Mormon Colonies in Mexico - Recently Updated Pages

Help Us Identify

LaraleeNelson — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 10:57:34 CST



Ok who has the originals of the above photos. Amazing stuff!

	These are the sales girls from the mercantile in Dublan. Can you recognize any of them?
	These are a group of friends from the colonies. You can take the boy out of the Colonies, but you can't take the Colonies out of the boys! (I think the first man on the left looks like Samuel John Robinson, of Colonia Dublan. He had seven sons and eight daughters-that lived. The other men could be his sons and sons-in-law. I'm just guessing on the others, but the first man sure looks like Great-grandpa Samuel John Robinson. By Claudette Rayl)
This picture was taken in Colonia Dublan we believe. The young man seated just to the left of the small wheel is Heber John Done, son of Abraham Done and Annie Robinson. We don't know the names of any of the others. It's really too small to see at the available resolution here, so here is a link to the larger version: Heber and the boys

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Peter Martin Iverson

SashaNBrandonNielson — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:25:13 CST

Peter Martin stayed with Abraham Bundy in Mexico the summer and fall and on September 7, 1902 received his Patriarchal Blessing from Alexander Jameson. On December 2, 1902 Peter Martin Iverson Belle Bundy were married by Bishop Orson P. Brown. They were married again on December 23, 1902 in the St. George Temple by George Q. Cannon. They got married in Mexico so they could get cheaper rates on the train when traveling to the Temple in St. George. In the fall of 1905 they returned to Old Mexico by team and covered wagon, where they lived in San Jose.

At San Jose, near Morelos, they lived in a “jacal” a hut made of ocotillo, a cactus-like stick about ten feet tall. The Mexican people cut a bunch of them from one root and stood them on end to make a tough frame, then plastered them with mud inside and out.
Shoes were so expensive in Morelos that Martin could not afford to buy them for his children, so he would take green rawhide and sew it up and put that on their feet. As it dried it would shape to the foot. If they took them off before they dried, they would shrink and they could not get them on again. They stayed in Morelos for a while then went to the copper mines in Bisbee, Az where Martin worked in the mines.

some time during the next summer (1910) they went back to Old Mexico again. Here in San Jose, Martin bought some land and they stayed until 1912.

At the beginning of the Mexican trouble, Porfirio Diaz was President, and though a dictator and ruthless in his ways, he had cited the Mormon colonists for their industry, and most of them favored his rule. By 1908, he was fighting to retain his leadership against the revolutionist, Francisco Madero, and in May, 1911, he fled to France in order to save his life. The Revolutionists themselves began to fight about then, and the Mormons were caught in the middle. Pancho Villa had been loyal to Madero; and the “Red Flaggers” were led by a defector from Madero’s army by the name of Orozco. Both groups began commandeering guns, cattle, money and horses, as well as food, from the Colonists. There were killings and other serious incidents. So Junius Romney, highest Mormon Church official in Mexico, advised the people to leave for the United States.
Hannah Iverson and her three unmarried children, Victor, Levi and Annie had followed the married ones, Martin, Doretta and Willard to Mexico after a disastrous flood in 1910 had swept away most of their property at Littlefleld. The Willard Iverson family was living in the tiny community of Guadalupe, and bullets rattled on the tin roof of their home during a battle between the Federals and the Rebels.
Martin, and some of the other farmers were hauling their grain harvest out to Douglas just as fast as they could, leaving their families alone in the Colonies. Lillie was expecting her fifth child and was afraid. It took Martin six or seven days to go to Douglas and return to San Jose. When he got back after his first trip, he took Lillie and his sister Doretta, who was staying with her, and the children over to Morelos, where there were quite a few people still. Then he took another loan of grain out. They had been promised by the authorities that they would be protected.
A Brother Huber brought a one-horse rig to Doretta that would have provided plenty of room for her and her children. But there was still Lillie and her children with no transportation. Lillie did not want to leave San Jose without Martin beside her, and the VanLeuven men had to lift her protesting form Into the cart. Letha and Doretta got into the seat, each hanging onto a baby, with Floyd and Iven at their feet. Lillie was forced to leave behind a trunk containing many irreplaceable items, and thus they set out in a rainstorm to leave Old Mexico.
In Douglas, the United States Government had put up army tents for the refugees. And it was in one of these tents, while Martin was gone after another load of grain that Lillie gave birth to their fifth child and 2nd daughter, Eva Marie, on September 11, 1912 in a small soldier’s tent on an army cot. Martin was very glad to come home and find his wife and new daughter safe.

Rowley Family

SashaNBrandonNielson — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:08:56 CST

There is no abstract available for this page revision.

James, Joseph Henry

lrrichey — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:33:59 CDT

Joseph Henry James was my great grandfather.

Here is a link to a bio:

http://www.josephhenryjames.com/Biographies/fromLavonHanson/JosephHenryJamesbyHanson.htm

My Grandfather was born in Mexico and his oldest son (My Uncle Johnny) was born there.

Here is a link to a web page that has some information:
http://www.josephhenryjames.com/index.html

MyConnection

LaraleeNelson — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 13:09:53 CDT

Please contribute your connection to the Mormon Colonies in Mexico.

Gerald Hatch Gerald Hatch married Carol Kirkham from Rexburg, Idaho. 7 sons, 15 grandchildren, living in Colonia Juarez in summer 2008.	Dos Gringas (Kim and Kelly, sisters) Kim and Kelly are descendants of several families who lived mainly in Colonia Juarez and Colonia Morelos, although we have a few ties to Colonia Pacheco and Colonia Dublan. We are descendants of the Huish, Redd, Taylor, and Naegle families, whose connection with the colonies continued into our mother's childhood days. Our mother, and many of her siblings, are graduates of Juarez Stake Academy. We were fortunate to grow up with the multicultural gifts of this inheritance. To this day, "comfort food," to us, means Mexican food, and Christmas and New Year's Eve wouldn't be the same without chile con queso. We have been working on collecting family history and quite fortunately stumbled on this site. We look forward to sharing our family history, and learning more from all of the other members, maybe even getting some help with some mysteries.
G Steve Dockstader (aka GoldnSteve) My most direct connection to the Mormon Mexican Colonies is my great-grandmother Vivian Lemmon Johnson Shields. We called her grandma Viv. She lived and married in Colonia Diaz. She wrote that her parents were "called" by then LDS Church President Wilford Woodruff to go to "Old Mexico" (as grandma referred to it). She moved there with her dad and mom, Peter Lemmon and Sarah Buchanan of Glenwood, Utah, by wagon with the rest the family. Later she married Abia E. Johnson (my great-grandfather), son of William Derby Johnson (Sr.) who died at Colonia Diaz. Grandma Viv had a sister-wife, Violet Bevans Johnson. Both Violet and Vivian had a lot of children with Abia. My grandmother says she remembers her uncle Peter K. Lemmon (Vivian's brother). He was the one who supposedly chased after a few of Pancho Villas men and took their horses (and possibly killed the thieves), for stealing from his store in Hatchita New Mexico. Grandma Viv's "Book of Memories" is still intact and is full of original photos and family stories, many are of Colonia Diaz. She even kept an old hymn book from the meeting house there in Colonia Diaz, and it has a beautiful inscription on the inside cover stating it was dedicated by George Teasdale in the 1890s (go to the photo gallery section of this site to see it). Grandma Viv's daughter (my grandmother) gave me that hymn book for my birthday this past April, 2008. I consider it a treasure. Grandma Viv must have lived an amazing life, full of history and hardships, as well as great times. I posted a story written by her sister in teh Colonia Stories section of this site. It is very insightful of their day to day life in Mexico. Vivian's grandfather on her mother's side was Archibald Buchanan (my 3rd grt-grandfather). Supposedly he was being hounded by government agents somewhat up in Utah just prior to statehood, so he made his way down to Colonia Dublan. They had lost so much leaeving Utah that they were quite destitute from what I have read. I have purchased a copy of the documentary "Land of Refuge" and I enjoyed watching it very much.	Marci Zwygart I am Marci Zwygart. My mother's father is Emmanuel Leroy Trejo known as Emuel. He was born in Chuichupa the second to last child of Melitone Gonzalez Trejo and Emily Jones. He was quite an interesting Grandfather. Grandpa would definitely tell you exactly what he thought of things. Grandpa loved to hunt for arrowheads. I remember many times as a young girl going with him to look for the shiny bits of obsidian in San Jose, Arizona, near Thatcher. My great grandfather Melitone Gonzalez Trejo came to Salt Lake City by way of Spain and the Philipines arriving in San Francisco, July 4, 1874. In the timing of the lord, only a month before, Henry Brizee and Daniel W. Jones had been called by Brigham Young to prepare themselves for a mission in Mexico. President Young said that he would like to have some extracts of the Book of Mormon translated to send to the people of Mexico and suggested that the two elders "study up their Spanish." Both Brother Jones and Brother Brizee had lived in Mexico and were well acquainted with conversational Spanish. They lacked the scholastic abilities to translate the publication and wished that a native Spaniard were available to complete the task. Melitone arrived just in time to be of real service to the church. He set about doing just that. When the saints began to colonize Mexico, Melitone was set apart as a missionary to that land. Taking his wife and four children with him, he settled in Chuichupa for the next 11 years. He loved his family and four more children were born to them while they lived in Chuichupa including my grandfather Emuel. He loved the country, farming, cattle and especially his missionary trips to neighboring states of Sonora and Durango. I have a great desire to learn more about this time that was so important in my family's life. This is only the tip of the iceburg as they say. The rest is LDS history. I am so grateful to be who I am. I have such wonderful pioneering ancestors. They through struggles and sacrifices made my life possible for me. I have a wonderful husband and together we have 12 children and quite a few grandchildren with two new ones on the way. I am grateful to have stumbled upon this site. It has brought me great joy and personal fulfullment thanks everyone.
Dale Clawson My connection with the colonies is from my mother. Her father and mother grew up in Conlonia Diaz. Ivan Clare Johnson and Anna Elesa Fredericksen met and started their family there, his father is William Derby Johnson Jr. William Derby Johnson Sr. and his wife Charlesette Cram Johnson are both buried in the cemetery at Colonia Diaz. Carl Anton Fredericksen, my Great Grandfather is also buried there. My mother was born, two weeks after they were driven out of Mexico, in El Paso Texas. They moved to Columbus New Mexico and then on to Arizona and settled in Phoenix. There my mother met my father whose family had moved from Toquerville Utah to Thatcher Arizona and then to Phoenix.	Laralee Nelson I'm a descendant of Abraham Done, a great-grandfather who lived in the Colonies. My grandfather, Heber Done, Abraham's son, was born in Payson, but with his family moved to Colonia Dublan in 1899 when he was 3 years old. The family left the colonies in 1912 when he was 16 years old. I'm just starting the detective hunt to see what might be found. I have names for a possible 5 wives, but lack any definitive confirmation for two of them. I wish I'd been more on the ball as a youngster and could have heard stories about his early life, but I don't recall him ever talking about it to his grandchildren.
Johnson Family My name is Randolph Holladay. My colony connections are from the Redd, Jameson and Haws families. Arthur Ewell Jameson, my maternal grandfather is the son of Alexander Jameson and Millicent C. Jameson. they lived in Colonia Morelos and Colonia Dublan. William Wallace Haws is the grandfather of my paternal Grandfather Lawrence Eugene Holladay. Effie Redd who married Arthur Jameson in Douglas in 1914 is the daughter of Lemuel Hardison Redd and Sarah Louisa Chamberlain Redd. In my childhood in Tucson several members of the Johnson family were prominent in the Tucson Branch of the California Mission. Viva Johnson VanWyke was not only my sunday school teacher but she also taught my father in the late 1920s. Ivy Johnson Lemmon was the mother and grandmother of numerous members of that family in our branch and the Lemmon boys: Bob, LeRoy and a third brother whose name I can't remember were dear friends of my father and his siblings. Other Johnsons who part of my growing up years w were Charlesetta Johnson Collier and Anona Johnson Duncan. My people are the Redd, Jameson and Haws families of Juarez, Morelos, Dublan and Pacheco. My name is Randolph Holladay and I reside in Salt Lake City..	Haws, Rowley, Carlton, Huish My name is Sally Haws. My grandfather Charles James Haws Jr was born at Colonia Pacheco. His mother, Julia Rowley went to Mexico as a 4 year old when her father, John Rowley, moved his families down there from Nephi, Utah to get away from the harrassment because he lived the law of plural marriage. John Rowley is also buried in the Pacheco cemetery. He was only 52 when he died and left four families in Mexico until the revolution when they left and most of them either didn't return or only returned for a while and left in the 1920's. They settled in Arizona, Utah and Idaho. My great great grandfather, William Wallace Haws, also moved from Utah, to Arizona and then to Mexico for the same reasons. My great grandfather Charles James Haws Sr was born in Arizona and grew up in Pacheco. He died young, age 25, and is buried at Pacheco next to an infant daughter who was born and died after he died. His father William Wallace Haws also died at Pacheco and is one of the few buried there that has a headstone in the Pacheco cemetery. My great grandmother, Julia Rowley Haws, married again after Charles Sr died. She married Lehi Carlton, who had grown up in Mexico also. His grandfather is Joseph Ellis Johnson - William Derby Johnson's brother. Lehi and Julia raised Charlie (my grandfather) and had nine other children also, all of whom were born in Mexico except two who were born in Arizona when they left during the Revolution. They went back to Pacheco afterwards and stayed until about 1925 when they moved to Utah. My great great grandfather on my mother's side, Edward Alexander Huish,and his brother Lorenzo Snow Huish also went to Mexico. They settled at Morelos and then left in 1912 and eventually settled in Arizona. My great great grandmother Susannah Matilda Huish never went to Mexico, she stayed in Utah. Only a couple of the children went to Mexico, most of them stayed in Utah.

Movies Books and More

LaraleeNelson — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:40:50 CDT

Check WorldCat for resources in libraries near you. This is a keyword search for Mormon Colonies [in] Mexico. WorldCat is a global database used by most libraries in the United States. It has over 142 million titles (as of August 2009) and it allows you to see libraries which own the material, and will show you where they are located.

