Owyhee County Historic Postal Records
BALLARD 1886-1887 Located in section 13-T6S-R4W, 8 miles south of Silver City established November 15, 1886, Albert H. Smythe discontinued September 12, 1887, mail to Silver City BLACK JACK dates unknown Located in township T4S-R4W near Dewey on Florida Mountain BRUNEAU 1899-present formerly BRUNEAU VALLEY on Bruneau River, 22 miles SW of Mountain Home Section 23, T6S, R5E established July 28, 1875, as Bruneau Valley renamed Bruneau Oct 26, 1899, Ladema A. Hyde Marion F. Parish, July 9, 1903 William T. Bonham, May 21, 1906 John Clems, June 9, 1909 James C. Bartlett, September 12, 1911 George R. Jones, Feburuary 9, 1915, declined Walter H. Becker, May 31, 1918 James H. Hines, February 5, 1924 Norman W. Grant, June 7, 1928 Elizabeth H. Grant, October 28, 1928 BRUNEAU VALLEY 1875-1899 established July 28, 1875, Benjamin F. Hawes William C. Schenck, May 10, 1879 William L. Ramsdell, January 11, 1884 Frank J. Hughes, August 28, 1885 Jesse E. Neiss, October 14, 1887 David B. Hyde, July 13, 1888 Jackson Ownbey, April 18, 1895 Leadima A. Hyde, June 19, 1899 renamed Bruneau October 26, 1899 BRUNZELL 1913-1920 first and later REYNOLDS (and temporarily REYNOLDS CREEK) Located in Section 30-T2S-R3W established May 28, 1884, as REYNOLDS, Jan M. Brunzell Oscar F. Brunzell, May 13, 1904 renamed Brunzell, September 12, 1913, Jan M. Brunzell renamed Reynolds Creek, June 12, 1916, (rescinded) Charles P. Stoddard, March 11, 1918 Samuel E. Ross, June 12, 1919 renamed Reynolds, February 21, 1920. CASSIER CREEK 1878-1879 established January 14, A. Rice C. Parke, October 13, 1878 William Rice, December 12, 1878 Discontinued, March 10, 1879 CASTLE CREEK (Castlecreek) 1876-1902, 1907-1922 established May 17, 1876, Milton H. Presby Mrs Martha Henderson, September 19, 1889 Etolia Spencer, September 8, 1898 Urcilla McDonough, March 8, 1901 discontinued May 31, 1902, mail to Oreana reopened May 29, 1907, John F. Hale Robert W. Henderson, April 29, 1908 John F. A. Hale, August 26, 1908 Martha Henderson, October 27, 1908 Grace Malmberg, May 17, 1920 discontinued April 15, 1922, mail to Oreana CATHERINE CREEK 1876-1877 The exact location within T4S-R1E is not known. Catherine creek flows into Castle creek near a crossing of the south alternative of the Oregon Trail. established May 17, 1876, James N. Hart discontinued August 17, 1877 CENTRAL (Bernard Ferry) 1888-1896 Located in Section 17-T1N-R3W established April 4, 1888, James C. Bernard discontinued October 30, 1896, mail to Walters CLAYTONIA (Butte, Erb) 1914-1918 Located in section 29-3N-R4W; named in honor of Benjamin Clay established March 17, 1914, Samuel H. Clay Richard B. Faulds, July 15, 1915 George W. Flemmons, August 25, 1917 discontinued December 14, 1918, mail to Homedale CLIFFS 1907-1908, 1915-1950 Located in section 11-T9S-R6W at an altitude of 5,200 feet, about 40 miles southwest of Silver City and close to the Oregon border. established February 26, 1907, Frank M. Lockett closed November 30, 1908, mail to Lowry re-opened June 7, 1915, Ora M. Woods Thomas Whitby, October 26, 1926 discontinued December 31, 1950, mail to Jordan Valley, Oregon 30 m. SE of Jordon Valley, Oregon COMET 1910-1913 formerly GARNET (see Elmore County) Located in the SE 1/4 of T5S-R4E. established October 6, 1896 as Garnet, Elmore County, George P. Hall Inez H. Davis, July 24, _____ moved to Owyhee County and renamed Comet February 7, 1910, John McVann discontined January 31, 1913, mail to Bruneau COW CREEK (Cowcreek) 1887-1889 Located 11 miles northeast of Jordan Valley, Oregon on Cow Creek, which flows northwest into Soda Creek. established March 9, 1887, M. Obendorfer discontined May 18, 1889 DAIRY (Camp Three Forks) 1887-1906 15 miles south of Ballard and 25 miles south of Jordan Valley, Oregon