February 19 - Special Delivery: The Little Girl Who Traveled by Mail
Delivering Our Children Into God's Hands
This is the day four-year-old Charlotte May Pierstorff was mailed by train from Grangeville, Idaho to her grandparents' house 73 miles away in 1914, becoming the most famous case of a child sent through the postal service.
In today's lesson, we explore an unusual journey from 1914 when parents "mailed" their daughter by train to visit her grandparents. Through this remarkable story, we discover timeless truths about trusting God with those we hold most dear. What does it mean to truly release our loved ones into God's care? How do we transform our natural fears into supernatural faith?
"I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there. - 1 Samuel 1:27-28 (NIV)
This Date in History
In early 1914, an Idaho postmaster faced an unusual challenge. The package before him needed to be weighed, stamped, and logged into the official postal record. But this was no ordinary parcel. This one wore a coat, sported a fresh hair bow, and answered to the name Charlotte.
The story began in February 1914 in the small town of Grangeville, Idaho. Nancy and Cecil Pierstorff faced a challenge familiar to many parents. Their young daughter Charlotte desperately wanted to visit her grandparents who lived in Lewiston. Cecil worked hard to provide for his family during the economic uncertainties of the era, but the train fare to Lewiston cost $1.55. This amount presented a significant expense for the family during a time when many Americans earned less than $900 per year.
The solution came from an unexpected source. The Post Office had introduced parcel post service in 1913, allowing Americans to ship packages weighing up to 50 pounds. The system quickly proved popular with farmers, who used it to send their customers a vast assortment of items including eggs, honey, bees and even small animals. Nancy's cousin Leonard Mochel, who worked as a railway mail clerk, suggested a creative interpretation of these new regulations.
At just 48.5 pounds, Charlotte met the weight requirements for parcel post. The postal regulations specified only that live shipments needed to survive the journey safely. With Leonard's assurance that he would personally watch over Charlotte during the trip, her parents decided to proceed with their unconventional plan.
And so, on that February morning, Postmaster William Daniels found himself confronting this unprecedented situation with characteristic professional composure. He gestured to the scale where he typically weighed packages and livestock, and with gentle decorum, helped young Charlotte step onto it. 48.5 pounds, he noted methodically. After careful consideration of where best to affix postal documentation to a moving package, he meticulously attached the 32 or 53 cents worth of stamps to her coat (sources differ). With the same attention to detail he gave every parcel, he recorded her in the mail log under the practical designation "Baby in Bus. Correspondence." A local newspaper editor, witnessing this extraordinary scene unfold with such bureaucratic precision, soon began telling the story.
The 73-mile journey to Lewiston took Charlotte through the rugged Idaho countryside aboard the train's mail car. Leonard Mochel kept his promise to watch over his young cousin. When they arrived at the Lewiston post office, Charlotte's grandmother welcomed her "special delivery" granddaughter with open arms.
The story of Charlotte's journey first captured attention in Idaho's local papers. As word spread throughout the state, newspapers across the country picked up the tale, sparking discussions about postal regulations and parental creativity. The Post Office Department soon clarified its rules about shipping children, officially banning the practice in 1915. However, records show that other enterprising rural families, whether inspired by the Pierstorffs or coming up with the idea independently, also mailed young children around the same time.
Charlotte May Pierstorff grew up to become a teacher in Idaho. She shared her unique story with generations of students, helping them understand both the historical context of her journey and the resourcefulness of American families during challenging times. In the 1990s, she contributed her memories to Michael O. Tunnell's children's book "Mailing May," ensuring her story would continue inspiring and entertaining young readers for years to come.
Today, Charlotte's journey serves as a reminder of how different American life was in the early 20th century. Her story reveals the practical spirit of Western families, the flexibility of early postal regulations, and the lengths parents would go, even then, to fulfill their children's wishes.
Historical Context
In the early 1900s, American life underwent significant transformations with the rise of new technologies and services. The United States Post Office Department revolutionized package delivery in 1913 by introducing domestic parcel post service. Before this innovation, rural Americans had limited options for sending or receiving packages, often relying on private express companies that charged high rates and served only profitable routes.
The new parcel post system quickly became essential to rural life, particularly for farming communities. Regulations were initially quite broad, focusing primarily on weight limits and safe delivery rather than specific restrictions on content. This flexibility allowed creative interpretations of shipping rules, as demonstrated by farmers who shipped everything from eggs to baby chicks. The system's popularity helped bridge the gap between rural and urban America, though it would gradually implement stricter regulations as unusual shipping practices like Charlotte's came to light.
Did You Know?
In 1913, the year before Charlotte's journey, the Post Office handled more than 300 million parcel post packages in just the first six months of service. This massive success showed how desperately rural Americans needed affordable shipping options.
