared to men…at least as far as the Dead Letter Office was concerned. In the late 19th Century, postal officials felt that women had better analytical powers than men and were better able to decipher complicated and confusing addresses.

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