Part III: Pages 69-91

When asked by President Kimball what I thought it meant, I said, "It means that our people have been attacked and are being driven out of Mexico by those bandits.  "

I returned home on Monday, finding that a train of our people who had been driven out had arrived at El Paso.  I immediately took steps to find places of refuge for them and made them as comfortable as possible.  It was one of the most heart rendering scenes I have ever witnessed in my life to see those women and children who had been driven from their homes, most having left behind their husbands and sons.  Their anxiety for their safety was a terrible scene.  They continued coming out until all of the women and children from all the colonies arrived in the United States.

Then I went to Douglas where I met the people coming from Oaxaca and Morelos who had come bringing their teams and wagons.  Then on going to Hatchita, New Mexico, I met Brother Junius Romney and the brethren from the Chihuahua Colony who came later.  The reception of the colonists in El Paso, Hatchita and Douglas by the people who resided there was certainly wonderful.  They seemed to try to out-do one another in their kindness and appreciation of our situation.  This made the cross that the people were bearing much lighter than it otherwise would have been.

We took the matter of transportation up for it had been deemed advisable and wise that our people be scattered among their relatives and friends in the United States.  The railroad companies showed a wonderful spirit of help and gave us a wonderful rate of one cent per mile.

Through Senator Reed Smoot and- the U. S. Government, a relief fund was passed and all of the colonists were given rations and provisions which proved a great blessing.  This fund was not only for the Mormons, but for all Americans who had been forced to flee from Mexico.

Previous to these existing conditions, the conditions around Colonia Diaz had become almost unbearable.  One of our brethren had found a Mexican's horse in his wheat and his fence torn down.  He drove the horses over to his Mexican neighbor and asked him to take care of them.  The Mexican raised his shovel and beat the brother to death.

A little later, this same man that killed this brother together with his friend went and robbed the store of a great quantity of merchandise.  An alarm had been given and the brethren tried to intercept the thieves, but the thieves opened fire on them.  The brethren returned the fire and killed one of them, but the other escaped to Ascension and said the Mormons were going to come and exterminate them.

This word was sent by a courier to Ciudad Juárez and General Orozco, the father of Pascual Orozco, was in command of the rebel troops at Ciudad Juárez and he immediately organized an expedition and began training his men

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and horses to go to Guzman and from there to Diaz to disarm and drive out the Mormon colonists.

I had also received a communication from Bishop Ernest Romney in Diaz stating the facts in the case that these robbers had broken into the back of the Union Mercantile store and while escaping with the merchandise, one of the brethren had tried to stop them and they had returned the fire.  The brethren immediately sent a courier to Columbus with the information to me.

My man that was getting information for me at Ciudad Juárez at about the same time that I received the communication from Brother Romney advised me of the movement and the intent of General Orozco.  I immediately looked up Professor Colonel Hernandez, who was the representative in El Paso of the Orozco rebel forces, and advised him of the facts.

He said, "Our troops are going to go to Diaz and disarm those Mormons and expel them from the country."

I had previously arranged for ten machine guns and fifty thousand rounds of ammunition.  I had organized a band of frontier men along the border for an emergency of this kind and I advised Hernandez that if those troops left for Gusman, that we would head them off before they got to Diaz and the consequences of their actions would be a matter of history--for all hazards and costs, I would protect those people in Diaz.

He immediately became alarmed and said, "For God's sake, don't bring on international complications.  Come and go with me and see General Orozco at Ciudad Juárez.  "

I said, "You know that General Orozco and all of the rebel officers have orders to shoot me at any time that I am caught on the Mexican side because of the information that I got and gave in regard to their rebelling against the Madero government."

But he said, "I will guarantee that everything will be all right.  Please come with me to see General Orozco that we might avoid a crisis.  "

I immediately communicated with General Steven in command at Fort Bliss and he advised me to go over there at this time and he phoned General Orozco that if anything happened to me while over there, that he personally would be responsible and his forces would be attacked.  I went over there and met General Orozco and his officers.

I said to them, "If you people want international complications, send your men over to Diaz.  My men are ready to move at a moments notice and to stop any movement on your part to disarm those Mormons and drive them from the country and unless you immediately detrain your men and equipment and horses, my men will have word in two hours."