The train route Charlotte traveled from Grangeville to Lewiston included dramatic elevation changes, descending more than 2,500 feet through mountainous terrain. The route was considered an engineering marvel of its time.
Leonard Mochel, Charlotte's mail clerk cousin who accompanied her, had only recently begun working for the railway postal service. His creative solution to help his relatives would end up defining his postal career.
While Charlotte's story is the most famous, records show at least six other documented cases of children being "mailed" via parcel post between 1913 and 1915, when the practice was officially banned.
The book about Charlotte's journey, "Mailing May" by Michael O. Tunnell, was published in 1997, the same year Charlotte passed away at age 87. She had personally shared her memories with the author before her death.
The year Parcel Post began, Sears filled five times as many orders as it did the previous year; five years later the company's revenue had doubled.
Today’s Reflection
When Nancy and Cecil Pierstorff pinned stamps to their daughter's coat, they were doing something that feels both foreign and familiar to every parent. The thought of mailing a child may seem bizarre today, but the heart of their action resonates deeply with most of us. The Pierstorff’s chose to entrust their precious child to another's care, believing this experience would benefit her even though they couldn't be there to protect her themselves. Parents today may not physically "mail" their children, but we all face moments when we must step back and trust that God is watching over them in ways we no longer can.
Few biblical stories capture this tension more powerfully than that of Hannah. She had longed for a child and had prayed earnestly, vowing to dedicate her son to the Lord if He granted her request. When Samuel was born, Hannah willingly followed through on her promise.
As we read in 1 Samuel 1:27-28 (NIV), "I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord..."
The scripture reminds us that Hannah didn't hesitate to bring young Samuel to serve at the temple under Eli's guidance, physically releasing him into another's care while spiritually entrusting him to God's plan. She had already given him to God in her heart, and now she was simply acting on that faith. Like any mother, she may have felt nervous, but she trusted God completely to protect and care for Samuel. Her example reminds us that once we surrender our children to the Lord, we must also have faith that He will guide their lives according to His perfect plan.
Parents will understand the apprehensive feelings of being separated from our children. Everything within us feels compelled to protect them in every way. It can be difficult to entrust them into the care of someone else. New mothers and fathers especially often struggle to leave their infants with caregivers for the first time, their hearts aching at even brief separations.
As children grow, it seldom gets easier. The challenges only multiply. From their first day of school to summer camp and mission trips, watching them drive off alone for the first time, go to their first job, or leave for college, each milestone is a mix of pride, fear, and faith. We worry about the influences shaping them, the decisions they'll make, and whether they'll cling to the values that we've instilled in them.
We want to protect them from harm, but true faith calls us to prepare them for the path, not just prepare the path for them.
Each new stage in this process requires us to loosen our grip and grow our faith to trust God's protection. These fears we feel are natural and even godly, reflecting our deep love and desire to protect those entrusted to our care. Yet as 2 Timothy 1:7 (NIV) tells us, "God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and self-discipline."
Our role as parents isn’t to shelter our children from every possible danger but to gradually prepare them for God's calling on their lives, whatever that might be. Fear should not define our parenting. Instead, we’re called to equip our children with the wisdom to navigate life and the faith to trust in God's plan for them. Part of this process usually requires partnership. Just as the Pierstorffs partnered with their cousin Leonard to watch over little Charlotte on the train, we often work alongside teachers, mentors, youth leaders, and others who help shape our children's lives.
But, more importantly, we partner with God Himself, the One who loves our children more perfectly than we ever could.
One of the most powerful ways we partner with God is through prayer. The power of Hannah's story isn’t just about releasing her son to God. It's also an incredible example of how she surrounded his life with prayer. She prayed for him before he was born. She prayed when she dedicated him. She continued to pray even after he was entrusted to Eli. We’re called to do the same. Our prayers, as parents, don’t stop when our children leave our arms. In fact, they become even more vital. Through prayer, we release them into His care while remaining actively engaged in their spiritual development.
The real challenge isn't just learning to let go; it’s learning to let God be the One who holds their future instead of you. He doesn’t call us to abandon our role as parents but to shift it. We go from protector to prayer warrior, from instructor to encourager, from their shelter to their spiritual guide. Of course, this kind of trust isn’t always easy, and it doesn't happen in a single moment. Even after we dedicate our children to God, there will be times of doubt and fear. We may have to surrender them to Him again and again, reminding ourselves that His love for them is even greater than our own.
But always remember: no matter how far our children go, they will never be beyond the reach of our prayers or the hands of the One who made them in His image.
