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Henry Eyring Bowman

HENRY EYRING BOWMAN

(1859-1933)

Henry Eyring Bowman was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, February 10, 1859. His father’s name was Isaac Bowman, and was born in Wooster, Wayne County, Ohio, in the year 1826. His ancestors were from Holland. Coming to America they were among the people known as the Pennsylvania Dutch.

Henry’s mother was Bertha Louise Eyring, born in Coberg, Germany, in the year 1836. Her mother was of French background. Bertha, at the age of seventeen came to America with her brother, Henry Eyring. In 1853 and 1855 respectively, they both joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter -day Saints.

During his boyhood years Henry Eyring Bowman had few opportunities of attending school. He was kept busy helping his father on the farm and freighting. But he had a great desire to learn and would carry along his spe11ing and arithmetic books. In the faU of 1883 he registered as a student at the Brigham Young Academy, then under direction of Karl G. Maeser. Because of his private studies, Henry was enrolled in the Normal School. He graduated in 1885. He then accepted a teaching assignment in St. George, Utah, where he met and married Mary Gubler, who was also a teacher there. Soon after, they moved to Kanab, Utah, in Kane County, where he taught for four years until going into cooperative merchandising business.

He built a large brick home, the first modern home in Kanab and took a prominent part in all community projects. As school trustee he supervised the building of the school house. He served on the Kanab Stake High Council and was county attorney. When Utah became a state he was admitted to the Utah Bar along with William M. McCarty.

In 1897, having received a call to a Church mission to Germany, he sold his home and business interests and moved his family to Provo, Utah. In 1900, two months after returning from Germany, he took a trip to the Mormon colonies in Mexico. His journal states that for years he had a great desire to go where his Uncle Henry Eyring was one of the early settlers at Colonia Juarez. Impressed with conditions there and the outlook for future development, he immediately moved his family to Colonia Juarez. A few months later, however, he bought an interest in the Dublan Co-operative and moved to Colonia Dub Ian where he bought a farm and a home. At this time there were two stores in Colonia Juarez, and two in Colonia Dublan.

All of them were buying and selling on credit and purchasing merchandise separately at high prices through Ketelsen and Degeteau in Nuevo Casas Grandes, Chihuahua. Henry put his store on a cash basis and found that by purchasing merchandise from markets in Mexico City and other places he was able to buy goods for at least twenty-five percent less than the other stores. He discontinued purchasing from Ketelsen and Degeteau and made his own trips for merchandise from Colonia Dublan to Mexico City and other markets in Mexico. He advertised freely and in a few months was drawing trade away from the other stores.

As a result, the colony merchants consolidated and organized the Union Mercantile S. A. Ltd. with the main store at Colonia Dublan and branch stores at Colonia Juarez and Colonia Diaz. Henry was made general manager. He closed one of the two stores in each of the colonies. The business expanded rapidly, and the Dublan store soon became an up-to-date department store.

Owing to the high tariff on imported goods, he conceived the idea of establishing factories under the direction of the Co-op Association. At Dublan a factory for making candy, and lemon and vanilla extracts was established. He also inaugurated a millinery and dress-making shop. In the confectionery department he placed the first soda fountain in Mexico. Other projects consisted of a general blacksmith shop and a factory to build wagons and buggies. The store also installed windmills and water piping, and was soon a center for farmer supplies and various kinds of machinery. The Co-op even made an assortment of coffins, carried funeral trimming and did undertaking work. The business expanded until fifty people were on the payroll and did a business of $750,000 per annum. It drew trade from a radius of 200 miles. Ranchers from Sonora brought tobacco and other products on burros to trade for merchandise.

In later years telephones were installed in the colonies and the central switchboard was located in the Union Mercantile building. The Co-op established the first modern cash handling methods. From each department in the store (dry goods, shoe, grocery, etc.) ran a series of “Trolley Change Carriers” on wires hung from the ceiling to the main office. Money from sales was shipped to the office from clerks in small leather receptacles and change was made at a central office and returned to the customer. This outmoded the cash-boys who had been running throughout the store carrying money and change from the office. He also brought the first automobile into the colonies, a two cylinder, chain driven Buick that was indeed a “horseless carriage.”

In 1903, three years after going to Mexico, he married Wilhelmina Walser, a popular girl of Colonia Juarez, who was recognized for her ability in music. Henry built two modern brick homes in Dublan where his families lived. In 1910 the Green interests began the construction of a railroad from Nuevo Casas Grandes to Chihuahua City. Many colonists signed contracts with the company to work on the railroad and were furnished with supplies by the Union Mercantile until there was a debt due to the store of $50,000. The money not forthcoming, the work was stopped and Henry took over Green’s outfit consisting of 200 good mules with harnesses, tools, and camp outfits.

There were two large natural reservoirs or dry lakes southeast of Dublan. Colonists had long considered the construction of a canal, six miles long to conduct the surplus water of the Casas Grandes River into these reservoirs. The acquired Green outfits were divided among the colonists to use for deepening the reservoirs and the construction of the canal, which was finished in 1911.

Henry Eyring Bowman was made president of the Canal Company and willingly helped financially. When large deposits of caliche rock threatened to halt the work on the canal, he supplied dynamite and also hired a demolition expert to blast through the rock to allow the scrapers to continue with the channel. He also was instrumental in obtaining from the government a concession to construct the canal, which was thirty feet wide at the bottom. The large headgate, placed at the river, had adjustable gates to control the flow of water into the canal. The canal-lake and subsequent development of an irrigation system throughout the valley were responsible in developing farm lands and bringing under cultivation hundreds of acres of unused land. Water from the lake that was stored there, as a result of the canal, continues to supply the Dublan Valley through drier times of the year. The system developed in 1911 is still in use although water from pumps and other irrigation systems have displaced the lake as the major source of water. The lake has also developed into a recreation region with motor-boating, water-skiing, swimming etcetera, a major attraction in the Dublan area.

Because of the difficulty of crossing the Casas Grandes River, Henry Bowman promoted the idea of a bridge. He obtained from the government a concession to build a lane through the fields to the river at a place where he thought it feasible to place a bridge. He then supervised the driving of the bridge pilings and the construction of the bridge itself. Although the wooden section of the bridge has been replaced many times, the original pilings are still in use.

Henry Eyring Bowman was prominent in advancing many enterprises for the betterment of the community. He also gave freely of his time to church service. He was a member of the Stake High Council, a Sunday School teacher, and held a position in the Mutual Improvement Association. He was also intensely interested in sports and athletics, both to encourage all to participate and to excel. He always had an interest in the young men and boys of the community and helped them organize a basketball team. While he worked as their coach, he gained their respect and cooperation. From the personnel of the Union Mercantile he formed basketball and baseball teams which competed successfully in tournaments in Mexico City and the Southwest of the United States. Through his promotion of sports, the feeling of friendly competition existed among the teams of the Colonies and those in other cities of Mexico. It was his Union Mercantile team that was the first to defeat the Juarez Stake Academy team in baseball, which up until this time had not been challenged by local teams.

In 1910 revolutionary unrest commenced in Mexico. As conditions became more uncertain, the Stake authorities decided that it would be best for the colonists to surrender their arms as demanded by the rebels and move their families to the United States. Henry was appointed to go to El Paso and arrange for transportation. In El Paso he found A. W. Ivins who had been sent from Salt Lake City to advise the colonists. After consultation he awoke the railroad officials and after he reported conditions, they placed their entire equipment at his disposal. The service furnished by the railroad consisted mostly of box cars and the colonists were able to bring only a very small part of their personal belongings. In three days, 2500 women, children and old men arrived in El Paso, Texas.

The personal losses of Henry Eyring Bowman were tremendous. In hopes of possible indemnity, he later, in El Paso, was appointed a member of a committee to collect affidavits and evidence to be used against the Mexican Government in claiming reimbursement for their lost property.

In the fall of 1911, Henry Eyring Bowman had formed a partnership with Niels Larson, and contracted to build a railroad from the lumber town of Pearson thirteen miles into the mountains toward Colonia Pacheco. This was heavy mountain work and equipment for it amounted to about $1,000,000 pesos ($500,000 dollars). By July 1912 three fourths of the work had been completed and since the rainy season was approaching he laid in supplies to finish the job. His equipment consisted of 135 mules with harnesses, wagons, carts, scrapers, etc.; also tents and tools for the men. He also had on hand $10,000 pesos worth of powder, $25,000 pesos in commissary supplies and hay and grain for the animals for three months. The rebels took possession of all this, and used the mules and outfits to haul it away into the mountains. He owned in Colonia Dublan a splendid, well-furnished, ten-room two-story modern brick home, a full block of orchard, a vineyard, a barn, garage, automobile, all easily worth $25,000 dollars and his family walked out with what they could carry in a suitcase.

After the families had left, the men and older boys remained in the colonies to protect their property. They sadly watched the revolutionaries run a train of box cars down the tracks in front of the Union Mercantile, and with 500 men for protection, carry out merchandise to fill the cars.

The revolutionaries then ran the train south and, stopping at every town, switched off a car and told the people to help themselves. All the merchandise of the Union Mercantile was lost and was never recovered. After this incident, the colonists took their horses into the mountains for protection. Thinking the colonists unarmed, the soldiers became more and more offensive, so within two weeks after the families had gone, the men and boys decided to go also. Following instructions, they met at the “Stairs,” a place in the mountains, with 1000 head of horses, and began traveling overland to Hachita, New Mexico.

Henry Eyring Bowman remained along the border for four years hoping for conditions to improve and permit him to return to Mexico, to salvage his property. With his seven sons, he rented a forty-acre pear farm eight miles south of EI Paso and an eleven hundred-acre alfalfa ranch in Dona Ana County, New Mexico, near Las Cruces. His family continued playing basketball for diversion and formed the “Bowman Brothers” team. Through their association with the YMCA of EI Paso, they won the Tournament of the Southwest.

In 1915, after making a trip to Utah to investigate conditions, he decided to return to Kanab. He moved there in January of 1916 with his family. There he bought back his interest in the Bowman Company which he had sold nineteen years before.

Since the settling of Kane County, fifteen miles of sand separated Kanab, the county seat, and Long Valley, which was the chief agricultural part of the county. This sand was so heavy it was impossible to cross it with a car or empty wagon. Travelers had to take a round-about route of fifty miles over roads in bad condition. Agriculturists demanded that a road be built from Long Valley to Kanab. An engineer estimated it would cost $400,000 to build a good gravel surfaced road along the proposed sandy route. Kane county had but $30,000 with which to build the road.

Henry Eyring Bowman proposed a type of construction that would make a good road across the sands, the cost of which could be made within the $30,000 available. The commissioners approved his plan, made him state road agent and authorized construction.

He used a working force no larger than he could personally supervise and he worked right along with his men to make sure they did a full day’s work. The construction consisted of fifteen miles of sand road, three miles of dugway, a fifty-foot bridge across the Long Valley stream and another bridge across the Kanab Creek. It took a year to complete the road, but when it was completed and all types of traffic were using it, there were still $23,000 of the $30,000 left for further improvement. He predicted that the thin coat of two or three inches of capping on the sand would be able to sustain all types of traffic, and become even firmer with time. This theory was not accepted at the time, but in later years the Long Valley road convinced all that such was true. This type of construction has been used on sand roads throughout the state since that time.

Henry E. Bowman’s son, Henry Jr., had become established in business in Milford, Utah in 1922. After leaving his business in Kanab to his son Othello, he moved to Milford with the rest of his family where he bought a home. In 1926, after a visit to Logan, he and his wife decided to move there permanently. In June of 1927, he was set apart as an ordinance worker in the Logan Temple. Because of a serious illness he went to Provo, Utah and there passed away in the home of his son, Henry, Jr., in the year 1933.

Claudius Bowman III, great-grandson

Stalwarts South of the Border page 58

Nelle Spilsbury Hatch

Andrew Andersen

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Andrew Andersen

1851 -1938

Andrew Andersen was the third child and oldest son of the ten children of Hans and Maren Jensen Andersen. He was born October 24, 1851, in Bredstrup, Odense, Denmark. The farm that Hans and Maren owned in
Bredstrup consisted of seventy “Tinner” of land (a tinner of land is a little less than an acre). The farm offered plenty of work for all of this hard-working, thrifty, and industrious, well-to-do family. They raised rye and barley and kept on an average of ten or twelve cows, six teams of horses, twenty sheep and a flock of geese.

The mother, Maren Jensen, was the daughter of the “Honest Miller ,” so called because his mill had ground the flour for the previous generations.

School for the children came every other day. One day, they would recite lessons and receive assignments. The next day was spent at home where the lessons were studied and the assignments prepared for the
following day at school.

One day two strangers called at the Andersens’ and asked them to listen to the message they had traveled so far to bring. The strangers were invited in and given something to eat and a room in which to sleep. They were Mormon Elders. Hans and Maren listened to what they had to say.

They were greatly impressed by the Gospel message but were not ready to accept it. From that time on, however, every Elder that came to the island of Eunen was a guest at the Andersen home. Among those that came were Jesse N. Smith, William. W. Cluss, Charles C. Rich, H. K. Brown and Amasa Lyman.