Movies & DVDs

The Land of Refuge: The Mormon Colonies in Mexico

Books

(Alpha by author)

Alder, Lorna Call and Francis C. and Lynn C., Anson Bowen Call, Bishop of Colonia Dublan, ©1906,
Bentley, Joseph C Correspondence letters., Addressed to A.W. Ivins Sept. 5, 1912 to April 7 1914 Utah State Historical Library.
Bowman, Henry Wesley, Life Story of Henry Wesley Bowman, (undated) Colonia Dublan, Mexico, spiral bound
Brown, Samuel, James Brown Family., Published by Stevenson’s Genealogical Center 1985
Burns, Barney T. and Naylor, Thomas H., Colonia Morelos, A short history of a Mormon colony in Mexico, ©1973.
Call, Hannah S., The History of Colonia Dublán, (undated).
Eyring, Henry, The Journal of Henry Eyring, 1835-1902, ©
Gardner, Cynthia M. and Wayne L., A Centennial Salute; A Tribute to Henry Lunt Smith and Beatrice Richins Smith, ©1991. Wayne L. Gardner, 1716 E. Ivyglen, Mesa, AZ 85203, 480.461.8284
Hatch, Ernestine, Stalwarts South of the Border, ©1985, edited by Nelle Spilsbury Hatch and B. Carmon Hardy.
Hatch, Nelle Spilsbury, Colonia Juarez, An intimate account of a Mormon village, ©1954. Deseret Book Company, Salt Lake City, Utah.
Hatch, Nelle, editor, Academia Juarez, Colonia Juarez Chihuahua 1901–1976, ©1977
Heywood, Sylvia Lunt, Pacheco History and Stories, ©1998, from Francis Memmott.
Johnson, Annie R., Heartbeats of Colonia Diaz, ©1972. Publishers Press, Mesa Arizona.
Judd, Hyrum Ontario to Chihuahua 1824 -1894 Published by Roylance Publishing Murray, Utah
Memmott, H. Kirk, Thomas Memmott Journal, Volume 1, ©1976. Publisher: J. Grant Stevenson, Provo, Utah.
Robinson, Eldon S. and Leah W., Kindred Saints and their Mexican Connection; The Mormon Heritage of Minnie Amelia Stark and Samuel John Robinson, © 1994, perfect bound book.
Romney, Thomas Cottam, The Mormon Colonies in Mexico, ©1938. The University of Utah Press, Salt Lake City, Utah.
Savage, Levi M., Journal of Brother Levi M. Savage, Utah Historical Society March 6th 1885 to December 24 1893
Schwartzlose, Richard A., Mormon Settlements in Mexico, ©1952. Eagle Rock, California (wirebound, excellent summary, from Fletcher)
Sevey, Minerva Elizabeth., Minerva Elizabeth Sevey Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Great-Grandmother and an “Angel of Mercy” to many others.
Toone, Nellie Ray, Where to Now? James Wilford Ray, June, 1974, stapled, 17pp.
Whetten,John. The John Thomas Family,
Williams, George Calvin., The life, Religion and Family of George Cavin Williams and Martha Bearl Easterly. Edited by Kevin Blaine Williams
Williams, John C Story of Mexican Revolution
Young, Karl E., Ordeal in Mexico; Tales of danger and hardship collected from Mormon colonists, ©1968. Deseret Book Company, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Events of Interest

SusieBWagner — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 09:28:19 CDT

Mormon Colonies Fiesta

September 18, 2009

5:00 PM - whenever

Lindon City Park

200 N State St.

Lindon, UT

Bring Mexican Potluck

Bring your guitar and singing voices.

Come and have fun!

Karl Bowman and Susie Bowman Wagner - Lindon, Utah

George Wilson and Susan Ann Smith McConkie

sarge6768 — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 05:15:21 CDT

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Type your photo caption or credit here.	Type your photo caption or credit here.	Type your photo caption or credit here.
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Alexander F. Macdonald

TaylorMacdonald — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:17:57 CDT

Alexander F. Macdonald -- Man of Three Nations
by Taylor Macdonald
Alexander Findlay Macdonald lived nearly 78 years in three countries, approximately one-third of his life span respectively in Scotland, the United States, and Mexico. He was one of thousands of Scots who left their homeland in the 1800s to settle far-flung lands around the globe. However, he was different from most of his countrymen in that religion, not economics, was the motive for his emigration.

Scottish Highland Heritage
He was born on September 15, 1825 in the Scottish hamlet of Camas-Luinie (spelled Camusluinie in older records and pronounced "commus-lynee") located in one of the remotest spots of the Highlands. Camas-Luinie lies in the northern district of Glenelchaig in the parish of Kintail in the western portion of Ross-shire, near the west coast of Scotland where the Isle of Skye comes within a mile of the mainland.
Kintail was (and still is) populated largely by Macraes, and was the ancestral homeland of this clan. Three of Alexander Macdonald's four grandparents were Macraes, and his Macrae ancestors had lived in Kintail and surrounding regions since the 1400s. His Macdonald ancestors came to Kintail in the 1700s, probably from the Lochaber district in Inverness-shire some 30 or 40 miles to the southeast.
His people were poor, and although he descended from some distinguished lines, both locally and nationally, his immediate ancestors and family members were farmers, tailors, and illegal whisky distillers. His father was Duncan Macdonald, born in the Kintail hamlet of Carr, located on a hillside overlooking the ancient and storied Eilean Donan Castle, one of the most photographed castles in Scotland. About 1820, an epidemic in Carr caused most of its inhabitants to evacuate the village, and Duncan went with his older brother Farquhar over the mountain to Camas-Luinie, a village of Macraes, where they both married Macrae brides. Duncan married Margaret Macrae sometime in the early 1820s, and their first child Alexander Findlay was born there, followed two years later by a daughter Isabella.

Camas-Luinie, Kintail Parish, Ross & Cromarty, Scotland

Move to Perth

Duncan and Margaret were desperately poor, and their ancestral Highland home offered no hope of improvemetont. So in 1829, the couple with their two small children moved to the Scottish city of Perth, about 35 miles north of the capital of Edinburgh. Relatives had preceded them and probably helped them get settled. Duncan found work operating a beetling mill (part of Scotland's textile industry) at Ruthven Mill two miles outside of Perth. The family made their home in the mill itself, and there in 1831 Margaret gave birth to twin daughters, Ann and Margaret, who both died soon after birth.
The Macdonald family later moved to the center of Perth living in a narrow alley named Cutlog Vennel where Alexander and Isabella grew up. Duncan and Margaret apparently had ambitions for their dark-haired, dark-eyed son, and saw that he received a good education at King James VI Hospital School. The city dwellers of lowland Scotland looked down on the Highlanders flocking to the cities, and considered them uncivilized bumpkins. Alexander grew very tall and strong, and he and his father spent many hours punching and tussling so Alexander could learn to defend himself against those who thought themselves his betters.
After finishing his schooling, Alexander received training as a ship's carpenter and worked in the ship building industry in Perth. Though not as large as the Glasgow shipyards, Perth's location on the River Tay with easy access to the North Sea created a thriving ship industry. Alexander sailed on the maiden voyages of new vessels, making repairs and adjustments as needed. Some time in this era, he attended the University of Edinburgh, although he did not receive a degree. This was a remarkable achievement for someone from his lowly station in the class structure of British society. Alexander's education would serve him well throughout his life.

Life Changing Decision

The defining experience of Alexander F. Macdonald's life was his meeting missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Mormons. In November of 1846, Alexander and his ship mate David Ireland were paying court to two sisters, daughters of John and Christina Graham of Perth, and John Graham had invited the missionaries to his home on one of the evenings Alexander was visiting. Although not known to be a religious seeker before this time, Alexander was struck by the missionary's message of a modern prophet in America who had visions and translated scriptures from golden plates engraved by ancient prophets in pre-Columbian America and buried for centuries.
He wrote later that he was immediately convinced of the truth of the missionary's words, and sought to join the church through baptism. Although 21 and legally an adult, Alexander's father Duncan fiercely opposed his son's desires, and the missionaries advised him to wait. Always impatient and man of action, Alexander waited as long as he could and finally insisted on baptism in the River Tay on January 2, 1847. The missionaries asked him how his father would respond, and Alexander replied he would surely receive a beating. Alarmed, the missionaries cautioned him to not to strike his father no matter what happened.
A somber Alexander trudged through the streets of Perth, soaking wet from his baptism, entered the family home, and announced what he had done. His outraged father began raining blows on him, and since his six-foot-four-inch son did not return his punches, Duncan thought he was going too light. So he increased the strength and intensity of his blows, and still Alexander stood impassive, his arms hanging to his sides. Duncan finally stopped only because he was too exhausted to continue, and muttered angrily, "I hope that's enough."
It was indeed enough, for although Alexander had not struck his father, his anger had mounted mightily during the barrage. He left the house that night and immediately left on a voyage to the Maritime provinces of Canada where he sought out Mormons in Newcastle, New Brunswick. By the time he returned, tempers of both father and son had cooled, and Alexander became active in the local branch of the LDS Church in Perth. To his delight, Elizabeth Graham, the young woman he had been courting and in whose home he had met the missionaries, had also joined the LDS Church, although her father had expelled her from their home and she had gone to Edinburgh to live with a Mormon family.

Alexander's First Mission

In 1850, Alexander was called on a full-time mission and set out on a preaching tour through the cities of eastern Scotland. During one of his visits to Perth, he and Elizabeth Graham (by then back in her family's home) became engaged, and a while later they were married. (Elizabeth's compelling personal story is told elsewhere on this web site.) During this period, Duncan Macdonald, and Alexander's sister Isabella joined the Church, as did most of Elizabeth Graham's family.
Mission authorities transferred Alexander and Elizabeth to Liverpool, England, the headquarters of the British Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where Alexander's abilities were recognized and his missionary duties increased when he was called to be president of the Liverpool Conference...

Immigration to America and Utah

In early 1854, Alexander, age 28, and Elizabeth Macdonald left Liverpool in a company of several hundred other European Mormons and sailed to the United States, arriving at the port of New Orleans and took a river steamboat up the Mississippi River to a staging area in Kansas. There they joined a wagon train and arrived in Salt Lake City on October 1, 1854. Alexander's father Duncan Macdonald accompanied them as did Elizabeth's mother and sister. (Margaret Macrae Macdonald had died in Glasgow in 1853, and John Graham had died earlier in Perth. Margaret Macdonald never joined the LDS Church.)
They rented rooms to live in, and Alexander immediately joined the religious and intellectual life of the city. He had already met many of the leaders and members of the Church in Scotland and England and was by no means a stranger. Along with others, he helped organize the Universal Scientific Society with the goal of holding educational, intellectual, and fine arts events.
During the first several years of their marriage, Elizabeth had suffered repeated miscarriages, and in England she had begun to despair of ever having children. However, she received a Priesthood blessing in Liverpool promising her children. In February of 1855, four months after their arrival in America, Elizabeth gave birth to a son, Alexander Findlay Macdonald, Jr. He was the first of eleven sons Elizabeth would eventually bear.

Springville, Utah

Soon after arriving in Utah, Alexander obtained employment in Springville, Utah, about 60 miles south of Salt Lake City. After the baby's birth, the family moved there, and the family made their home there for six or seven years. Alexander's abilities propelled him to positions of prominence, and he was elected mayor of the town and chosen a Counselor to Bishop Aaron Johnson.
The family built a home, Duncan married the widow Ann Leslie Thompson, also a Scottish immigrant, and the family appeared to settle into a peaceful pioneer existence. Alexander started a Springville branch of the Universal Scientific Society and gave lectures on history, current events, and the Indians. He also produced and acted in plays.

Clash with a Federal Army

However, this quiet life did not continue. Rumors had circulated in the East that the Mormons were a subversive lot, dominated by a sinister cabal of leaders headed by Brigham Young. An army was dispatched to Utah to put down the alleged Mormon rebellion, and Utah was thrown into turmoil. By 1858, Johnston's Army had arrived and established Camp Floyd west of Utah Lake. In 1859, a federal judge opened court in the county seat at Provo, and Alexander Macdonald was called in to serve on a grand jury. However, that was just a ruse to deceive him, and as soon as he arrived at the court he was arrested along with a few other men. All those involved knew there was nothing to charge him with, and that the authorities merely wanted to intimidate him into implicating Brigham Young, their real goal, in several crimes. However, the federal authorities picked the wrong man in A. F. Macdonald. Although they kept him under armed guards 24 hours a day, most of the time with a cocked pistol held against his temple, Alexander resisted their efforts to lie or betray his leader. He knew that Brigham Young was not guilty of any crime other than espousing and leading an unusual and unpopular religion. Still they kept A. F. Macdonald imprisoned, and finally after a month, fearing the incensed citizenry of Utah Valley would rescue Macdonald by force, the authorities decided to transfer him to Camp Floyd. They tied him straddled to a cannon and hauled him for several days to the army headquarters. Army diarist Albert Tracy records:

Of our convoy of prisoners, one McDonald, stood not less than six feet three, and towered above the guard like a giant. . . . He strode with an air of martyr-like defiance, and seemed to be high in favor with the lookers on. The remaining prisoners were downcast, or, perhaps, dogged of manner, and seemed less confident.

Clearly, Alexander was not threatened although he was treated cruelly by his 7th Regiment captors. Thomas Ackley, another military officer recorded in his journal how Alexander Macdonald, sleeping in the guard house hall, exhausted after the long march from Provo, was nearly murdered by an imprisoned soldier. Walking into the room with his ball and chain, “One of these fellows let his iron ball drop, . . . intending for it to strike the Mormon in the head, and would have killed him had it not been that he threw up his arm to save himself, but broke his arm.” (The diarist later identifies the injured man as Alexander Macdonald who was denied medical treatment for his broken arm.)
Ackley later expressed amusement at observing Macdonald and other prisoners working “. . . with large sacks of sand tied to them, others with large logs of wood strapped to their backs for punishment. . . . .”
Later Alexander was confined to small adobe room, barely large enough for him to stand, and with only a small pile of straw as bathroom facilities. A frantic Elizabeth tried to visit him and bring him bedding and food, but she was turned away. One of the officers had Macdonald brought to his quarters at night to secretly teach him the doctrines of Mormonism. Alexander later told his wife that the young captain believed the teachings but feared that joining the church would jeopardize his military career. Eventually the Army was embarrassed into releasing A.F. Macdonald and he returned to his wife and sons in Springville.

The Macdonalds and Polygamy

It was in Springville that Alexander and Elizabeth Macdonald entered the practice of plural marriage, when in 1856 Alexander married Sarah Johnson, a beautiful and refined Englishwoman. Later her relatives forcibly took her away to Nevada and forced her into a relationship there. She died young after giving birth to two children who also died.

Move to Provo, Utah

Church leaders had taken notice of the young Scottish convert, and Brigham Young called Alexander to move to Provo in the early 1860s to manage the Church's tithing office there. (This set the pattern for the remainder of Alexander's life in which calls from his leaders directed all his activities.) Paid largely in kind, the Latter-day Saints' tithing came in the form of potatoes, grain, butter, milk, eggs, hay, cattle, horses, and other goods. Storing, preserving, and distributing these goods was no small task and Alexander proved himself an able manager. The Saints of Provo had been working on building a tabernacle for over a decade, but the project languished and an impatient Brigham assigned Alexander Macdonald to take charge of completing the building which was soon finished and dedicated. Alexander spoke often in the new meetinghouse. He was also elected a city alderman.
In 1864 Alexander married two more wives, both Scottish-Agnes Aird and Elizabeth Atkinson (always called "Lizzie" in the family)-and in 1870 he married for the last time to Fannie Van Cott, daughter of LDS general authority John Van Cott and cousin of Apostles Parley P. Pratt and Orson Pratt. Alexander's first daughter, his ninth child, was born to Elizabeth Atkinson in 1865. She was named Margaret after her two grandmothers, and was called Maggie all her life.
In 1870, U.S. soldiers stationed west of Provo, raided the Macdonald home and vandalized it because he would not sell them alcohol he carried in his store on Center Street. Alexander stocked the liquor for medical treatment, and knew the soldiers were buying it for recreational purposes. The soldiers found liquor elsewhere and, drunk, decided to take revenge on Macdonald, who was absent from the home. They terrorized his wives and children and sacked the entire lower floor, breaking out all doors and windows and scattering bedding, dishes, and furniture in the street. The so-called “Provo Raid” enraged the citizens and embarrassed the military authorities. Alexander accepted their apologies and reparations.
Four of Elizabeth Graham Macdonald's younger sons died in Provo and were buried in the Provo Cemetery where Alexander placed a large obelisk to mark their graves. Elizabeth's eleventh and youngest son died in Nephi, Utah, while the family was traveling to St. George, and he was also buried in the family plot in Provo. Agnes Aird Macdonald and Elizabeth Atkinson Macdonald both gave birth to daughters who died as infants in Provo. By 1872, Alexander Macdonald had fathered 18 children. By the time the family was finally settled in St. George in 1872, eleven healthy children filled the Macdonald households.