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The general said they did not want international complications and he gave orders to his Chief of Staff, Demetrio Ponce, to immediately have the horses and all detrained and taken from the cars and said he would leave the matter as I had suggested, to the courts of the land to decide in regard to the settling of the matter in Colonia Diaz.  I returned to the American side communicating with General Steven and others in regard to this and also Mr. Llorente, the Consul General in El Paso.  I told them of the satisfactory arrangement.

The man's name that I had forgotten was Mr. Harvey, who was killed in Diaz and left a very large family of very small children.

Another matter that comes to my mind is that while on my trip to Casas Grandes I got the inside of the plot of the uprising of Orozco, Salazar and that combination against the Madero government.  General Orozco and his father had gone to Mexico City and demanded from the Madero government $100, 000 pesos each for their services up to that date in the Revolution and both President Madero and Abram Gonzales protested against this large amount, but offered to give Pascual Orozco and his father $25, 000 pesos each as a gift, but not as payment for their services.

The Orozcos refused and said if they would not pay it, there were others that would and they went away without receiving any money.  Pascual Orozco and his officers had been banqueted by General Terazzas and ex-Ambassador Enrique Creel who were the representatives of the old scientific party of Mexico and had entered into the plot of rising up against the Madero government and were using Crozco and the rebel forces of Madero against the Madero government, making great promises.

I had advised the Mexican Consul General in El Paso and had written to President Madero and Abram Gonzales advising them of this plot and said if they did not do something immediately that this would be one of the blackest spots in Mexico's history.

In reply to my letter, President Madero said, "We will look after this matter immediately. "

I received a telegram from my friend, Abram Gonzales who was Secretary of the Interior in the Cabinet of President Madero and learned that he would be in El Paso in three days.  He came and we held a consultation in which he stated he had 350, 000 pesos to pay to the widows and orphans and the men who had served in the cause of the Madero government in the State of Chihuahua.  I said, "You are too late.  The revolution is now a bonafide fact.  He said, "Is it possible that Orozco is a traitor?"

I said, "Yes, he is a traitor of the darkest kind."

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He said, "Well, I think I shall go to Chihuahua."

I told him, "It will cost your life if you go to Chihuahua."

But we went and had to remain in hiding there and later it cost him his life.

It will be remembered that General Muerta and his forces were driving the rebel forces of Orozco and Salazar to the north--before the exodus of our people--and that Salazar and his forces came over the northwestern railroad from Chihuahua to Casas Grandes and Pascual Orozco went over the national road to Ciudad Juárez.  And at this time Muerta arrived at Chihuahua with his forces.  They were banqueted by the Terrazas Creel Scientific Faction and although there wasn't anything that came to light of the plot that was formed until later, General Muerta and his forces followed Orozco and his forces to the north; Orozco burning the ties and putting the railroad track out of commission, their fires in sight of each other without attacking each other.

The fact came out later that this Scientific Faction of Traitors in Chihuahua had advised Muerta not to destroy the Orozco forces because it would be a matter of time before they could bring about a council between Orozco and his party.  Orozco and his forces divided, some going towards Ojinaga and some towards Casas Grandes.  Muerta and his forces arrived at Juárez with a I of his artillery and began to prepare for their new plot against the Madero government.  They bought cavalry horses and I was on a deal with Muerta to sell arms and artillery horses and to make his preparations.  The Chief of Staff, who was a fine looking officer of French extraction, was turned over to me by General Muerta to make the negotiations for artillery horses.

I had arranged the purchase of the horses pending the coming of the -money from Mexico City.  It was delayed and General Muerta and his officers were very anxious and had received indirect information that there was a counter plot being formed by one of the men in the secret service, but the details were lacking.  I asked the Chief of Staff why they waited on Ponchito Madero to do things; why didn't Muerta take matters in his hands and do things as they had been done once in Mexico.

He said, "That is just what we are going to do."

He revealed to me the whole plot in which Muerta was to return to Mexico City and release Reyes who was then in the penitentiary in Mexico City and was to take charge of some of the forces.  General Feliz Diaz was to rise up in Vera Cruz and together these were to march on the capital and capture President Madero and his officers and slay them and take over the government. (At the time he revealed this plot to me, he was drinking wine and dining with me in El Paso.)

