Union County, New Mexico, Place Names M-R

MADISON - 8 miles northeast of Folsom, in Dry Cimarron Canyon. First town in what is now Union County. All that is left are ruins of the old grist mill. Named for James Madison Emery, who settled in NM in 1865. Post Office 1874 to 1888.

MAJOR LONG'S CREEK - Flows southeast across the southern tip of county into Texas. Possibly commemorative of Stephen H Long (1784-1864), American explorer and engineer, who led a US Army expedition in 1819-1820 to the Rocky Mountains returning by the Arkansas and Canadian Rivers. Long's Peak in Colorado was also named for him.

MALPAIS HILL - 3 miles southwest of Dora and near Farley - Mt. Dora branch at AT&amp;SF RR right of way.

MALPIE - Formerly called MALPAIS. This spelling is a clue to the widespread pronunciation in the West: "mal pi". Former trading point 12 miles south of Capulin and northeast of Chico near the Union county line. Named for the great quantity of volcanic rock found in the hills and area near the settlement. Post Office, Malpais, 1909 to 1911; mail to Des Moines; Malpie, 1916 to 1939.

MANSKER - Site of former consolidated school, 9 miles south of Clayton on NM 18. Named for Robert W Mansker, old time peace officer.

MC NEES CREEK - See CORRUMPA CREEK

MIERA - The earliest record of this surname, is that of a soldier, Bernardo Miera y Pacheco, who appeared in Santa Fe as early as 1756. His son, Anacleto, is said to be the founder of the family that settled this town. It is 9 miles south of Barney, at the Union Harding county line. At one time it was called TRAMPERAS, also LOUIS. First postmaster, Francisco Miera. Post Office 1889, intermittently to 1927.

MONIA CREEK - Doubtless a mispelling of the spanish "monilla", a shrub like plant producing a hard black seed, found in NM. First called MONIA ARROYO. The creek flows east across the southern tip of Union County into Texas.

MOSES - There are two communities with this name, an old one and a new one. "Old" Moses was located near Corrumpa Creek, 18 miles northeast of Clayton. This settlement was known in the days of the Santa Fe Trail. Upon the sale of the Espinosa Ranch (Delfin Espinosa was the last owner of the Old Moses Store). A new store and post office was started at a curve on NM 18. The first postmaster was Frank Moses, Post Office, 1909 to 1955.

MOUNT CAPULIN - See CAPULIN MOUNTAIN

MOUNT CLAYTON - 8 miles west of Mt. Dora and 3 miles south of C&amp;S RR right of way. Named ROUND MOUNTAIN by traders on the Santa Fe Trail, who crossed here in 1822 under the leadership of Colonel Becknell. In 1887 the name changes to Mount Clayton by US Senator Stephen Dorsey of Arkansas in honor of his son, Clayton. See Clayton.

MOUNT DORA - The mountain is 15 miles northwest of Clayton, named for Senator Dorsey's sister in law. The ranching community is on US 87, 18 miles northwest of Clayton. The settlement is 3 miles from Mt. Dora. Shipping point for cattle, sheep and grain. Post Office 1908 to present day.

NIGGER MESA - On the Colorado state line with union County between Branson and Folsom. Named by the cowboys after a fight where a Black Chuck Wagon Cook killed a Black Cowboy, which happened at the foot of the mesa in the early 1880's.

NORTH CANADIAN - See CORRUMPAW, or CANADIAN RIVER

NORTH DES MOINES - Post Office 1909 to 1916.

OAK CANYON CREEK - 4 miles south of Emery Gap, between Folsom and Emery Gap.

PASAMONTE - Spanish "pass or opening between the mountains". On NM 58, 33 miles west of Clayton. Lies between rolling hills. Established in 1899 by Carl Gilg, the first postmaster. Post Office, 1899 to 1947.

PASAMONTE LAKE - North and west of Pasamonte.

PATTERSON - First postmaster, Gertie Patterson. Post Office 1910 to 1918.

PEACOCK CANYON - Prong of Cimarron Canyon 35 miles northeast of Folsom. A family of this name located here in the early 1870's. See DRIPPING SPRINGS.

PENNINGTON - 17 miles southwest of Mt. Dora. Post Office 1914 to 1921.

PENRITH - On C&amp;S RR, 3 miles southeast of Mt. Dora. Once a blind siding and shipping point for cattle. Now grazing land.

PERICO - Spanish for parrot or parakeet. Also, a family name. Post Office 1886 to 1888; changed to CLAYTON.

PERICO CANYON - Rises near Tripod Mountain, flows east, passes 6 miles south of Mt. Dora and 5 miles south of Clayton into Texas.

PINABETE ARROYO - Lear Creek flows into it.

PINABETITOS CREEK - "Little fir trees". Rises southwest of Pasamonte and joins Major Long's Creek below Stead.

PLEASANT - Former settlement and school district in farming region, 10 miles east of Des Moines. Also called PLEASANT VALLEY. Post Office 1914 to 1915. RABBIT EAR CREEK - First called RABBIT EARS CREEK, later renamed CIENAGA CREEK, and still later BIG SPRING. Name for the Mountain Ridge to the east, "Las Orejas de Conejo" "Ears of the Rabbit". Freighters on the Santa Fe Trail called it CIENEGA DEL BURRO or "jackass swamp". Known today as SENECA Creek. It flows east between Rabbit Ear Mountain and Clayton, continuing into Texas.

RABBIT EAR MOUNTAIN - 6 miles north of Clayton, near US 87. Named for a Comanche Chief, called Rabbit Ears, because his ears had been frozen. He was killed in battle and buried on the mountainside. In 1717, at this place, a volunteer army of 500 Spaniards killed several hundred Comanches, and took 700 prisoner, after which a long truce followed.

RAFAEL CREEK - Rises southeast of Sierra Grande Mountain and empties into Corrumpaw Creek (now the North Canadian). Said to have been named by US Senator Stephen W Dorsey of Arkansas, who sojourned in NM in the 1880's.

RAMON - Post Office 1911 to 1914.; changed to DAVID.

REESE HILL - On NM 18.5 miles south of US 64 at Clayton. Named for a family who lived near the foot of the hill. NM 18, leading from Cimarron River Canyon south to Clayton, emerges from the canyon at this point.

ROAD CANYON - South of Reese Hill. So named because the first road leading through Cimarron Canyon to Clayton went through it.

ROUND MOUNTAIN - See MOUNT CLAYTON

ROYCE - Community 8 miles west of Clayton on C&amp;S RR, US 64 and 87. Ranchers received their mail and shipped cattle