Call to St. George

In the early 1870s, Brigham Young called Alexander Macdonald to take charge of the tithing office in St. George in far southwest Utah. Construction had just begun on a large temple there, and most of the Church's tithes were flowing there to support this huge building effort. Alexander moved his large family to St. George in stages, and bought homes and property in Middleton, Utah, next to St. George.
In Utah's Dixie, Alexander Macdonald's was called to the stake presidency and was elected mayor of the city. He, his wives, and his older sons worked vigorously to build the temple and to improve their own personal situations, and Alexander was involved in many civic and commercial projects. However, Alexander retained his property in Provo and told Brigham Young he wished to return there to live when the temple was completed. Brigham agreed.
The Macdonald family prospered in St. George, and his older sons grew to young manhood. His aged father Duncan who had loved his son and followed him to America, died in St. George on September 12, 1876. His widow Ann Leslie Thompson Macdonald moved back to Springville to her children. In St. George six more children were born, four of whom died there as infants or toddlers. (The author's grandfather, Byron Van Cott Macdonald, was born September 14, 1877, three months after Alexander F. Macdonald left for his mission in Scotland.)
Alexander probably anticipated the completion of the St. George in early 1877 so he could move back to Provo. But Brigham Young had other plans in mind, and during the dedication services of Temple, the Church president announced from the pulpit that A.F. Macdonald and two of his sons were called to Scotland on a mission. The family took the news in stride, and the wives set about to support themselves and the missionaries. All were enured to hard work, and no end to it was in sight.
Alexander did not forget the purpose of the temple, however, and performed some of the first ordinances there, including some of first vicarious endowments for the deceased in this dispensation.

Mission to Scotland

In 1877, A. F. Macdonald left with his sons Alec (Alexander F., Jr.) and Aaron for Scotland, traveling eastward by train, an improvement over the ox-drawn wagon Alexander had driven 23 years earlier.
In Scotland, Alexander was made president of the Glasgow Conference,, and he attacked his work vigorously as he did every task. In later years, Andrew Duthie, a Scottish convert of that era who had settled with the Macdonalds in the Mexican colonies, commented that when Alexander and his two stalwart sons arrived, the Scottish saints were somewhat awe-struck by the towering threesome. “They looked like the gods!” he told Colonia Juarez resident W. Ernest Young.
Alec paid a visit to his father's home area of Kintail and became acquainted with relatives there. Alexander himself spent several weeks there in August 1877, visiting and recording invaluable genealogical data of hundreds of names and families of his relatives, data that formed the foundation of subsequent family genealogical research.
Aaron Macdonald's journals paint a vivid picture of their missionary experiences in Scotland, including visits to their Aird, Graham, Macdonald, and Macrae relations.

Bound for Arizona

Alec McDonald (A.F.'s eldest son preferred this spelling of his surname) returned from the mission after a year, and Alexander and Aaron returned the summer of 1879. They planned their return to Provo when they got back to Utah. However, Brigham Young had died while they were away, and senior Apostle John Taylor now led the Church. Not long after Alexander reported his mission to President Taylor, he was surprised to learn that he, Alexander, was called to go to Arizona to assume leadership of the settlement there known as the Salt River Mission, present day Mesa, a few miles east of Phoenix.
Ever obedient, Alexander took his families and began the move to Arizona. They arrived in December 1879 to find to colony with an array of problems among themselves and with the local Indians. Within hours of arriving in Mesa, several Indian chiefs visited the new Mormon leader with complaints which Alexander later learned had merit.
As always, he plunged in to solve the problems and carry out the myriad activities required to develop raw land into a productive settlement and a rough frontier culture into some semblance of spiritual and cultural refinement. As he had done in Springville, Provo, and St. George, A.F. Macdonald set about surveying roads, canals, and ditches, and overseeing their building. He built many buildings-houses, schools, churches, stores, barns-and, when the city was incorporated he was elected mayor. In addition, when a formal stake was organized, he was appointed stake president.
Only one child was born in Mesa, Lucy Lavinia, to his wife Fannie Van Cott. Tragedy struck again however, when in 1883 an epidemic of small pox swept through the Mormon settlement and killed Alexander and Fannie's son John V. Macdonald, age 11. The next summer, 24-year-old Aaron J. Macdonald, perhaps one of A.F.'s most promising children, died also, leaving a young widow and infant son. Alexander and his wives pressed on in their duties.

Mexico-The Final Phase

As part of A.F. Macdonald's leadership responsibilities after arriving in Arizona, he was instructed by the Church leaders to begin explorations for Mormon colony sites in northern Mexico. Brigham Young had always looked to the far north (Canada) and the far south (Mexico) as logical and natural extensions of Mormon settlement. Alexander traveled often to Sonora and Chihuahua, the bordering Mexican states with exploring expeditions.
It was not until 1884 that settlement in Mexico became urgent, however. The United States government had become progressively more determined to eradicate Mormon polygamy, and the federal marshals in Arizona were particularly diligent. A.F. Macdonald and other LDS leaders spent much of their time in federal custody or hiding to avoid arrest. They felt their marriage practices were their religious prerogatives and deemed federal opposition to be religious persecution. God had commanded them to practice plural marriage, and they felt it their duty to oppose the government. Church efforts to maintain the legality of plural marriage had preoccupied the leaders during the preceding decades.

Colonia Juarez

In January 1885, A.F. Macdonald left Mesa, by Church assignment, to find a place in Mexico to settle the hundreds of Mormons refugees fleeing the polygamy prosecutions. He and others found tracts of land, and over the next several years, nine towns were founded in Chihuahua and Sonora. Alexander settled in Colonia Juarez at first, and in the early 1890s, he also built a home in Colonia Garcia, some 35 miles away up in the Sierra Madre Mountains.

Ecclesiastical and Temporal Affairs Leadership

The colonization had two organizations, ecclesiastical and economic. The church organization, officially the Mexican Mission, was headed by Elder George Teasdale, one of the Twelve Apostles, with Alexander F. Macdonald as First Counselor, and Henry Eyring as Second Counselor. The economic organization was called the Mexican Colonization and Agricultural Company, headed by John Henry Smith, one of the Apostles in Utah. A.F. Macdonald was named General Manager, and was the director of land matters in Mexico.
His responsibilities required that he travel often to Utah and Mexico City, and other places. With prolonged absences, his wives and families carried on their homes without him, yet when he did make an appearance in one of his homes, he naturally assumed the role of husband and father, in short, the patriarch. This created tensions because the families were used to operating without him, and it sometimes resulted in strained family relationships. Of course, by this time, most of his children from Elizabeth, Agnes, and Lizzie were grown or nearly so, and were scattered throughout Utah and Arizona. His wife Fannie, however, was much younger, and was still bearing children. In fact, she had A.F.'s last child, Flora Hermosa, in Mexico in 1888.
Stilling longing to live in Provo, Utah, Alexander felt he had sacrificed all his personal desires to answer the call of those he believed to be true prophets and apostles of Jesus Christ. He was not merely colonizing the great American West, a grand enough concept in itself, rather he was building the very Kingdom of God on the earth as he felt The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to be.
He was deeply wounded, therefore, to learn that some of his fellow colonists in Mexico had sent a letter to Church leaders in Salt Lake City complaining about his work in Mexico regarding land distribution and other issues. They went so far as to request he be removed from office. Three apostles (Brigham Young, Jr., John Henry Smith, and Francis M. Lyman) were sent to investigate the matter, and all three reported that Macdonald had made difficult decisions, but, in their estimation, he had made the right decisions.

Colonia Garcia

Macdonald was vindicated. But he was also offended, and partly because of that and partly because Colonia Garcia needed settlers, he moved there. It was a remote settlement up in a mountain valley, and he built a simple log cabin to live in. He was still living in that cabin when he died in 1903. One wonders if he every contemplated the irony of his life-he had the skills to acquire wealth which he had demonstrated over and over. In Provo, St. George, and Mesa he still owned beautiful homes, farms, orchards, stores, and other holdings where he could live in comfort and security. Yet he felt he was living for a higher cause, and when his son Wallace wrote him that he was now old and could move back to Mesa and live comfortably, Alexander fairly thundered his response that he was doing as he had been called to do by his Priesthood leaders, and he was not ready or willing to retire.
He continued through the last decade of the nineteenth century to buy new tracts of lands for future Mormon settlements. He traveled often to Utah and Arizona on Church business. He attended the dedication of the great Salt Lake temple in April 1893, and was part of a sacred prayer circle with the Church's First Presidency, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and other general authorities and invited leaders. He engaged in a prodigious amount of temple work for his ancestors and relatives, and is considered one of the great early genealogists of the Church when little or no Church assistance was available in gathering names and conducting genealogical research.

Death of Agnes Macdonald

On February 23, 1898, while Alexander was away on a conference trip, a trusted employee burglarized his home in Colonia Garcia and murdered his wife Agnes Aird, age 59. He was shocked and returned immediately. Agnes's son James was living in Garcia, and her other two sons, Wallace and George, came from Arizona to hunt down her killer. They were warned by an Apostle to give up their search or they would lose their lives. Much folklore arose over the death of Agnes Macdonald, but the facts have been carefully researched and are now largely known. The final fate of her murderer, Teófilo Parra, is however still unclear. With Agnes's deaths, Elizabeth “Lizzie” Atkinson Macdonald left her home near Mesa, Arizona, and went to Garcia to be with her husband. She also cared for the four children of her daughter Elizabeth when she died in 1902.
In 1895, LDS Church authorities organized the Mexican Mission into the Juarez Stake. Anthony W. Ivins, an able man from St. George, was called to be president, with Henry Eyring and Helaman Pratt as counselors. Alexander F. Macdonald, then over 70 years of age, was ordained a Patriarch and also called as president of the High Priests Quorum, fitting duties indeed for a proven and seasoned veteran. He continued on the board of directors of the Mexican Colonization and Agricultural Company, and made frequent trips to Utah for meetings and temple work. He also traveled about the colonies in Mexico giving patriarchal blessings.

Old Age and Ill Health

Lizzie continued to live in Colonia Garcia while Fannie maintained a home in Colonia Juarez. Through the 1890s, Alexander's health began to decline. He suffered from Bright's Disease, a term that includes dozens of kidney and urinary tract illnesses today. In the late winter and early spring of 1903, his condition worsened, and he went to El Paso, Texas, seeking better medical help. The doctors told him there was nothing they could do, that they could only put him in the hospital to await death. He decided he would go home to die, and got on the train with Lizzie. By the time they got to the station in Nuevo Casas Grandes, the main train station used by the Mormon colonists, Alexander was nearly comatose. Lizzie helped him off the train and kind strangers helped get him to the home of the Elldredge family, Americans living in the area. They put him to bed, and after recovering partial consciousness for a few moments, the venerable old Scotsman died. It was March 21, 1903.
Lizzie immediately contacted Church authorities in Colonia Dublan, the Mormon town only two miles away. They came and took the remains to Dublan where they dressed him appropriately and held the funeral. He was buried in the Dublan Cemetery, although he never lived there. He had expressed his desire to be taken to Provo for burial, so the Young brothers who dug his grave, bricked the sides so the casket could be retrieved later. His body was never taken to Provo and remains to this day in Dublan Cemetery.

After Alexander's Death
Elizabeth Graham lived for another fourteen years and died in St. George on July 11, 1917. She was buried n the family plot in Provo. Six of her Eleven sons grew to adulthood, but all save one died before she did.
Elizabeth “Lizzie” Atkinson stayed in the log cabin home in Colonia Garcia with her four grandchildren until the Exodus of 1912 when she went to Lehi, Arizona, where she died ten years later on February 4, 1922. She was buried in Mesa City Cemetery. She had four daughters, two of whom died as infants, and one who died as a young mother of four.
Fannie Van Cott stayed in her home in Colonia Juarez where she raised her three surviving children of the five she bore. In her later years she moved in with her daughter Lucy Macdonald Bluth in Colonia Dublan, where she died on December 21, 1930, and was buried near her husband in the Dublan Cemetery.
Alexander F. Macdonald was the father of 26 children, 14 of whom grew to adulthood. Two of the 14 (Heber and George) had children but no grandchildren, so their lines have died out.

Individual Family Pages

TaylorMacdonald — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:58:43 CDT

To add your individual family's story:
Click "Add Page" at the bottom left of the Wiki Page box.
Give the page your family name.
Add photos and information about your family.

Families currently represented on the Wiki include:

Join the Mormon Colonies Wiki

PamelaJo — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 08:24:43 CDT

PRESIDENT ROMNEY RELEASED

President Romney was released on Wednesday after a ransom was delivered to the kidnappers. Pres. Romney had been kept in a cave near three rivers, a familiar spot for the Colonists. The amount of the ransom has not been disclosed.

The community continues to take pro-active measures to ensure the safety of their families. They are being educated by experts on ways to avoid future incidences.

UNCONFIRMED NEWS!

Reports out of Mexico is that President Romney has been released above Pacheco. Men have been sent to locate him. Details will follow once confirmed.

URGENT: Reports are coming out of Mexico that President Meredith Romney was kidnapped by masked gunmen at the gate of his ranch near Janos, Chihuahua, late Monday afternoon.

(16 June 2009) Romney's wife, Karen, and his twelve-year-old grandson were left at the scene when the gunmen fled in their unlicensed, unmarked black Jeep Cherokee. The motives of the kidnapping are unclear at this time but the family remains hopeful that the situation will be resolved quickly and positively within the next few days. The community has begun a fast for the safe and speedy return of President Romney. In recent months, the local communities have taken pro-active measures to ensure the safety of their citizens. National law enforcement agencies have been supportive in education and readiness training for at-risk groups in northern Mexico.

Welcome!

This Wiki is for YOU to share your family's stories, photographs and connection to the Mormon Colonies in Mexico. We invite you to join the Wiki today! Please post your stories, your photographs, your video and your ancestors' journals.

Steve Dockstader said it better than we could when he made the following comment: "How interesting that so many decendants of the original Colonia residents have found this site. I would venture to say that there would be no other realistic way for us to find one another and exchange stories and information and most of all, learn about where we come from. Just because of what I have learned here I have kept looking into my family history."

See the instructions page for guidance on how to get started. Here are some of the things you might want to do!

Add a Family Page! Bowman, Pamela Harkey, Bonnie Bluth Hatch, Gerald Haws Family Haynie, Patrick Calhoun James, Joseph Henry Johnson, Sr., William Derby Jorgenson, Clara May Hanie Lake, George The Family of George Lake Rayl, Claudette McClellan (Bowman) Scott, Miki Brown Trejo Family Trejo, Meliton Gonzalez Whiting, Bernard Snow & Ethel Johnson	Add Photos to the Mormon Colonies Wiki Gallery! Or just go to the gallery and take a look at all of the amazing photos from the Colonies!	Add information on Books, Videos and Music related to the Colonies! A Prophet's Inspiration by Virginia Hatch Romney The Land of Refuge by Pamela Bowman & Cyndi Greening Stalwarts South of the Border by Nelle Spilsbury Hatch, edited by B. Carmon Hardy
Go to My Connection to add a photo and quick note about your family connection to the Colonies!	Go to the EVENTS page and list your gathering! Things like: Family Reunions Annual Celebrations Journeys to the Colonies Weddings Funerals	Go to the LINKs page to add sites of interest to members of the Mormon Colonies Wiki ... like those below! Orson Pratt Brown Family Joseph Henry James Family Price William Nelson Family Colonia Juarez Alldrege Family Van Leeuven Family Evans Family

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P. C. Haynie

ruelynng — Sat, 02 May 2009 15:14:12 CDT

Patrick Calhoun (P. C.) Haynie, joined the LDS Church in Georgia after listening to Elder John Morgan. He was baptized 10 February 1877. Other members of his family were also baptized into the LDS Church. Elder Morgan converted about 60 souls in the northern Georgia and western Alabama area. Opposition grew towards these new converts to Mormonism and they desired to move west and be among the Saints.

Elder Morgan wrote a letter to Brigham Young asking his advice as to were this group of new converts should settle. President Young wrote back and advice him to extend Zion beyond Utah and look for possibilities in west Texas or New Mexico.