About twelve o'clock that night I went to the home of the lady who had been doing my stenographic work and told her to get up and do me some work.  I

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wrote a history of the contemplated plot and sent a copy to Apostle Smoot in Washington and gave a copy to Abram Gonzalez and one to the Consul General in El Paso.  The copy to Gonzalez was sent by a special courier by Lordo to Chihuahua and Gonzalez in turn sent a copy to President Madero.

General Pescena, who was with Madero when he received the communication, said that Madero gasped and said it could not be true.  Pescena told him that he believed these things to be true.  He said that Mr. Brown had given them the low-down on the Orozco affair and the same source was responsible for these elements.  But President Madero wired to Muerta to come to Mexico City and there they had a consultation and Madero bared the information I had sent to him, but of course, Muerta repudiated it all.  But Muerta was only biding his time and an opportunity to carry out this plot.  This plot was eventually carried out to the disgrace and chagrin of the whole country and to the shame and disgrace of the Ambassador to Mexico, Mr. Henry Lane Wilson, who was a party of this plot.  When discovered by his own government, he was disgraced, discharged and called home.

As had been contemplated, the Terrazas Creel combination in Chihuahua got in communication with Orozco and Salazar and the rebels and they entered into an agreement and joined the Muerta forces.  During this time, General Villa was mobilizing his forces in the mountain districts of Chihuahua and Durango, and while the Orozco forces were in Ciudad Juárez, he made an attack upon the town at daylight in the morning and took the city.

In the morning as the men and officers were being brought in- -among them Colonel Enrique Portillo and some sixty other officers--Villa with his officers had their headquarters in the Mexican customs house in Ciudad Juárez.  He ordered these prisoners immediately to be executed.  Bishop Arwell Pierce, Mr. Tod McClaney and I went over to Ciudad Juárez to the cuartel and we witnessed the execution of Enrique Pontillo and his three companions.  The others were taken out to the cemetery and lined up and executed and all buried in a large pit that was dug for the purpose of their burial.

The Orozco forces that came from Chihuahua and attacked the Villa forces in Juárez were driven off with considerable loss.  Villa then went into the north­western mountain country with his men and General Feliz Terrazas, one of the Orozco generals, with three trains of men to where he was to attack them.

He was then at San Andres, about sixty miles west of Chihuahua.  Villa allowed the trains to come up the canyon from Santa Isabel, then blew up the bridges behind them.  At this time his forces attacked them in the canyon from the hills and out of 3, 000 men that went to attack him, only 1, 300 returned to Chihuahua.  The trains were loaded with provisions and equipment which Villa took into the mountains and buried for future operations.

In a stone corral, Villa stood up one thousand prisoners in rows of five, one behind the other, and with their own guns shot them down to see how man men a Mauser bullet could go through.  As the men fell, they were treated with a tino de gracis, (bullet through the head).

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Villa then began to get stronger and with his forces went to Chihuahua and drove the rebels out.  He also went to Jiménez and Santa Rosalia.  By this time the Tonvino brothers had been sent by Muerta to take command of the forces in the state of Chihuahua.  One was to be Governor and the other to be in command of the military forces.  Villa followed, attacking them on the way, and their officers and a great number of their men passed over the border into the United States.

Then Villa took Torreon after ten days of battle in which he showed wonderful military genius.  He followed them south and at Zacatecas drove them before him, killing ten or fifteen thousand rebels there.

It was then that General Caranza who had taken charge of the Madero forces, sent for Villa to return to Chihuahua and take charge of the military forces in the north.  Carranza feared that Villa, with his strength and popularity, might try to thwart Carranza's plans.  Carranza was recognized as the rebel president in Mexico, but Villa refused to accept this arrangement and said he was going to drive the Muerta forces out into the sea.

An arrangement was made.  The Carranza officers decided to hold a conference at Aguas Calientes and that there should also be present the Zapatistas, the Obregón and Calles forces--in fact, all of the revolutionary forces.  At this time the Obregón and Calles forces were coming from the west driving the Muerta forces before them, and in many instances, destroying them.  They went into Mexico City and took charge of the city, driving the Muerta forces out and then Zapatista was named--to the disappointment of the Carranza forces.  Obregón refused to acknowledge this nomination and the Villa and Zapatista forces concentrated and made a drive on Mexico City and drove out the Carranza forces.

