You do not need to sign up as a member to look around this site. None of my family members know much about the Mormon background of grandma Phyllis. Her mom, Vivian Lemmon lived in Colonia Diaz Mexico around the turn of the last century. She married Abia (Ah-bye-uh) Johnson there. Abia was the son of William Derby Johnson (Sr.), who was one son of Ezekial and Julia Hills Johnson from Pomfret New York. Grandma Viv and her family were all driven out of Mexico by Pancho Villas forces during to the Mexican Revolution. And their Colony was burned because of it's name "Diaz" was the President of Mexico who Pancho Villa was fighting against. I have posted a few stories grandma Viv and her family left us, on the "My Connections" page on this site. Abia came from a family that joined the Mormon Church very early on in its development. They personally knew the Prophet and founder of the Mormon Church Joseph Smith. There is a book about it called "A Banner Unfurled". William Derby's sister Almera was married to Joseph Smith. Will had some noteable brothers too: Joel H., and Benjamin F. Johnson, who were quite close to Joseph Smith. Joel has a few hymns in the LDS hymnbook used now, and Ben was taught the principle of Celestial (plural) Marriage by Joseph at Ben's home in Ramus, Illinois (near Nauvoo) way back in the day. Ben also was a settler of Tempe and Mesa Arizona in his later years and has left a legacy of many thousands of offspring in Arizona and throughout the world (I run into them everywhere). William was burried at Colonia Diaz. His son, William Derby Jr. was the Bishop of Colonia Diaz. Grandma Vivian Lemmon's side of the family were early Mormon pioneers too. Her grandfather, John Lemmon was an early Mormon settler in Ohio and Missouri. He was on the High Council at AOA. Mobs of angery residents drove the Mormons out of Missouri and John died due to harsh conditions he endured.

 out of  found this valuable. Do you find this valuable?    

Show Last Reply

According to the Bowmans, this event will be Saturday, Sept. 19th; same place, same time.

 out of  found this valuable. Do you find this valuable?    

I am the grandson of the Edith Gruwell and her family who decades ago lived in the now non-existant Colonia Diaz. I am seeking anyone that might have more inforation on this family or Colonia Diaz

 out of  found this valuable. Do you find this valuable?    

Show Last Reply

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. My living grandmother's maiden name is Johnson, her father, my great grandfather, was Abia Johnson, son of William Derby Johnson Sr., who was son of Julia Hills and Ezekiel Johnson. A few days ago I found a website that promoted a book series besed on the life of Julia Hills Johnson called "A Banner Unfurled". So what is it with this family? This family (many of us?) seems to be woven into the very fabric of the LDS society now and from early on. I am thinking a lot of us who find or are drawn to this site are related to one another. That is fascinating if you think about it. Do you think there are other sites like this commonly found on the Internet? I don't think so, but who knows?
Anyway, who all is related to me and my family? I think it would be interesting to know. Anyone who finds these people in their genealogy: Julia Hills and Ezekiel Johnson, Peter K. Lemmon and Sarah Buchanan, Vivian Lemmon and Abia Johnson, Helen Whiting and Archibald Buchanan, Georg and Anna Dockstader to name a few.

1  out of 1 found this valuable. Do you find this valuable? Do you?    

Show Last Reply

George Lake, son of James Lake Jr and Philomela Smith, was born 15 Sep 1838, near Pittsfield, Pike, Illinois. George had three wives. He married Louisa Ann Garner in 1860, Sarah Jane Hill in 1862 and Mary Edda Foster in 1868. Mary Edda is my Great Grandmother. George fathered 32 children with his three wives
I am great-granddaughter of George Lake and his third wife, Mary Edda Foster. Through his son Samuel George Lake and Samuel's daughter, Janet Morgan Lake Myers..

 out of  found this valuable. Do you find this valuable?    

James Jacobson, Jr. is the brother of my grandfather, Erastus Sylvester Jacobson. He is the son of my great grandfather, James Jacobson 17-Oct-1834 to 9-Apr-1909. My great grandmother had died in Colonia Diaz in 1888. My grandfather settled in Casa Grande, Arizona after the exodus. His brother, James, settled in New Mexico.

1  out of 1 found this valuable. Do you find this valuable? Do you?    

Is this the Sixtus, son of Annie and Joel Johnson? If so, you've gotta read the book "Banner Unfurled". He is mentioned a lot as a little boy.
Joel and Annie were teh first Johnsons to read the Book of Mormon and convert. they knew Emma and Joseph Smith and his brother Don Carlos...it is so fun to read about that time period.

 out of  found this valuable. Do you find this valuable?    

My grandmother's sister was taken to the colonies when she was an infant. She was the youngest of nine. her mother was a midwife in Thatcher, Pima , Arizona area. Her mother was Melinda Gimlin Lewis, father was Winifred Moody. Later, when she was about 9, I think she told me she tried to go back to her original family but of course, it did not work. Does this story sound familiar to anyone? I saw the name Linda and just wondered. The Linda I am referring too was elderly in 1992 and lived in the Portland, or Oregon area. I could trace it down but I just wondered if anyone out there has any one in their family that sounds like my grandmother June Moody Curtis,'s sister Linda Moody. I don't know what aunt and uncle she was sent to live with in the colonies.

 out of  found this valuable. Do you find this valuable?    

Show Last Reply

How interesting! Would you be descended from Edwin Whiting and Elizabeth Partridge Tillotson? If so,you'd be another distant cousin of mine. I think Edwin may have kived in Colonia Diaz..maybe died there too..not sure. My grt-grt-grt grandmother was their daughter, Helen Whiting who married Archie Buchanan (lived at Colonia Dublan). Their Daughter Sarah Buchanan married Peter Kimball Lemmon in Utah (around Manti) and eventually moved to Colonia Diaz. BTW- that picture of me is out in the rugged hills not too far from Mammoth Arizona. I have found some of those old pony express stops out there. Small world.

1  out of 1 found this valuable. Do you find this valuable? Do you?    

Show Last Reply

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 Harddison Redd and Sarah Louisa Chamberlain Redd.

In my childhood in Tucson members of the Johnson family were in what was then the Tucson Branch of the California Mission. Viva Johnson VanWike and Ivy Johnson Lemmon were my sunday school teachers. Other members of the family were Charlesetta Johnson Collier and Anona Johnson Duncan. Am I correct that the W/
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 sibilings. 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.

 out of  found this valuable. Do you find this valuable?    

Show Last Reply