This small group travel by train from Scottsboro, Alabama to Pueblo, Colorado in the fall of 1877. They remained in Pueblo that winter, pooled their money and lived the in a United Order. The Colorado Governor, A. Cameron Hunt suggested they settle the San Luis Valley in southern Colorado, just north of New Mexico. The group followed Governor's suggestion and the moved south to the San Luis Valley in late May of 1878.

P. C. married a young girl, Henrietta Cecelia Gage Bagwell, from Alabama who was among those who travel west, by Elder Morgan while in Pueblo 25 March 1878. P. C. and Henrietta remained in Manassa, Colorado for six years. P. C. desired a warmer climate and moved his small family to Pima, Arizona in the fall of 1884. A year later he and Henrietta traveled to St George, Utah to be sealed in the Temple. While there Elder Wilford Woodruff told them to go home and put their house in order and to embrace the scared law of plural marriage. Within a year they asked fifteen and half year old Mary Elma Wilson to the second wife.

P. C. and Ella traveled to St. George, Utah and was married and sealed in the St. George Temple 6 April 1887. Upon their return to Pima, he moved the family to Mexico as to provide protection against the Federal Marshall and the Laws of the United States Government against plural marriage.

The Family of George Lake

JanMyers — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 19:19:03 CDT

George Lake was the son of James Lake Jr and Philomela Smith. George was born 15 September 1838 near Pittsfield, Pike, Illinois. Died, 23 March 1898 in Colonia Dublan, Chihuahua, Mexico. His third wife was Mary Edda Foster, daughter of Charles Allen Foster and Mary Roberts Hinkle. Mary Edda was born 4 July 1852 in Ogden, Weber, Utah. Died, 14 August 1918 in Monticello, San Juan, Utah.
George and Mary Edda's children are:
Philomelia Lake, born 14 August 1874 in Oxford, Oneida Idaho. Died 23 January 1898, Colonia Dublan, Chihuahua, Mexico. Married Fredrick William Jones, Jr. 3 Sept 1892 in Colonia Dublan, Chihuahua, Mexico.
Samuel George Lake, born 12 July 1876, Obed, Yavapie, Arizona. Died 17 Nov 1958, Yuba City, Butte, California. Married Jeanie Morgan Pryde, 20 Dec 1898, Colonia Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico.
Moroni Charles Lake, born 14 December 1877, Obed, Apache, Arizona. Died 12 April 1888, Casa Grandes, Chihuahua, Mexico.
William Bailey Lake, born 25 August 1879, Brigham City, Apache, Arizona. Died 15 August 1965, Salt Lake City, Utah. Married, Sarah Emma Carroll, 29 November 1901, Cave Valley, Chihuahua, Mexico.
Jacob Allen Lake, born 6 June 1881, Brigham City, Apache, Arizona. Died 24 January 1886, Casa Grandes, Chihuahua, Mexico.
Mary Ellen Lake, born 24 January 1883, Forestdale, Apache Arizona. Died 29 December 1973, Mesa, Maricopa, Arizona. Married, George Josiah Jarvis, 15 August, 1903, Colonia Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico
Sabra Lake, born 4 December 1884, St. David, Cochise, Arizona. Died, 9 February 1887, Casa Grandes, Chihuahua, Mexico
Willard Lake, born 15 September, 1886, Casa Grande, Chihuahua, Mexico. Died 3 December 1980, Farmington, Davis, Utah. Married, Charlotte Gruwell, 21 April 1908, Colonia Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico. Married Violet Lund, Kuchenbacker, 30 June 1943, Salt Lake City, Utah
Nephi Lake, born 28 December 1888, Colonia Dublan, Chihuahua, Mexico. Died as a child.
Ida May Lake born 8 December 1890, Colonia Dublan, Chihuahua, Mexico. Died 18 December 1968, Mesa Miricopa, Arizona. Married, Isaac Turley Jr. 4 July 1912, Colonia Dublan Chihuahua, Mexico.
Ammon Lake, born 14 August 1894, Colonia Dublan, Chihuahua, Mexico. Died 16 September 1876, Bakersfield, California. Married Hazel Atkin, 4 May 1916.

HISTORY OF THE CHILDREN OF GEORGE LAKE AND HIS THIRD WIFE, MARY EDDA FOSTER

PHILOMELIA LAKE, born 14 August 1874 at Oxford, Oneida, Idaho. Philomelia was about 5 ft 2 in tall, blue eyes and brown hair. She was very helpful to her Mother. As she grew up in Colonia Dublan, she had several chances of marriage to go into polygamy. She had high ideals and made a good choice for her companion, Frederick William Jones Jr. She spoke Spanish fluently and had many friends, both white and Spanish people. Philomelia and Fredrick were married, 3 September 1892 at Colonia Dublan by Frederick William Jones Sr. who was president of the Branch of Colonia Dublan. They were sealed 4 March 1894 by Apostle John Henry Smith. Philomelia and Frederick had three children, Mary Ellen, born 4 August 1893 at Colonia Dublan, who died 11 Mar 1895 with Meningitis. Millie May born 8 March 1895 in Colonia Dublan, and Frederick William Jones III born 21 March 1897, he died 8 February 1998 of measles and whooping cough. Frederick William Jones Jr. was called on a mission in 1896. He planned to go to Salt Lake City, Utah to receive his temple blessings and be set apart for his mission and when he returned from his mission he wanted Philomelia to meet him in Salt Lake with the children and have them sealed to them and for Philomelia to receive her temple blessings. She told him "It will be better I go with you now for I won't be here when you get back." Frederick thought seriously about what she said, so he borrowed money and took her and the children with him and they were sealed in the temple. Frederick left for his mission 28 September 1897. He had been gone three months when he received word of Philomelia's death on 23 January 1898 at the age of 24 years, Little Freddie died the 8 of February 1898. Sixteen days after Philomelia's death, Frederick was grief stricken. His mission President told him he could be released to go home if he desired. He was in Illinois and far from home. He knew he could not get home for their funerals. One night he could not sleep, he was weeping and thinking of his loved ones. He heard someone come up the stairs, he turned towards the door and saw Philomelia, dressed in her temple clothes. She appeared to him and this comforted. He fulfilled a twenty-seven months mission and was very successful. A year after Frederick returned home he married Elnora Payne, 23 December 1900. She helped him raise Millie Mae. Frederick William Jones Jr,passed away, 20 March 1926.

SAMUEL GEORGE LAKE, born 12 July 1876 in Obed, Yavapie, Arizona. First son of George Lake and Mary Edda Foster. By the time the Lakes moved to Colonia Dublan they were very poor. Samuel never went to school until he was past 16 years of age. After his father, George, passed away Samuel worked his father's land. Samuel met Jeanie Morgan Pryde when she stepped off the train from Scotland. It was love at first sight and after six months they were married, 20 December 1898 and sealed by President Anthony W. Ivins. Samuel had a home build for them when they were married. About three months after they were married Samuel got a job on the railroad with his team and wagon. It was one hundred miles away so Jeanie went with him and they lived in a tent for about three months. Samuel and Jeanie were blessed with eleven children. Janet Morgan, born 25 October, 1899, George John, 29 June 1901, Robert Samuel, 5 December 1902, Esther Phoebe, 13 June 1905, all in Colonia Dublan. Mary Vida, 16 Feb 1907, Loguvillas, Della Lucille 16 December 1908, Leo Moroni, 23 July 1910, Leona, 3 November 1911, Colonia Dublan. Lydian, 19 November, Biggs, Butte, California, Elmo Alexander, 16 June 1915, and Edith Vera, 18 June 1917, Biggs, Butte, California. A year or so after they returned to Colonia Dublan, Samuel got a call from the bishop to attend school in Juarez to prepare for a mission. They moved from Dublan to Colonia Juarez where Samuel attended school for nine months. Jeanie sewed to pay the rent and to prepare for their family. After school they moved home to Dublan, where Samuel worked on the thresher and they did well. The next year, Samuel was called on a mission to Mexico City. Before he left they went to Salt Lake City, Utah to receive their temple blessings. Samuel served a very successful mission and received his release in 1904. He arrived at his home in Colonia Dublan, 6 September 1904. The next morning flood waters were all around his home. He made a trench around the house to keep the water out. In order to support his family they moved to the San Pedro mines where he worked as a mason. They stayed there for about a year. Samuel took a contract for two years work for the Utah Mexican Rubber Company, under Benjamin B. Cluff. After being there for a year and a half he was moved to the Loguvillas Rancho in the State of Tobasco. They lived in very primitive conditions, in a hut with water running through the middle of it. They were very happy to return to Colonia Dublan in November 1907. It was Spring before Samuel was able to get work. He did many odd jobs farming and hauling freight. He was on a job making reservoirs when the rebels started taking things. Because of the war they had to stop work on the reservoirs. Samuel had just bought one hundred acres of land in Colonia Dublan, all newly fenced. He had fifty acres alfalfa, forty acres wheat and ten acres corn. He had about eight-five ton of hay ready to bail. The rebels came with about seven hundred head of horses and turned them into the haystack. They cut his fence all around the field between every post and destroyed all his crops. Samuel went home and told Jeanie about what had happened and that he believed the best thing to do was to load their things into the two wagons and get to the United States. Samuel and his family and his brother Willard and his family and another family, Jeff Adam started to the United States. Samuel's mother, Mary Edda felt terrible about his leaving and refused to with them. But it was only four and a half months when all the saints had to leave. Samuel and his family which consisted of his with and eight children, ages twelve years to four months. They traveled for two months through all kinds of weather and arrived in Blanding, Utah on 3 May 1912. They found that Blanding was even harder then Mexico. The winters were cold and work was hard to fine. They stayed in Blanding until 1 September 1913 for California, where Jeanie had a brother. Jeanie was expecting her ninth child. The girls, Leo and Jeanie go on the train at Thompson Springs, Utah, leaving Samuel and two of his sons, George, age 12 and Robert age 11. Samuel and his sons traveled in a covered wagon with several head of stock. It took them two months to arrive in Gridley, Butte, California, 2 Nov 1913. Samuel loved to preach the gospel. He served two missions and served as the first Branch President in the Yuba City Branch, Gridley Stake, California. They lived a full and rich life and loved the gospel of Jesus Christ. Samuel George Lake passed away 17 November 1958 in Yuba City, Sutter, California. Jeanie Morgan Pryde Lake passed away 26 March 1961 in Yuba City, Sutter, California.
MORONI CHARLES LAKE born 14 December 1877 at Obed, Apache, Arizona. Moroni was was blessed by his Grandfather, Mary Edda's father, Charles Allen Foster. He was baptized in the Pedras Verdi River. One day someone had pulled a wild parsip and dropped it in the ditch. It looked like a wild onion, Moroni ate it and it caused his death. Moroni, died 21 April 1888, in Colonia Dublan, Mexico.
WILLIAM BAILEY LAKE born 25 August 1879 in Brigham City, Arizona. He went by Bailey Lake. Bailey spoke Spanish very well as he played with the Mexican children. He worked very hard as did his older brother, Samuel. They were taught to be hard workers and also the gospel of by their Father and Mother. When Bailey was ready to marry , he met Sarah (Sadie) Emma Carroll, whom he had previously met when she was nine years old. Sadie was born 18 March 1882 in Oderville, Kane, Utah. Bailey and Sadie were married 29 November 1901. Sealed by Anthony W. Ivins in Mexico. They traveled to Salt Lake City, Utah to receive their temple blessings. While they were in Colonia Dublan they were blessed with four children, Wilbur Bailey, 3 May 1903, Charlotte Emma, 12 January, 12 Jan 1905, Amy, 27 January 1907 and Mary, 9 March 1909. Conditions in Mexico began to look serious due to the uprising of Pancho Villa. In 1910, Bailey decided to leave and take his family back to Utah. They moved to Blanding, San Juan, Utah and took up a homestead of one hundred and sixty acres. Bailey went into the cattle business. In Blanding their family grew, Sarah, 27 March 1912, who died the same day. Leora, 12 June 1913, Winifred, 23 August 1915, Boyd Carroll 24 June 1917, Floyd Carroll, 30 June 1919 and George Halvor, 18 July 1924. Bailey, Sadie and their family moved to Oakley, Utah in the fall of 1928, where bailey raised cattle and farmed. He served as Sunday School Superintendent and in the Stake Genealogy program for about eleven years. Sadie was President of the Primary for many years. Bailey's health begin to fail so they turned the farm over to his boys and moved to Salt Lake City, Utah. He was told by his doctor he could not live over two months. Bailey found another career and enjoyed it for twenty five years. He went to work in the Salt Lake Temple. He was set apart as a temple worker in 1943. Bailey and Sadie were always very active in the church. Sadie passed away 7 July 1964 and Bailey lived just over a year after, passing away 15 August 1965.
JACOB ALMA born 6 June 1881 in Brigham City, Arizona. The Lake family was living in their wagon boxes at the ranch near Casas Grande when several of the children became ill with Scarlet fever. Despite the love and care, two of Mary Edda's children passed away, one was Jacob. He died 25 January 1887.
MARY ELLEN LAKE born 24 January 1883 in Forestdale, Arizona. When Mary Ellen was just a child her parents moved to the Mormon Colonies in Mexico. She received her elementary schooling in Colonia Dublan. Her Father died when she was fifteen years old. Her Mother, Mary Edda had to go outside of the home to work. Mary Ellen begged to go out to work. Her mother said, "No, you will be safer here." The lessons learned during those years of struggle proved to be a blessing to all of George and Mary Edda's children. Mary Ellen grew to be a beautiful young Lady who caught the eye and touched the heart of George Josiah Jarvis. George was born 13 October 1881 in Snowflake, Arizona. After his mission he started courting her. They were married 15 August 1903 by Anthony W. Ivins in Colonia Dublan. They received their temple blessings in the Salt Lake City Temple 8 November 1905. They were blessed with thirteen children, Millie Ellen, born 29 August 1904, Grace Mae, born 3 February 1906, Josiah George, born 12 March 1908, died due to diphtheria, 19 January 1911, Emar Demar, born 21 April 1909 and Neola, born 15 Mar 1911 all in Colonia Dublan. Folvia, 28 May 1913, St. George, Washington, Utah, Birdie Marilla 11 May 1915, Flagstaff, Arizona, Annie Marie, born 1 December 1916, Blanding, San Juan, Utah, Hansen Rosco, 6 July 1918, Anthony Ivins, 24 June 1920, Warren Lake, 1 March 1921, Harold Loyse, 25 February 1923, these all in Monticello, San Juan, Utah and Andrew Lee, born 20 October, 1924 in Colonia Juarez, Mexico. In July 1912 the colonists were forced to leave Mexico by the Revolutionaries led by Pancho Villa. Mary Ellen and George had five children at the time and they were forced from their home and they moved into a box car. They threw in a little trunk and used their bedding for seats. There were ninety two persons in the car. They traveled all night and all day arriving in El Paso, Texas. They stayed in a big lumber yard for two weeks. Mary Ellen's mother, Mary Edda, and two of her brothers were with them. They decided to travel to St. George, Utah. George acquired two teams of work horses and moved from place to place. They lived for a time in Moapa, Arizona then to Flagstaff, Arizona. George decided to give up construction work and try farming. They moved to Blanding, San Juan, Utah. George served two missions in Colonia Dublan before they were forced to leave. He served as a bishop in Monticello, San Juan, Utah. The family lived in Monticello for five years when they decided to return to Mexico. They moved to Colonia Juarez. While there George was ordained President of the Spanish Branch of the Juarez Stake. In 1930 they moved to Snowflake, Arizona were George was Deputy Sheriff of Navajo County for four years. In 1940 George and Mary Ellen moved to Mesa, Arizona. In later years George served three separate mission for the church and was a bishop. Mary Ellen was always active in the Church and served in the Mesa Temple for seventeen years. Mary Ellen Lake Jarvis passed away 29 December 1972 and George Josiah Jarvis passed away 4 January 1973.
SABRA LAKE born 4 December 1884 in Cochise, Cochise, Arizona. She was given a blessing by her Father, George Lake Jr. She passed away 9 February 1887 near Casas Grande with Scarlet Fever at the age of two years.
WILLARD LAKE born 15 September 1887 in Colonia Juarez, Mexico. Shortly after Willard 's birth they moved to Colonia Dublan. Willard went to school thirteen months in his life then he had to work with the cows. He loved horses and always had some. He was injured many times growing up and always praised the power of the Priesthood for its healing power. He was a hard worker. When he was twenty years old he married Charlotte Gruwell on 21 April 1908 at his mother's home in Colonia Dublan. Charlotte was born 27 March 1888 in Colonia Diaz, Chihuahua, Mexico. They were blessed with four children, Willard Laury, 8 April 1909, Colonia Diaz, Margaret 21 December 1910, Colonia Dublan, Melba, 8 September 1913, Blanding, San Juan, Utah and Mary Maurine 29 September 1920, Burley, Cassia, Idaho. Willard and Charlotte moved to Colonia Diaz right after their marriage and Willard worked for his Father-In-Law. Then he went back to Colonia Dublan, then to Guadalupe, South of Dublan, were he bought sixty five acres and stayed there for two years. During this time Poncho Villa was leading rebel forces against the Mexican Government forces. Willard learned early not to go against Poncho Villa. Poncho Villa came to Willard's place and said, "I heard you got a bunch of beans, I want half of them" Willard asked him, "Why just half?" So Poncho took them. Then he asked Willard to ride with him on a round up, fifty miles east of the town. Willard followed fifty five head of horses and about one thousand head of cattle. After Willard got through with him there, Poncho got one more big, fat cow. That was the last Willard saw of him for a while. When the war between Villa and the Federal Forces got worse, the fighting came to Willard's place. That Spring, Willard and Charlotte with two tiny children stated from Colonia Diaz to Colonia Dublin and traveled with his brother, Samuel, to Blanding, Utah. Willard worked for a while there, then went to Burley, Idaho. Lived in Burley for nine years. Then he moved to Santa Ana, California. In 1926 Willard served as Superintendent of the Sunday School. During his lifetime he helped build several chapels for the church. Also while he was in California he served two part time missions for two years and one short time mission for four months. Willard lost his wife, Charlotte, who passed away of a brain tumor 17 July 1942 at the age of 54 years. Willard was 55. Willard married a long time friend 30 June 1943, Violet Lund Kuchenbacker. Violet had two daughters, Iris and Lucille. All were sealed to Willard in the Salt Lake Temple. They moved to Utah and Willard and Violet had three Children together, Darrell, Leanna and Holly Celeste. (They are still living, so will not put any details about them). Willard and Violet settled in Davis County where Willard raised animals and vegetables. Willard passed away 3 Dec 1980 at the age of 92 years and Violet passed away 16 November 2003 at 100 years of age.
IDA MAE LAKE born 8 December 1890, in Colonia Dublan. Ida Mae was George Lakes twelve daughter and thirty-second child. It was in the year of 1890 that President Wilford Woodruff received the Manifesto ending plural marriage. Ida Mae was always very proud of her heritage. When Ida Mae was seven her Father died 23 March 1898. Soon after her Father's death the bands of the Piedras Verdes River over flowed and washed Mary Edda and her family out of their home. The carried their belonging to higher ground. While doing this seven year old Ida Mae carried an arm load, she stepped into a ditch that she couldn't see because of the muddy water. She lost her balance and went floating down the ditch, face down. Her sister, Mary Ellen, saw Ida Mae's hair floating on top of the thick brown water, and snatched hold of it, pulling her out, thus saving her life. Ida Mae often spoke of the sorrow and difficulties that she and the members of her family experienced after the death of her Father. She like the rest of the Lake family learned to be hard workers and to be very frugal and took care of what they had. Ida Mae was very compassionate and was defensive of righteous principles. She possessed the gift of forgiveness and was a peacemaker. She had a cheerful, happy personality which attracted many friends. She was neat in appearance, with a slender build, and was about 5 ft 6 inches in height. She had black hair, large blue gray eyes and a clear light complexion. She had many suitors. She gave her heart to Isaac Turley Jr. It was love at first sight for Isaac. They were married 4 July 1912 in her home in Colonia Dublan by Bishop Thurber. Isaac was born 11 April 1888 in Colonia Juarez. They had been married only three weeks when the Mexican Revolution of 1912, which had been in progress for sometime but was now becoming a serious threat to the colony people. The Stake Presidency gave Isaac the assignment to take the message to the mountain colonies, advising the colonists of the threats of the revolutionists. It was a happy reunion when they were reunited after sometime. Ida Mae not knowing whether Isaac was dead or alive. They decided to go to St. George, Utah until it was safe to return home. While in St. George Ida May and Isaac were blessed with three children. Melvin Isaac born 13 August 1913, George Lake, born 16 December 1916 and Viola Mae born 26 January 1919. That was all they were blessed with because of Ida Mae's health. They lived in St George for seven years. They spend time doing much temple work. Then they learned that the revolution had subsided and that some of the colonists had returned to their homes, Ida Mae and Isaac decided to return to Mexico. they returned in November 1919. They spend their time caring and serving others. Ida Mae and Isaac lived on a farm, raising most of the food they ate. They served two stake missions among the natives in the environs of Colonia Pacheco in the mountains west of Colonia Juarez and also in Colonia Juarez. They had many faithful friends among the natives as well as the American people. In 1960 they sold their home in Colonia Juarez and moved to Mesa, Arizona where they again served in the Temple. Ida Mae's health begin to fail. She continued to serve in the temple as well as in the Relief Society Presidency in her ward. Gradually her health declined and she became confined at home until her death, 18 December 1968. Following Ida Mae's death, Isaac moved into his daughter, Viola Mae, where he remained until his death 16 September 1977. They will be remembered for their example of integrity and righteous living. And for their strong testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and their desire to be of service to those in need.
NEPHI LAKE born 28 March 1893 in Colonia Dublan and died the same day.
AMMON LAKE born 14 August 1894 in Colonia Dublan. Ammon was less than four years old when his Father passed away. By the time he was thirteen he was helping his brother, Samuel, run the Lake farm. At fifteen, Samuel helped cut the hay then turned the farm over to him. Ammon helped put his sister, Ida Mae, through college in Juarez. Ammon decided to travel to St George with his Mother, Mary Edda, his sister Ida Mae and Isaac Turley at the time of the Mexican Revolution. He turned eighteen years old on the way. Ammon worked at whatever he could find to support himself and his Mother. Ammon met Hazel Atkin in St George, they married 4 May 1916. Ammon farmed for a while then he started a sheep shearing business, he sheared sheep in the Spring beginning at the Mexican border all the way to the Canadian border. He fished and worked as a handy man during the summer. In the winter he was a hunting guide. Ammon and Hazel were blessed with nine children while in St George. Wilford Elon, born 9 November 1917, LaReta born 21 April 1921, Ammon Atkin, 24 December 1923, George Elwood, born 3 January 1927, William Merlin, 31 December 1928, Ronald Austin, 13 April 1931, LeOra 24 August 1933, LeRoy Lyman 22 February 1936 and Darryl Allen, 26 June 1939. In 1939 one of Ammon's hunting clients from California offered him a job in Buttonwillow, California. He was hired as a carpenter and his job was to keep the labor camps running, he also build homes. Ammon worked in Buttonwillow until he retired. Then he bought a place near Coleville, Nevada. Ammon conti8nued to fish and hunt. Hazel passed away 26 January 1970. After this Ammon sold his property in Coleville and moved to Arcata, California. Ammon passed away 16 September 1976.

