When I was a student at BYU I typically stayed in Provo during the summer,
enjoyed the less crowded conditions on campus, but knew that for one week in
August the campus would be invaded by large numbers of people participating in
BYU’s “Campus Education Week.” The phenomenon seemed odd to me - - BYU is a
university, its entire mission is education at a university level, yet this one
week of each year was distinguished from all other weeks of the year by means
of the title “Education Week,” notwithstanding the fact that Education Week
participants merely attend lectures rather than take university classes with
their attendant coursework and exams. This year I decided to join the Education
Week crowds when I learned one set of lectures would be dedicated to the Mormon
colonies in Mexico, where my maternal grandmother was raised.
Today was my first day at Education Week. In the early afternoon I arrived at
the Marriott Center parking lot was packed and, consistent with the
demographics of the Education Week crowd, a 100-yard long row of parking paces
we set aside for handicapped parking. I was unable to find a parking space, but
found a spot to park on a side street. I made the long walk to the Marriott
Center, registered, and headed to my first lecture.
At 1:50 pm Taylor McDonald gave a presentation titled “The Golden Age of the
Mexican Colonies: 1890 to 1912.” The lecture was well-attended, although there
were some empty seats in the auditorium of BYU’s Conference Center. More than
half of those in attendance had ancestors who lived in the colonies. Here are
some notes from the lecture.
* During the early years of the colonies the residents isolated themselves from
the surrounding area to a great extent, and one could grow up in the colonies
without learning to speak Spanish. Today, most of the residents of the colonies
are Mexican and Spanish-speaking.
* There was great growth in the colonies when they were founded, and people
could not move into the colonies unless they had a recommend from their
previous LDS ward. This could be seen as exclusionary, but its purpose was to
strengthen the colonies during their early, fragile years.
* There were 9 colonies in all.
* By way of illustration, the founding of Colonia Juarez was described to some
extent. City plats were drawn out, there was careful planning, the colonists
worked 2 years building and cultivating the soil, when the were told they had
built on the wrong spot and had to move 2 miles to a rocky area divided by the
river that flowed through the area. As a result of this conflict, the LDS
Church sent 3 men to attend law school in Mexico City and become qualified as
lawyers in Mexico - - one of them was an ancestor of the lecturer. The
colonists had no choice, so they moved, and started over. The Mexicans
downstream of the Mormons complained that the Mormons were not leaving enough
water for them. A violent earthquake came (according to one report was
accompanied by a flame shooting forth out of the earth), sparks flew from the
friction of rocks forced against each other. As a result of the earthquake
fissures opened and new springs began to low, increasing the supply of water
for the colony by one third, and resolving the concern of those downstream of
the colonists. The rocky soil was not conducive to field crops, but was
beneficial for the orchards planted by the colonists, and the quality of Ciudad
Juarez fruit became famous in Mexico.
* Colonia Diaz, where my maternal grandmother was raised, occupied 7000 acres.
It was destroyed by vandals - - burnt to the ground - - after the colonists
evacuated the colony during the Mexican revolution. It was located 200 miles to
the southwest of El Paso, Texas, and 20 miles to the south of New Mexico. The
colonists moved in too fast, began building. When LDS apostle George Teasdale
arrived, he told the colonists they had build 2 miles too far to the east, and
needed to re-locate; the colonists did not follow this direction, thereby
failing to avoid the frequent flooding the colony experienced throughout its
history. The colonists built to stay, establishing nice homes, mills, and other
infrastructure. When the colony was destroyed, it is likely that the Mexicans,
who like books, would have removed the numerous books from the colony before
burning it. There are reports that those who have visited the vicinity
subsequent to the colony’s destruction found that homes and stores exhibited
framed pictures taken from the colony, including pictures of Brigham Young. The
lecturer surmises that if he were to go to the area and offer to purchase books
from the colony for U.S. dollars, then local residents would be able to find
such books in their homes.
* According the lecturer, the best book about life in the colonies is a new
book by Lorna Call Alder titled “Anson Bowen Call: Bishop of Colonia Dublan.”
* * * * *
Report on Campus Education Week 2007 (from Thursday, August 23, 2007)
I again parked on a residential side street and walked to campus.