One day, Andrew, the oldest boy, was kicked in the head by a horse. His skull was crushed so badly that the doctors said he could not live. Hans went into the woods nearby and prayed. He asked the lord to heal his son and give him the wisdom to know and the courage to accept the truth. He promised that if his child would live that he would give of his time and his property to the up-building of the Church. When he returned, his son was much improved and with the administration of the Elders, made a rapid recovery.

This was a strong testimony to the family of the truthfulness of the words of the Elders and Hans never forgot to live up to his promise.

On March 13, 1861, Elder K. H. Brown baptized Hans and Maren and their son Andrew and confirmed them members of The Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints. This step greatly influenced the life of Hans
Andersen and his family. They who could boast of never having had an enemy were now often ridiculed.

Home in Denmark had lost much of its pleasantness. They decided that the very best thing to do was to go to Zion in America. They sold what they had and prepared to go to Utah, home of the Mormons. Hans, from the generosity of his heart, offered to take with him those of his hired help who had accepted the new religion. All together the group numbered fifteen. The strings on his big purse had to be pulled open very often and very regularly.

On April 18, 1863, they left Denmark and started for Utah to be gathered with the Saints. On April 30, 1863, they sailed from Liverpool, England, on the ship along with 766 Saints who were traveling under the direction of William W. Cluff. Four people died on the way, but the John J. Boyd arrived safely with its precious cargo of souls in New York Harbor Sunday, June 1, 1863. Although the Civil War was in progress at the time, immediately they took the train for the West and arrived in Florence, Nebraska on June 18. Their journey by rail was more pleasant. An old conductor, who claimed to have been acquainted with the Prophet Joseph Smith, was kind enough to stop the train when they arrived at Palmyra, New York, where the Prophet first began his remarkable career. He showed them the house where the Prophet lived, the woods in which he received heavenly visions, and the Hill Cumorah where he obtained the Book of Mormon plates. This information went like wildfire from car to car and all who possibly could do so got out to have a view of the historic places and to pluck a flower from the locality as a memento to carry with them.

They arrived in Salt Lake Valley on September 12, 1863. A great many of the immigrants stayed there but many others went south. Hans felt impelled to go north. He selected Cache Valley as his home and, prompted by his generosity and guided by his promise to the Lord that he would do all in his power for the upbuilding of His Church and Kingdom, he at once looked for the valley’s greatest needs and began, so far as he was able, to supply them. He built the first sawmill in Logan Canyon. It was the first mill in the northern settlements to be equipped with a circle saw. He bought and brought into the valley its first threshing machine. He saw the need of a better flour mill and proceeded to spend some twelve hundred dollars for machinery and bolting cloth for such a mill. All this equipment he had freighted across the plains and brought to a point near where Hyrum Dam was constructed.

Any immigrants arriving in the valley knew that he could care for them until they were able to provide for themselves. On May 18, 1877, President Brigham Young came to dedicate the Logan Temple site and gave the people just seven years to complete the temple. A great deal of Hans’ time and labor and money went into this building. It was completed and dedicated the day before seven years were up.

Andrew was ten years old when his family settled in Logan. On a farm nearby lived Janet Henderson. She was one of the large family of children that belonged to Robert and Mary Ross Henderson. She had emigrated from Scotland. This was the girl that caught and held first the eye and then the heart of Andrew. They were married in the Salt Lake Endowment House on October 11, 1875.

In February of 1876, Andrew Andersen received a call from the President of the Church, Brigham Young, to go south and help settle the Territory of Arizona. It was necessary that they begin their journey on sleighs. The snow was so deep that they were forced to unhitch a team from one sleigh and use it to help another team draw its load up the hill. Then both teams were unhitched and taken back to the other sleigh.

Traveling this way was naturally very slow and tiresome. It took thirteen weeks to go from Logan to Obed on the Little Colorado. The last part of the journey, from Brigham City, Arizona, was traveled in wagons. Janet was so ill that their wagon had to turn out to the side of the road occasionally. There were about two hundred in the company consisting of forty families and some single men.

They carried with them all the provisions they could. People along the way generously gave them food for their stock. They crossed the big Colorado at Lee’s Ferry. When they came to the Little Colorado, they piled their things to the tops of their water barrels to keep them dry as possible and then floated the teams and wagons across.

At Obed, on the Little Colorado, they built a rock fort. The houses within were also built of rock as the slabs of rock were about two inches thick and four or five feet square and could be taken from the ground almost everywhere. A spring of clear water flowed nearby. Andrew, as did other men, had a small farm near the fort. It was here on Janet’s nineteenth birthday, July 19, 1876, that a child was born to them. A tiny doctor book for medical adv ice, inexperienced Mary, a sister, for nursemaid, and Andrew as doctor were all the help they had.

The settlers had a very hard time of it. They soon found that the ground refused to produce any crops and that the water gave them chills and fever. Eighty percent of the company returned to Utah. Andrew refused to leave what he considered his mission. In the fall, however, after the rest had gone, he moved his family over to Brigham City, Arizona, not far from Obed, where another group were living the United Order. He soon was given charge of the company’s garden at which he did very well and they were happy in their new home. They were honest and industrious and were soon given particular work in the “Order.” Andrew was asked to make the bread for the whole group. He had never done anything quite like that in all his life, but soon learned to make and bake very fine bread.

In 1883, Andrew married Missylvia Curtis. From then on his lot was cast with the polygamists and persecution came to him as it did to others. Laws were passed in the United States prohibiting polygamy which added to their trials. Sylvia gave birth to a son, Moses Monroe, and shortly afterward Andrew decided the only thing to do was to seek another home where they might have freedom to live as the one family that they were.

They arrived at Corralitos, Chihuahua, Mexico, in the spring of 1886, and lived with several other families in an old, almost tumbled-down mill. There was scarcely more than one room to a family and a quilt usually partitioned them. They rented land from Munos, the superintendent of the mines, and stayed a little more than two years, then they moved to Colonia Diaz where life was more comfortable. At best, however, it was far from being easy. Proper foods were scarce and sickness plentiful. Doctors were not to be found and they helped each other the best they could.

On January 24, 1890, Sylvia’s third child, a girl, was born. She lived less than a week. Everyone in’ the family took the grippe except Sylvia and she tried to wait on and care for all. But she was not strong enough. The dread disease soon fastened itself on her and she died February 6, 1890. Janet took her two little boys and cared for them, many people say, even more carefully than she did her own. The boys themselves say their own mother could not have been better to them. Janet named her next baby, a girl 1, for Sylvia. This shows conclusively how much the two women cared for each other and how well they practiced the law which was given them.

Three miles south from Diaz ran a river that often overflowed its banks. Andrew and Charles Whiting were at the head of a committee to keep a levee between the river and their homes. During high water Andrew never left his post of duty or failed in what was expected of him.

Mexicans always presented a problem to the settlers. Andrew believed as did Brigham Young about the Indians and was rewarded because of his kindness to them. One night two Mexicans stopped and demanded supper.

They were fed and kindly treated. Soon they left and went to the town of Ascension, where they killed several people. Another time, the Mexicans stole a very choice horse belonging to Andrew. His neighbors wanted him to hunt and kill the thief, but Andrew said he would rather lose the animal. Shortly afterwards, it got loose, ran away from the Mexicans and returned home.

During some trouble in which a band of Mexicans were taking what they pleased from the settlers’ store and “holding up” everyone that happened to come up the street, Andrew came by on a load of hay. His horses got frightened and began to run. It so irritated one of the men to see the Mexicans so torment a man, who was much loved and respected by all, that he went up to the Mexican gang leader, put his gun in his stomach and said,—- you: If you make a move to try to have your men protect you, I’ll put every bullet in your carcass before I fall, and YOU’LL be the last guy to leave here, too.” The ruse worked. The gang jumped on their horses and hurried away. When the last rider was lost behind a turn in the road, the leader was allowed, to his relief, to go.

Andrew and Janet were good “neighbors.” Many hours were spent with the sick. At one time, although Janet was sick herself, she was impressed to go see a sick family. They found a little girl “laid out” white and still, with but a sheet over her, and the family mourning her death. But the impression came to Janet that it was not time for her to die and asked for warm blankets to wrap her in. After working with her for a short time, she revived, and years later became the mother of a large family.

Because of Andrew’s great family and sympathy, he was asked to help at many first birthdays and for the first twenty years of Colonia Diaz he did most of the baptisms and so was present at not only most of the births, but the “rebirths” as well.

Grandpa Andrew Andersen traveled hundreds of miles as a Ward Teacher. His first “beat” covered forty miles. He went on a horse usually, other times in a wagon when Janet went with him. Everybody loved them. Andrew was a member of the Prayer Circle which was held every Sunday School. The clothing they wore at that time happened to be taken home by Andrew and was not left in Mexico at the time of the Exodus.

The education of Grandpa Andersen after he was ten years old was acquired by himself. He developed and trained his mind to act quickly and wisely, and his memory to serve him well which it did all of his long life. In those early pioneering days of Old Mexico whenever accurate work in big figures of measuring hay or water was needed they went to Grandpa who always did it in his head without paper or pencil.

Andrew Andersen was gifted in music and was a great singer. This he bequeathed to his family. He especially loved Eliza R. Snow’s Hymn “O My Father” and the song “O My Mother.”

The Mexican Government was friendly to the colonists, but the rebels and roving bands of Mexican bandits continually made trouble. It got so bad that finally the Church Authorities advised the people to leave Mexico.

July 28, 1912 a runner from Colonia Dublan arrived in Colonia Diaz with instructions that all the people of the colony were to leave by 10:00 a.m. that morning for the United States, as the bandits were threatening to disarm the colonists.

The Andersens went with others, three small families in one of Grandpa’s wagons. All camped at Hachita, New Mexico under protection of the United States, until each went his own way. Andrew took his family to Deming then to Virden, New Mexico on the Gila River in 1917, where they became the most beloved of the old folks there. Near them lived Hans, Bertha, Mary C. (Aunt Mamie), and families, and not far away lived the other six. The other two always kept busy and happy helping others and living a full life.

Grandma Janet Andersen was ill for several years before her death on April 24, 1936, which partly prepared her dear companion for his part thereafter. Though very lonely, yet with the faith and patience that characterized his life, he lived each day as he had always done, determined, according to his own words, “to live each day so that I can look back on a well spent day.” Shortly after his eighty-eighth birthday, he became quite weak, told his family he would be with them ten days longer, then gently waited the last few days to join his wives and loved ones which he did on November 12, 1938. Peace to his soul.

Mynoa Richardson Andersen, daughter-in-law

Stalwarts South of the Border, page 16,

Nelle Spilsbury Hatch,

John Fenn

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John Fenn

1863-1921

John Fenn, a rugged adventurous pioneer to the Mormon colonies in Mexico was a native of England, born in Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire, April 2, 1854. His father, George Fenn, of Manti, Utah, was serving as a Mormon missionary in the area of his homeland of Bedfordshire. His mother, Eliza Dyer Ward, a young widow with a small daughter, Ann, married George in 1853 at Eaton Bray.

After being released in the fall of 1854, Elder Fenn, his wife, Eliza, stepdaughter Ann Ward, now six years of age, and baby son John sailed on the ship William Statson April 26, 1855 and stopped off at St. Louis, Missouri. Here they received love and help from John Fenn, the 75 year-old “patriarch” who had left England in 1851 intending to come to Zion but arriving in St. Louis, Missouri, in ill-health at the age of seventy-two was unable to continue on to Utah. He opened his home in St. Louis to many of his descendants who arrived with weakened bodies half-starved from their rough sea voyage. Baby John became very attached to his great-grandfather and namesake. John’s little brother, Alfred, was born July 13, 1856, at St. Louis.

In 1857, at Conference, John’s father, George Fenn, was called to settle at Genoa, Nebraska to help establish an important “lifeline” to the steady streams of immigrants. This would be the first rest-stop for the Saints going west from the Omaha-Council Bluffs area (then Kanesville). In 1859 this little family, along with all the other settlers, were cruelly driven out by the Indian Agent.

Eliza was expecting and in delicate health. Her heart was heavy as she gave a last look at the burning ruins and the area where her baby son, Walter, had been buried sixteen months previously. The journey back to Council Bluffs, Iowa, of over one hundred miles was a trying, uncomfortable experience. Six weeks later, Eliza Fenn gave birth to twin sons while the husband and children were hauling wood to keep warm. The mother and babies died and were buried in the same coffin. This was a severe shock to the little family. By this date the death toll of Fenn relatives had mounted to twelve souls, all attempting to get to Zion.

In the spring of 1860 this motherless family, consisting of George Fenn, age thirty, Ann Ward, age twelve, John Fenn, age seven, the principal character of this writing, and Alfred, age four, joined with the Saints who were coming through Utah with Captain John Smith’s ox team. They settled in Provo.

That same year, in the fall of 1860, John’s father took Sarah Ann Jarvis as his wife. From this union John Fenn gained five sisters and one brother. At the request of President Brigham Young the family moved in 1862 to Gunnison, Utah. Here they lived for seventeen years, experiencing much Indian treachery, especially during the Black Hawk War.

