White Oaks Post office
Roy Harman*
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In the year 1879 a traveler to California rested his journey for a brief time with two prospectors who were camped at White Oaks Springs between Patos and Carrizo Mountain. In order to plot his westward course the traveler walked from camp to a distant high ridge. On his way he say down to rest and while sitting there picked up some rocks he thought were pretty and put them in his pocket. When he returned to camp he showed the rocks to his hosts who recognized the rocks as gold ore. They asked to be shown the spot where the rocks could be found and the next morning while the traveler proceeded on his way the prospectors were busily staking claims. This incident resulted in the White Oaks gold rush and the establishment of the post office, Jun 4, 1880.
The White Oaks Post Office was named for the trees at the old spring, and John M. McCutcheon was the first Postmaster. A stage line from San Antonio, New Mexico to Roswell, operated by the Ozane Stages, brought the mail. This service was a great improvement over mail delivery before the post office was opened. According to the story a passerby would bring the mail. The letters would then be tied loosely on a burro and the burro made to Gallup down the trail strewing letters for the miners to pick up.
The closing of the Post Office after seventy-four years marked the end of a community which started as one of the most promising in New Mexico. White Oaks is rich in legend of the west. Emerson Hough wrote a novel about it and called it "Heart's Desire". To many it was just that and to a great many other it had brought only heartache.
| John McCutcheon June 4, 1880 | Miss Sarah De Aguayo June 3,'07 | Joyce Simpson Nov 16, 1945 |
| Adna Lawson Aug. 10, 1880 | Lee H. Rudiselle Aug. 25, 1908 | Orene K. Crenshaw Act. PM Aug. 7, 1946 |
| Abner W. Kempton June 25, 1881 | Robert N. Taylor Apr. 6, 1914 | Lillian E. Littleton, Mar. 28, 1951 |
| Henry Billoney Jan. 11, 1883 | William H. Walker 1919 | Mrs. Buelah B. Hartley Sept. 17, 1951 |
| Joseph Collier Jan. 11, 1886 | Edith S. Van Schoyck May 8, 1922 | Mrs. Ellyn Q. Whitwell Jan. 16, 1952 |
| Ella G. Timoney June 24, 1889 | Thelma Lee Jones Act. PM Oct 15, 1943 | Orene K. Crenshaw Oct 19, 1953 |
| Charles Bull Apr. 5, 1893 | Dorothy Stroud Mar. 3, 1944 | Discontinued Apr. 22, 1954 |
| John A. Brown Nov 10, 1897 | Alice M. Battersby June 9, 1944 | Mail to Ancho |
Discontinued Aug . 30, 1943, Mail to Ancho
(Typist memo: The preceding note was included after Edith Schoyck's name)
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*Roy Harman proposed placing this post office history on the internet several years ago. Roy was a student of history about Lincoln County. Mr. Harman is deceased. It is with pride that we are able to present this history in honor of his memory.
©2005