Obregón retreated to Vera Cruz and later was strengthened in his forces and came up to Mexico City, driving out the Villistas and Zapatistas to the north, following them and at Salaya, the largest battle of the Revolution was fought.  It lasted three days in which the Obregón forces cut the Villa forces all to pieces.  Villa fled to the north making small resistance until he came into Torreon and Chihuahua.

He left General Fidel Avito at Chihuahua City and General Ornellas at

Ciudad Juárez and General Villa with about 1, 500 men came to Casas Grandes and Dublán and there made preparations to invade Sonora.  While at Colonia Dublán he had an explosion of dynamite in the tithing grounds, killing about fifty of his soldiers.  He then made his way westward through Pulpit Canyon in front of Agua Prieta where he had found out that reinforcements had been allowed to go through to the United States, coming from Nogales, Sonora to reinforce General Calles, who was in command of the forces at Agua Prieta.  Villa made an attempted bombardment on Agua Prieta, but as he was shooting downhill, the artillery--instead of hitting Agua Prieta--passed over and did no damage whatever.

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He then went around to the south to Canonea and down the Southern Pacific Railroad to Magdalena and just south of here, he met the forces of Obregón that had been sent from Mexico City around by Guadalajara to intercept him.  They gave him battle with a complete rout and his men went up through Yaqui country, being cut to pieces by the Yaqui Indians, and arrived back into the mountains with less than half of the men he had started from Dublán with.

When he arrived at Madero, he found that all of his forces in the State of Chihuahua had surrendered to the Carranza government.  This enraged him very much and he began making preparations to invade the United States.  He traveled down through the mountain country and the Hop Valley, near Pacheco.  There was an American family consisting of the man and wife and a little two-year old boy who lived there.  The Chief of Staff shot the man and gave the boy to a Mexican woman and forced the woman to accompany him on their way to the United States border.  On the road, they hanged and shot three Americans whose names I have forgotten just now.  At the attack of Columbus, Cervantes released this woman he had forced to live with and accompany him.

Villa and his men burned a part of Columbus, but in their anxiety and greed to loot, they overlooked the main object of their raid, and the small American troop of soldiers came into play and drove them out with big losses to the Villa forces.  His forces came on down through the country and arrived at Corralitos.  They hanged the two Palanka Brothers with two of their sons.  They then came up the country, leaving Dublán to the west and going out by the lakes and up through Galliana and El Valle.  At this time, the American expedition was organized under General Pershing which followed the trail and captured and executed a number of Villa's men, but failed to capture the main object of their crossing the border--which was the capture of Villa.  While they were encamped with military headquarters at Dublán, orders came from the Carranza government not to let the Americans proceed further into the interior, but to keep them in the north.  They also sent word that they had placed troops to the south and east to prevent the Americans from going there.

General Pershing was anxious and sent two scouting parties to the east and they encountered the Carranza forces at Carrazal where the captain in charge of the scouting parties was killed and also a Lieutenant and sixteen colored soldiers.  The Federal forces of Carranza captured thirty-five colored soldiers and the chief scout of the expedition, Lem Spillsbury, was taken to Chihuahua City.

At Ciudad Juárez, previous to these happenings, my wife, Jane, and her family were going from Morelos to Douglas, Arizona and the mules became frightened and the wagon was overturned, killing my son, Galbraith, who was eight years old.  They took him back and buried him at Morelos.

After the exodus of our people, Salazar, Campo and Alaniz followed General

Sanjimez who had retreated to Sonora with his troops and between Agua Prieta and Fronteres, General

Obregón, who was then only a colonel, with 250 Yaqui

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Indians, gave Salazar battle and gave them such a threshing that they retreated towards Chihuahua City.  Between Fronteres and Morelos, Obregón again attacked the Salazar forces and cut them to pieces.  They retreated by way of El Tigre mining camp where they robbed it of bullion and their burros and had started on their way toward Bavispe when a rumor came that Obregón and his men were close behind them and they abandoned their loot and made their way out by Carretas.  A number of their burros were found dead with the bullion tied to them.