As a young single boy, John freighted with his own wagon and team from Gunnison, Utah and other communities to Pioche, Nevada, the nearest railroad point. At the age of twenty, on August 3, 1874, John was ordained an Elder by Daniel H. Wells and married Matilda Sorensen that same day. His wife had told him that she would not marry him unless he took her to the Salt Lake Endowment House.

From Gunnison they moved to Salina where John ventured into several businesses. At one time he had a salt mine and boiled salt. In 1884 he was running a saw mill in the mountains. He was very successful financially there. Five children were born in Salina: Annie, September 23, 1875; John Alfred, September 26, 1877; George Alma, September 29, 1879; Joseph Hyrum, December 17, 1881; and Sarah Eliza Fenn, November 29, 1883. About this time the law of polygamy was being practiced among the members of the Church and John Fenn was contemplating taking a plural wife. Lucy Ann Brown Lindquist had been divorced and had one living daughter, Lucy Ann Victoria Lindquist, age six years. John seriously considered both his and her situation. He was prayerful about this undertaking and he heard a voice which said: “If you want another wife go ahead, but don’t trifle with the principle.” I suppose this meant, marry for the principle and not for the lust of it. He wouldn’t have married her if it had not been right to do so. They were married in Salt Lake City, on January 10, 1884.

On December 8, 1884 Lucy gave birth to a baby girl, Emma. As soon as the marshals who were federal officers heard of this birth they were determined to arrest either the wives or the husband. This birth took place in Washington, near St. George, Utah, en route to Arizona. The officers were paid the handsome bounty of $500.00 per head for the capture of the husband. So in order to escape being imprisoned, one or the other wife had to live on the “underground.” Consequently Lucy, the second wife, lived in obscure shadows in numerous places always under threat and struggle. This situation became so serious that it set off a chain of moves that seemingly never ceased. John Fenn was so well known by everyone in Salina that he had to disguise himself when he went there. He sometimes had to hide out by retiring to the timber until after sundown for fear the marshal would return. At times while traveling he had to walk at a hiding distance from the teams and wagons.

In January, 1885, when baby Emma was almost two months old, John moved Lucy to Arizona and joined a company of Saints who were going to Mexico. Apostle George Teasdale was in this group. He had on chaps and avoided being captured by the marshals by passing as a miner. It was a nice trip. When we arrived at the timbers where there was snow and mud, Brother Teasdale would walk and sing hymns.

Finally, we arrived at Colonia Diaz. On one occasion, in the camp at Diaz, while sleeping in their covered wagon, a voice awakened John and said to him if he wanted his wife, Matilda to live, to pray for her so he awakened his wife Lucy, telling her that Matilda was very sick. He started to get Apostle Teasdale and the camp up, but this voice said for him to pray, so they kneeled in bed, and at that very time she was made well. Up in Salina it was midnight and twelve women were in the room. They said, “Poor sister Fenn is gone.” That was when Dad got up and prayed. She came back, and got well. We stayed only a month and a few days in Mexico that time. Next morning, all were off for Utah.

When we reached the Colorado River at Lee’s Back Bone, they shot off a signal with a gun and Brother Johnson came with his little boat. He said, “I always take the women folks over first.” They had the animals swim across. The wagons were taken apart in order to get them across. There was one whirlpool after another. He said he had never seen so many at one time. Brother Fenn came with the last load. He said he was ready at any moment to pull off his clothes and swim. The current was very dangerous. Driving up and down the steep banks of the Colorado River in order to get to Utah, the brakes not holding, is an experience so frightening that the next trip, if it were possible, you prefer to walk.

After four months, having returned to Salina to get Matilda and family, all moved to Mexico. It too was a long tedious trip. We traveled in our “big outfit” and didn’t have to do the cooking. Arriving again in Diaz, he bought sixty acres or lots, and built two rooms with a willow and mud roof. It was hard living in Mexico for there was little to be had. The $2000 in twenty-dollar gold pieces he had brought didn’t last long caring for the two families.

Again they returned to Utah. For the next two or three years both families lived in a tiny community known as Pleasantdale, Piute County, Utah. John Fenn was well known by all who lived in Salina. He had to leave that area in such a hurry, that he sold his property for whatever he could get out of it. In fact he was never able to collect all that was owed him.

One time, about 1887, Pa, Ma, and Tilde, (as they were affectionately called) were traveling south, having camped in the mountains with their teams and families.

As Mother told it:

Pa was off getting some money that was coming to him down in Rabbit Valley, I had a dream…. in this dream the deputy marshal came to camp. I woke up and asked the Lord what I was to do. Then a voice came to me and told me to send Aunt Lucy, Pa’s second wife, to Box Creek. I got out of bed and spoke to Lucy and told her the deputy marshall would be here before sundown after her. She said that it was just a dream and didn’t amount to a thing. I had dreamed that the deputy knew Pa and Aunt Lucy, but didn’t know me. I asked Lucy, “Do you know where Box Creek is?” “I know,” she said, “but it’s just a scheme of yours to get me away so you can have John to yourself!” (Matilda said she didn’t know where Box Creek was). I told her if she would go I would let George, my son, take the team and take her. At that moment Tory, Aunt Lucy’s oldest daughter, and Pa’s stepdaughter, woke up and said, “Mother I dreamed that the deputy marshall came and got you!” “Well,” Lucy said, “I’d better go then.” I sent my boys up in the hills to get the teams. We prepared breakfast while they were gone, and as soon as possible we got them off. This left myself, my children, Annie, Joe, and Sarah in camp.

About sundown, as I had dreamed, here came the marshal. He rode up to the spring on his horse with a badge on just as I had seen him in my dream. He came up to camp where I was baking bread and said, “Good evening madam, where are you traveling to?” I told him to New Mexico. “Have you any sheep or cattle around here?” I told him all we had was two cows a team and a wagon. I had sent Sarah and Joe after the cows to bring them in to the spring to water. I was sure that if the marshal came they would ask the children what their name was, so I had told them to say Sorensen, (my maiden name) if he asked them. Joe was six years old and Sarah was four. When the marshal heard the bells on the cows coming over the hill he thought it was Pa, and started over to meet them. He asked Joe where his father was. Pa had gone to Rabbit Valley, but Joe told him Manti. Then he said, “What’s your father’s name?” Joe said, after studying a moment and forgetting Sorensen, “I forgot.” The marshal said, “You ignorant little fool!” and rode off.

That night a terrible thunder and rain storm came. I was alone with the children. Early next morning I saw a man coming over the hill. He looked like a tramp with a gun on his shoulder. I was very frightened with no man in camp. I wondered what that old fellow would do. As he neared the camp I discovered it was John, my husband! I hurried to him and told him to retire to the timber, as I was afraid the marshal would come back. I took him out some breakfast, and he stayed hid until about sundown. We then harnessed up, and being short of food, prepared to leave. We were not in sheep country, but a sheep came up over the hill, and we killed it. While we were dressing it out the cows strayed. Pa took the lantern and tracked them; they were headed on their way home. We left that night for Box Creek. I drove the team. Pa went on horseback through the hills. Annie, twelve years old, drove the cows. We traveled all night.

Next morning we arrived at Koosharem. There was a celebration up at Fish Creek. People were gathered. A couple of marshals came by, but as there was no man they did not molest us. From there we went to Box Creek where we found Aunt Lucy. Pa came and we stayed all night. The following morning we took off for Mexico. We settled in Colonia Diaz, Chihuahua, and stayed there the rest of that summer. Pa had rented his place and sheep while we were gone. However, not long after we had arrived in Mexico we heard that a man had logs for a house and was going to jump our place. John Fenn apparently did not have legal title to his place in Mt. Pleasant Creek. We hurried back and the man, hearing of our return, left. Two weeks later, on November 14, 1887, Moroni was born.

Soon, the marshals became tougher and, as one can see, the Fenn families never remained very long in one place. John was often dubbed, “The Rambler,” “The Wanderer,” or the “Rolling Stone.” He couldn’t wait for the grass to grow up under his feet. He was forced to live this way soon after he was called to participate in the principle of plural marriage. The spirit of persecution and hatred became so great that he knew but a few short periods of peace and contentment.

In order not to lose his dual citizenship in the United States and in Mexico, John stayed in the United States for about six months at a time spanning two countries many times until the year 1892. The amount of traveling he did would dwarf that of a military man of his day. In Mexico, John Fenn went into freighting in a big way. He bought large freight teams. He freighted from Nacozari to Naco and Cananea, Sonora, with six to eight mules pulling two connected wagons. When Moroni was eleven and Alvah was nine, their father put them to freighting. It took them seventeen days to make the round trip. “For two years,” Alvah recalls, “we were up at four a.m, and worked sometimes until midnight. I guess I was picked on the most. Seems Dad always took me along, when he went to freight. Of course he believed in ‘not sparing the rod’ (raw hide whip). When the others were in school I was on the freight road.” After the freight (produce, feed, hay etc.) was unloaded at Nacozari, on their return trip to Naco, they carried copper bars which weighed from 300 to 400 pounds each. These boys did their own cooking and caring for their animals. They usually made the trip by themselves. In those days it was “Root Hog or die” and it took the children as well as the parents to make the living. John Fenn had six wagons going some of the time.

During this freighting period the families or part of them lived for a time at Naco, Cos Station, and later at Calabasa Flat. Cos Station was about half-way between Naco and Nacozari. At Calabasa Flat we built a corral and got permission to milk range cows and sold the milk, butter and cheese to the passersby. We had a great time riding horses, gathering walnuts, acorns, choke cherries and going swimming. There was a good-sized camp here with the Jespersons, Yorgensons, Fenns and Orin Barney and family, also some Mexican families up in this canyon. Those are cherished memories.

In 1900, John again moved his families, this time to Nacozari, Sonora, where new mines had just opened. Leaving Colonia Diaz, the group traveled through Ojitos, Pinuelas, Las Varas, and Pulpit Canyon to Colonia Oaxaca, Sonora. From there they pushed on through Colonia Morelos past “Niggerhead” and then to Naco, Sonora. The family had several teams and wagons and joined several hundred other outfits hauling supplies ninety miles from Naco to Jimmy Douglas’ new mine at Nacozari. While in Nacozari John bought a herd of sixty-eight cows from John Holstead.

In 1902, the Fenns moved to Colonia Morelos taking their new herd of cattle with them. They bought land on the south side of the Bavispe River near the Orin Barney and William Beecroft farms. Alvah and his brothers were quickly at work making adobe bricks for their two new houses–one for each of John’s two families. The first year we had a nice crop of wheat. I helped Father along with the rest of the boys. We pulled and cut with a sickle five large stacks of wheat. We had 200 bushels of wheat. I will always remember that hard-earned wheat. We ground some on a hand mill. We also had a mill in town. We would take wheat there and get flour, shorts and bran in return.

While living in Colonia Morelos, Moroni went out deer hunting one day. He accidentally shot his gun and the bullet went through his left leg. He lay there for twenty-four hours before he was found. He had nearly bled to death, and it took him some time to recover. His left leg always bothered him and he always had a slight limp. Mother Fenn was blessed with the ability to have dreams that foretold events that were happening or were going to happen. At this particular time that Moroni was shot, his parents were freighting either from Corralitos or Nacozari. The night Moroni was shot, she dreamed that something was seriously wrong with some member of her family. She told her husband about it and he only laughed at her fears. The next night she dreamed again. This time she could clearly see Moroni and that something was wrong with his leg. She also saw a man riding a bay horse bringing them the news. Again she told her husband and the others about the dream, and urged him to turn back to Morelos and see what had happened. John Fenn only scoffed at her and continued on their way. Later on in the day, George Bunker came riding a bay horse and told them the news. The abashed John gave his wife a look of respect and belief and turned his teams back towards Morelos at a fast pace. Never again did he doubt the authenticity of his wife’S dreams.

The great Bavispe flood of 1905 was a mile wide, over the tops of trees. It wiped out almost everything in the upper town of Oaxaca. It washed sand around the trunks of our trees in the orchard until the trunks were covered up. The water was a mile wide from us to town. What a sight to behold! It washed one of our little adobe houses down. Mother was living in it at that time. The men moved her out just in time, the water was ready to run in their wagon box. She had some nice black hens in our little ocotillo coop, but it just bent it over slanting. The chickens stayed on the roosts and were saved. Our crops were all gone. The entire irrigation system was wiped out. The Fenns having lost heavily moved to Nacozari. Traveling home from Douglas, Joseph E. Scott saw cupboards, beds and parts of houses etc., going down the Bavispe. To avoid facing starvation the men and boys went to work at freighting or in the mines, and doing different kinds of work.

