Valle Redondo (Round Valley), 32 miles southeast of St. Johns, was the
original name of the Springerville section. The first settler was Wm. R.
Milligan, a Tennessean, who established a fort in the valley in 1871. The
name was given in honor of Harry Springer, an Albuquerque merchant, who
had a branch store in the valley. A.F. Banta states that the first town
was across the Little Colorado from the present townsite. Banta was the
first postmaster, in Becker's store.
The first Mormons on the ground, in February, 1879, were Jens Skousen,
Peter J. Christofferson and Jas. L. Robertson, from St. Joseph. Soon
thereafter came Wm. J. Flake, with more cows available for trade, giving
forty of them to one York, for a planted grain field. Flake did not
remain. In March came John T. Eager, who located four miles south of the
present Springerville, in Water Canyon, and about the same time arrived
Jacob Hamblin, the scout missionary. The latter took up residence in the
Milligan fort and was appointed to preside over the Saints of the
vicinity, but remained only till winter.
In 1882, President Jesse N. Smith divided Round Valley into two wards,
the upper to be known as Amity and the lower as Omer. In 1888 the people
of these wards established a townsite, two miles above and south of
Springerville, which was a Spanish-speaking community. The new town, at
first known as Union, later was named Eagar, after the three Eagar
brothers.