William Derby Johnson Sr.

GoldnSteve — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 16:25:15 CST

There is no abstract available for this page revision.

1913 Exodus Document

cynematik — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 17:51:27 CST

LDS COLONISTS/ MEXICO 1912,1913, those who kept the faith and peace after their families were evacuated in the summer of 1912. See notes at end of article. Fwc… This ______day of ____ of 1913, personally appeared before me, Welcome Chapman, a Notary Public in and for the County of Valencia, State of New Mexico, the following persons known to me personally, to wit: Lester B. Farnsworth, John A Whetten, Ernest L. Farnsworth, James E. Whetten, J. C. Frank O’Donnal, Charles W. Whetten, Stephen August Farnsworth and Charles N. Martineau, who make affidavit that following is a true and correct report of the happenings during a series of trips which they, in company with James B. Darton, Charles Keeler, John Beecroft, Ernest Nielsen, John B. Bingham and Orin F. Farnsworth, made to Colonia Garcia, Chihuahua, Mexico, in an effort to save the property of the residents of that place after they had been driven from their homes to the United States. August 21, 1912 About August 21st, 1912, Lester B. Farnsworth, John C. Beecroft, Charles Keeler, J. B. Darton, and Ernest Nielsen, left El Paso as a Committee to visit and report on the conditions at Colonia Garcia. August 22, 1912 Reached Colonia Juarez. August 24, 1912 August 24th we had succeeded in securing one small Mexican sore-backed horse from a friendly Mexican in Juarez to carry a little bedding and provisions, and began our journey of thirty-five miles mountain road to Garcia. Camped August 24th at “Booker’s Camp” at top of San Diego canyon. While climbing mountain met family of J. W. Stevens coming from Colonia Pacheco, where the husband and father had been killed by two Mexicans, to Colonia Juarez. August 25, 1912 August 25th we secured at Strawberry from Benito Sembrano, a mule belonging to John Beecroft and a buckboard of L. E. Booker’s. Sembrano also furnished us an old harness, so we hitched the horse and mule to the buckboard and continued the journey. On rounding the point at the junction of Strawberry and Soldier canyon, we saw six armed Mexicans behind the bank of the creek, but as they displayed a white flag, we approached and found them to be under the leadership of Benibno Tarin, who explained that they were in route to Pearson to accept amnesty of Jose de la Luz Blanco, who was in charge of the Federal forces. In Hop Valley we saw approaching from the direction of Colonia Pacheco a Mexican with a wagonload of furniture. On seeing us he went quickly to his house, reaching the door just before we did. He called to the family inside and as we approached the house, we saw the woman hand him a pistol and belt of cartridges as he entered the house. We called to him in a friendly way, and seeing we were unarmed, he came to the door and talked with us. He admitted that he had taken the furniture from the homes in the “Mormon” Colony of Pacheco. The only firearm we had on this trip was a pistol concealed on the person of one of our party. Reached Colonia Garcia the evening of August 25th drenched with rain. Curious to know the condition of the homes in the Colony, we scattered on entering the North end of the town and entered and inspected each house as we came to it till we reached the center of town. We had seen no one or any signs of life, but on reaching the home of Elizabeth Macdonald, we decided not to enter till morning, but go and prepare supper at the home of Elmer Farnsworth and renew our investigation in the morning. We had noticed some horses near the home of Mrs. Macdonald and thought first to go and gather them in with the idea that they were loose stuff, but we then observed a light in the place and realized some one was in the house, so we waited till the morning of the 26th. August 26, 1912 Two of our party then went down and found that there were four men and some women and children occupying the place. These were informed that Ernest Nielsen was in charge of the property and he asked them to evacuate the place and occupy a deserted house in the outskirts of town. Nielsen remained to see that they did not take anything from the place which belonged to it, but the Mexicans packed up and removed from the place nearly everything in it, and as they were armed with large knives and were very menacing, he was afraid to interpose an objection. August 27 – 29, 1912 The 27th, 28th, and 29th were spent riding the range to discover what cattle were left, clearing the fields of cattle and fixing fences to preserve what crops were left, completing the inspection of the town and investigating the site of our reservoir in the canyon above town, which had gone out during our absence, much to our surprise and disappointment. The fact that the watermark below the place where the dam had stood was practically the same as above, led us to conclude that the dam had not been removed gradually by washing, but had gone in a body or been suddenly removed. A friendly Mexican by name _________ who helped us later to remove our cattle, told us that he had heard Red Wing forces admit that, they had blown the dam out with dynamite. August 30, 1912 We discovered that we had a good many of our cattle still remaining on the range, so we decided on the 30th to send Charles W. Whetten and Ernest Nielsen to Colonia Pacheco to see what was being accomplished by the Pacheco boys, who had gone to their Colony on a similar mission. At Corrales they were informed by an aged Mexican, who was friendly, that the Pacheco boys had all left in fear of their lives and that a body or rebels were then at Gavalan and would be over that night in search of the Colonists on whom the old man said they intended to wreak vengeance, under the pretext that they had been responsible for the death of the Mexicans who had attacked and killed Stevens. The old man with tears in his eyes plead with the boys that they leave the country, least they loose their lives. We found that practically all the contents of the houses had been either removed or destroyed and many cattle were in the fields and had done considerable damage to the crops, especially the corn, but the oats had been little damaged, as the ground was so wet the cattle would no go onto it. We drove the cattle out of the fields and fixed the fences. On the return of the boys from Pacheco we concluded we could do no better than to return to Juarez and send some on to El Paso to report conditions, since it seemed dangerous to remain there, and we thought perhaps that we might be able to slip back in a little later and get the cattle out of the country. We tried to get the Mexicans to let us have an animal to work, down, but they were very “crusty” at first and refused. Finally we decided to try to make friends with them before leaving by making a deal with them to stay and guard the town and the crops. They took kindly to this suggestion and then offered us a mule to work below. Fearing that some plan might have been layed to intercept us, we decided to wait till after night to make the start. When we reached Hop Valley we found the creek very much swollen, but attempted to ford it. The current took our only roll of bedding off the buckboard in spite of us, and we ran down the bank in hopes of recovering it farther down stream. Suddenly we discovered that we had run right into a camp of the rebels. Several raised up quickly, startled by our unexpected approach. Each man had his horse picketed by his bed. As soon as could collect our thoughts we slipped back out of sight and continued our journey without farther efforts to recover our bedding. We reached Colonia Juarez the next day in safely. Here we left Charles W. Whetten and Ernest Nielsen, while the other three went the next day by rail to El Paso to report conditions to the Colonists. A meeting of the Colonists from Garcia was at once called in El Paso and sustained to return and endeavor to bring out anything they could in the way of cattle, etc. This committee consisted of Lester B. Farnsworth, Chairman, Ernest L. Farnsworth, John A Whetten, John C. Beecroft and Charles N. Martineau. This committee was in charge of the work and were accompanied to the Colonies by J. C. Frank O’Donnal. They left El Paso about September 5th and at Colonia Juarez employed O’Donnal, Charles Whetten and Nielsen to assist in making the effort to round up and bring out the people’s cattle. Trinidad Saens at Juarez agreed to let us take four head of horses, if we could find them on the range. This man showed us his kindly attitude by telling us he would not hold us responsible for the horses if the Red Flaggers took them from us. He said we had suffered such a severe loss at their hands. September 9, 1912 Two or three days were spent at Colonia Juarez in preparation for the trip. Our outfits consisted of one small Mexican horse or mule, each with some old Mexican saddles for a part and a quilt each for the balance. On September 9th we reached the fort of San Diego canyon and the 10th reached Colonia Garcia. The Mexicans we had entrusted with the care of the town and crops had done us a good part. They had fixed the fences and kept the cattle out of the fields. We hired some of these Mexicans and spent three days gathering cattle. We held them in the corrals and in one of the fields. We had gathered between six and seven hundred head of cattle. We cut out about fifty head of the best and concluded to conceal them in the hills in hopes things would settle and we would not need to sell them for the stock price, being paid for the cattle. September 13, 1912 September 13th we sent Charles W. Whetten down to Corrales to notify Heaton Lunt and the other Pacheco boys that we would be ready to drive soon and to ascertain whether they wished to drive together with us. When he reached Lunt’s place in Corrales, Heaton was not there, but the Mexicans said he had gone out in the fields and would be back soon. Whetten waited till nearly sundown and as Lunt did not return he left word for the Mexicans to tell the Pacheco boys to send word when they would be ready to start. Just above Corrales Whetten saw three men together in the fields. He passed along the road without interfering with them, but soon he saw one of them mount his horse and follow him. When the Mexican overtook him, he asked Whetten what he was doing in the country. Whetten told him he just came over from Garcia, where he and his friends were gathering their cattle, on a little business. The Mexican told him that we had better leave things alone and get out of the country, or we would be killed. Whetten asked him who would kill us and he said the hills were full of people who would kill us and we had no business in there. The Mexican then returned to his companions and Whetten hurried on to Garcia. That night at 12 o’clock, S. M Johnson waked us in Garcia and informed us that A. M. Tenney, Jr. had just sent a runner from Pearson to notify us that intervention was threatened by the United States and for us to abandon everything and get to the railroad as quickly as possible, so it was concluded on September 14th, to send Lester B. Farnsworth and John A. Whetten ahead to verify this report, Whetten to return from the top of the mountain after telephoning down from there, and Farnsworth to proceed to Pearson and arrange for the delivery of the cattle. When we went in to gather these cattle each man carried a pistol of some sort, but we had no rifles. We carried our pistols concealed and only for our personal protection—supposing that the rebels knew nothing of our having them. September 15, 1912 Whetten returned about 10 P. M. the same night, and September 15th we began to move the cattle toward Pearson, Whetten in charge. John A. Whetten, Frank O’Donnal, John C. Beecroft and Ernest L. Farnsworth with four hired Mexicans started out with the herd, while Charles W. Whetten and Ernest Nielsen stayed behind to assist Charles H. Martineau to pack his supply wagon. When the boys with the herd had reached a point two miles from Garcia, they were met by Benigne Turin and three armed companions who demanded their pistols and told them they had been infomed by a friend in Colonia Juarez that each one of them carried one. Ignacio Rascon, supposed to have been our friend had come into our room before we had left Juarez and had seen our guns. As he was the only one having seen them we concluded he gave the information out. Ernest L. Farnsworth and the Mexicans continued on with the herd while the rest remained to parley with the four armed Mexicans. As we engaged in rather a heated discussion, in which we refused to surrender our pistols, Panfilo Garcia, one of the rebels, rode out from the group to a distance of about fifty yards, dismounted and took his rifle from the scabbard. We saw that they had the “drop on us” so Whetten suggested to Tarin that we move on toward the herd and discuss the matter as we went. We overtook Ernest Farnsworth at China Flat just before entering Hop Valley. As we had traveled along, we had discussed many phases of conditions, including the actions of these rebels in having accepted amnesty at the hands of the Government and pretending to be federals, when in the Valley and being in reality rebels when in the mountains. Tarin told us that he would not precipitate a fight with us, but that his men, who were in wait for us at Hop Valley, would and that we would never get out with the cattle, as they would waylay us and scatter them that night in Strawberry canyon. He told us the hour that Whetten arrived at Garcia the night before, and the wait for Lester B. Farnsworth in Soldier Canyon, on his return. As Whetten had avoided Hop Valley and entered the road only a short distance from Garcia, it was apparent that the rebels had been watching our every movement, both night and day with their guards right about our town. We concluded we had best compromise with them, so as to be able to continue with the cattle, so after they had promised to permit us to do so, if we would deliver our weapons, they spread out a blanket on the ground and all dismounted. Beecroft and Farnsworth handed their guns to Whetten and continued to move the cattle forward. We placed our guns and cartridges on the blanket and Tarin began counting the cartridges. We asked him now to write the receipt and guarantee to permit us to remove our cattle,--both of which he had promised to give. He then said he could not give us the receipt and guarantee, but his captain would do so later. John A. Whetten then seized two guns, one in each hand and O’Donnal the other. The Mexicans then saw that resistance was useless, so Tarin said he would give us a receipt, but wanted to exchange it for the captain’s receipt later. This we consented to. We then compromised by agreeing to give them the three guns there and one, which the boys in rear had. Whetten returned by a trail to get the other gun and missed the boys who came up while O’Donnal and the Mexicans were still talking. The fourth gun was then delivered. At Hop Valley we found a number of cows and calves belonging to Ernest L. Farnsworth in the possession of the Mexicans there, who had been milking them. We turned them into the herd, but Abram Olivas came into the herd and cut out one of the calves in question, and when Ernest Nielsen tried to drive it back into the herd, Olivas became enraged and seized two large stones in his hands and threatened to kill Nielsen. Olivas carried a pistol, but made no attempt to use it. Whetten rose up and told Nielsen to go on with the cattle and leave him to settle the matter with the Mexicans. He gave the same instructions to O’Donnal, who was also in an altercation with the Mexicans over the same affair. Whetten allowed Olivas to retain possession of the calf and released the cow from the herd to avoid trouble of a serious nature. A short distance farther up the creek Beecroft in heading some cattle, which broke