It was in 1886 that the main Mormon exodus traveled across the border.
The way had been prepared by the organization of a Colorado corporation,
the Mexican Colonization & Agricultural Company, this under the
management of Anthony W. Ivins, a northern Arizona pioneer. This company
had been granted the usual colonists' privileges, including the
introduction, without duty, of livestock, agricultural implements and
household effects, but had no special concessions. It was given the usual
exemption from taxation for ten years. Through this company, land was
acquired at Colonia Juarez and Colonia Diaz, by purchase from Ignacio
Gomez del Campo and others. Payment was made with money that had been
donated in Utah and from Church funds.
Colonies were established, in which were consolidated the Mormons already
south of the line and the newcomers. Diaz was on the Janos River, near
the Mexican town of Ascension, and Colonia Juarez was 75 miles upstream
on a branch of the Janos river, the Piedras Verdes. At the former place
about 100,000 acres were acquired and at the latter 25,000. A prior
settlement at Corralitos had been established in the fall of 1884. Juarez
had the first meeting-house, built January 31, 1886, but the town had to
be moved two miles, in January, 1887, on discovery that the site was
outside of the lands that had been purchased.
Largely from data secured from Mr. Ivins is found much of detail
concerning northern Mexican settlement. One important step was the
acquirement in 1886, of 100,000 acres of Mexican government timber land
in the Sierra Madre Mountains, near Colonia Juarez, and on this tract was
established Colonia Pacheco, wherein the main industry was lumbering.
Then two other mountain tracts were acquired, of 6000 acres each, upon
which were established Colonia Garcia and Colonia Chuichupa, sixteen
miles to the southwest of Colonia Juarez. In 1889 was established Colonia
Dublan, upon a 60,000-acre tract that was most valuable of all,
considered agriculturally. Naturally this became the strongest of all the
settlements of the colonist company.
There had been exploration, however, to the westward, in the State of
Sonora, and in 1896, a tract of 110,000 acres was acquired on the Babispe
River. There was established Colonia Oaxaca. The land was mainly valuable
for grazing, but some good farming land was along the river. Twenty-five
miles below Oaxaca, three years later was acquired a tract of 25,000
acres, whereon Colonia Morelos was established, to be the center of an
agricultural section, with attached grazing land.