The first lecture was scheduled for 1:50 pm, but started a bit late as the
lecturer, Taylor McDonald, got a speeding ticket. The lecture again took place
in the auditorium of BYU’s Conference Center. While we waited for our lecturer
to arrive, several class members introduced themselves and their connection to the
Mexican Colonies. Today’s topic was “The Mexican Revolution and the Exodus of
1812.”
* According to historian W. H. Timmons, the Mexican Revolution was one of the
most important events of the 20th Century. It lasted from 1910 to 1921; out of
a population of 15 million people, 1 million died; there was a property loss of
$1 Billion; few leaders died a natural death, they were victims of shifting
alliances and betrayals.
* The Mexican Revolution engulfed the LDS colonies, it re-directed the lives of
the colonists.
* Porfirio Diaz was the president when the revolution began. He was president
for 30 years; his power base was the upper classes; his re-elections were
“managed;” he was mild in comparison to 20th century dictators; his focus was
economic development; the revolution came because of injustices suffered by the
lower classes; Diaz had warm relations with the LDS colonists, he encouraged
immigration by the LDS and others to help develop the country; he was
appreciated by the LDS, he tolerated plural marriage, he gave the LDS favorable
terms on colonial contracts, Colonia Diaz was named after him; Diaz was not
enlightened with regard to the people; he passed a law that allowed anyone to
claim title to unclaimed land, wealthy people took advantage of the law to
claim title on lands that were being farmed by poor people who had not formally
obtained title, and the farmers suffered greatly as a result.
* Luis Terrazas was an example of a wealthy landowner. His land holding were
larger than Holland, Switzerland, and Denmark combined. One of his parcels
contained 7 million acres. One could drive 300 miles without leaving land owned
by Terrazas. He had farmers who resisted him machine-gunned to death.
* The farmers lived in a peonage system. Farmers did not own their own land;
they paid rent to farm the land; many had to borrow money from the landowner to
pay the rent, were never able to pay, had to buy from the company store, were
in virtual slavery. An LDS colonist wrote the some landowners would lock up the
farmers at night so they could not escape, and that the Lord allowed the
revolution to free the people.
* The conditions in Mexico were ripe for revolt. There was great resentment of
the landowners and upper classes; part of the resentment was against foreign
landowners favored by Diaz, there were 15 million acres of land owned by
Americans; the LDS colonists were among those who were resented, especially
because of their seemingly overnight prosperity, the colonies were seen as an
oasis.
* The “Rurales” were a federal police force used by Diaz to keep order. They
were a cause of the Mexican Revolution.
* Francisco I. Madero arose as a revolutionary leader. He as an aristocrat; he
was educated in Europe and the United States; he was convinced of the injustices
suffered by lower classes; he had high ideals. When Madero first confronted the
Diaz regime with military force, the Diaz regime was surprisingly weak. The LDS
colonists felt comfortable, that they were far removed from the revolutionary
action.
* The first pitched battle of the Mexican Revolution took place at Casas
Grandes in February 1911. This was a small town near the border with the United
Stated, but Madero thought a victory could be achieved and that it would bring
good publicity. The town was near the LDS colonies, in their midst. The Madero
forces cut communications between the Chihuaha province and the border. Madero
lost the battle and disappeared from the outside world for weeks. During this
time he stayed with and LDS family in Colonia Juarez; Madero had injured his
hand during the battle; he told the LDS family that the LDS colonists needed to
stay out of the revolution, and Madero feared complications because colonists
were U.S. citizens. From May 8 to May 10 of 1911 Madero forces fought and
conquered Ciudad Juarez. On May 25, 1911 Diaz resigned. There had been
revolutionary uprisings throughout Mexico. Diaz died in exile in Paris in 1915.
Madero was elected president; he lacked experience and pragmatism; he was
attacked by conservatives for making too many changes, and he was attacked by
liberals for making too few changes; the revolution fragmented.
* The Colorados were called Red Flaggers by the colonists. Many in the
revolution, many who supported Madero, were motivated by a desire to gain power
and to plunder. Any who came to the colonies to plunder were called Red
Flaggers by the colonists, but not all of them were. In February 1912 Pascual
Orozco, a former Madero supporter, turned against Madero.
* Jose Ivan Salazar was a resident of Casas Grandes and was known to the
colonists. He joined Orozco and the Red Flaggers. This boded ill for the LDS
colonies.
