Joshua P. Church Chaves County, New Mexico

Joshua P. Church, the efficient manager of the telephone company, has been a resident of Roswell since the spring of 1880. About twelve years ago the Roswell Telephone and Manufacturing Company was incorporated, at which time the franchise was received, and the following gentlemen were the organizers of the concern: Messrs. Cahoon, Poe, McGaffey and Church. The work was started as a local system, with thirty-five 'phones, but the number has since been increased to five hundred in this city, and two years ago they put in a long distance system, connecting Roswell with Carlsbad, a distance of eighty miles, also establishing a system at Artesia with one hundred and fifty 'phones, and they are now putting in three different exchanges, Hagerman, Dexter and Lake Arthur. The officers of the company are: President, J. W. Poe; vice-president, J. P. Church; treasurer. E. A. Cahoon; and secretary, L. K. McGaffey. This is the pioneer system of the Pecos Valley, and at the present time the company is doubling the toll line.

Mr. Church is numbered among the public spirited and progressive citizens of the community, and he is now serving his fifth term on the city board, having also been twice chairman of the board.

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Source: History of New Mexico, Its Resources and People, Volume II, Pacific States Publishing Co., 1907.