Walter Fenn described Morelos as follows:

Now, to us, we were living in a land flowing with milk and honey. We had plenty of milk, butter, eggs, cottage cheese as well as queso blanco (white cheese). I remember plowing up sweet potatoes. Samples of some of them rolled out in front of the plow as big as boulders. They averaged around thirteen pounds each. When we tried to sell them some people thought they were hollow, but they were not. From the sale of our wheat and potatoes Mother bought bolts or rolls of gingham and denim for making shirts and overalls. Mother always saw to it that there was a garden planted. She always had a flock of chickens so she could trade eggs and butter at the store for a few essentials she needed. In these later years we always had a bin full of wheat that we could take to the mill and bring back flour, bran shorts, cereal or Graham flour. Each year we planted enough potatoes to store for the entire winter and seed for the following summer. We usually grew two crops of potatoes a year.

We weren’t to enjoy this peace and self-sufficiency too long, for in the year of 1912 there was an outbreak of a revolution against the Mexican Government in which the government was overthrown and a new administration took over. In order that the Mormon people wouldn’t be involved on either side they thought it better to leave the country and return to the U.S.A.

As Moroni Fenn described it:

In 1912, the Mexican Revolution began. All the ablebodied men were organized and were given guns. I was made a captain in the organization, but before they had a chance to fight, the Church ordered all the Mormons to leave Mexico. The people in and around Morelos got word that a group of rebels were heading their way and that they were stealing, burning and killing everything they came to, so the poor disheartened people loaded what they could onto their wagons and left for Douglas, Arizona. There near Douglas, the American government let them have a little land to live on until they found something better. The Mormons pitched tents, made lean-tos and fixed up whatever they could find to live in at this place which was called Sunnyside. All the odd-looking living quarters were quite a sight to behold, and the residents of Douglas made trips out there to view the spectacle. Curious people from Douglas came out to gaze at them and try to ascertain if they really did have horns as some had heard.

Joseph E. Scott relates:

After the Federal army left, Willard, Charlie (his brother) and I went back with a wagon hoping to get the grist mill (worth $25,000.00). We had spies out on the hills on each side watching for the rebels. One came back saying that the “Red Flaggers” were coming. They were called that because they had four men on horseback out in front carrying big red flags. As we were coming out with our loads we met them about 2 or 3 miles out of town. I can remember old Salazar, the leader. He motioned his men to get into the wagons to search them. We had melons, flour and peaches. We had just one gun, a 45-90. He took it and wrote out a little note saying that they would pay for it after the war was over. He didn’t bother the rest of the stuff. We were sure scared and glad when he told us that we could go on. The Mexicans had taken my room-full of wheat (200 bushels). They had slaughtered all our chickens in the adobe house and just left the feathers and things there. The Government gave us a pass on the railroad to any place in the United States that we wanted to go. We went to Salt Lake City. We went through the Salt Lake Temple, then we went to Provo where the rest of the family was.

After Parley Fenn returned from his mission in May 1913 he decided to return to Morelos and again take possession of properties, rebuild ditches, etc. He and his brothers, Moroni, Arthur, Kenneth and others worked there until the Villa Revolution forced them to go to the U.S. border in November 1915. He married Grace Jarvis April 8, 1915 in Salt Lake City. Six or seven months later he took his bride and Nellie down to Colonia Morelos. They were only partly settled when the four hour order came to leave. There was little time to prepare as the Pancho Villa army was approaching. Grace was making bread which she quickly finished. Arthur was working with molasses which he quickly buried and they dropped everything and left.

They arrived in Douglas and camped for the night. The next morning, Ed Haymore invited them to stop at his home. Arthur took his outfit and went on to his mother’s in Thatcher. In a matter of days (November, 1915), Villa’s troops arrived and bombarded Agua Prieta. There was great excitement in Douglas. The 10th U.S. Cavalry was alerted and kept on guard duty. Afterward, the main part of Villa’s forces moved on toward Naco.

After things quieted down, Parley bravely went back to Morelos alone to see how affairs were. He described the experience as follows:

The army had camped in our yard. Their animals had cleaned the fields, even eating the straw off brush sheds. The dresser drawers had been used for feed boxes. Pictures and valuables had been strewn around or burned and ruined. All grain bins were emptied; all baled hay devoured and everything inside left bare except the cluttered dooryard. The main army had moved on before others arrived with stolen cattle to slaughter. Some thirty head of beef had been killed in the yard and only the choice parts taken. The remainder was left strewn around. The Fenn ranch was a sickening sight!

On the way down to Morelos, Par ley counted seventy dead horses along the road. They had been shot when they had “given out” to prevent them from falling into the hands of the enemy. At first, at the smell of the dead animals, Parley’s team snorted, shied, reared and tried to run away with him but they became so accustomed to the sight he could almost drive over the dead carcasses before he reached the colony.

Moroni Fenn took his family back to Morelos for a few months in the Spring of 1916 and began farming. They lived in Orin Barney’s empty home. Most of the fighting had subsided, but groups of soldiers were returning to their homes and as they needed food and transportation, they would help themselves to what they needed.

Moroni took his family back to Sunnyside after the crops were in. He went back and forth to Mexico the next two or three years, leaving the family in and around Douglas. It was during this time that he had a contract to haul bat guano from a cave in Mexico. He hauled seven boxcar loads and shipped it to California. The nitrogen in the guano was used for explosives and the phosphate for fertilizers.

Moroni loved Mexico and the people there and felt that it was his home, also he could not stand being away from his family very long, so sometime in 1917 they moved back to Mexico to the Batepito ranch (belonging to John Fenn before the Exodus of 1912). The ranch was not far from Morelos. His older brother, Joe, also moved his family to the same place.

Both Joe and Moroni loved the Mexican people. He was known to give his hat or coat to some unfortunate Mexican and do without himself. This is one reason the Mexican people thought so much of him. The men from Pancho Villa’s army who came straggling by were the very lowest class of Mexicans, always dirty and wretched looking yet they were welcome at the Fenn farm, sharing the food that was on the stove with them. Sometimes the Fenn’s had to get tough and send these misfits on their way. One lanky, long legged unshaven character had to bend out his legs or walk them along as his tiny burro carried him down the road, while a short-legged companion rode a big stallion, both singing of their renegade-idol, Pancho Villa.

It seemed that the Governor of Sonora, Elias Calles, was a personal friend of Moroni’s and there were negotiations and a promise to furnish a teacher and books for the children but the tragedy of the 1918 flu epidemic changed Moroni’s life drastically. With his wife and baby buried and gone and family scattered he turned to other fields.

After the Exodus in 1912, during the Mexican Revolution we left our homes and farms and went to Douglas with the other Mormon families and lived there in government tents for a while. From there we went to Pomerene and then to Gila Valley and lived there for a few years. Later in 1917 we returned to Pomerene and bought a place and built a home.

In 1920, early in April, Grandfather and Grandmother Fenn left their invalid daughter, Geneva, to make a trip to Salt Lake City by train to have some temple work done for Grandmother’s mother, Ane Caroline Pedersen. During this time John Fenn did not have very good health. He had stomach aches and his food would not digest. Eventually food soured in his stomach and would not pass. He went to Bisbee, Arizona and entered the hospital where he underwent surgery. He had cancer and a few days later he died on July 31, 1921, and was buried at Pomerene.

After his death Grandmother Fenn sold the property to Joe Western and with her daughter, Geneva, moved to Solomonville, Arizona to live with her daughter, Sarah, and Orin Barney. There Geneva died in 1923. In 1932 they moved to Mesa, Arizona to live the rest of their days.

They built a home in the shadows of the Mesa temple and began work at the temple. During the summer months when the temple was closed, Grandmother visited with some of her children and grandchildren. She will always be remembered as a kind, sweet-tempered person. She passed away January 29, 1937, in Mesa, Arizona. Funeral services were held in Pomerene, Arizona and she was buried next to her companion, John Fenn. She left a numerous posterity that will always remember her as a good mother, grandmother and a great pioneer.

Bearl Fenn Gashler, granddaughter

Stalwarts South of the Border,

Nelle Spilsbury Hatch page

Junius Romney

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Junius Romney

1878-1971

Born March 12, 1878, in St. George, Utah, Junius Romney was the son of Miles Park and Catherine Cottam Romney.

Miles Park’s father, Miles, had moved to St. George under the direction of Church leaders and was playing a significant role as a builder, supervising, for example, the construction of the tabernacle. Miles Park assisted in that construction as head of the carpentry shop. He had other business interests and civic commitments, most notable in drama, and served in various church administrative capacities. Catherine, Junius’s mother, was born to a family which had settled in St. George in 1862. Because Miles Park had five wives, several of whom had large families, brothers, sisters, and cousins abounded.

When he was three years old, Junius accompanied his his family to St. Johns, Arizona, one of several centers of Mormon settlement on the Little Colorado River. They first settled in town in a log cabin with a dirt floor, later replaced with a nice frame home. The Romney family was in the middle of an intense anti-Mormon campaign to which Miles P. responded vigorously as editor of a newspaper and which forced Catherine and others to flee their homes periodically. This persecution became so intense that Junius and most of his family returned to St. George in 1884.

This second period in St. George was temporary while Miles P. and others investigated places in Mexico to which they could flee for safety. Junius and his family lived with Catherine’s parents, the Cottams, who at the same time furnished a hiding place for Wilford Woodruff who was being pursued by government authorities. To help support the family, Junuius tended cows in the surrounding desert. So hot was the sand at the time that he recollects moving from the shade of one bush to another, crying as he stood on one bare foot and then the other to allow each an opportunity to cool. When he reached eight years of age, he was baptized in the temple font. Then in 1886, Catherine and her children were instructed to join Miles P. and others in Mexico. The Cottams generously outfitted them with clothing and, following blessing from Wilford Woodruff, Junius Romney and the others left for their new home in Mexico.

During January of 1887, they traveled by train to Deming, New Mexico, then by wagon into Mexico. ON the way, Junuius was thrown from the wagon and run over. His ear, torn almost completely from his head, was replaced and bandaged in place by his mother. On arriving in Colonia Juarez, the newcomers joined two of Miles P.’s other families—Annie’s, who was living in a dugout beside the river in the “Old Town,” and Hannah’s, who lived in a house of vertical poles called a “stockade house.” Catherine’s house was their wagon box to which were attached a bowery and a small wooden room.

Life was simple and family centered—simple clothes, straw or husk tick on the beds, a diet of corn, beans, molasses, greens and thinned milk, and occasional treats of wheat flour bread. In his later years, Junius still enjoyed the simplicity of a sweet apple off a tree or a dinner of cheese, bread, and milk.

After about a year in Colonia Juarez, the three Romney wives and the family of Helaman Pratt moved to Cliff Ranch, a small valley along the Piedras Verdes Riverin the mountains. Here they lived for about two years in seclusion. This required independence and innovation. Junius Romney recalls how his mother and the other adults provided religious and intellectual instruction in addition to the necessities of life. Work included herding cows barefoot in the snow and building irrigation systems. Natural greens, potatoes, and grains were staples with treats of molasses cake, nuts and potato pie. In addition to other qualities he may have developed there, Cliff Ranch increased Junius Romney’s appreciation of his family.

In the fall of 1890, the Romney’s returned to Colonia Juarez, and not long thereafter, Junius Romney moved to a farm which his father had purchased about a mile west of Casas Grandes. There, with his Aunt Hannah and her family, he worked for three years and received the benefit of three months’ formal schooling per year in Colonia Juarez.

In his 16^th year, Junius Romney became an employee of the Juarez Cooperative Mercantile Institution. This led him into his vocation as a businessman and into a close association with Henry Eyring, the manager. In that occupation, he became acquainted with the Mexican people, merchandising procedures, Mexican law, bookkeeping, Spanish, and the postal service. He soon became postmaster, a position he held for 13 years. Junius later observed how much he owed to Henry Eyring, who also taught frugality through making bags out of newspapers in order to save buying them commercially.

It was during this time that Junius Romney became acquainted with Gertude Stowell, daughter of Brigham and Olive Bybee Stowell. Brigham operated the mill on the east side of the river south of town and owned a cattle ranch north of town. Gertrude grew up willing to work hard, a trait she preserved throughout her life, and was also interested in intellectual activities and things of beauty. After she broke her engagement to another young man, Junius courted her earnestly. His correspondence with her progressed from “Dear Friend” to Dearest Gertrude” and culminated in their marriage in the Salt Lake Temple on October 10, 1900.

Junius Romney continued his work in the Juarez Mercantile as their family began to grow. Olive was born in 1901, Junius Stowell, called J.S., in 1903, and Catherine (Kathleen), in 1905. That Kathleen survived, having been born at only two and one-half pounds while both parents were suffering from typhoid fever, is something of a miracle. Margaret was born in 1909. Catherine, Junius’s mother, lived with them for a time after the death of Miles P. in 1904.

The typhoid fever that both Junius and Gertrude suffered was accompanied with pneumonia for Junius, but after limited professional medical care and extensive aid from family and friends, they recovered.

More important, for Junius, was the fact that an early administration by Church Elders did not heal him. He concluded that the Lord needed to impress him that he indeed had typhoid fever and his eventual recovery indicated that the Lord had a purpose for his life, a purpose he saw fulfilled in his role as leader during the Exodus of 1912. Successful healings from priesthood administration shortly thereafter reinforced this opinion.

The young couple lived in an adobe house directly north of the lot upon which the Anthony W. Ivins house once stood and the Ward building now stands. In about 1906, a substantial brick house, which still stands, was built. The bricks were cooperatively prepared with several other families.