* Chaos reigned during the revolution. Military factions multiplied. Some had
sincere revolutionary motives, others were opportunists.
* In 1913 Madero was assassinated in Mexico City by a former supporter. No one
wanted to be leader in any community in Mexico at this time, an army could come
through, and if the leader happened to on an opposing side, the leader could be
killed. The LDS colonists had great regard for the Mexican people, but were
wary of revolutionary opportunists.
* The Mormon Exodus of 1912. The colonies were evacuated virtually overnight,
4500 to 5000 people left. For many, this was completely and financially
devastating. Many people never recovered, some became mentally ill and were
institutionalized, families were broken up. This was a watershed experience for
all involved. Trains would play an important role.
* Prologue to the Mormon Exodus. Armies could confiscate LDS goods to supply
soldiers. In the beginning, the Maderos armies would give receipts with a
promise to pay after the revolution was over. The Red Flaggers never gave
receipts and, unlike the earlier armies, demanded arms and ammunition. The LDS
remained neutral, but they did not want to remain unarmed in revolutionary
times - - the would give the armies old rifles, some held together by wire, and
hide the best rifles for themselves.
* The Mexican soldiers were in want. The colonists were uninformed about the
various military factions. The LDS were viewed as being rich and were resented
by their neighbors for their wealth. With the distractions of the revolution,
the colonists did not plant in their fields.
* Jose Inez Salazar and Julius Romney. Salazar was the Red Flagger leader at
Casas Grandes. Two Madero armies were going to attack him - - on from the
northwest, and one from the northeast. Salazar called Junius Romney, the young
stake president of the Colonia Juarez stake. Salazar told Romney he would kill
all of the colonists (men, women, and children), if they did not give Salazar
all of their weapons. Romney had a heavy burden of decision; he had information
on one else had (e.g., on a long train ride, he has conversed with a
revolutionary, who advised him it was only a matter of time until all would be
taken from the colonies). Romney told the colonists he was send his family to
the U.S. the next day, and recommended that others do likewise. The colonists
were thunderstruck, but they agreed. Messengers were sent to the other
colonies, and some of the colonies were connected by phone.
* The Exodus was set in motion. On July 28, 1912, families packed minimally to
leave. The Red Flaggers came to collect the arms. Old rifles were given to the Red
Flaggers, the good ones were hid. The leaders of the colonists chartered trains
from Pearson Station, a few miles south of Colonia Dublan and Colonia Juarez.
The colonists from Colonia Diaz traveled 20 miles by wagon train to the New
Mexico border. Those from Juarez, Dublan, and another traveled east by train to
El Paso. The male colonists remained in the colonies. The refugees lived in
tent cities. The trains offered them free passage; rather than waiting to
gather, many of the saints took the free passage and left to other places, such
as the homes of relatives in Arizona or Utah. The men later left the colonies
as well.
* In January 1913 partial resettlement of the colonies began as some colonists
returned. They passed through Colonia Diaz, beautiful homes were still in tact
there, complete with furniture as well as many books. Those returning debated
whether to take those things from the homes, but they decided to leave them
there as the items had remained undisturbed up to that point and should be safe.
Within one month the colony had been burned to the ground.
* After the Exodus some questioned whether the Exodus had really been
necessary. The lecturer maintained that the Stake President, Junius Romney,
acted on information no one else had, and that the Exodus was necessary.
* * * * *
Report on Campus Education Week 2007 (from Friday, August 24, 2007)
Today, the last day of Education Week 2007, I actually found
a parking space in the first row of parking west of BYU’s Conference Center. I
again went to the auditorium for a lecture by Tom McDonald on the Mexican
Colonies. Before we started the hostess again elicited comments from the
audience and people introduced themselves and told of their connection to the
colonies. One woman wanted everyone to know that the Family History Library in
Salt Lake City has the book “Stalwarts On the Border.” Brother McDonald was
repeatedly asked for the phone number for Sister Call, a 102-year-old woman who
was born in the colonies and who wrote the new book “Anson Bowen Call” about
her father who served as a Bishop in Colonia Dublan - - her number is
801-373-0606 (people wanted to call her to buy the book). Today’s topic was to
cover: Resettlement of Some Colonies; Myths and Legends About Pancho Villa.