from the here and went over the ridge, ran right into eighteen armed rebels secreted in a wash in the edge of the timber and watching what had been going on. At Strawberry, we were confronted by the captain and his men, after night. The captain said he would give us a receipt in place of the one Tarin had given and asked to see that receipt. When the receipt was handed him, he tore it into and said we would have to go down to the Old Spilsbury ranch if we wanted a receipt. Whetten snatched one part of the receipt back and insisted that he write the receipt at once in a nearby ranch-house, where the Mexicans were known to be friendly. In the San Diego canyon we met Lester B. Farnsworth returning. At Pearson we left Lester B. Farnsworth, John C. Beecroft and Charles N. Martineau to care for the cattle till the burned bridges at Aroyo Seco could be repaired and the cattle shipped. The rest of us accompanied also by Stephen A. Farnsworth, John Bingham, James E. Whetten and Orin Farnsworth, lately arrived from El Paso, returned to Garcia to attempt the shipment of another herd. Each man was equiped with a lasso rope of one-fourth inch American cord rope style. September 19, 1912 The new start for Garcia was made about September 19th, 1912. The same day we left Pearson for Garcia, S. N. Johnson and a young McNeil left Colonia Juarez for Pacheco. Heaton Lunt and other Pacheco boys went with us to the top of San Diego canyon and then we separated—they going toward Corrales. Johnson and McNeil climbed the mountain ahead of us and preceded the other Pacheco boys. The night of September 19th,we camped on Strawberry Mesa. September 20, 1912 The morning of the 20th, when we had passed Hop Valley, we decided to scatter and go in different directions, and thoroughly scour our horse range north of Garcia in search of horses. Just as John A. and James N. Whetten were separating, after all the rest were scattered, S. H. Johnson overtook them on the mesa north of Garcia. He was considerably exercised over what he discovered the night before. As he approached Corrales after night, he could see from the mountainside, campfires all through the Valley, bearing witness of the presence of many rebels. He came down in the vicinity of Lunt’s place in Corrales, where friendly Mexicans lived, left McNeil to hold the horses in a wash near the place and then he crept up to the window of the house. The house was filled with Red Flaggers at supper and as Johnson listened he could hear that the “Mormons” were the subject of discussion. He could not hear distinctly what was said, but waited till the rebels finished and went out to bed. He then made his presence known to the inmates of the house, who were very much frightened to learn that we were in the mountains. They told him that the rebels were angry and were after us. That they were going to Garcia the next day to capture us, and that our lives were in danger. They prepared supper for Johnson and McNeil, who after eating passed the remainder of the night in the cornfields at a safe distance from town. In the morning they came directly to notify us of our danger and after we had discussed the matter, it was thought best for Johnson and McNeil to hurry back on the road and intercept Lunt and associates while the Whettens should take steps to get the Garcia boys together and we should all meet as soon as possible at Cherry Creek corral west of Garcia, and in the neighborhood of the “blue mountain.” The Mexicans to whom we had entrusted the care of our fields proved trustworthy and one of them plead with us before leaving town to tell him where we were going, so he might come and let us know how matters progressed. We did not feel to tell him where we were going, so he appointed a place where he would meet us daily and keep us posted as to conditions. This he did faithfully to our great advantage. When Pacheco boys joined us they desired to all throw in together and work under one hand. John A. Whetten was chosen to take the lead. After about four days spent in hiding at this camp, we learned that the main rebel force had evacuated the Colonies and gone South, so we came out at once and began quickly to get our cattle together. After gathering cattle for two or three days, we heard nothing from our boys who had been left with the cattle at Pearson, and we were to have been at Garcia to help us by the time we could get the cattle rounded up. The friendly Mexicans in town also told us that the rebels had reported having defeated Blanco and captured Pearson again, and also of having destroyed the railroad. We therefore decided to send a runner to the top of the mountain to find out the true situation and return with word that night. Ernest L. Farnsworth was selected for this mission and reached the telephone without interference. He found conditions below to be encouraging, but as he returned and passed down through Soldier’s canyon, he was suddenly startled and surprised to hear a shot form a side canyon not far distant. The ball struck the ledge some distance above him and had evidently been fired to attract his attention. He looked back and saw a Red Flagger running toward him and waving his gun at him to stop. Farnsworth sized up the situation and thinking the least the Mexican would do if he were captured would be to strip him of his entire outfit, he dashed toward a point ahead, thinking he could get around it before the Mexican could shoot him. The Mexican then fired at him—the ball passing uncomfortably near. As he climbed Strawberry hill, he stopped a few moments to rest and the Mexican took another shot at him. When Farnsworth returned and reported, we decided to start with the cattle. During the day, John A. and James E. Whetten had gone into the Colony, thinking there were no rebels there and had unexpectedly met captain Pedro Pallan. He said he had come over to see what we were doing in there so long. We told him we wanted to start below with our cattle the next morning and asked him if we might do so and if we would likely be able to get through and he said he did not know whether his men would let us through or not. He refused to give us any kind of writing or passport. The next morning we made an early start with a herd numbering about six hundred, including Pacheco’s cattle. The man we had left in charge at Garcia, Jose________, volunteered to accompany us with the herd. An old gentleman by the name of Juan Martinez, who lived above Hop Valley had also offered to assist us this time, when we should get the cattle gathered. So when we were ready to start, James E. Whetten went over a trail to get Martinez and join the party at Hop Valley. Captain Pallan remained in Garcia till the herd had left and then overtook them just as they were entering Hop Valley. He seemed out of sorts and demanded to know where our missing man was, and was informed that he would soon be there. He then ordered Jose_______to return to Garcia and said that he did not leave us he would get in serious trouble. The Mexican refused to be dictated to by Pallan and continued his journey with us. At Hop Valley friendly Mexicans told us we could never get past, as the rebels were going to hold us up at Strawberry. On Strawberry Mesa we stopped for dinner, and as J. A. Whetten rode around the herd toward the front, he saw a number of rebels, who had dismounted and were creeping with guns in hand down toward camp through the brush. They took position behind some brush a short distance from us and this came captain Pallan approached us. He was in very unpleasant mood and demanded to know where the man was who had brought a message to us the day before and had refused to be halted by his men. We had very uncomfortable feelings, a we thought over the situation that seemed to confront us, and recalled that to the limb of a tree only a short distance from us, we had all noticed a plentiful supply of freshly made raw-hide thongs, which we could see no particular pacific(specific) use. We concluded that the best thing to do was to appoint a spokesman, so James H. Whetten was appointed to answer the irritated man in an effort to pacify him. He told Pallan who the man was and he replied that his men demanded this man. We refused to surrender him and Whetten continued to parley with the leader of the “Reds”, explaining that the man did not speak Spanish and had brought no message from the Federals, as the captain claimed. Whetten asked the captain what he would have done under similar circumstances, making the strongest appeal he possibly could to him and explaining to him how the Latter-Day-Saints had left their homes and all they had on earth simply to avoid the necessity of killing any of them and to avoid international complications. They had never taken sides with either party and to demonstrate their neutrality and love of peace, they had gone to the United States to await the return of peace in and about their homes, and now when we were only returning to try to gather a little of our legitimate belongings, for the support of our helpless and homeless families, they would despoil even that. The captain admitted that we had acted well under the trying conditions, in which we had been placed and said we might proceed with the cattle as far as he was concerned and he would try to pacify his men with regard to the actions of Farnsworth in refusing to be halted. We naturally felt very much relieved at being so far successful as to be permitted to proceed without a clash, as we had nothing with which to make a defense, except a few pistols concealed upon our persons and they were under cover with rifles and we were in the open. We could not of course consent to surrender one of our number to them even though we should have to make the best fight possible. We did not feel certain, however, what the result of his conference with his men would be. We passed on with our herd through Strawberry and into Soldier canyon and had begun to breathe easier in the belief they had concluded to let us go in peace, when Padilla again overtook the men with our rear division of the cattle. James E. Whetten was with this division and Captain informed him the only conditions under with his men would consent to permit us to proceed was if we would give them three of the best horses and saddles we had. Whetten argued with him for some time without avail and finally sent ahead for John A. Whetten, who was in charge of the outfit. They then tried hard to dissuade the captain but kept the herd gradually moving up the canyon, thinking perhaps they could get up out of the canyon where they would stand a better show without encountering any more rebels. Seeing that they continued to move along and held out against his demands, Pallan grew insistent that he could not return to his men without anything, as they had insisted on his making this second visit and demand to atone for his former leniency. Our friend, Juan Martinez, then made an appeal to him taking our part manfully, but finally told us it was no use, we must do something to satisfy the demands of Pallan’s men, as they were following us and the captain dared not return again to them with nothing even if he felt so disposed. Pallan finally accepted the two best saddles we had and a new slicker. When we had turned these over to him, we again proceeded, but he engaged James. E. Whetten in conversation. Whetten again reviewed our treatment of them and the sacrifices we had made and asked Pallan to name one single instance in which our people had done them an injury. The Captain mentioned the Stevens killing, in which both of his assailants had been killed, but Whetten convinced him that we were in no way to blame for their death. In the somewhat lengthy conversation which ensued, Whetten so far succeeded in affecting the feelings of the captain with a recital of the sufferings of our people and our desires to benefit his people, that Pallan with tears running down his face confessed his changed attitude and told Whetten that we might consider him our friend and if bothered by an one else, might appeal to him. He confessed that when they had surrounded us on the mesa, their plans had been to demand the surrender of the man who had run the gauntlet the day before, but they did not expect we would yield. Then they expected to demand everything we had and if we refused, as they thought we would, they would use this as a pretext for opening fire on us. Whetten asked Pallan where we would be able to find him in case of need, to which Pallan replied in rather an evasive way, saying they would be somewhere near. It had been considerable of a mystery to us how they had known our movements in every detail without our encountering them along the road, so Whetten urged the necessity of knowing where to locate him in case of need, and finally Pallan told him that they had been assigned the duty of keeping track of all who entered and left that mountain country, and they maintained their camp on a very high mesa between Soldier canyon and Strawberry, overlooking all the surrounding country. We reached the top of the San Diego canyon and camped there for the night. While about the campfire, Juan Martinez discovered a pistol in the pocket of O’Donnal, who had been delegated to watch Pallan during his threatening attitude and he was loud in his praise of our action in surrendering our saddles and slicker, when we had him in our power. He thought this ample proof of our peaceable attitude. The next day we descended the mountain. We appealed to the Federal Commander at Pearson for a permit to ship our cattle and our treatment at his hands was little ahead of that received from the rebels. He said we should have procured a pass in the mountains before starting, not-with-standing he knew the country was held and over-run by Red Flaggers. We then applied to the civil authorities at Casas Grandes for a pass and were informed that we needed none. We finally shipped without it. After consultation as to the advisability of returning to make farther efforts, we concluded the risk to life would not justify… We, the LaVor Cluff family, found the 9 pages of this story in papers belonging to LaVor’s father, Eddie Leroy Cluff, and decided to bring them out of storage, and make them available to descendents of the brave, great people who lived this history, told herein. LaVor’s mother, Minerva Alice Bingham Cluff and her oldest child, Eddie Leroy Cluff Jr., were in the group of families evacuated from Mexico, the Mormon Colonies, in the summer of 1912. LaVor was born in Pima, Arizona, 9th of Dec., 1912, so he was a natural born American, of which fact his family members are all thankful. This has been typed into computer history by Florence W. Cluff, wife of LaVor, and done so in May 2008, in Paulden, Arizona.	We, the LaVor Cluff family, found the 9 pages of this story in papers belonging to LaVor’s father, Eddie Leroy Cluff, and decided to bring them out of storage, and make them available to descendants of the brave, great people who lived this history, told herein. LaVor’s mother, Minerva Alice Bingham Cluff and her oldest child, Eddie Leroy Cluff Jr., were in the group of families evacuated from Mexico, the Mormon Colonies, in the summer of 1912. LaVor was born in Pima, Arizona, 9th of Dec., 1912, so he was a natural born American, of which fact his family members are all thankful. This has been typed into computer history by Florence W. Cluff, wife of LaVor, and done so in May 2008, in Paulden, Arizona. The digital copy was graciously provided for readers and members of the Wiki by Patrice Fairbanks. This is a photograph of her paternal grandparents, Eddie L. Cluff & Minerva Alice Bingham. She was the first "white" child born in Colonia Garcia during colonial times. He is the son of Heber Manassah Cluff & Sarah Ann Weech. She is the daughter of Brigham Heber Bingham & Mary Alice Lomax. Patrice's father is Alvin LaVor Cluff. Her grandmother was pregnant with him when they left Mexico during the Revolution. He was born in Pima, AZ and they went back to Juarez when he was about 3 yrs. old