While I was in the employ of the United States Government under General Bell, there had been a number of very disagreeable circumstances that had come up between the Carranza government and the U. S. It seems that Carranza did everything he could to drive the American troops out of Mexico.  The United States had many conferences through their ambassador in Mexico City, but without satisfaction, so they demanded a conference to see if something might be brought about.  An agreement was made between General Scott of the American Army and Obregón, Secretary of War and Marines of Mexico.  A conference was held at Ciudad Juárez and El Paso to try and bring about some arrangement that would be amicable to both parties.

In the meantime, the U. S. Government had concentrated 65,000 soldiers of all arms at and near El Paso for the purpose- if needs be- to invade Mexico.  Her Navy also had been concentrated at-convenient points for the same purpose.

General Bell called me in consultation with Scott, and Scott told me that unless there was an amicable agreement brought about at this conference that the U. S. Forces of all arms would invade Mexico within twenty days and he asked me to convey this information to Obregón.  In compliance with instructions, I went to Obregón and told him I feared terrible consequences unless there was an agreement made.  He and General Scott had already had one conference before I was given this information.

He said, "We don't propose to have Uncle Sam for a step-father."

I said, "You will not only have him for a step-father, but also as a stepmother if there is no agreement made.  "

They had another conference without any satisfaction and then I was instructed to go back again and this time General Calles had come and was present at this conference.  For an hour and a half I set forth the conditions that were existing and had existed and what would exist and I begged them to listen to what I had to say.

"You and I will not suffer personally so much, but the women and children and the poor people of Mexico will suffer because of this invasion which is inevitable unless an agreement is made for this matter in the Paso del Norte Hotel this afternoon between you and General Scott.  Obregón, I have always looked on you

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as a patriot.  Pride and vanity should vanish from this proposition and you and the others should have patriotism and come to this agreement to keep the U. S. troops from invading Mexico."

He said, "What is patriotism?"

I said, "A man has patriotism when he will give everything for the benefit of his country--even his life.  "

He said, "There are few of that kind of patriots in the world."

I said, "No, there have been and always will be lots of that kind of patriots-­men who would even sacrifice their lives for their country.  I believe you to be of that class."

I said, "The cause you have espoused means you will finally lose your life for it and now you have an opportunity.  Your country and people are being sacrificed." He turned pale, and so did General Calles and Mr. Amador, ­at my words and prophecy.

Obregón said, "Mr. Brown, I believe every word you have said and am going to do the best I can for the salvation of my people and country.  "

They went into conference at four o'clock that evening at the Paso del Norte Hotel in El Paso and at four o'clock the next morning they had signed a tentative agreement with a stipulation that said agreement must be sanctioned by the Congress and President of the United States and the Government of Mexico and the President must sign it also--averting a great crisis.  The U. S. President and Congress signed the agreement, but General Carranza and the Mexican Congress never did approve of this agreement.

Then there was the World War between Germany, France, Great Britain and other European countries, and before other matters of serious nature had appeared in Mexico, the U. S. had entered into the World War.  Obregón and his party split with Carranza and followed and filled his troops and Obregón came into position as President of the Republic, following General Calles as President.  Then there was another political upheaval.  Obregón was being feted and was at a big feast and was assassinated, giving his life for the cause he had espoused.

When the U. S. declared war against Germany, there was a rumor that General Calles was organizing forces with Germany in the State of Sonora near Hermosillo to invade the U. S. I was asked by General Bell to go to Sonora and make an investigation of these rumors.  When I arrived at Nogales, I learned that they would not allow any -Americans into or over the border.  I met a man who was the master mechanic of the Southern Pacific and who was from Tucson, Arizona.  I had my Mexican citizenship papers with me and expected to go over the border the next morning.

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This man said to me, "A man stole my daughter three or four days ago and has gone to Sonora with her.  I just got a letter from her and she wants to return.  "

He implored me very sincerely to try and find her and return her to him.  My citizenship papers were accepted at the Mexican Emigration Office and I was allowed to proceed to Hermosillo where I stayed two or three days and found there was no truth as to the rumors about President Calles.  I proceeded to Guaymas, Sonora and there also found there was no truth to the rumors.