* Brother McDonald began the lecture with a description of the status of each
colony in 1917: COLONIA DIAZ (was left undisturbed for several months after the
1912 exodus; Mexicans then moved in to some of the homes, and took furniture
and other goods; in February 1913 the Red Flaggers burned the colony to the
ground; an remaining building structures were dismantled and other items
carried away; the colony died, it has been a vibrant and thriving colony); COLONIA
DUBLAN (little in this colony was missing or disturbed; colonists returned soon
after the 1912 exodus; by 1914 60 colonists were living there); Mountain
Colonies of Chuichupa, Garcia, and Pacheco (locals occupied the colonies and
took things away, the colonies were severely damaged; gradually old and new
colonists re-colonized these places; small wards were organized there);
MORELOS, OAXACA, AND SAN JOSE (before the 1912 exodus Oaxaca had already been
abandoned because of flooding, Oaxaca was left for San Jose, Oacaca died;
Morelos was never re-settled; in 1921 the LDS Church sold these properties to
the Mexican government); COLONIA JUAREZ (by 1914 200 people were living there;
some colonists returned 1 month after the 1912 exodus; in 1915 the stake was
reorganized; the colony never attained its pre-exodus population).
* Pancho Villa, according to LDS records relating to temple work that was done
for him, was born June 5, 1878 in Hacienda Rio Grande, San Juan del Rio,
Durango. He shot and killed a man who mistreated his sister; the man was the
son of a rich man. He went into the mountains and became a bandit.
* His real name was not Pancho Villa. He took the surname “Villa” when he
learned that should have been his father’s surname. Pancho was nickname he
adopted. When Pancho Villa became a “bit shot,” he would sometimes go by
“Francisco Villa.” In fact, Pancho is a nickname for Francisco, but Francisco
was not his first name.
* Before Pancho Villa became a bandit in 1903, he lived with the Frank and
Edith Farr Webb family in their mountain home near Sonora. This was an LDS
family that never lived in the colonies - - there were actually many such
families. From this acquaintance with the Webb family, it is said, Pancho Villa
admired the Mormons.
* In the autumn of 1910 Pancho Villa was the chief bandit of Sonora, Durango,
and Chihuahua. Rewards were offered for him - - dead or alive. He would steal
cattle and payrolls. He was then recruited by supporters of President Madero.
He came to believe in the values of the Madero cause, the cause gave him a
higher purpose, he never abandoned his Maderista beliefs.
* Pancho Villa was a Maderista commander. He recruited his own army. We would
gather men; some were well-enough off that they could supply their own horses
when they joined. President Madero pardoned Pancho Villa of all his crimes. He
became a key player for Madero, including the 1911 victory at Ciudad Juarez.
* After the revolution Pancho Villa retired, married, became a member of a
community, a regular citizen. But this did not last.
* Pancho Villa was imprisoned by Victoriano de la Huerta (who was responsible
for the assassination of Madero). While in prison he learned to read and write.
When he left prison, he raised an army of 10,000. He was the most experienced
leader and general of the Maderistas. In 1913 his army became known as the
“Villa Brigade” or “La Division del Norte” (the Northern Division).
* Pancho Villa was charasmatic. People would flock to him and join him. So many
people joined him that crops were neglected and there was a famine. He never
betrayed anyone, he was loyal to friends. But he could be impulsive and
violent.
* There are many reputed attacks by Pancho Villa that cannot be verified, such
as the following. He killed his camp cooks for having used railroad ties ad
firewood. After he executed a man named Benton, he was told he had failed to
follow proper legal procedure that required certain documents to have been read
to Benton, so he had Benton’s body exhumed, read the document to Benton’s body,
and then had Benton’s body buried again. Had 80 people shot and rode horses
over the bodies. Had noses or ears cut off of people.
* The Rise of Pancho Villa. On November 15, 1913 Pancho Villa captured Ciudad
Juarez, he lost no men in the victory, it was brilliant military action. He
took Chihuahua City. The wealthy landowner Terrazas and his associates fled
from him in any vehicles they could find, packing the trunks of their vehicle
with jewels and gold, made it to El Paso, and lived comfortably there in
hotels. On December 6, 1913 Madero named Pancho Villa governor of Chihuahua.
The economic situation was very bad, and Pancho Villa focused on improving the
economy. He printed his own money, and enforced it with his army.