The resulting structure with its clean lines and decorative wooden trim was equal to any similar sized house built in Salt Lake City at the time, and, in fact, reflected the strong North American orientation of the colonists.

Junius continued to work in the Juarez Mercantile store until about 1902. He thereafter worked for the Juarez Tanning and Manufacturing Company until about 1907. He continued as postmaster, handling business from a room made on their front porch. In addition to this work, Junius was very much involved in other business activities such as buying and selling animals and land, and supervising some agricultural production. He handled some legal matters for colonists and taught bookkeeping and Spanish at the Juarez Academy.

For two months during the summer of 1903, while Gertrude tended the post office and their two young children, Junius Romney went to Salt Lake City where he attended the LDS Business College. His studies included penmanship, bookkeeping, and typing. Among his extra-curricular activities were attendance at bicycle races at Saltair, as well as visiting relatives. In addition to the three three-month periods of schooling while he lived on the farm near Casas Grandes, and about three years of taking classes at the Academy just before his marriage, this stay at the business college concluded his formal education.

During these early years of marriage, Junius served as Second Counselor in the Stake Sunday School Superintendency. During a very busy January, 1902, he served as an MIA Missionary in which calling he participated in a flurry of meetings in Colonia Juarez. He also served as Stake Clerk, which with his Sunday School calling, led him to visit throughout the colonies and to become acquainted with the conditions of the Church and the people. He also learned much of Church administration.

Two major recreational activities occurred during these years. The first was a visit in 1904 by Junius Romney and a friend to the World’s Fair in St. Louis. The second was a trip in company with the Stake President, Anthony W. Ivins, into the Sierra Madres where President Ivins owned some land. Junius fished and hunted and, more significantly, enjoyed the association of the man whom he was soon to succeed as Stake President.

As the government of President Diaz came under attack and was eventually defeated by the forces of Francisco I. Madero, the Mormon colonies were drawn into the struggle. Junius processed various damage claims submitted by the colonists to contending parties, and, as President of the Stake, he became directly involved in the aftermath of the death of Juan Sosa, which occurred in Colonia Juarez in 1911. In the Sosa matter, he assisted in hiding colonists who, as deputies, had participated in the shooting. He eventually met with a local judge and sent a letter to President Madero on behalf of the fugitives. This letter at last reached Abraham Gonzales, formerly Governor of Chihuahua and then Secretary of the Interior in Mexico City. Gonzales directed that the prosecution of the Mormon deputies be discontinued. Eventually the matter was forgotten as the military struggle increased in intensity.

Soon after President Ivins was called to be a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles, John Henry Smith and George F. Richards of the same quorum came to Colonia Juarez to reorganize the Stake. In the meetings of March 7 and 8, 1908, these visiting authorities selected Junius Romney as the new Stake President with Hyrum H. Harris and Charles E. McClellan as Counselors. The visiting authorities indicated that plural marriages were no longer to be performed in Mexico as they had been since 1890. Because he had not been directly involved in these recent plural marriages and was living in monogamy, Junius was a good choice to implement that policy.

As Stake President, Junius traveled to Mexico City to review the missionary work there and at least twice attended general conference in Salt Lake City. He also traveled to Chihuahua City where he talked with the President of Mexico, Porfirio Diaz, who exhibited considerable interest in and affection for the Mormon colonists. The authoritarian government under Diaz and the work of the Mormon colonists were complementary. The government provided the climate in which the Church members could live in relative security with little interference. The colonists contributed to political and social stability and grew outstanding agricultural products, both qualities that Diaz wanted demonstrated to the native Mexicans.

Routine church business was also handled. His correspondence notes action on a possible Branch of the Church near Chihuahua City, operation of the Church auxiliaries with a Stake activity calendar for the four months through August of 1912, concern in one Ward over lagging tithing payments and pride of another Ward over anticipated benefits from a newly completed reservoir. That the Revolution was intruding upon Church work is indicated by the inability of President Romney to obtain signatures of all Ward Bishops on a document, and instructions to avoid purchasing grain from native Mexicans since the soldiers might need it.

Although the tempo of the Revolution demanded increasingly more attention, Junius still pursued his business interests in a way that indicated he intended to stay indefinitely in Mexico. He was involved in agreements to buy and sell land, a proposal to build a fruit cannery in Colonia Juarez, and the purchase of some 715 fruit trees to be planted on his land.

One of the first direct confrontations between the Revolutionaries and Mormons came in February, 1912, with a demand by Enrique Portillo for weapons. Portillo was a local leader of rebels under Pascual Orozco who by that time was opposing Madero. In company with Joseph C. Bentley and Guy C. Wilson, Junius told Portillo that the only way he would get Mormon guns was with smoke coming out of the barrels. After Junius reported this incident to the First Presidency in Salt Lake City, he received a letter from them which he considered very important. The First Presidency approved the action taken, but said that a different set of circumstances might call for a different response. They advised that the foremost concern should be the safety of members of the Church. A letter from Anthony W. Ivins at this time promised no loss of lives if the Saints were faithful. Some, not including Junius, interpreted this to mean that the colonists could always safely remain in Mexico.

Besides the admonition to care for the safety of the colonists, the policy of neutrality urged on the Saints was important to Junius. This policy was directed to all U. S. citizens from authorities in Washington, D.C. Moreover, the General Authorities advocated neutrality for Church members in Mexico. Regardless of personal feelings, Junius and other leaders attempted to be neutral. This was not an easy policy to follow since soldiers from both sides often forcibly requisitioned horses and other supplies. During the early stages of the Revolution, the soldiers were urged to respect neutrality.

While attempting to remain neutral, the colonists recognized a need to obtain weapons equal in quality to those possessed by the warring factions around them. Accordingly, the Stake leaders attempted unsuccessfully to import high powered rifles in December of 1911. Then in April, 1912, after the U.S. embargo was proclaimed, rifles were smuggled in and distributed to the various colonies from Junius’s home in Colonia Juarez.

After initial success against the government, Orozco was defeated in several battles in May, 1912, and retreated northward toward the colonies. At the same time, Mexicans responded to the killing of a Mexican, surprised during a robbery in Colonia Diaz, by killing James Harvey, a colonist. President Romney in company with several Mexican officials from Casas Grandes rode in a buggy to Colonia Diaz and defused the threatening situation. This experience further impressed Junius with the explosive conditions in which they found themselves and the danger of resorting to an armed defense. As a result, he reaffirmed his belief in the policy of neutrality and the necessity of the Mormons getting through the conflict with a minimal loss of life.

Junius wrote to the First Presidency requesting instruction on what to do and asking that Anthony W. Ivins be sent to the colonies to counsel with them. The First Presidency told Junius to do what he thought best after counseling with other Church leaders in the Stake. Elder Ivins traveled to the colonies and returned to El Paso where he remained throughout the Exodus.

After being defeated by federal forces in early July, 1912, the Orozco rebels moved to El Paso where they made their headquarters. This was usually a place where Revolutionaries could be resupplied with arms and ammunition, but because of the U. S. embargo, Orozco was unable to rebuild his army. So the rebels turned to the Mormon colonists who, they believed, had weapons they could obtain.

General Salazar, a local rebel leader, called Junius to his headquarters in Casas Grandes and there demanded a list of the colonists’ guns. After consultation with the leaders in Colonia Juarez and Colonia Dublan, Junius requested the information from each colony.

Faced with this increased pressure, representatives from throughout the colonies met with the Stake Presidency to decide how to proceed. The group decided to continue to pursue a policy of neutrality and to act unitedly under the direction of the Stake Presidency.

On July 13, 1912, when news reached Colonia Juarez that rebels in Colonia Diaz were demanding guns from the colonists, a meeting of eleven local men and two members of the Stake Presidency was convened at Junius’s home. The group sent messengers to Colonia Diaz with letters previously issued by rebel leaders urging respect for the neutrality of the Mormons. Junius Romney and Hyrum Harris of the Stake Presidency were instructed to confer with General Salazar to persuade him to call off the rebels. Junius prepared a letter to General Orozco in EI Paso which he sent with Ed Richardson.

That same night Junius and Hyrum Harris rode to Casas Grandes where they located General Salazar. Having prevailed upon a guard to awake the general, Romney described the crisis. Salazar lashed out at the rebel leader in Colonia Diaz, saying that he should not have made that demand, todavia no (not yet). Junius reports that those last two words caused a chill to run up his back, since it seemed to be the general’s intention to sometime require weapons of the colonists. Such a demand, Junius foresaw, would perpetrate a crisis. Romney and Harris received an order from Salazar which they took to Colonia Dublan for delivery to Colonia Diaz.

The next day, Junius traveled by train to El Paso to confer with Elder Ivins. On the way he had a conversation with General Salazar who said he intended to do something to force the U.S. to intervene militarily in the Revolution. In El Paso, Elder Ivins seemed to think that Junius was overly concerned. Still, they jointly sent a telegram to the First Presidency requesting instructions. The reply said that “the course to be pursued by our people in Mexico must be determined by yourself, Romney and the leading men of the Juarez Stake.” Romney was looking for specific instructions, but received none. He later reflected that if the Lord intended to have his people removed from Mexico, it was better that he, rather than Elder Ivins who had put his life into building the colonies, should lead that evacuation. Although Ivins visited the colonies for several days during the next two weeks, he gave no more specific instructions on what to do.

Orson P. Brown, the colonists’ representative in El Paso, wrote Junius that the State Department had indicated that the Mormons could not expect U.S. governmental support in the event they defended themselves. Brown predicted that the colonists would have to leave their homes.

Fearing the worst, Junius wrote a letter on July 24, advising the mountain colonies to be prepared to leave on a moment’s notice, should the need arise.

Two days later, Junius, in company with four other colonists, traveled to Casas Grandes for a meeting with General Salazar. The general and his aid, Demetrio Ponce, a Mexican who lived among the Mormons, ordered Junius Romney and Henry E. Bowman to deliver Mormon owned guns and ammunition to the rebels. Junius refused to do so and was supported in his decision by Bowman. Bowman’s support was further evidence to Junius that the Lord was directing things since such support was essential to the later evacuation, and the older man had previously been somewhat critical of the young Stake President. Salazar then directed some soldiers to accompany the Mormons to Colonia Dublan where they were ordered to collect weapons, by force if necessary.

In Dublan, Junius Romney conferred with Bishop Thurber and other men. They decided that some compliance was required, so instructions were sent for colonists to bring in their poorest weapons. The rebels were temporarily pacified when these deliveries were made at the schoolhouse.

In the same meeting, it was decided to send the Mormon women and children to EI Paso for their safety. Henry Bowman left at once for Texas to arrange for their arrival and a few colonists departed with him that very day. Junius composed a letter to Colonia Diaz describing what had occurred and directing the colonists in that community to follow the same procedure for evacuation.

That same evening, Romney returned to Colonia Juarez where he joined a meeting of the men already in progress. Bishop Joseph C. Bentley and others were not in favor of anyone leaving the colonies, but after some discussion and a recommendation from President Romney that they evacuate their women and children, he and the others agreed to comply and to urge others to do the same. Those at the meeting also agreed to relinquish their poorest weapons to the rebels.

On Sunday, July 28, some weapons and ammunition from the Juarez colonists were delivered at the bandstand to the rebels. Junius sent messages to the mountain colonies of Colonia Pacheco, Garcia, and Chuhuichupa advising them to be prepared to give up some of their weapons and to send their women and children to EI Paso. He told his wife, Gertrude, that the Bishop was in charge of the evacuation and would help them leave. He bid his family farewell and departed to Casas Grandes to meet with General Salazar.

The actions on July 27 and 28 left the colonies occupied only by adult men. Each town was furnished with a small contingent of rebel soldiers who were responsible for keeping the peace and protecting the colonists who had presumably relinquished their weapons. During the next few days of relative calm, Junius wrote to the various colonies to apprise them of the situation and to advise them to act moderately, with the highest priority being given to safeguarding the lives of the men.

The situation took a turn for the worse when other rebel soldiers began moving through the colonies after having been defeated in a battle with the federals in Sonora on July 31. Uncertain about the intentions of these new arrivals, Junius and other men met in the store on August 2 and decided to call a general meeting for that night. Junius and some others understood that the night meeting was to decide on a course of action. However, as men were notified of the meeting, some understood that they were to leave town that night and go into the mountains.

That night, as Junius started toward the designated meeting place north of town, he was told that some men had already gone into the mountains. He was convinced that the rebels in town would conclude that those who left were on their way to join the federals and any men who remained would be in serious danger. Junius was unable to consult with other leaders as he had previously done, but what he needed to do seemed clear to him. His decision was to have all the men remaining in the colonies congregate at the Stairs, a previously designated site in the mountains farther up the Piedras Verdes River. Then he sat under a lantern in the bottom of the Macdonald Springs Canyon and prepared letters for Colonia Dublan and the mountain colonies, instructing the men to meet at once at the Stairs.