Practical Application
Begin a prayer journal specifically dedicated to the people God has placed in your care. Write down your specific concerns, fears, and hopes for them. Then, transform each worry into a prayer of trust, acknowledging God's sovereignty and love. Review these entries regularly, noting how God has worked in situations you once feared. This practice will help you develop the habit of immediately turning your anxieties about loved ones into opportunities for deepening your trust in God's care.
Closing Prayer
Loving Father, we thank You for the great privilege of caring for others, whether as parents, mentors, or friends. Thank You for the example of faithful servants like Hannah who showed us how to trust You with our most precious gifts. Lord, when our hearts are heavy with worry about those we love, remind us that You love them even more than we do. Help us to release our grip on control and trust in Your perfect plan. Guide us in finding the delicate balance between protecting and releasing, between nurturing and letting go. Transform our fears into faith, our anxiety into prayer, and our worry into worship. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Final Thoughts
Like Charlotte's parents who trusted their daughter to the care of others for her journey, we too must learn to release those we love into God's hands. Though circumstances change through time, the heart of a parent or mentor remains the same: wanting the best while learning to trust. When we surrender our loved ones to God's care, we discover that His protection reaches further than our own ever could.
THIS IS THE DAY Last Year
February 19 - Hidden Threat: The First Patient Zero Walks Free
This is the day Mary Mallon was freed from isolation in 1910, unknowingly setting the stage for further typhoid outbreaks.
Author’s Notes
My wife is always telling me I should go get my car washed. It’s really the family car and it’s dirty more than it’s clean. But she’s out of town for her job, so yesterday I decided I would do what all great men throughout time have done—you know, eventually do what my wife has been asking me to do, multiple times, over an extended period of time. I was quite proud of myself, as all great men are when they finally do what their wife has been asking them to do, multiple times, over an extended period of time.
I understand your confusion, ladies. We’re complicated creatures.
At exactly 9:52 AM I texted my lovely wife a photo from INSIDE the automatic car wash. Quite proud. I thought it was a cute and clever way to show her that I clearly heard her those multiple times she told me to do a thing I said I would do at some point, and now I’m doing it.
I didn’t hear back from her immediately, but she probably had a meeting, or was on a secret assignment for the governor, or surely doing something equally as important, possibly undercover, on this work trip so I was understanding about the wait.
Feeling quite productive after checking off the box for having done the thing I said I would do multiple times and then finally did, I went ahead and vacuumed and then used some of those free, clean towels displayed on the pushy cart near the car wash manager’s office to wipe down the water spots and polish up a little chrome on the old Kia.
Stop, guys. I know what you’re thinking. But I don’t want to be recognized. Awards are unnecessary. I just did what needed to be done. Eventually. It was on my list. And I did it. Like I knew in my heart I would probably end up doing someday.
I’m not a hero. Maybe a role model. But that’s it.
My wife finally finished up with the ambassador or bought a herd of cattle or whatever one in her position does on a mid-week work trip to Lubbock, Texas, and she texted me back.
“Look at you getting the car washed!!” she texted. Now, it might have seemed playful and subtly patronizing to the untrained eye, especially considering how proud of me she undoubtedly felt for having taken her words to heart and doing the thing she asked me to do, those times.
But luckily, I know my wife pretty well.
I could sense a crackle in the air. A palpable sense of excitement that radiated from her heart and out of her phone, from hundreds of miles away. It was the second exclamation point that really gave it away. She didn’t want to make a big deal about how elated she was, but she was clearly unable to contain her overwhelming exhilaration, and, dare I say, LOVE, that she felt for me in that moment.
I chuckled softly, but out loud, and smiled to myself. I always see right through her.
I drove home slowly, smiling and casually waving at pedestrians, fellow motorists, dog walkers, perhaps some grackles—all of whom were very noticeably admiring the shining and sparkly car, especially when I slowed even more and drove around the neighborhood potholes that Google has long since labeled as natural springs or small lakes instead of barreling over them at full speed like someone who never washes his car.
Upon reaching my home, I opened the garage door and pulled in. To my driveway. Not the garage. The garage is full of mulch bags, some good burnin’ wood, and the broken dreams of projects my wife forgot to keep reminding me to finish. As I walked to the door, I turned one last time to remind myself that God is good, my wife is great, and today, maybe just today, I did a good thing.
And that’s when it started raining. At 11:22 AM. 90 minutes since my car wash photo text.
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I don't care how old your kids are--you're always thinking of them and praying for them! ❤️
An amazing story, another of which I was completely unaware, something you've become quite an expert at doing, Jason. I love the out-of-the-box thinking to make this happen for all involved. I live on the road less traveled, personally, and this is that in a very heart-warming way. Beautiful story.
On a side note, I used to tell my daughters that if we needed rain, all I had to do was wash the car (by hand myself by the way), and the rain would come. It usually did and still does!