Ancho
Meek
Torrance
Eichel
Ancho
L. (Jackie) Silvers
Conclusion by Roy Harman
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About the turn of the century a few farsighted men came to the fertile Ancho valley of Lincoln County and seeing possibilities in the gypsum hills nearby filed on mining claims. They organized a company and called it "Gypsum Products Company". The first Postmaster, Frank J. Bush, opened the Post Office in a frame house near the plaster mill on June 12, 1902. Finished products of the mill were gypsum and cinder block and these materials were used to build a company store and houses for company employees. When the store was completed the Post Office was moved into one corner.
Ancho flourished during these years. Frank Morris came from Texas with a small herd of cattle and liked the looks of the valley. He found a place for his cattle and prepared to contest the claims on which the town was located. To forestall him Bush made the coveted claim into a town site and avoided the contest. In 1905 Ancho was secured and still occupies this site. During the period the Boaques of Iowa moved in and established a brick plant. The kilns were fired with wood brought in by horses, mules and burros by the wood haulers. The Brick Company, Plaster Mill and associated employment gave Ancho a good payroll and created business and revenues for the post office.
In 1905 the railroad came to Ancho. The post office was made a money order office and Eichel a nearby post office was closed and all the supplies sent to the Ancho office. Eichel was a section of the Southern Pacific Railroad and boasted a rock crushing plant so a good number of its workers became patrons. Most of the Postmasters serving during these years were employees of the Company, some of them, Company Store Managers, some with other duties.
By the time Thomas J. Straley became Post Master in 1917 a separate part of the Company Store was allotted to the Post Office and in that year the brick company sold to the Phelps Dodge Corporation of Arizona. Under their expansion a sixteen kiln plant was built at the cost of $150,000.00 and the community prospered until 1921 when the plant went into the hands of a receiver. Straley was still postmaster and moved the office to a store he bought known as the "Deal Place" at the west end of town. Though hard times had come upon the Brick Co., homesteaders began to drift in and settle and there was a lively business of cord wood shipping. Mail was carried on a rural route to Jicarilla until the Jicarilla office was discontinued in 1920.
Upon the death of Thomas Straley, his youngest son, John C. became Postmaster. This was in 1937 and in 1938 the Straleys bought the Ancho town site and moved the Post Office to its present location. During depression years business was done by bartering gold for groceries. When World War II came John Straley joined the Marine Corps and served with the First Marine Division in the Pelilu and Okinawa campaigns. Tending his office in his absence was his sister, Mrs. Silvers as acting Postmaster. He returned after two years and served as Postmaster until his death in 1953.
Continuing with his family tradition, Mrs. Silvers became Postmaster in the office that had been headed continuously by Straleys since 1917. The original Post Office equipment purchased by Frank Bush in 1902 and subsequently purchased by each succeeding postmaster is still in use. The past few years has seen a decline in receipts but the office still serves ranchers and railroad workers and does a brisk business in money orders. The first flag flying at Fourth Class offices under a new ruling of the Post Office department was flow in August 1954 at Ancho, and was flown at half mast for Cordell Hull, former Secretary of State.
When the Southern Pacific railroad decided it no longer needed the station at Ancho, Mrs. L. (Jackie) Silvers the Postmaster purchased the building and had it renovated for a museum and quarters for the Ancho Post Office. It was truly a labor of love both for the Post Office and in the establishment of a museum. Jackie spent many long hours and went to a great deal of expense but it was a tremendous satisfaction to her both in service to her patrons and for the enjoyment of all who came as Jackie loved people and in return was loved by all who were fortunate enough to know and visit Ancho. The post office was moved into the station building on June 15, 1963. The Post Office department's mandatory retirement age was 70 and on August 31, 1969 Jackie retired. A wonderful party, honoring Jackie on this occasion, was hosted by the Lincoln County Postmasters in her home.
Sara Silvers Jackson, Jackie's daughter, was appointed Office-in-Charge and continued in that capacity until Nov. 1969 when it was made a Rural branch of the Carrizozo Post Office. Sara took the contract to operate it. Jackie continued to help out during Sara's absences. On Feb. 1, 1972 Jackie passed away in the Ruidoso Hospital. All who knew her realized the tremendous loss to each.
Ancho remained a Rural Branch until Sept. 29th, 1973 when it was closed. Mail is now delivered via the Star route from Carrizozo daily except Sundays and Holidays.
Eichel
Postmasters and dates of Commissions are:
| Roy McCurdy June 7, 1906 | Rescinded Mar. 17, 1908 |
| Emil J. Schmidt Dec 7 1906 | Percy Welch Aug. 1, 1907 |
| Percy Welch Aug 1, 1907 | Discontinued Sept. 15, 1913 |
| Bryant E. Redrick Feb. 5, 1908 | Mail to Ancho |
Ancho Postmasters and dates of commissions are:
| Frank J. Bush June 12, 1902 | Shelby Shive Aug. 3, 1916 |
| Jacob B. French June 5, 1903 | Thomas J. Straley July 17, 1917 |
| Grant A. Bush Jan. 12, 1905 | John C. Staley Nov. 23 1937 |
| Kent A Bush Dec. 8, 1911 | Thomas J. Straley July 17, 1917 |
| Geo. F. Graves Apr. 8, 1913 | L. Silvers July 1, 1954-Aug. 30, 1969 |
| Discontinued Nov. 15, 1969 |
Torrance*
Joseph E. Saint June 13, 1902
Melvin Dunlevy April 27, 1903
Now in Torrance County, Nov. 12, 1904
Meek*
Near Block Ranch
Thomas B. Meek June 5, 1904
Mary L. Meek Oct. 20, 1905
Frank S. Elliot June 3, 1908
Samuel W. Clore (Clove?) July 7, 1911
Roy H. Walworth may 13, 1913
Ruth Meadows may 22, 1922
Discontinued Nov 29, 1922
Transcribed by C. W. Barnum ©2005