established January 15, 1887, Chauncey D. Bachelor Jacob Deary, August 11, 1891 Charles M. Deakins, June 16, 1898 Arthur M. Drummond, October 21, 1903 William H. Flora, December 10, 1904 discontinued April 30, 1906, mail to Lowry DE LAMAR 1889-1942 established August 6, 1889, James S. Napier Richard Eziler, November 19, 1889 Charles E. Knapp, January 26, 1892 Sarah F. Crosson, September 8, 1893 William J. Stoddard, October 5, 1897 William A. Jones, April 18, 1899 Laura E. Warren, March 13, 1901 Frank Crosson, November 30, 1901 William R. Helm, July 30, 1902 Benjamin A. Heazle, April 4, 1913 Evelyn M. Grigg, March 27, 1916 Franklin P. Bonnell, January 10, 1918 Herbert H. Bonnell, January 4, 1923 John Grigg, November 3, 1924 Benjamin A. Heazle, September 7, 1926 John Grigg, November 2, 1927 discontinued December 15, 1942, mail to Silver City DELAINE 1899-1900 formerly SUCKER in Oregon Located in the northwest area of the county, near Homedale. established October 13, 1899, Sarah McFarland discontinued September 29, 1900, mail to Homedale DEWEY (Booneville) 1896-1911 Some claim this is the oldest settlement in the county. It is located in section 36-T4S-R4W at an elevation of 5,850 feet. established November 25, 1896, James Gartland Samuel D. McLain, April 26, 1900 William A. Holland, September 24, 1903 Joseph W. Ballinger, April 27, 1914 Mark Collvin, February 28, 1905 Luther Mitchell, March 13, 1906 (did not serve) George R. Heazle, September 11, 1907 Benjamin A. Heazle, October 9, 1908 discontinued June 15, 1911, mail to Sucker, Oregon and Silver City, Idaho 22 m. SE of Murphy Section 25, T4S, R4W DRY CREEK 1873-1874 The location, dates, and postmasters are unknown at this time. The stream named Dry Creek flows to the Northwest into Oregon and then into the Owyhee river. ENTERPRISE 1894-1917 renamed GIVENS SPRINGS on S. bank of Snake R., 13 m. SE of Marsing, 22 m. NW of Murphy, section 28-T1N-R3W. established March 12, 1894, David L. Williams Mattie S. Yanke, March 18, 1902 Isabel Simmons, January 18, 1912 Joseph A. Walker, June 8, 1915 renamed Givens Springs, March 12, 1917 FAIRVIEW 1872-1878 Located in section 15-T5S-R3W, two miles east of Silver City. Settled in 1863 and destroyed by fire in 1875, it is now a ghost town. established August 27, 1872, Charles Umber discontinued September 13, 1878 FAIRYLAWN 1912-1933 formerly LOWRY 76 m. SW of Bruneau, it is in section 12-T10S-R6W. established as Lowry October 17, 1902 (see Lowry) renamed Fairylawn, May 24, 1912, William D. Winter discontinued May 15, 1933 when the mail went to Cliffs FLINT 1892, 1913-1914 Located in section 22-T6S-R4W at an elevation of 5,400 feet and 10 miles southwest of Silver City. established March 2, 1892, Marcus White closed April 18, 1892, "no papers" re-opened May 31, 1913, Croclia M. Rogers Joe Bonomi, November 4, 1913 discontinued August 15, 1914, mail to De Lamar GIVENS SPRINGS 1917-1934 formerly ENTERPRISE 32-5 m. to Melba, on S. bank Snake R., 13 m. SE of Marsing, 22 m. NW of Murphy, section 28-T1N-R3W. established March 12, 1894, as Enterprise renamed Givens Springs March 12, 1917 Joseph A. Walker Katherine M. Curtis, March 15, 1930 GRAND VIEW 1888-present In sections 15 and 16-T5S-R3E at an elevation of 2,365 feet, 24 miles south of Mountain Home on the Snake River. established February 27, 1888, Lafayette Aspinwall Charles L. Wing, December 18, 1890 Andrew J. Wiley, February 8, 1894 Dinnis A. Mathewson, July 10, 1899 Samuel H. Lawrence, July 9, 1903 Russell Masswy, January 31, 1905 Angus McDonald, August 10, 1907 Charles A. Brooks, March 9, 1908 Delia M. Hiddleson, December 19, 1908 Clinton Fritz, May 7, 1910 David Quackenbush, March 8, 1915 Collas K. Evans, March 19, 1918 Alice C. Bailey, August 14, 1919 Harold S. Bailey, October 14, 1923 on S. Bank of