On the other side of the river, a significant number of the Juarez men had met at the designated site north of town, but when they did not find President Romney or the others there, they returned to their homes. When Junius discovered this later in the morning of August 3, he attempted to countermand his instructions to Dublan, but the men had already left. Later, Junius, his brother Park, and Samuel B. McClellan encountered these Dublan men and accompanied them to the Stairs.

The men who remained in Juarez, including Bishop Bentley, initially decided to go to the Stairs, but when the rebels were frightened away by the news of approaching federals, they wrote to those in the mountains expecting that they would return to the colonies. Later, when the men in town received pointed instructions from President Romney that they should go to the Stairs, Bishop Bentley and others complied.

After a preliminary meeting of the Church leaders at the Stairs, a mass meeting of all the men was held on August 5. At that time, those who had most recently arrived from Colonia Juarez urged the men to return to their homes. A majority of those there, including President Junius Romney, favored going to the United States. Junius had several reasons for his decision. He had witnessed the strong anti-American feeling among the Mexicans. He recognized the danger of international repercussions if American citizens were killed in Mexico. He wanted the smuggled guns they were carrying to reach the U.S. A vote to leave was made unanimous. The movement was made under the military leadership of Albert D. Thurber and the men crossed into New Mexico on August 9, 1912.

The fact that the colonists were out of Mexico did not release Junius as Stake President. He continued such functions as issuing recommends, counseling Ward leaders, and gathering information to help him decide what future action he would suggest. He interviewed the colonists themselves, talked with generals of the federal army, and took a three week trip back into Mexico.

The overall supervision of the refugees came under the control of a committee which included various colonists, Junius Romney, Anthony W. Ivins, and other Church representatives. This committee first concerned itself with the evacuation of the colonists in Sonora. Quite independently of the Chihuahua colonists, they evacuated their homes and were in the U.S. by the end of August.

The committee also considered whether the colonies should be reoccupied. Some returned soon after they left, mostly to recover cattle and other property. It was eventually decided that the colonists should be released from any Church obligation to live in Mexico, so that each family could make its own decision. Junius and his family decided not to return.

Gertrude and their four children had initially stayed in a Lumberyard in EI Paso with many others, but they soon moved to a single-room apartment. In the winter of 1912, they moved to Los Angeles with one of Junius’s brothers.

Junius traveled to Salt Lake City where he reported his stewardship to a meeting of the First Presidency and Quorum of Twelve. He reports that he “assured President Smith that I had lived up to the best light that I had been able to receive and consequently if the move was not right I disavowed any responsibility inasmuch as I had lived up to the best inspiration I could get and had fearlessly discharged my duty as I saw it in every trying situation which had arisen.” After hearing this report as well as those of other men and assessing other information they possessed, the General Authorities decided to release Junius as Stake President and to dissolve the Juarez Stake.

While in Salt Lake City, Junius was convinced by Lorenzo Stohl of the Beneficial Life Insurance Company that he ought to try selling life insurance. Junius was dubious about this proposal, but while he traveled on the train back to Mexico, he diligently studied the material he was furnished. Shortly after arriving in El Paso, he was confronted by his brother, Orin, and D. B. Farnsworth, who were looking for a particular Beneficial agent. Junius Romney identified himself as an agent and immediately embarked on a career in which he would be a marked success. During his first year of this work he saw his family only twice, a condition he deplored, but he was determined to succeed. He learned of a contest with a $300 prize for which he would have to sell $60,000 in insurance before the end of 1912. When he won, Junius endorsed the check directly to a creditor to whom he owed money for the purchase of land in Mexico. In the next year, he won prizes totaling $550, which he likewise applied on his debts. Not only did his work help him support his family, but it also resulted in his being given the job of superintendent of agents for Beneficial Life, a position he held for ten years.

By the end of 1913, Junius was able to move his family from Los Angeles to a rented home in Salt Lake City, and six years later, to a home they purchased on Douglas Street on the east side of Salt Lake City. To the four children they brought with them out of Mexico were later added two sons, Eldon and Paul.

While most of Junius’s time during these years after the Exodus was spent in selling insurance, he continued to be concerned with those he knew in Mexico. One project in which he took considerable pride was a resettlement project along the Gila River in Arizona. With Ed Lunt, he borrowed money from Beneficial Life to buy land which was divided into twenty and forty acre parcels and sold with little or no down payment to families from the colonies.

In order to spend more time with his family, Junius left Beneficial Life. Following work in several sales ventures and a few years handling real estate for Zion’s Savings Bank, he became manager of State Building and Loan Association in 1927. He continued in that position until 1957 when his age and ill health compelled retirement. Under his management, the company had expanded to Hawaii and became a leading financial institution in Utah. As part of this work, he sold sufficient insurance to be a member of the Kansas City Life Million Dollar Roundtable three times. He was also involved in various other business enterprises, often in real estate in partnership with others.

He continued to be a faithful Church member throughout his life. He served in various Ward and Stake positions, including the Stake High Council, and as a temple worker in his later years. In later years he suffered from a variety of ailments, perhaps the most serious of which was the loss of his sight. Because he was a man of action, this was especially difficult for him. He was also much troubled by the loss of his wife who served as his companion for sixty-five years in mortality.

He was always very thoughtful of friends and neighbors, as well as his family. As he grew older he expanded his philanthropy. Probably his most noted gift was a rather expensive machine to be used in open heart surgery at the Primary Children’s Hospital.

He kept his sense of humor. For his ninetieth birthday celebration, he appeared in a rather nice hair piece. His family cautiously complimented him on his youthful appearance until the joke became apparent. At that time no one laughed more heartily than Junius.

As his health failed, he began in the late 1950s to talk and write more about the colonies. He dictated and wrote several separate reminiscences about people and events and he gave some talks centering on the Exodus from Mexico to Church groups in the Salt Lake City area. Finally, in 1957, he returned to the colonies. He was interested in reliving that part of his life, but more important to him was explaining it to others, which he did by distributing copies of one of his talks.

When he died in 1971 at ninety-three years of age, he left a significant heritage. His impact on the Mormon colonies was monumental. In business he was a personal success and a builder. In the Church he was a faithful member and significant leader. Among many he was a friend and benefactor.

To his six children, thirty grandchildren, and forty-four great-grandchildren alive at his death, he was a living symbol of much that is good about life.

Joseph Romney, grandson

Stalwarts South of the Border, Nelle Spilsbury Hatch

Page 579

George William Hardy

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George William Hardy

1863-1921

My father, George William Hardy was born in Mountain Dell, now part of Salt Lake City, Utah, on December 2, 1863 and was the son of Josiah Guile Hardy and Ann Denston. Josiah was born March 17, 1813 in Bradford, Essex County, Massachusetts. His ancestors had lived there for over 200 years.

Josiah Guile married Sarah Clark on May 17, 1835 and they joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on November 6, 1842 and left for Utah on April 29, 1852. They were the parents of ten children, seven boys and three girls.

In Utah Josiah Guile met Ann Denston and they were married on October 25, 1857. Later he took Sarah and Ann to the Endowment House and they were sealed to him on March 17, 1858. They were sealed by President Brigham Young.

George William Hardy was the third child born to Ann. Abner Parker and Mary Ann were older. Father was only about three years old when the crickets invaded Utah and the crops were saved by seagulls. In the big move south his parents along with others would rather set fire to their homes than to see them go to the army that was ready to invade Salt Lake City. Laura Ann and Lois Ann were born before they left Salt Lake City and moved to St. George, Utah in Washington County where the rest of the children, Willard Guile, John Dean, Seth Taft, Aaron Bradford and Able Woodruff were born.

George’s father, Josiah worked on the Tabernacle and St. George Temple from start to finish. He donated $500 in labor. After the temple was completed, George and his mother helped with the janitor work for years. They also did ordinance work for the dead. George had his endowments when he was 15 and was baptized and endowed many times for the dead. Grandmother was endowed for 976 and baptized for 19,708.

In 1884 George William Hardy married Julia Ann Rogers. Their first child, George Guile was born on December 26, 1886 and the second Julia Irene, was born on November 13, 1889. In 1890 they, along with Josiah Guile and family, left St. George and went to Colonia Diaz, Chihuahua, Mexico. Then they moved to Colonia Pacheco in 1891.

Thresa Ann was born January 10, 1892 and David Rogers, May 3, 1894. Julia’s last baby, Vivian was born April 3, 1898 but only lived three months, dying July 3, 1898.

The Pacheco Ward was organized in 1891 with Jesse N. Smith as Bishop. In 1895 he moved away and the Father was ordained a High Priest, December 11, 1895 by Apostle Francis M. Lyman and was set apart as the new Bishop which office he held for nine years.

About the same time the Hardy’s moved to Pacheco, John Rowley and his family moved there from Nephi, Utah. Emma Ozello Johnson was John’s fourth wife and they had a family of six children. Emma Sylvania Rowley was the second child and eldest daughter.

George William Hardy and Emma were married on March 8, 1898. George built a two-room log cabin across the street from Emma’s mother’s home for her.

During the winter of 1898-1899, George took a temporary job as blacksmith in Colonia Juarez. Here Emma’s first son, William Gilbert, was born February 6, 1899. In the early spring the family moved back to Pacheco. Herbert Josiah was born September 12, 1900. When they were expecting another child, George added two more rooms. Georgina was born April 28, 1902.

In 1902 George William Hardy married a third wife, Betsy Ann Butler. To them were born four children. Emma’s next child was born November 17, 1903, Ervin John. When Ervin was three months old, George sold his homes in Pacheco and moved his families to Juarez. There he made cans of all sizes for fruit canning.

George William Hardy was a friend of Anthony W. Ivins, both in St. George and later in Mexico. George played in the Juarez Academy band and was a member of the choir. He also played organ and “called” for the square dances.

The Hardy homes were frequently filled with guests. Friends and relatives on their way to and from Pacheco, Diaz, and Dublan would stop over and were always welcome.

A daughter, Emma, was born May 18, 1906 and a year later George sold out in Juarez and moved to Diaz where he had purchased a 100 acre farm. Their home was just a little adobe house until he had time to build a larger one. Here, another daughter, Bertha, was born November 14, 1908 to Emma and early the next spring we moved into the new home. Soon after arriving in Diaz, George moved Julia to and her family to St. George and were later divorced.

In Diaz, George still worked at blacksmithing. He owned and operated a molasses mill on the farm. He built a large barn with corrals and soon had cattle, pigs, sheep, chickens and ducks. He built a large reservoir and dug a well in which he installed a gasoline pump to help furnish water for irrigation for the garden and cultivated part of the farm. The rest of the land was used as pasture.

A son, Milton Lorenzo, was born December 6, 1911. By this time the Revolution troubles were getting so bad that life on the farm was not safe. The following summer on July 28, 1912, the Hardy’s left their homes and everything to go back to the United States. George furnished teams and wagons for a number of the townspeople to leave in. His own family was in a white-top buggy. Bed rolls and food were in a wagon.

They traveled to Hachita, New Mexico where they lived in tents put up by the U.S. Army for three or four months. When it was decided that they could not return to Mexico, George and his brother John took their families to Tucson, Arizona. George sent Betsy to Paragonah, Utah where she wanted to go. Later that year they were divorced and Betsy married Mr. Adams.

George William Hardy and family spent one winter in Tucson, then went to Thatcher, Arizona, stopping at Mesa for a few months to work during the haying season.

In Thatcher, George leased a blacksmith shop and stayed there for a year. Emma was very ill all winter. In the evenings George would sit by her and carve such things as wall ornaments and rattles, windlasses and swings in bottles. He also carved doll heads for the three girls, for which Emma and Grandmother Rowley made rag bodies and dresses. Emma needed to live in a cooler climate so George, hearing of the wonderful opportunities in Idaho, decided to move there along with David Rowley. They left in July traveling by team and wagon, and were nine weeks on the road, with a stopover for a week in Salt Lake City. While traveling, George did all the cooking on campfires, preparing delicious meals for the family. On Saturdays he would watch for a pretty campsite for Sunday. They never traveled or worked on Sunday but spent the day resting and reading.

They arrived in Oakley, Cassia County, Idaho September 18, 1914. There George purchased a lot on Center Street and built a blacksmith shop with a nice home just next to it. As we looked down on Oakley from the top of East Mountain, George promised Emma that within two years she would be living in her own home. He kept that promise and the family moved into a new home in 1916 in time in Thanksgiving.

George loved all kinds of sports, and was a good sport himself. They children loved to have him tell of his tricks and pranks as a boy and they were always in fun and not at too much expense of others. He loved music and was a good singer. He had good health all his life. He hardly ever got sick, but in November of 1920 he suffered a heart attack. He was unable to work after that and died of a stroke while driving up Main Street in a wagon on June 18, 1921 at age 56, a young man really, but one who had lived a full life.

He had a strong testimony of the Gospel, paid an honest tithing all his life and Sunday always found him in church with his family. Sunday amusements were out of our family. He had a great faith in the power of prayer and the Priesthood of God. In his home George always would administer to his children in sickness and then call the doctor if needed. When a son, Ervin, fell off a cliff and was critically hurt, the doctor said that nothing but George’s great faith saved the child’s life. The doctor also said that when George died, it would have to be suddenly because he had too much faith to go any other way.