LDS COLONISTS/ MEXICO
1912,1913, those who kept the faith
and peace after their families were evacuated in the summer of 1912.
See notes at end of article.
Fwc…

This ______day of ____ of 1913, personally appeared before me, Welcome Chapman, a Notary Public in and for the County of Valencia, State of New Mexico, the following persons known to me personally, to wit: Lester B. Farnsworth, John A Whetten, Ernest L. Farnsworth, James E. Whetten, J. C. Frank O’Donnal, Charles W. Whetten, Stephen August Farnsworth and Charles N. Martineau, who make affidavit that following is a true and correct report of the happenings during a series of trips which they, in company with James B. Darton, Charles Keeler, John Beecroft, Ernest Nielsen, John B. Bingham and Orin F. Farnsworth, made to Colonia Garcia, Chihuahua, Mexico, in an effort to save the property of the residents of that place after they had been driven from their homes to the United States.

August 21, 1912

About August 21st, 1912, Lester B. Farnsworth, John C. Beecroft, Charles Keeler, J. B. Darton, and Ernest Nielsen, left El Paso as a Committee to visit and report on the conditions at Colonia Garcia.

August 22, 1912

Reached Colonia Juarez.

August 24, 1912

August 24th we had succeeded in securing one small Mexican sore-backed horse from a friendly Mexican in Juarez to carry a little bedding and provisions, and began our journey of thirty-five miles mountain road to Garcia. Camped August 24th at “Booker’s Camp” at top of San Diego canyon. While climbing mountain met family of J. W. Stevens coming from Colonia Pacheco, where the husband and father had been killed by two Mexicans, to Colonia Juarez.

August 25, 1912

August 25th we secured at Strawberry from Benito Sembrano, a mule belonging to John Beecroft and a buckboard of L. E. Booker’s. Sembrano also furnished us an old harness, so we hitched the horse and mule to the buckboard and continued the journey. On rounding the point at the junction of Strawberry and Soldier canyon, we saw six armed Mexicans behind the bank of the creek, but as they displayed a white flag, we approached and found them to be under the leadership of Benibno Tarin, who explained that they were in route to Pearson to accept amnesty of Jose de la Luz Blanco, who was in charge of the Federal forces. In Hop Valley we saw approaching from the direction of Colonia Pacheco a Mexican with a wagonload of furniture. On seeing us he went quickly to his house, reaching the door just before we did. He called to the family inside and as we approached the house, we saw the woman hand him a pistol and belt of cartridges as he entered the house. We called to him in a friendly way, and seeing we were unarmed, he came to the door and talked with us. He admitted that he had taken the furniture from the homes in the “Mormon” Colony of Pacheco. The only firearm we had on this trip was a pistol concealed on the person of one of our party.
Reached Colonia Garcia the evening of August 25th drenched with rain. Curious to know the condition of the homes in the Colony, we scattered on entering the North end of the town and entered and inspected each house as we came to it till we reached the center of town. We had seen no one or any signs of life, but on reaching the home of Elizabeth Macdonald, we decided not to enter till morning, but go and prepare supper at the home of Elmer Farnsworth and renew our investigation in the morning. We had noticed some horses near the home of Mrs. Macdonald and thought first to go and gather them in with the idea that they were loose stuff, but we then observed a light in the place and realized some one was in the house, so we waited till the morning of the 26th.

August 26, 1912

Two of our party then went down and found that there were four men and some women and children occupying the place. These were informed that Ernest Nielsen was in charge of the property and he asked them to evacuate the place and occupy a deserted house in the outskirts of town. Nielsen remained to see that they did not take anything from the place which belonged to it, but the Mexicans packed up and removed from the place nearly everything in it, and as they were armed with large knives and were very menacing, he was afraid to interpose an objection.

August 27 – 29, 1912

The 27th, 28th, and 29th were spent riding the range to discover what cattle were left, clearing the fields of cattle and fixing fences to preserve what crops were left, completing the inspection of the town and investigating the site of our reservoir in the canyon above town, which had gone out during our absence, much to our surprise and disappointment. The fact that the watermark below the place where the dam had stood was practically the same as above, led us to conclude that the dam had not been removed gradually by washing, but had gone in a body or been suddenly removed. A friendly Mexican by name _________ who helped us later to remove our cattle, told us that he had heard Red Wing forces admit that, they had blown the dam out with dynamite.

August 30, 1912

We discovered that we had a good many of our cattle still remaining on the range, so we decided on the 30th to send Charles W. Whetten and Ernest Nielsen to Colonia Pacheco to see what was being accomplished by the Pacheco boys, who had gone to their Colony on a similar mission. At Corrales they were informed by an aged Mexican, who was friendly, that the Pacheco boys had all left in fear of their lives and that a body or rebels were then at Gavalan and would be over that night in search of the Colonists on whom the old man said they intended to wreak vengeance, under the pretext that they had been responsible for the death of the Mexicans who had attacked and killed Stevens. The old man with tears in his eyes plead with the boys that they leave the country, least they loose their lives.

We found that practically all the contents of the houses had been either removed or destroyed and many cattle were in the fields and had done considerable damage to the crops, especially the corn, but the oats had been little damaged, as the ground was so wet the cattle would no go onto it. We drove the cattle out of the fields and fixed the fences. On the return of the boys from Pacheco we concluded we could do no better than to return to Juarez and send some on to El Paso to report conditions, since it seemed dangerous to remain there, and we thought perhaps that we might be able to slip back in a little later and get the cattle out of the country.

We tried to get the Mexicans to let us have an animal to work, down, but they were very “crusty” at first and refused. Finally we decided to try to make friends with them before leaving by making a deal with them to stay and guard the town and the crops. They took kindly to this suggestion and then offered us a mule to work below. Fearing that some plan might have been layed to intercept us, we decided to wait till after night to make the start. When we reached Hop Valley we found the creek very much swollen, but attempted to ford it. The current took our only roll of bedding off the buckboard in spite of us, and we ran down the bank in hopes of recovering it farther down stream. Suddenly we discovered that we had run right into a camp of the rebels. Several raised up quickly, startled by our unexpected approach. Each man had his horse picketed by his bed. As soon as could collect our thoughts we slipped back out of sight and continued our journey without farther efforts to recover our bedding.

We reached Colonia Juarez the next day in safely. Here we left Charles W. Whetten and Ernest Nielsen, while the other three went the next day by rail to El Paso to report conditions to the Colonists. A meeting of the Colonists from Garcia was at once called in El Paso and sustained to return and endeavor to bring out anything they could in the way of cattle, etc. This committee consisted of Lester B. Farnsworth, Chairman, Ernest L. Farnsworth, John A Whetten, John C. Beecroft and Charles N. Martineau. This committee was in charge of the work and were accompanied to the Colonies by J. C. Frank O’Donnal. They left El Paso about September 5th and at Colonia Juarez employed O’Donnal, Charles Whetten and Nielsen to assist in making the effort to round up and bring out the people’s cattle. Trinidad Saens at Juarez agreed to let us take four head of horses, if we could find them on the range. This man showed us his kindly attitude by telling us he would not hold us responsible for the horses if the Red Flaggers took them from us. He said we had suffered such a severe loss at their hands.

September 9, 1912

Two or three days were spent at Colonia Juarez in preparation for the trip. Our outfits consisted of one small Mexican horse or mule, each with some old Mexican saddles for a part and a quilt each for the balance. On September 9th we reached the fort of San Diego canyon and the 10th reached Colonia Garcia. The Mexicans we had entrusted with the care of the town and crops had done us a good part. They had fixed the fences and kept the cattle out of the fields. We hired some of these Mexicans and spent three days gathering cattle. We held them in the corrals and in one of the fields. We had gathered between six and seven hundred head of cattle. We cut out about fifty head of the best and concluded to conceal them in the hills in hopes things would settle and we would not need to sell them for the stock price, being paid for the cattle.

September 13, 1912

September 13th we sent Charles W. Whetten down to Corrales to notify Heaton Lunt and the other Pacheco boys that we would be ready to drive soon and to ascertain whether they wished to drive together with us. When he reached Lunt’s place in Corrales, Heaton was not there, but the Mexicans said he had gone out in the fields and would be back soon. Whetten waited till nearly sundown and as Lunt did not return he left word for the Mexicans to tell the Pacheco boys to send word when they would be ready to start. Just above Corrales Whetten saw three men together in the fields. He passed along the road without interfering with them, but soon he saw one of them mount his horse and follow him. When the Mexican overtook him, he asked Whetten what he was doing in the country. Whetten told him he just came over from Garcia, where he and his friends were gathering their cattle, on a little business. The Mexican told him that we had better leave things alone and get out of the country, or we would be killed. Whetten asked him who would kill us and he said the hills were full of people who would kill us and we had no business in there. The Mexican then returned to his companions and Whetten hurried on to Garcia. That night at 12 o’clock, S. M Johnson waked us in Garcia and informed us that A. M. Tenney, Jr. had just sent a runner from Pearson to notify us that intervention was threatened by the United States and for us to abandon everything and get to the railroad as quickly as possible, so it was concluded on September 14th, to send Lester B. Farnsworth and John A. Whetten ahead to verify this report, Whetten to return from the top of the mountain after telephoning down from there, and Farnsworth to proceed to Pearson and arrange for the delivery of the cattle.
When we went in to gather these cattle each man carried a pistol of some sort, but we had no rifles. We carried our pistols concealed and only for our personal protection—supposing that the rebels knew nothing of our having them.

September 15, 1912

Whetten returned about 10 P. M. the same night, and September 15th we began to move the cattle toward Pearson, Whetten in charge. John A. Whetten, Frank O’Donnal, John C. Beecroft and Ernest L. Farnsworth with four hired Mexicans started out with the herd, while Charles W. Whetten and Ernest Nielsen stayed behind to assist Charles H. Martineau to pack his supply wagon.
When the boys with the herd had reached a point two miles from Garcia, they were met by Benigne Turin and three armed companions who demanded their pistols and told them they had been infomed by a friend in Colonia Juarez that each one of them carried one. Ignacio Rascon, supposed to have been our friend had come into our room before we had left Juarez and had seen our guns. As he was the only one having seen them we concluded he gave the information out. Ernest L. Farnsworth and the Mexicans continued on with the herd while the rest remained to parley with the four armed Mexicans. As we engaged in rather a heated discussion, in which we refused to surrender our pistols, Panfilo Garcia, one of the rebels, rode out from the group to a distance of about fifty yards, dismounted and took his rifle from the scabbard. We saw that they had the “drop on us” so Whetten suggested to Tarin that we move on toward the herd and discuss the matter as we went. We overtook Ernest Farnsworth at China Flat just before entering Hop Valley. As we had traveled along, we had discussed many phases of conditions, including the actions of these rebels in having accepted amnesty at the hands of the Government and pretending to be federals, when in the Valley and being in reality rebels when in the mountains.

Tarin told us that he would not precipitate a fight with us, but that his men, who were in wait for us at Hop Valley, would and that we would never get out with the cattle, as they would waylay us and scatter them that night in Strawberry canyon. He told us the hour that Whetten arrived at Garcia the night before, and the wait for Lester B. Farnsworth in Soldier Canyon, on his return. As Whetten had avoided Hop Valley and entered the road only a short distance from Garcia, it was apparent that the rebels had been watching our every movement, both night and day with their guards right about our town. We concluded we had best compromise with them, so as to be able to continue with the cattle, so after they had promised to permit us to do so, if we would deliver our weapons, they spread out a blanket on the ground and all dismounted. Beecroft and Farnsworth handed their guns to Whetten and continued to move the cattle forward. We placed our guns and cartridges on the blanket and Tarin began counting the cartridges. We asked him now to write the receipt and guarantee to permit us to remove our cattle,--both of which he had promised to give. He then said he could not give us the receipt and guarantee, but his captain would do so later. John A. Whetten then seized two guns, one in each hand and O’Donnal the other. The Mexicans then saw that resistance was useless, so Tarin said he would give us a receipt, but wanted to exchange it for the captain’s receipt later. This we consented to. We then compromised by agreeing to give them the three guns there and one, which the boys in rear had. Whetten returned by a trail to get the other gun and missed the boys who came up while O’Donnal and the Mexicans were still talking. The fourth gun was then delivered.

At Hop Valley we found a number of cows and calves belonging to Ernest L. Farnsworth in the possession of the Mexicans there, who had been milking them. We turned them into the herd, but Abram Olivas came into the herd and cut out one of the calves in question, and when Ernest Nielsen tried to drive it back into the herd, Olivas became enraged and seized two large stones in his hands and threatened to kill Nielsen. Olivas carried a pistol, but made no attempt to use it. Whetten rose up and told Nielsen to go on with the cattle and leave him to settle the matter with the Mexicans. He gave the same instructions to O’Donnal, who was also in an altercation with the Mexicans over the same affair. Whetten allowed Olivas to retain possession of the calf and released the cow from the herd to avoid trouble of a serious nature.

A short distance farther up the creek Beecroft in heading some cattle, which broke from the here and went over the ridge, ran right into eighteen armed rebels secreted in a wash in the edge of the timber and watching what had been going on. At Strawberry, we were confronted by the captain and his men, after night. The captain said he would give us a receipt in place of the one Tarin had given and asked to see that receipt. When the receipt was handed him, he tore it into and said we would have to go down to the Old Spilsbury ranch if we wanted a receipt. Whetten snatched one part of the receipt back and insisted that he write the receipt at once in a nearby ranch-house, where the Mexicans were known to be friendly. In the San Diego canyon we met Lester B. Farnsworth returning.

At Pearson we left Lester B. Farnsworth, John C. Beecroft and Charles N. Martineau to care for the cattle till the burned bridges at Aroyo Seco could be repaired and the cattle shipped. The rest of us accompanied also by Stephen A. Farnsworth, John Bingham, James E. Whetten and Orin Farnsworth, lately arrived from El Paso, returned to Garcia to attempt the shipment of another herd. Each man was equiped with a lasso rope of one-fourth inch American cord rope style.