* Pancho Villa’s glory years were in 1913 and 1914. In 1915 and 1916 he
experienced stunning defeats including at Celcy (sp?) and Agua Prieta. In 1916
he made a bizarre raid on Columbus, New Mexico. He continued to challenge the
Mexican federal government with raids, but on July 28, 1920 he laid down his
arms and made peace. On July 23, 1923, he was assassinated. Perhaps people
feared he would come out of retirement. He is entombed in Mexico City as a Hero
of the Revolution.
* The Relationship of Pancho Villa to the LDS Colonists. Pancho Villa played no
role in the exodus of 1912. Harvey Taylor, a colonist, said Pancho Villa was
fair to the colonists, he liked the Mormons, that the colonists suffered at the
hands of the Red Flaggers but not Pancho Villa, the colonists were able to get
redress from Pancho Villa. There was an exception - - .Pancho Villa had changed
his attitude toward the United States and that affected his relationship with
the colonists. He learned that the United States had supported his Mexican opponents
by allowing them to travel through the United States by train to where they
engaged Pancho Villa in battle. This led to a defeat Pancho Villa suffered at
Agua Prieta on November 2, 1915. Pancho Villa was enraged, and this led to his
raid on Columbus, New Mexico in 1916.
* In early 1916 Pancho Villa began moving toward the colonies and would kill
all Americans in his path. This was in March and April. The First Presidency of
the LDS Church communicated with the colonists and told them to avoid being
trapped in Colonia Juarez and Colonia Dublan. However, those in Colonia Dublan
were trapped, word arrived too late. Pancho Villa arrived at Corralitos, 16
miles north to Colonia Dublan. This was an American-owned hacienda, a large
one. The Americans had left when Pancho Villa arrived, but the Mexican
employees were still there - - he had them shot for having been employed by
Americans. Word reached Colonia Dublan - - “Pancho Villa is coming and he is
continuing to slaughter Americans.” Bishop Anson Bowen Call of Colonia Dublan
counseled with the Stake President and counselors. After prayerfully
considering the matter, Bishop Call told everyone to go home, turn out there
lights, and go to bed - - it was his decision what to do, the decision had been
left to him. One man responded by saying “That’s a hell of a thing to tell us
to do.” Others said Bishop Call’s direction was the “word of the Lord,” and
that the colonists should follow his orders, which the colonists did. One
colonist, Mildred Call, said she slept better that night than she had in
nights.
* The Miracle of March 13, 1916. Pancho Villa’s army arrived at Colonia Dublan
at 3 am, and left without disturbing the colony. The colonists learned the army
had been there when they woke the next morning, and Bishop Call followed the
army’s trail (it was large army). On March 9 that army had confronted
Americans, and on this trail the army left numerous items from U.S. soldiers -
- the army traveled east of the colony cemetery. At a later date, soldiers told
Nathan Thayer (sp?), Bishop Call’s counselor, that when they arrived at Colonia
Dublan Pancho Villa saw many men and lights, he was afraid, and he ordered his
army to leave - - in reality, according to the colonists, there were no men in
the streets and there were no lights. At a later date, soldiers told another
colonist that Pancho Villa had planned to plunder Colonia Dublan and kill the
people; but Pancho Villa believed his opponent, Carrazo, had sent people to
Dublan to oppose him, and Pancho Villa saw men and lights in the streets.
Another soldier from that army was with a colonist on a train in 1941, and told
the colonist that Pancho Villa had seen men and lights in the streets, and
ordered his army to bypass Colonia Dublan. Pancho Villa’s decision at Colonia
Dublan also saved Colonia Juarez. Bishop Call believed that God worked on
Pancho Villa, and that there was no greater miracle in the latter days than the
miracle of March 13, 1916.
* In each of 1914 and 1917 there was an exodus, smaller than that of 1912, and
partial in nature. The 1914 exodus resulted from activities of Huerta. The 1917
exodus came when the United States sent Pershing into Mexico to find and punish
Pancho Villa, though they never found him (George Patton was an assistant to
Pershing on that mission). Pancho Villa had an indirect role, then, in the
exodus of 1917 - - but that was his only role that had any connection with a
Mormon exodus.
* Today there are two stakes in the province of Chihuahua.
* * * * *