He was a hard worker all his life. After coming to Oakley he would shoe as many as 20 horses a day for the Vipont Mine freighters. This may have brought on his early death at the age of 56.

Georgina Hardy Puckett, daughter

Stalwarts South of the Border, Nelle Spilsbury Hatch page 215

Ida Jorgensen Ogilvie

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Ida Jorgensen Ogilvie

1894-1990

Ida Jorgensen Ogilvie was born in Colonia Diaz in the Mormon Colonies in Mexico. You read her history here.

Charles Whiting Sr.

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Charles Whiting Sr.

1852-1917

Charles Whiting Sr. was born in Manti, Sanpete County, Utah on December 16, 1852. He was the third child of Edwin and his third wife, Mary Elizabeth Cox, in a family of nine children. Although the mother of Charles Whiting, Mary Cox Whiting, was a school teacher who taught in the small settlements in Utah where they lived, Charles had to help on the farm and did not get much education.

He advanced as far as what was called in those days The Third Grade Reader. However, Charles loved to read and was self-educated. His own children loved to hear him read in the evenings by the fireplace such books as Swiss Family Robinson, Robinson Crusoe, and Horatio Alger’s Ragged Dick.

His father, Edwin, and his first three wives crossed the plains after being driven out of their homes in Nauvoo, Illinois, in 1849. They stopped at Mount Pisgah for a time where Edwin’s father and mother, Elisha and Sally Hulet Whiting died. Then Edwin and his family moved on to the Salt Lake Valley, tired and wary from their long trek. Brigham Young sent them on to Sanpete Valley, now Manti, and there Charles was born. His father married two other women while at Manti, making a total of five wives.

Edwin, who was a horticulturist, found that Manti was too cold for his business so he moved his families back to Hobble Creek Canyon (now Springville) where the climate was milder and there Charles grew up. He met and married Verona Snow who also was born in Manti on March 27, 1859. They were married in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City on January 24, 1876. Verona was a bride of only three weeks when Charles was called, along with about 300 other men, to go to Arizona and settle along the Little Colorado in northern Arizona. These men tried farming, but when they drew irrigation water onto the land it turned to alkali. So Charles Whiting, along with J.J. Adams tried raising cattle, but the country was infested with horse thieves and outlaws of the worst kind who stole their stock and made life miserable for them. By this time Church Authorities had organized the United Order, one camp being called Brigham City near the site of Winslow, Arizona. Not far from Brigham City was another called Sunset which was presided over by Lot Smith.

While living in the Order, Charles Whiting, with other men, was called by the authorities of the Church to take a plural wife. This was necessary because there were more women than men who needed protection in the wild, lawless country. So with the consent of his wife, Verona, Charles was married and sealed to Amy Irene Porter in the St. George Temple on December 1, 1880. She bore him two children. Soon after this the Order broke up and Charles with his two wives moved to a little settlement called Wilford in Navajo County, near Snowflake, Arizona. There two more children were born.

In the mid-1880’s they were advised by the leaders of the Church to take their wives and move to Mexico where they would be safe under the Mexican flag as they believed that it was not unlawful for a man to have more than one wife in Mexico. After they moved into the state of Chihuahua early in 1885, another son, Francis Marion, was born to Charles and Verona on May 8, 1885. He was the first child born in Colonia Diaz and had a wagon box for a bed. Just a little later a townsite was chosen and Colonia Diaz was established and named for Porfirio Diaz who was the President of Mexico at that time. Charles was sustained as the First Presiding Elder of the little Branch or camp.

In 1886, Bishop William Derby Johnson, Jr. was made the first Bishop with Martin P. Mortensen and Joseph H. James as his first two Counselors. Later Charles Whiting and Peter K. Lemmon filled these positions and served until July 11, 1911 when bishop Johnson was released and Ernest Romney was made Bishop.

The summer of 1886, Charles and Verona went back to the White Mountains of Arizona to get some of their belongings and some of their stock which they had left. Amy stayed with friends while they were gone. When they returned to Mexico in the fall they were accompanied by Joseph S. Cardon and family.

When the Whitings reached Taylor, Arizona, where Joseph Cardon and the rest of the company were waiting, they were alarmed to find that word had come from the United States officials at Fort Apache that the fierce Indian Chief Geronimo had broken loose from the Fort with a band of his braves, swearing to kill every white man they could find. People were advised to stay at home and not run the risk of traveling until Geronimo could be captured and subdued again. Their journey was halted for only a few days, however, for when they conferred with the officials at Fort Apache they were told that if they had quite a number in their party they might be safe because there were soldiers from the Fort trying to hunt down and capture the renegade chief and his band. So they took the risk and started out.

They passed Fort Apache unharmed and went on to the Black River Crossing, intending to camp there that night. But as Brother Cardon was watering his horses on the bank of the river he saw Geronimo on the opposite side. As Geronimo saw Brother Cardon he grunted, turned his horse and rode up the bank among the trees. Joseph then went to Charles and told him what he had seen so they decided that it would be better for them to go on up the dugway, after crossing the river, and camp on the top of the mountain. They said nothing to the women for fear of exciting them, and the party proceeded. The evening meal had been prepared and before eating they all knelt around the fire in prayer, which was their habit. But now, of course, they realized that they needed the protection of their Heavenly Father in their dangerous situation. While the prayer was being said a little Indian dog ran into their camp and another could be seen a short distance off. The horses became excited and they knew Indians were near. After prayer the men took their guns and crawled in the brush out of camp to investigate. It was a bright moonlit night and they could see Geronimo with his braves huddled together in a little clearing in the trees as if in consultation. The men crept back to their camp and stood guard all night. The women put the children to bed in the wagons, and went to bed also, but they could not sleep. The men stayed up all night and stood guard with their guns ready, prepared to defend themselves in case of an attack. But morning came and they were not molested. Being such a bright moonlit night they could see the Indians as they rode up over the hills in the distance, their silhouettes plainly drawn against the sky.

The next morning they met soldiers from the fort who told them that at Black River Crossing where they had earlier planned to camp, a boy and a man had been murdered, scalped and their wagons burned. At Deer Creek, just three miles away, three sheepherders had been killed. All the way to Mexico they heard of depredations and murders both ahead of and behind them. They never knew why their lives were spared until their relatives wrote from Taylor, Arizona that a squaw came back to the Fort and told the people there that Geronimo had intended to kill their group, but when he saw them praying to the Great Spirit he was afraid to do so.

On June 13, 1886 Charles’s second wife, Amy Irene, passed away and in September 1886 her little daughter Linnie followed her in death. Charles then felt like he would prefer to go back to Springville, Utah, because now he had only one wife, but the leaders of the Church called him to stay in Mexico to help build up that part of the country. Consequently, in 1889 he was married to Anna Eliza Jacobson. To this union were born six children.

Charles was always a faithful Latter-day Saint. When he was driven from Mexico in 1912, he lost all he had except the teams he drove out, but he did not owe one dollar to anyone. He had always been a faithful tithe payer, and served faithfully in every Church office that he was called to accept. He lived faithfully and kept the Word of Wisdom in every detail. He was a quiet man, passive and patient in disposition, a peacemaker, always hating trouble with his fellowman. Not caring to be a leader, he always liked to be in the background. He was very modest, kind and patient with his children and was a man of few works. He never punished his children severely but they knew that when he corrected them or told them to do something that he meant what he said and that he expected obedience. The held him in high esteem.

For a time Charles was engaged in the cattle business because there had been an abundance of moisture and the range for cattle was especially good. He was prospering and doing well financially, but because his two oldest sons became involved in with unsavory characters, cowboys and outlaws who sought refuge from the United States law south of the border, he sold his cattle at a sacrifice and made farming as a main occupation. Colonia Diaz was so close to the border that many rough, bad men drifted in. There was also the problem of La Ascension, just five miles across the river from Colonia Diaz, where liquor of all kinds could be purchased with no restrictions as to youth. This had a bad influence on the community. Charles and Verona decided that if their oldest son, Charlie, who had always been a well-behaved boy, could be led off by bad company, the rest of their sons and those of the second family of Charles were also vulnerable.

After they left Mexico, Verona went with her daughter Amy and family to St. Johns, Arizona. Charles stayed with his third wife, Eliza, close to the border. His sons, Charlie and Bernard, also stayed as did Ezreal Thurber, Amy’s husband, to see if they could get some of their property out of Mexico. They did manage to slip into Diaz to bring out a few articles of furniture and some of their horses and cattle.

Charles and Eliza lived in a little shack at Franklin, Arizona and one day while they were gone it caught fire and was burned to the ground. All they had left were the clothes they were wearing. People were very kind and got up a collection for them. The Bishop of the Ward brought Charles $100 in cash. He said all his life he had paid his tithing and fast offerings and this $100 received back from the Lord’s storehouse helped him more than any gift he had ever received, for it came when he was really in need. He moved to St. Johns the next spring and his brother Edwin and his nephew Eddie gave them employment. His mother had passed away just before they were driven out of Mexico. She owned two city lots n St. Johns and the brothers of Charles felt like she would want him to have them so they were deeded to him and lumber was available from his brother Edwin’s sawmill. Consequently two lumber houses were soon built on them, one for Verona and one for Eliza.

Charles freighted for his brother and sons. At first he sawed timber for them with his son-in-law Junius Cardon. The later he hauled grain and other freight including lumber from his brother’s sawmill in the mountains.

On his 64^th birthday, December 16, 1916, the family gave him a surprise party. He had remarked when the youngsters were celebrating their birthdays that he would soon be 64 years old and had never had a party in his life, so we surprised him. His nephew, Eddie Whiting, brought him a big armchair from the store. He received other nice gifts but did not live long to enjoy them. One day about a year later, while hauling grain from Springerville to St. Johns, his horses became frightened of a dead horse lying by the side of the road. He had a team of draft horses that were high-spirited and not very well broken. The team lunged and pulled him off the load. He fell under the wagon and one wheel ran over his head, crushing his skull. He died instantly. This was on December 20, 1917. His son Bernard was freighting with him just ahead on the road.

This was a terrible tragedy to his families who were dependent on him for support, but his love and kindness was the thing that was missed more than anything else. He had always had a hard life. Yet, he had always lived within his means. He was never rich in worldly goods but had, through the years, built two good brick homes for his two families and owned two farms all paid for. Then when the Revolutionists drove the colonists out of Mexico, he had to leave everything.

Never did he receive one penny for any of his property in Colonia Diaz. But he never complained. He always was a peacemaker, disliking bickering and trouble. He was also talented but very modest about it. We loved to hear him sing with his melodious voice. Although he never wanted to display any of his dramatic ability he was amusing to listen to, especially when he would joke and tell things about the English. His wife Verona was English and he liked to tease her about her nationality. His talent was passed on to some of his children.

His children revere the memory of their dear father who was a shining example of righteousness, patience, ambition and kindness.

Mae Whiting Cardon, daughter.

Nelle Spilsbury Hatch Stalwarts South of the Border page 772

Charles Julius Rohwer

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Charles Julius Rohwer

1838-1907

One of the early settlers in Colonia Diaz, Mexico, was Charles Julius Rohwer. A convert to the Church, he was born April 10, 1838, in Rendsburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Prussia. He was baptized November 12, 1862, in Jylland, Denmark, and came to Utah, arriving October 8, 1864.

He arrived in Diaz about the first of January 1890 with his family. After buying a lot of Main Street, he built a well-constructed two-story adobe house. An additional room was added to the back of the house, which was used as a “summer kitchen.” Surrounding the lot he built a three-foot adobe wall for protection from intruders as well as from bad weather.

The yard was artistically landscaped with many flowers and plants. An orchard of fruit trees was planted in the back yard along with some grape vines to complete the landscaping. He received many compliments on the beauty of the home and its pleasant surroundings.

While the Rohwer family resided in the area, two infants were born to them. One, a son, died at birth and was buried in the Diaz cemetery. The other, a daughter Alice, born May 11, 1890 is still living. She resides in Utah and is 79 years of age (1969).

Although Rowher made several trips back to the States, his family remained in Mexico until 1897. At this time, the home and property were sold to the Richardson family and the Rohwer family moved back to Utah.

The remainder of his life was spent farming several areas of northern Utah. He died September 12, 1907, following a heart attack and was buried in Brigham City, Box Elder County, Utah.

Lucille M. Johnson, granddaughter

Stalwarts South of the Border, Nelle Spilsbury Hatch, page 578

Arwell L. Pierce

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Arwell L. Pierce

1882-1967

Arwell L. Pierce was born June 8, 1882 in Glendale, Sevier county, Utah.

Arwell left Utah with his parents moving to the Mormon Colonies in Mexico. During the trek south, he turned eight years old and was baptized by his father in a Southern Utah stream on July 21, 1890. He was confirmed by his father a member of the Church the same day.

His first cousin, Brigham H. Pierce, accompanied the family on the trip.

The family arrived at Colonia Diaz, Chihuahua, Mexico, on Dec. 1, 1890. Here Arwell attended school, and was an active member of the various Church auxiliary organizations.