Snake R., 27 m. SW of Mountain Home 60 m. SE of Nampa, Sec. 8, T5S, R3E. GRASMERE 1910-1919, 1945-1973 In section 16-T12S-R5E, on Louse Creek 30 miles south of Bruneau. established December 15, 1910, Frank Holmquest Willis C. Dodge, September 15, 1913 Joseph A. Taylor, December 13, 1915 Nora M. Candle, July 3, 1917 closed August 15, 1919, mail to Bruneau re-opened March 27, 1945 discontinued April 20, 1973, mail to Bruneau GRASSY HILL 1915-1918 established April 14, 1915, Katie E. Mullikin Flossie Musgrave, June 30, 1917 discontinued December 31, 1918, mail to Three Creek GUFFEY (Guffeys Station) 1897-1899 moved and renamed MURPHY, 1910-1919 on S. Bank Snake R., opposite Walters, about section 33-T1S-R2W established April 5, 1897, James C. Lindsey (Canyon Co.) listed as in Owyhee County, Oct 27, 1897 Mary J. Richardson, February 19, 1898 Albert N. McCall, December 18, 1898 Alvin O. Brunzell, April 1, 1899 discontinued September 7, 1899 (moved and renamed Murphy) re-opened December 8, 1899, T. J. Little (rescinded May 21, 1900) Lillie M. Perry, March 21, 1910 discontinued October 21, 1919, mail to Wilson HENDERSON 1887-1888 established March 4, 1887, Robert Henderson discontinued March 13, 1888, mail to Caldwell on S. bank Snake R., or near site of Marsing Section 9, T2S, R4W HOMEDALE 1900-present established May 22, 1900, Ada Mussell Cora McDowell, October 15, 1903 Ada Mussell, January 3, 1905 David M. Fox, April 29, 1908 Jacob Mussell, October 19, 1908 Sherman E. Mussell, April 19, 1911 Jeptha F. Bitner, August 13, 1912 Myra E. Upton, November 14, 1913 Frank E. Trotter, November 30, 1914 Theodore L. Nye, March 9, 1917 Russell C. Plummer, March 24, 1922 Frank B. Dawes, December 10, 1922 John D. Wright, October 18, 1926 Ida M. Helton, June 30, 1929 on S. bank Snake R., 3 m. SW of Wilder 26 (m.) SE of Nyssa, Oregon Section 8, T3N, R5W HOT SPRING 1892-1934 established December 21, 1892, John S. Lewis Carrie Olsen, June 16, 1898 George L. Strickland, December 29, 1898 John L. Strickland, January 20, 1899 George Thomas, March 22, 1901 Jefferson M. Waterhouse, December 16, 1905 George J. Clark, November 4, 191? William W. Clays, April 25, 1917 Noah Wilson, July 24, 1918 (declined) Alma F. Trammell, December 31, 1918 Oscar Ford, May 14, 1923 Alma F. Trammell, June 24, 1924 32-35 m. to Bruneau on Bruneau R. 8 m. SE of Bruneau Section 27, T7S R6E used one word HOTSPRING, dates unrecorded INDIAN COVE 1913-1915 established May 13, 1913, Maud Neiswander discontinued August 31, 1915 mail to Hammett on S. Bank of Snake River 5 m. SW of Hammett JUNIPER 1895-1896 established February 27, 1895, Phebe Spencer closed January 24, 1896, mail to Castlecreek re-opened November 5, 1914, Benjamin Daniel closed March 15, 1918, mail to Black Pine (rescinded) Richie Harkness, September 8, 1919 Maud W. Wilson, July 1, 1920 Guy E. Wilson, June 26, 1922 Hazel Ranson, September 19, 1922 Virginia B. Daniel, December 8, 1923 Mary A. Daniel, December 29, 1923 George Nelson, June 20, 1925 discontinued February 27, 1943, mail to Snowville, Utah. LOWRY 1902-1912 renamed FAIRYLAWN established October 17, 1902, William D. Winter Ollie O. McCullough, December 22, 1903 Earl W. McCullough, March 29, 1904 William D. Winter, May 21, 1906 renamed Fairylawn, May 24, 1912. MAHOGANY 1907-1910 established September 24, 1907, Mrs. Clara M. Jenkins discontinued September 15, 1910, mail to Bruneau MARSING 1922- established January 12, 1922, Walter W. Volkmer on W. Bank of Snake River, 10 m. SE of Homedale 12 m. SW of Caldwell about Section 10, T2N, R24E (??) MCKENZIE 1881-1881 established July 18, 1881, George S. McKinzie discontinued October 26, 1881 MORGAN 1910-1914 established June 25, 1910, Mary Morgan discontinued April 15, 1914, mail to Jordan MURPHY 1899-present formerly GUFFEY county seat