Forney Post Office Began in 1875

Unknown Forney Newspaper

The community that is now Forney, Texas, was named Brooklyn in 1874 in honor of hits Masonic lodge, which was named by N.E. Shands. Brooklyn’s first Post Office was located in John McKellar’s store, which in turn occupied the space where the grammar school stood until it was abandoned recently.  Dr. E.P. Shands was Postmaster then and all the mail was brought in by Pony Express – the railroad had not yet been built through the town.

After the railroad came in 1875, N.E. Shands opened a general merchandising store on the north side of the railroad. It was in this period that Brooklyn was renamed Forney. Dr. E.P. Shands was the first postmaster of Forney and John W. Walker was his assistant. Dr. Shands was Postmaster from August 17, 1881 to February 1, 1886.

The first postal money order issued at the Forney Post Office, on August 17, 1881, was purchased by John F. Yates and made payable to the Fort & Wayland, Salisbury, New York in the amount of $46.00. The money order fee was 25 cents.