Colonia Diaz was the families’ home for the next ten years. The Pierce family experienced many hardships such as little food and clothing and poor housing conditions. During this time Arwell worked on the farm with his father.

In 1896, while only 14 years of age, Arwell drove a team and scraper to construct the rail bed for the Rio Grande Sierra Madre & Pacific Railroad near Dublan.

In the early part of 1898, his father started a lumber yard in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico, and Arwell started to work with him. During this time Arwell attended a Mexican day school and studied Spanish, which he learned to speak almost without any foreign accent. He also learned to read and write Spanish very well. Returning again to Colonia Diaz, doing odd jobs to help earn money to support the family.

In May of 1900, Arwell moved with his mother and the family to Colonia Dublan, where they built a home. During the years of 1901-1903 Arwell attended the Juarez Stake Academy under the presidency of Professor Guy C. Wilson. While in attendance, Guy C. Wilson encouraged him to take up school teaching as a profession. Due to an illness, his father needed help in the lumber business. Arwell was forced to give úp school in order to help provide for the family. He worked in the lumberyard as bookkeeper, yardman, and managed the business.

He was called on a mission to Mexico in 1904.

Elder Pierce arrived in Mexico City Christmas Day, 1904. He served under the President Talma E. Pomeroy and President Hyrum S. Harris. He was a conference president and second counselor to President Harris. Miraculously, he was protected from the attacks of mobs several times. During his mission, he blessed many children, baptized eight people, and ordained a number of men to the Priesthood.

He learned the Spanish language fluently. His ability to speak forcefully in Spanish won him the respect of his fellow missionaries and the Mexican people among whom he served. He finished his mission early due to the death of his father who died on Aug 21, 1906.

Upon the death of his father, he organized the Juárez Lumber Company and took over the lumberyard from his father’s estate. He purchased an interest in the Juárez Lumber Company and became its manager.

Arwell Pierce married Mary Brentnell Done on October 2, 1907 in the Salt Lake Temple.

In 1912 he and his young family returned to Colonia Dublan. The stake presidency appointed him to a committee to escort the refugees to El Paso, Texas. During the time the colonists were refugees in the lumber sheds in El Paso, he, along with Orson Pratt Brown looked after the colonists’ needs.

He permanently moved with his family to El Paso, Texas, where he organized the first Latter-day Saint Sunday school in El Paso and was its first superintendent. He became a counselor to Philip H. Hurst in the branch presidency of the first branch of the Church in El Paso from 1912 to 1916. In 1918 he was ordained Bishop of the El Paso ward.

He started in the automobile business in Ciudad Juarez and Chihuahua City in 1920, and in 1928 in Arizona and El Paso, while still keeping his interests in the lumber business, but devoted the majority of his time to the automobile business.

In the year 1928 and 1929 he sold his automobile holdings in Mexico, Arizona, and El Paso choosing to devote his time to the lumber business and his farms.

In 1946 Arwell had the opportunity to serve as Mission President in the Mexico Mission and perform an incredible work to bring many disaffected Mexican saints back into the fold.

The schism, which became known as the Third Convention, had occurred 10 years earlier. Due to post-Revolution nationalistic Mexican sentiments, changes in the laws regarding religious officials, and feelings of disregard by Church authorities in Salt Lake City, caused one-third of the members in Mexico to leave the Church.

During the decade from 1936 to 1946, Mission Presidents Harold W. Pratt and A. Lorenzo Anderson used a firm, disciplined approach to handling the disaffected members. This firm approach resulted in little success in bringing these Saints back into the mainline LDS Church in Mexico.

According to Third Convention scholar F. LaMond Tullis, the majority of the Third Conventionists still practiced Mormonism faithfully. They continued to construct buildings and send out missionaries. They separated themselves from the mainline Church in their belief that their Mission President should be a full-blooded Latino.

At the age of almost 60 years, Arwell had developed patience and wisdom. He understood that the Third Convention members’ main sticking point with the Church was that no native Mexicans were being called into leadership positions in the Mexican Mission.

One of his tactics was to have Harold Brown accompany him to speak at Third Convention sacrament meetings. He would ask Harold to “give them the word,” meaning he wanted Harold to speak harshly to the crowd, while Arwell would then speak softly pleading with them to “come back to Zion.” This good cop/bad cop approach worked well in softening the hearts of the disaffected.

Over time, exercising much patience and diligent service, Arwell was able to get the self-exiled members’ from obsessing about not having a Latin Mission Presidency to what they really should focus on…becoming a full-fledged Stake with a functioning Stake Presidency and auxiliaries staffed by Latin members.

In 1946 through much back and forth between the Third Convention and The LDS First Presidency in Salt Lake City, Arwell L. Pierce was able to broker a peace agreement. In 1946 President George Albert Smith visited the members of the Third Convention welcoming them back into fold.

Arwell served as President of the Mesa, Arizona Temple from 1953–1960.

Arwell L. Pierce died October 23, 1967 In Americus, Georgia. He was buried in El Paso, Texas

Various sources were used in creating this life sketch. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=121696605

F. LaMond Tullis

A Shepherd to Mexico’s Saints: Arwell L. Pierce and the Third Convention

https://ojs.lib.byu.edu/spc/index.php/BYUStudies/article/viewFile/6437/6086

George Ayers Black

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George Ayers Black

1861-1908

George Ayers Black known as “George A.” the second son and third child of William Valentine Black and Jane Johnston Black, was born in Lisburn, Entrum County, Ireland, in the year 1832. He moved to Manchester, England with his parents. There the entire family was baptized into Mormonism and emigrated to the United States.

Landing first in New Orleans, they traveled up the river to St. Louis, Missouri, and from there to Nauvoo, Illinois where they joined their daughter, Mary, who had come over before them.

When the Saints left Nauvoo the Blacks had a wagon but no team, so they pushed the wagon by hand down to the Mississippi dock and ferried it across the river to join the camp of refugees. The family went on to Council Bluffs in the spring, and in 1850 traveled to the Salt Lake Valley with the Pace Company.

After they arrived in the Salt Lake Valley, President Young called William V. Black and family to help settle Manti. When in 1853 the Walker War commenced, William V. served for two years as a cavalry soldier.

He first married Almira Ayers, daughter of Caleb and Lucinda Catherine Haggerty Ayers, and in 1857 he married Victoria Ayers, sister of Almira.

George Ayers, Victoria’s first son was born March 3, 1861, in Spring City, Sanpete County, Utah. While George Ayers Black was still a baby his parents were called by the Church authorities to help settle Utah’s Dixie. They spent some years in Rockville, then in Kanosh, Millard County, and finally settled in Deseret.

George A. was not a large man, about five feet nine inches in height, but he enjoyed good health and was blessed with great endurance, enabling him to do a great amount of work. He had a jovial, happy disposition, loved to sing songs, made friends easily and enjoyed their companionship.

He left for a Church mission to the Southern States in 1883. His work was in Tennessee and Kentucky. While there, he visited the Exposition at Louisville.

George A. was released from his mission November 17, 1885. He arrived at Oasis depot where he was met by his fiancée Emily Partridge, her brother John and sister Clara, who had traveled all day from Fillmore to meet him. He and Emily were married in the St. George Temple on December 31, 1885 and lived in Fillmore for a while where he attended school. The couple did a lot of studying together.

In the spring they moved to Deseret where George A. was employed in his father’s store. Their first child arrived October 2, 1886, and they named him George Edward. Their second son, William Shirley, was born January 30, 1889.

In 1891 the family moved to Hinckley a few miles distant and took up a homestead. Although Hinckley was a sand-swept, dry, alkaline land, George A. sank artesian wells, broke up the soil, built buildings, planted poplar trees for wind breaks, and made his holdings into a very good ranch with cattle, horses, and large stacks of hay. For their fruit supply they planted currant and gooseberry bushes, which were about the only fruit producing plants that would grow there.

He was made a Counselor to Bishop William Pratt. His friendly nature, ambition, and public spirit soon made him a leader in the community. He was helpful in building Hinckley’s church, later known as the “mud temple.”

The third son, David Clisbee, was born July 17, 1892. Geneva was born September 10, 1895, Carnal Buxton on September 4, 1897, and Victor F. October 14, 1899. About a month after Victor’s birth Emily, the mother, died, having contracted blood poisoning. George A. was left with six children under the age of thirteen. Julia Stout, who lived on the farm adjoining, took baby Victor until he was old enough to return to the family.

George A. struggled on with some help from relatives and “hired girls” until he fortunately met and fell in love with Artemisia Cox, a sister of Julia Stout. They were married November 30, 1900 in the St. George Temple. A daughter, Golda was born October 21, 1901.

George A. left Salt Lake City on November 22, 1902 for Canada to work as a missionary encouraging enrollment and attendance at the Mutual Improvement Association and selling Era subscriptions. When a telegram brought word from home that Victor had died, George A. was released from the mission and returned home.

On May 12, 1903, the family moved to Deep Creek, Tooele County, Utah. There George A. engaged in farming, sawmill work, thrashing grain, helping James A. Faust with the Church farm and befriending and helping the Indians on the nearby reservation. He soon became a member of the school board which was planning a much-needed building for school and church services. With the help of his boys and other members, kilns were built and brick and lime produced and the building was soon finished.

Another son, June Whitmore, arrived December 3, 1903. Many Indian friends wanted George to name the baby Ibapah, the Indian name for Tooele County.

As the years passed George Ayers Black realized that the environment of Deep Creek on the Nevada border was not a suitable one in which to raise his large family. He decided to move to a more settled community. Letters had come from the David Stout family praising that part of Mexico where the Stouts were living. George A. decided to take his wife to Mexico to visit here sisters and to see the country. With their four small children they made the trip to Guadalupe, Chihuahua. They liked what they found there and before returning home bought a terreno joining the Stouts’ land. November 30, 1906 the family moved to Guadalupe to make their home. It was necessary at first to live in a Mexican adobe house, but he started immediately to assembly material for a new house. Crops and gardens were planted; trees were set out to beautify the new home. Soon George was made Presiding Elder of this Branch of the Dublan Ward and he gave Guadalupe dynamic leadership. Immediately, wishful thinking about a new meeting house was changed into action, and every able-bodied person in the branch was performing his part in the great task of building a house of worship. Again George A. Built kilns and produced the brick and lime needed for the new chapel. Within a year it was ready except for the needed furniture, including an organ.

The Brown family purchased a grain header, a molasses mill, and other farm machinery. The sons and Emerald Stout operated the header, cutting wheat up and down the valley on both sides of the river. The Haws and Hatch thrashing machine crew followed, finding George A. a very fine man to work with. A seventh son, Alma Cox, was born January 15, 1907.

It became a custom in Guadalupe to celebrate Mexican holidays such as the Cinco de Mayo. In 1908, the program was especially fine. Both American and Mexican flags were displayed. Many Mexican neighbors were invited and attended the gathering in the new church building, and a very friendly feeling prevailed throughout the day. Quite ironically, however, before the month had passed, George A. was killed—May 30, 1908—by a gun shot from an angry Mexican intended for someone else. In the early evening George A. had learned about a dispute over water rights that was taking place in the field and went to find out what the trouble was. As he was approaching the scene a bullet from the Mexican’s gun struck him in the jugular vein, killing him instantly. His funeral was held in the Dublan Ward Church were large crowds came to pay respects to a man they had known only a short time but for whom they already had great respect and friendship. The burial was in the Dublan cemetery.

On October 19, 1908, a baby girl, Georgia Ayers, was born to the stricken home. Artemisia carried on bravely, although her health was poor. She sent Don, a son, on a Church mission to Mexico City. After another tragedy in the community, she moved in with the Stouts for better protection. The older boys worked hard to help support the family— Edward worked for the Juarez power plant: Shirl ran the farm; Don and Geneva attended the Academy. Shirl married Verna Johnson of Colonia Diaz just before the Exodus. Edward and Shirl left Mexico overland with a group of men from the colonies, taking the horses. Other members of the family went by train to El Paso. Artemisia went from El Paso to Hinckley, Utah, where she lived and raised her small children. The older children stayed with relatives until they were grown.

Geneva Black Stout, daughter

Stalwarts South of the Border, Nelle Spilsbury Hatch, page 38

From the history of Shirl Black regarding the death of his father:

My father was killed 30 May 1908. It was our turn to take the water, so my brother Edd went up the ditch to take the water, but some Mexicans were there and chased him away with knives. He came home and got the shot gun and asked me to go with him with a shovel. When we got to the head gate the Mexicans were there, but they left when they saw us come with the gun. We took the water. Then Father, who was getting worried, came there with a boy who could talk Spanish. He got there just as the Mexicans came back with a gun. They called out to a Mexican who was with us to get out of the way. The Jameson boy, who understood them, said, “Look out’ They are going to shoot.” Edd and I dropped down behind the ditch bank. The boy and Mexican who was with us ran down the ditch. We thought Father went with them, but he just stooped over and their shot struck him in the neck, coming out back of his shoulders. They started to follow those who ran and shot twice more at us. Their shots went over us. We moved to another place and hid until they were gone. Then we got up and found Father was dead.

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