established September 7, 1889 (by transfer of Guffy), Alvin O. Brunzell Annie L. Cope, October 1, 1990 Minnie E. Tierney, January 26, 1901 Carl M. Brunzell, June 3, 1904 Carrie M. Brunzell, January 28, 1922 Hjalmar Froman, April 4, 1922 Rudolph R. Kuss, October 15, 1923 Charles F. Burger, November 15, 1930 Mrs. Thelma F. Grant, April 8, 1931 Mrs. Carrie M. Kuss, September 10, 1931 29 m. S. of Nampa Section 26, T2S, R2W OREANA 1885-1982 established November 12, 1885, Michael Hyde Henry W. Brown, February 21, 1890 George Pickett, September 5, 1890 Michael Hyde, December 15, 1892 George H. Hyde, October 2, 1895 Benjamin H. Hyde, March 23, 1896 Edward K. Thornton, February 12, _____ Lynn Bachman, September 5, 1923 16 m. NW of Grandview, 17 m. SE of Murphy Section 29, T4S, R1E ORO 1866-1869 established October 8, 1866, O. R. Johnson John K. Maxwell, February 14, 1867 George Drew, November 30, 1868 discontinued October 22, 1869 REYNOLDS* 1884-1913 renamed BRUNZELL 1920-1940 was BRUNZELL established May 28, 1884, Jan M. Brunzell Oscar F. Brunzell, May 13, 1904 renamed Brunzell, September 12, 1913, Jan M. Brunzell renamed Reynolds Creek, June 12, 1916 (rescinded) Charles P. Stoddard, March 11, 1918 Samuel E. Ross, June 12, 1919 renamed Reynolds, February 21, 1920, John D. Ross William H. Adams, July 13, _______ Mrs. Fannie Ford, April 17, 1926 Elmer B. Gifford, August 10, 1927 discontinued, mail to Murphy 14 m. W. of Murphy, 34 __ of Nampa 33 E. of Marsing. * "from the narration of O. H. Purdy, a member of the party, a well-known
citizen of Silver City, who was killed in the skirmish with the Bannack
Indians at South Mountain, in June 1878: We crossed Snake River at the mouth
of Boise River, traveling in a southwesterly direction, until we came
to, at that time, quite a large stream, which we named, in honor of the
laziest man in the company, “Reynolds creek,” Owyhee County Its History, Towns, Industries REYNOLDS CREEK 1877-1879 established September 26, 1877, George D. Gardner discontinued July 31, 1879 name Reynolds Creek ordered to replace Brunzell June 12, 1916 rescinded RIDDLE 1898-1963 established January 24, 1898, Urette D. Riddle Grant Riddle, December 13, 1900 J. E. Hastings, January 12, 1918 Charles E. Hastings, September 6, 1921 57 m. SW of Bruneau, 18 m. N. of Owyhee, Nevada Section 17, T14S, R3E Chas. Hasting had gen. mdse. ROCKVILLE 1885-1912 in Idaho 1912-1948 in Oregon established November 12, 1885, Robert B. Young John Upham, July 19, 1887 William Upham, August 22, 1895 Jore Hzareda, September 15, 1898 Adison P. Calvert, January 14, 1901 Lebbie Proud, June 17, 1903 Jesse L. Proud, May 9, 1908 transferred to Mahleur County, Oregon, January 26, 1912 14 m. N. of Sheaville, Oregon Section 6, T2S, R6E RUBY CITY 1864-1867 renamed SILVER CITY established June 22, 1864, John Cummings William C. Clemmons, January 4, 1865 renamed Silver City, February 5, 1867 SILVER CITY 1867-1943 was RUBY CITY established as Ruby City (see above) David T. Hillman, February 25, 1868 Abraham V. Bradley, April 13, 1868 Joseph Bury, April 22, 1869 John A. Post, December 24, 1869 Rufus King, June 6, 1870 Charles S. Lamaid (?), May 15, 1873 Edward H. Moore, June 8, 1874 Samuel F. N. Smith, April 17, 1889 Morris Oberderfer, September 19, 1889 Richard L. Guler, September 11, 1891 Meserve M. Mitchell, November 2, 1894 Charles H. Grate, March 1, 1905 Asher A. Getchell, December 11, 1908 Myrtle H. Shea, June 17, 1915 discontinued November 16, 1943 23 m. SW of Murphy, 24 m. NE of Jordan Valley, Oregon Section 6, T5S, R3W SINKER 1888-1902, 1904-1909 established December 26, 1888, John H. Crochoron Mary C. Matthews, May 15, 1901 closed July 8, 1902, mail to Murphy re-opened September 29, 1904, Anna F. Joyce discontinued February 27, 1909 "Singer" on Sinker Cr. about midway