September 19, 1912

The new start for Garcia was made about September 19th, 1912. The same day we left Pearson for Garcia, S. N. Johnson and a young McNeil left Colonia Juarez for Pacheco. Heaton Lunt and other Pacheco boys went with us to the top of San Diego canyon and then we separated—they going toward Corrales. Johnson and McNeil climbed the mountain ahead of us and preceded the other Pacheco boys. The night of September 19th,we camped on Strawberry Mesa.

September 20, 1912

The morning of the 20th, when we had passed Hop Valley, we decided to scatter and go in different directions, and thoroughly scour our horse range north of Garcia in search of horses. Just as John A. and James N. Whetten were separating, after all the rest were scattered, S. H. Johnson overtook them on the mesa north of Garcia. He was considerably exercised over what he discovered the night before. As he approached Corrales after night, he could see from the mountainside, campfires all through the Valley, bearing witness of the presence of many rebels. He came down in the vicinity of Lunt’s place in Corrales, where friendly Mexicans lived, left McNeil to hold the horses in a wash near the place and then he crept up to the window of the house. The house was filled with Red Flaggers at supper and as Johnson listened he could hear that the “Mormons” were the subject of discussion. He could not hear distinctly what was said, but waited till the rebels finished and went out to bed. He then made his presence known to the inmates of the house, who were very much frightened to learn that we were in the mountains.

They told him that the rebels were angry and were after us. That they were going to Garcia the next day to capture us, and that our lives were in danger. They prepared supper for Johnson and McNeil, who after eating passed the remainder of the night in the cornfields at a safe distance from town. In the morning they came directly to notify us of our danger and after we had discussed the matter, it was thought best for Johnson and McNeil to hurry back on the road and intercept Lunt and associates while the Whettens should take steps to get the Garcia boys together and we should all meet as soon as possible at Cherry Creek corral west of Garcia, and in the neighborhood of the “blue mountain.”

The Mexicans to whom we had entrusted the care of our fields proved trustworthy and one of them plead with us before leaving town to tell him where we were going, so he might come and let us know how matters progressed. We did not feel to tell him where we were going, so he appointed a place where he would meet us daily and keep us posted as to conditions. This he did faithfully to our great advantage. When Pacheco boys joined us they desired to all throw in together and work under one hand. John A. Whetten was chosen to take the lead.

After about four days spent in hiding at this camp, we learned that the main rebel force had evacuated the Colonies and gone South, so we came out at once and began quickly to get our cattle together. After gathering cattle for two or three days, we heard nothing from our boys who had been left with the cattle at Pearson, and we were to have been at Garcia to help us by the time we could get the cattle rounded up. The friendly Mexicans in town also told us that the rebels had reported having defeated Blanco and captured Pearson again, and also of having destroyed the railroad. We therefore decided to send a runner to the top of the mountain to find out the true situation and return with word that night.
Ernest L. Farnsworth was selected for this mission and reached the telephone without interference. He found conditions below to be encouraging, but as he returned and passed down through Soldier’s canyon, he was suddenly startled and surprised to hear a shot form a side canyon not far distant. The ball struck the ledge some distance above him and had evidently been fired to attract his attention. He looked back and saw a Red Flagger running toward him and waving his gun at him to stop. Farnsworth sized up the situation and thinking the least the Mexican would do if he were captured would be to strip him of his entire outfit, he dashed toward a point ahead, thinking he could get around it before the Mexican could shoot him. The Mexican then fired at him—the ball passing uncomfortably near. As he climbed Strawberry hill, he stopped a few moments to rest and the Mexican took another shot at him.

When Farnsworth returned and reported, we decided to start with the cattle. During the day, John A. and James E. Whetten had gone into the Colony, thinking there were no rebels there and had unexpectedly met captain Pedro Pallan. He said he had come over to see what we were doing in there so long. We told him we wanted to start below with our cattle the next morning and asked him if we might do so and if we would likely be able to get through and he said he did not know whether his men would let us through or not. He refused to give us any kind of writing or passport.
The next morning we made an early start with a herd numbering about six hundred, including Pacheco’s cattle. The man we had left in charge at Garcia, Jose________, volunteered to accompany us with the herd. An old gentleman by the name of Juan Martinez, who lived above Hop Valley had also offered to assist us this time, when we should get the cattle gathered. So when we were ready to start, James E. Whetten went over a trail to get Martinez and join the party at Hop Valley. Captain Pallan remained in Garcia till the herd had left and then overtook them just as they were entering Hop Valley. He seemed out of sorts and demanded to know where our missing man was, and was informed that he would soon be there. He then ordered Jose_______to return to Garcia and said that he did not leave us he would get in serious trouble. The Mexican refused to be dictated to by Pallan and continued his journey with us.

At Hop Valley friendly Mexicans told us we could never get past, as the rebels were going to hold us up at Strawberry. On Strawberry Mesa we stopped for dinner, and as J. A. Whetten rode around the herd toward the front, he saw a number of rebels, who had dismounted and were creeping with guns in hand down toward camp through the brush. They took position behind some brush a short distance from us and this came captain Pallan approached us. He was in very unpleasant mood and demanded to know where the man was who had brought a message to us the day before and had refused to be halted by his men. We had very uncomfortable feelings, a we thought over the situation that seemed to confront us, and recalled that to the limb of a tree only a short distance from us, we had all noticed a plentiful supply of freshly made raw-hide thongs, which we could see no particular pacific(specific) use.

We concluded that the best thing to do was to appoint a spokesman, so James H. Whetten was appointed to answer the irritated man in an effort to pacify him. He told Pallan who the man was and he replied that his men demanded this man. We refused to surrender him and Whetten continued to parley with the leader of the “Reds”, explaining that the man did not speak Spanish and had brought no message from the Federals, as the captain claimed. Whetten asked the captain what he would have done under similar circumstances, making the strongest appeal he possibly could to him and explaining to him how the Latter-Day-Saints had left their homes and all they had on earth simply to avoid the necessity of killing any of them and to avoid international complications. They had never taken sides with either party and to demonstrate their neutrality and love of peace, they had gone to the United States to await the return of peace in and about their homes, and now when we were only returning to try to gather a little of our legitimate belongings, for the support of our helpless and homeless families, they would despoil even that.
The captain admitted that we had acted well under the trying conditions, in which we had been placed and said we might proceed with the cattle as far as he was concerned and he would try to pacify his men with regard to the actions of Farnsworth in refusing to be halted. We naturally felt very much relieved at being so far successful as to be permitted to proceed without a clash, as we had nothing with which to make a defense, except a few pistols concealed upon our persons and they were under cover with rifles and we were in the open. We could not of course consent to surrender one of our number to them even though we should have to make the best fight possible. We did not feel certain, however, what the result of his conference with his men would be. We passed on with our herd through Strawberry and into Soldier canyon and had begun to breathe easier in the belief they had concluded to let us go in peace, when Padilla again overtook the men with our rear division of the cattle.

James E. Whetten was with this division and Captain informed him the only conditions under with his men would consent to permit us to proceed was if we would give them three of the best horses and saddles we had. Whetten argued with him for some time without avail and finally sent ahead for John A. Whetten, who was in charge of the outfit. They then tried hard to dissuade the captain but kept the herd gradually moving up the canyon, thinking perhaps they could get up out of the canyon where they would stand a better show without encountering any more rebels. Seeing that they continued to move along and held out against his demands, Pallan grew insistent that he could not return to his men without anything, as they had insisted on his making this second visit and demand to atone for his former leniency.
Our friend, Juan Martinez, then made an appeal to him taking our part manfully, but finally told us it was no use, we must do something to satisfy the demands of Pallan’s men, as they were following us and the captain dared not return again to them with nothing even if he felt so disposed. Pallan finally accepted the two best saddles we had and a new slicker. When we had turned these over to him, we again proceeded, but he engaged James. E. Whetten in conversation. Whetten again reviewed our treatment of them and the sacrifices we had made and asked Pallan to name one single instance in which our people had done them an injury. The Captain mentioned the Stevens killing, in which both of his assailants had been killed, but Whetten convinced him that we were in no way to blame for their death.

In the somewhat lengthy conversation which ensued, Whetten so far succeeded in affecting the feelings of the captain with a recital of the sufferings of our people and our desires to benefit his people, that Pallan with tears running down his face confessed his changed attitude and told Whetten that we might consider him our friend and if bothered by an one else, might appeal to him. He confessed that when they had surrounded us on the mesa, their plans had been to demand the surrender of the man who had run the gauntlet the day before, but they did not expect we would yield. Then they expected to demand everything we had and if we refused, as they thought we would, they would use this as a pretext for opening fire on us.

Whetten asked Pallan where we would be able to find him in case of need, to which Pallan replied in rather an evasive way, saying they would be somewhere near. It had been considerable of a mystery to us how they had known our movements in every detail without our encountering them along the road, so Whetten urged the necessity of knowing where to locate him in case of need, and finally Pallan told him that they had been assigned the duty of keeping track of all who entered and left that mountain country, and they maintained their camp on a very high mesa between Soldier canyon and Strawberry, overlooking all the surrounding country.

We reached the top of the San Diego canyon and camped there for the night. While about the campfire, Juan Martinez discovered a pistol in the pocket of O’Donnal, who had been delegated to watch Pallan during his threatening attitude and he was loud in his praise of our action in surrendering our saddles and slicker, when we had him in our power. He thought this ample proof of our peaceable attitude.

The next day we descended the mountain. We appealed to the Federal Commander at Pearson for a permit to ship our cattle and our treatment at his hands was little ahead of that received from the rebels. He said we should have procured a pass in the mountains before starting, not-with-standing he knew the country was held and over-run by Red Flaggers. We then applied to the civil authorities at Casas Grandes for a pass and were informed that we needed none. We finally shipped without it.

After consultation as to the advisability of returning to make farther efforts, we concluded the risk to life would not justify…

We, the LaVor Cluff family, found the 9 pages of this story in papers belonging to LaVor’s father, Eddie Leroy Cluff, and decided to bring them out of storage, and make them available to descendents of the brave, great people who lived this history, told herein. LaVor’s mother, Minerva Alice Bingham Cluff and her oldest child, Eddie Leroy Cluff Jr., were in the group of families evacuated from Mexico, the Mormon Colonies, in the summer of 1912. LaVor was born in Pima, Arizona, 9th of Dec., 1912, so he was a natural born American, of which fact his family members are all thankful. This has been typed into computer history by Florence W. Cluff, wife of LaVor, and done so in May 2008, in Paulden, Arizona.

We, the LaVor Cluff family, found the 9 pages of this story in papers belonging to LaVor’s father, Eddie Leroy Cluff, and decided to bring them out of storage, and make them available to descendants of the brave, great people who lived this history, told herein. LaVor’s mother, Minerva Alice Bingham Cluff and her oldest child, Eddie Leroy Cluff Jr., were in the group of families evacuated from Mexico, the Mormon Colonies, in the summer of 1912. LaVor was born in Pima, Arizona, 9th of Dec., 1912, so he was a natural born American, of which fact his family members are all thankful. This has been typed into computer history by Florence W. Cluff, wife of LaVor, and done so in May 2008, in Paulden, Arizona.

The digital copy was graciously provided for readers and members of the Wiki by Patrice Fairbanks.

This is a photograph of her paternal grandparents, Eddie L. Cluff & Minerva Alice Bingham. She was the first "white" child born in Colonia Garcia during colonial times. He is the son of Heber Manassah Cluff & Sarah Ann Weech. She is the daughter of Brigham Heber Bingham & Mary Alice Lomax.

Patrice's father is Alvin LaVor Cluff. Her grandmother was pregnant with him when they left Mexico during the Revolution. He was born in Pima, AZ and they went back to Juarez when he was about 3 yrs. old

Exodus

PCFairbanks — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 20:02:07 CST

"The seats ran along the sides of the car, and they put a row of seats down the middle. When we stopped at Guzman, rebel soldiers jumped up from everywhere and rushed together, looked like they were trying to decide what to do about us. Jesse Clayson was sitting by his wife who was very nervous. He got up, came and sat down by me and said, "This may make her feel like there is not too much danger or he would never leave me. When the train pulled out Jesse said, "They may fire on us." I had been thinking the same thing. The train run off the track a few miles out and it took some time to get it back on the rails." — Rhoda McClellan Cardon

Whiting, Bernard Snow Jr./Ethel Johnson

cynematik — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 17:32:53 CST

Irvin Rowley is the son of Bernard Snow Jr. and Ethel Johnson. They also had two daughters: Helen and Linda.

Early years were in Sombero Butte, AZ where Bernard Snow was one of the last Pony Express mail carriers, carrying mail between mining towns of Sombero Butte, Copper Creek and Mammath, Arizona.

Bernard Snow Whiting was born in Colonial Diaz, Mexico

Instructions

cynematik — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 16:24:35 CST

Joining the Wiki

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A Prophet's Inspiration

cynematik — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 16:23:32 CST

Land of Refuge DVD

cynematik — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 16:23:16 CST

THE LAND OF REFUGE Screens at Harkins Theater in Mesa, Arizona!
Film well-received by appreciative sold-out audience.

What an exciting evening. Our documentary on the settlement of the Mormon Colonies in Mexico, THE LAND OF REFUGE, screened at the Harkins Theater at Superstition Springs. The theater was full of descendants of the colonies and documentary enthusiasts. We had a Question and Answer (Q&A) afterwards to answer questions and introduce the crew. One man said he was the grandson of Price William Nelson. He said he'd been looking for information on his grandfather for years and there were things in our documentary that he'd never seen. How exciting is that?!? All in all, a very satisfying and wonderful experience to be able to capture this story and preserve it for future generations.

Press and Media Coverage of the Mormon Colonies Project!

East Valley Women Make Film About Mormon Colonies
Mesa Tribune, Arizona (Lawn Griffiths)

Women Make Film About LDS Colonies in Mexico
Arizona Republic, Phoenix Arizona (Emily Gersema)

Good Morning Arizona with Video Clip (PJB Blog)
KTVK Television Channel 3, Arizona

KAZG Radio Interview

Documentary Explores Mormon Colonies in Mexico
Mormon Times (Arts / Entertainment section)

Deseret News & Deseret News Comment

Purchase the Documentary

Former Chuichupa resident Nina Morene Brown, Professor Carmon Hardy and Native Seed Search founder Barney Burns talk about the colonies and the pioneers who settled them.

Only two weeks left to purchase the documentary at the pre-release price.

FROM 1880: An exciting and captivating historical documentary about the Mormon colonies in Mexico. This 70-minute DVD highlights the struggles, hardships, and uncertainties that the men and women faced over the last 125 years as they established their homes in a foreign country and culture. These determined people overcame many obstacles to build a land of refuge for their families.

TO PRESENT: Today two of the original communities still exist and thrive. The resilient citizens have learned through years of struggle that when they work together and are united, they are strengthened and can achieve anything. This DVD follows the historical events that began in the 1880's until the present time.

PRE-ORDER: This inspiring and entertaining historical documentary will be a treasured addition to your family library. DVDs will be distributed in the fall of 2008. Click here to reserve your copy today.

Based on the actual journals, interviews with settlers, their descendants and historical documents, you will witness their lives through their words and actual images—

• Escape
• Establishment
• Expansion
• Near-Expulsion
• Exodus and their
• Eventual Return

Learn more about the...

Plateau Colonies
• Colonia Diaz
• Colonia Juarez
• Colonia Dublan

Mountain Colonies
• Colonia Pacheco
• Cave Valley
• Colonia Garcia
• Colonia Chuichupa

Sonora Colonies
• Colonia Morelos
• Colonia Oaxaca
• Colonia San Jose
• and the tiny ones, too.

Visit our companion site: http://www.MormonColoniesInMexico.com