POST OFFICE. The Caleb Horn post office three miles southwest of El Paso and the S. Y. Barnard office west of Panola were the first in the area. Absolom McClum was the first carrier going through to Spring Bay, and John Harrison the second; both carried the mail on horseback. A trip to Ottawa was made twice weekly. The Horn post office, called Roxan, was moved into Kappa in 1853 and the Barnard office, called Josephine, was moved to Panola the same year.
On March 21, 1857 William M. Jenkins was appointed the first postmaster of El Paso by President James Buchanan. The office was in the Jenkins general store, but the postmaster frequently carried the mail in his hat and delivered it as he met the residents in his daily tasks. On March 19, 1861, Hezekiah T. Buckley became postmaster and moved the office to a building on Elm Street north of the present City Hall. He resigned after two years and Mrs. Martha A. Robinson was appointed February 28, 1863. Otho P. Richards was appointed March 9, 1865 but served only until August 14, 1866 when Mrs. Robinson was reappointed. Mrs. Elizabeth C. Willis became postmistress April 8, 1867 and served until March 3, 1868 when her father, J. H. Moore succeeded her.
Sometime between 1863 and 1867 the post office was moved from Elm Street to rooms at the rear of the Shur, Tompkins & Co. Bank in the Gibson building in Block 43. In 1871 Mr. Moore purchased a small building which had housed the offices of Ingersoll, Harper & Cassell,