between Murphy and Oreana SOUTH MOUNTAIN (Bullion City) 1872-1874, 1875-1877 established December 9, 1872, Telison John Vinton discontinued February 18, 1874 re-established June 2, 1875 Orlando P. McCray, November 29, 1875 discontinued October 15, 1877, mail to Jordan Valley, Oregon SOUTHMOUNTAIN 1900-1902 re-opened July 21, 1900, Robert C. Williams discontinued September 30, 1902, mail to Jordon Valley 20 m. SE of Jordon Valley THREE CREEK** (Seventy-one) 1887-1951 established December 17, 1887, John S. Lewis John U. Bratton, December 19, 1891 Mary E. Faraday, February 19, 1894 Lizzie E. Duncan, June 27, 1901 Charles H. Helsley, May 27, 1905 Jerome N. Helsley, January 14, 1908 Thomas Higgins, December 21, 1909 Mary McCoy, January 31, 1913 Charles H. Helsley, July 10, 1917 Bess B. Cordell, March 13, 1919 Ida R. Silver, February 13, 1920 Lizzie E. Duncan, April 17, 1922 Bess B. Cordell, October 14, 1922 Charles H. Helsey, April 4, 1928 Mrs. Vada G. Royle, January 21, 1927 Mrs. Eva L. Dunn, October 25, 1928 discontinued February 28, 1951, mail to Rogerson on E. Frk Bruneau R., 68 m. SE of Bruneau Section 28, T14S, R8E TINDALL 1907-1936 established March 18, 1907, William J. Tindall discontinued, mail to Bruneau 48 m. S of Bruneau, 40 m. N. of Owyhee, Nevada TRIANGLE 1915-1953 established June 30, 1915, Jacob Bachman Earl Bachman, February 7, 1940 discontinued November 30, 1953, mail to Oreana 44 m. S. (road) of Murphy, 43 m. SW of Grandview WALTERS FERRY (Lower Ferry) 1893-1899 In section 17-T1S-R2W, nine miles northwest of Murphy, it was the location of in important Oregon Trail crossing. see Canyon County Post Offices, for the north bank. WAYLAND 1896-1898 established March 28, 1896, Grace Stone George Pennington, June 4, 1896 discontinued November 3, 1898, mail to Bruneau Valley WICKAHONEY 1894-1911 established July 22, 1894, Dow Dunning discontinued October 31, 1911 about 45 m. S. of Bruneau, Section 27, T11S, R4E WILSON 1897-1923 established September 28, 1897, Rudd? Nelson Pheobe Cox, November 1, 1898 John E. Keich, May 16, 1906 Catherine Hurley, July 16, 1913 John E. Keich, December 15, 1916 discontinued October 31, 1923, mail to Melba on S. bank of Snake R., 20 m. SE of Marsing, 14 m. NW of Murphy Section 11, T1S, R3W
** On the days prior to September 19, 1900, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid along with Will Carver, traveled from their hideout at Power Springs, on the Wyoming/Colorado border, through Three Creek, ID, on their way to rob the bank at Winnemucca, NV. In Three Creek (pop.32) there was a General Store made out of rocks quarried from nearby creeks, that was owned by Jim Duncan and his wife Lizzie. According to Sundance, they got Jim out of bed, and at gun point he filled their order, loading two pack horses with grub. The grub, along with horses, were cached along the 200+ miles to Winnemucca, and used in their escape after the bank robbery. Butch Cassidy had promised to pay Jim Duncan for the grub, and as they passed through Three Creek late at night on their return trip, they figured up the bill for the grub, and doubling it, they left it in a sack by the store. Submitted by: Duane V. Peterson - Ghosttowns, retrieved June 2017
Three Creek Post Office map
Sources:
History of Post Offices in Idaho. U.S. Post Office; Gem County Historical Society and Museum collection, 501 E 1st Street, Emmett ID 83617. Also available at Idaho State Archives, 2205 Old Penitentiary Rd., Boise, Idaho.
Mark Metkin, Idaho post offices, writes: "The names and dates were transcribed from the postmaster appointment records that were maintained by Post Office Department until the 1930's. The records were handwritten and are not always easy to decipher, so errors are possible."
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