Welcome to Las Colonias
Welcome to Las Colonias magazine. Las Colonias believes that the same pioneer spirit that first settled the Mormon Colonies still lives in the descendants of the original colonists. Sadly, with each passing generation. the biographies, the stories, and the principles that they teach become lost to time.
In This Month's Issue
- Flooding in the Colonies
- Colonies Reunion
- William Wallace Haws
- Pearson Ballinger
- P.H. Carlin
Flooding
Earlier this week flooding caused by two unusual hurricanes traveling up the western side of Mexico were cause for alarm that the bridge between Old Town and Nvo. Casas Grandes was going to collapse. Read more here.
Colonies Reunion
On the evening of Friday September 12th over 200 people gathered at the Lindon City park. This reunion was different from others held throughout Utah County this passed summer. The difference in this reunion wasn't the 12 different salsas and moles available at the salsa bar, or the live band crooning Cielito Lindo, La Bamba, and other musica latina favorites. The difference is that these people don't all share common blood, but instead share a common place and experience.
While other reunions remember shared experiences such as school, mission, ward, or a shared heritage...the Mormon Colonists in Mexico share all these experiences plus many more. For example, almost all of the those in attendance were delivered by the same doctor, Dr. Hatch.
They went to the same places to recreate in the summer and learned the same two languages in school. They have a shared love for both Mexican food and Latin peoples and culture. And they believe that growing up in Mexico was growing up in the mission field and as a result, have a desire to serve others and have passed this love of service to their posterities.
With all these things in common it's no wonder that the Mormon Colonists' have such a tight bond and connection.
If you haven't been to the Colonies reunion before, you should consider going. Before the reunion, outside of a few uncles, aunts and the Haynie's I met this summer, I didn't know anyone. It was fun placing faces with the names I've only heard about in colonies' stories. Thanks to Jim and Susann Wagner for organizing the event.
P.H. Carlin
The P.H. Carlin story of is one of those shoot'em ups that you think only Hollywood could contrive, but is authentic Colonies. This story was taken from William G. Hartley and Lorna Call Alder's book Anson Bowen Call Bishop of Colonia Dublan. Thanks to Lynn and Francis Alder for allowing me to use this story and future stories from the book.
Most of the histories are taken from Stalwarts South of the Border compiled by Nelle Spilsbury Hatch and Carmon Hardy. As far as possible, in order to preserve the author's voice, all spelling and syntax have been kept as the original text. Most numbers have been changed to numerals rather than the original text.
Las Colonias tells the amazing stories of the Mormon colonists, and introduces generations new and old to the incredible history and landscapes that act as a backdrop on which the colonists lived their lives.
Learn more about Las Colonias
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William Wallace Haws
(1835 - 1895)
William Wallace Haws, son of Gilbert and Hannah Witcomb Haws, was born February 18, 1835, at Green Township, Wayne County, Illinois. 1835, he was the seventh of fourteen children. He had six sisters and seven brothers. The father, Gilbert Haws, was born March 10, 1801, in Logan County, Kentucky. The mother, Hannah Witcomb, was born April 17, 1806, at Cazenvonia, Madison County, New York. The couple first learned of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints about 1840. Previous to this time they are not affiliated with any church. They, with two of their daughters, Lucinda and Elizabeth, were baptized during the years 1842-1843. Gilbert and Hannah lived on a farm near Xenia, Illinois, in the northwestern part of Wayne County, helping with the sheep and cattle.
In 1845, after the martyrdom them of the Prophet Joseph Smith, they received word from the elders of the church that a body of the Saints would leave the State of Illinois the next spring. Although they lived in Wayne County, some distance from Nauvoo, and suffered less persecution, they decided to leave with the others. They made their preparations and left Wayne county in May, 1847, leaving many friends and some relatives behind.
William Wallace Haws cont.
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Pearson Ballinger
(1832 – 1910)
Pearson Ballinger, a High Counselor in the Juarez stake of Zion, Mexico, was a son of John Ballinger and Mary Sparrow. He was born in Leigh, Gloucestershire, England, June 9, 1832. His own account follows.
Pearson Ballinger cont.
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Heaton Lunt of Colonia Pacheco
book review
Marian L Lunt’s book, Heaton Lunt of Colonia Pacheco, was a lot of fun to read. The biography was written from audiotapes recorded by her father-in-law, Heaton Lunt.
I don’t think that Louis L’Amour or Zane Grey could have written better stories than the life Heaton lived. It's like a Hollywood screenwriter had John Wayne or Clint Eastwood in mind as he created a script filled with banditos, hermits, army scouts, wild animals, and gunplay.
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