Parsons
Pine Springs
Bass*
Kennedy*
Eddy*
Churchville*
Cole*
Hope*
Parsons
Dorothy R. Parnell
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Parsons, nestled at the foot of Nogal Peak in the heart on the Sierra Blanca Mountains, was a bustling little community about the turn of the century. The promising gold mines attracted many investors from the east and other sections of the country. Extra revenue derived from the mining activity was a boon to the ranches of the area, as well as to the outsiders that flocked in for work.
A building contractor from Chicago, John M. Rice, having faith in the mines, built a large three story rooming house for the convince of the stock holders when they came to visit their mine and moved his family to Parsons. During the many years Mr. Rice was postmaster the post office was located in one corner of the long dining rood of the inn. Among the famous persons that were guests at the Parsons were author, Mary Roberts Rinehart, and a Mr. Studebaker, one of the manufacturers of the famous wagon by that name.
The following quotation is taken from a letter written by Helen Rice, daughter of the postmaster, who now lives in Tularosa, New Mexico.
"I have looked up some of father's old papers hoping to
find some data about the Parsons Post Office. I don't know who preceded Parsons,
or when the office was established. Mr. E. S. Parsons may have been the first
but I don't know."
"Father came to Parsons in1898. I believe Floyd Parsons, son of E. S. was
postmaster then. The father had inherited the mine from a brother who was
drowned in a lake near Las Vegas, New Mexico."
"When I came to New Mexico in 1902 mail was delivered by Mr. Bingham
horseback from Angus. Later came from Nogal by horseback, one of three McDaniel
brothers delivering over the hill. They were followed by Marion Hust. After
autos came into use, Jim Gatewood brought mail in a small car around Nogal Hill
and Capitan Mesa, down Crockett Canyon to the Bonito and up the valley to
Parsons. The mail route from Carrizozo to Roswell had been established by that
time and Parsons' mail was left at Nogal.
"After the post office was discontinued while Lizzie Graften was postmaster
I believe the mail was delivered by carrier, I suppose from Nogal, to the few
families left in the upper Bonito valley, after most of them sold out to the
Southern Pacific Railroad Company, but that delivery was discontinued.
"During the early years at Parsons, Mr. H. Consbruck (Herman) was
postmaster at Bonito City, later that office closed and mail handled through the
Parsons Post Office, and Mr. Consbruck went to Parsons and helped Father with
the mail."
High operating cost closed the mines in early 1920. The building that was once the Inn is about all that is left of the once busy community.
This historic old Inn burned in 1974 with a total loss of everything that was in it. Many valuable antiques were included in the loss.
| Postmasters Serving Office: | Carriers Serving the Route: |
| Miss Sophia S. Dillard Jan 24, 1888 | Jess Walker |
| Jas. H. Collard Aug 8, 1888 | Lute Skinner |
| Mary E. Baird June 27, 1891 | Richard Copeland |
| Hattie E. Parsons Nov. 28, 1892 | Ira Robinson |
| John M. Rice Sep. 23, 1901 | G. B. Green |
| Lizzie A. Grafton Aug. 26, 1923 | Jim Robinson |
| Discontinued March 31, 1926 | Charlie Stinson |
| Mail to Nogal | Mr. Bingham |
| McDaniel Brothers | |
| Jim Gatewood |
Bass*
Charles H. Slaughter Feb. 15 1888
Discontinued Aug 13, 1890. Mail to Lookout.
Kennedy*
Silas E. Kennedy June 2, 1888
George W. B Wood Nov. 13, 1889
Discontinued Feb. 6, 1890. (Papers to Lower Penasco.)
Eddy*
Charles W. Green Dec. 1, 1888
Charles B. Eddy June 10, 1889
Now in Eddy County. Feb. 27, 1890
Churchville*
Harry S. Church Sept. 13, 1889
Discontinued March 21, 1890. Never in Operation.
Pine Springs*
Orris Smith
Since the 1880's settlers had been arriving in the Sacramento Mountain area. They lived long distances from one another and it was not practical to deliver mail to each farm or ranch, so the Pine Springs Post Office was established on April 3, 1890, with Margaret Holden as the first postmaster. It was built at a central place in James Canyon, convenient to the entire area. An Indian carried the mail from Mescalero to Lower Penasco three times a week by horseback. Frances M. Evans was appointed postmaster, August 22, 1895, and at the same time the spelling was changed to Pinesprings. The old building is still standing, long deserted, but we have no date for the office being closed. It is now in Otero County.
Margaret Holden April 3, 1890.
Changed to Pinesprings Aug. 22, 1895.
Francis M. Evans Aug. 22, 1895
Cole*
Martha A. Cole June 25, 1892. No papers.
Hope*
Mrs. Mollie F. Jarrel Oct. 10, 1890
In Eddy County. Now in Chaves County.
Transcribed by C. W. Barnum ©2005