I had a photo of this girl, the daughter of the mechanic.  Her mother was of Mexican extraction.  On going around the plaza here in the evening, I saw this girl.  She was a very beautiful blonde 'of about seventeen years of age.  She was sitting on a seat with a Mexican woman.  I walked up to her and showed her the photo and she was pleased and said the man who had taken her was expected home that night and that he was a very dangerous man and she was afraid he might kill her.  I invited her to the hotel and gave her a room and the next morning at seven o'clock, we left for Nogales.  I had wired her father and he met us and took the girl home to Tucson.

I later had family troubles and my wives all got divorces from me and I was alone.  I then married a young lady by the name of Angela Gabaldón, of Mexican extraction, and moved to Ciudad Juárez to live and while there, I took a position with the War Finance Corporation o t to protect their cattle interests in the Santa Clara Valley, Chihuahua.  I ran down three cattle thieves and put them in jail, among them one American.  I located forty-two head of cattle.

While in this work, a Mexican at Las Lamentos mining camp got information of a band of bandits and murderers who were in that vicinity.  Mr. Muller, the superintendent, asked me to get them.  So I resigned my position and wired to General Caravello and told him the situation and told him to send me twenty-five soldiers.  We scattered and found the camps where they had been, but they had become alarmed and scattered.

Previous to this, the train had been attacked near Caudelania, Chihuahua on the Mexican Central Line by a bunch of bandits who had killed the one American pay master together with five railroad men and three Mexican section men.  They murdered these men in cold blood and robbed the train.  This had happened a year and a half previous to my taking service here and within three weeks after my taking service, we captured two of these bandits who were executed by the Federal Government and found the location of a lot of others.

Superintendent Muller took pneumonia and died and his successor refused to pay any more expenses.

Carevello had received instructions from Calles to follow and execute all of these men that could be located.

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In 1925, 1 was again admitted into the church.  I was baptized by Bishop Arwell Pierce and confirmed by my very true and good friend, Brother Thomas Kimball of Thatcher, Arizona at El Paso, Texas.  In 1927, I moved to Colonia Dublán beginning again my appreciation and sense -of the blessings of the gospel.  I was employed in El Paso in the winters of 1929 and 1930, and on the first of March I received a letter from my son, Miles, asking me to come to the Centennial Celebration in Salt Lake City.  He sent me fifty dollars and said he had told the other boys to do the same and was sure they would, and I had the glorious privilege of accompanying Brothers Keeler, Pierce and Call to Salt Lake City to the- Centennial.

While I was there, I met President Ivins and he took me into the office and said he had been instructed by President Grant to confer upon me my former blessings.  He la ' id his hands on my head and gave me all of my blessings and resealed my wives to me and also my children.

This was one of the happiest days of all my life.  I returned home to Dublán.  Shortly afterward, I had a most wonderful manifestation.

I dreamed that I was on a beautiful hill that sloped down towards the east.  I had heard that the Master was coming and I was gazing into the heavens watching for Him to come.  Then I walked down the slope where there was a road and by the side of the road stood a man.  Kneeling at the feet of this man was a Mexican.

As I neared, the man who was standing said, "Who are you looking for?" I said, "I am looking for the Master.  He said, "You, like many others, are looking where He is not."

Then he passed on along the road with the Mexican and I followed them until I came to the bank of a beautiful river and there my wife and her baby joined me and as she came near me, she had the baby in her arms, but she dropped it. It slipped into the river.  I jumped into the river, which was crystal clear, and brought the baby out unhurt.  As I looked across the stream I saw on the other side a wonderful space of green grass surrounded by trees.  It was one of the most beautiful spots I have ever imagined.  I saw my mother coming down the slope.

I said, "Don't you know me, Mother?"

"Of course I do, Son," she said.

I said, "Look at this beautiful baby."

"Yes, she is most beautiful."

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I asked her if I could come across to where she was, but she said I could not for I was not yet prepared and to wait until I was prepared.  Then I could and join her.

Then I said, 'Why, Mother, you do not seem to be lame any more." My mother had been a rheumatic invalid all the last years of her life.

She said, "No, Son.  I have my resurrected body and am free from all pain."  Her countenance was lighted up and it was most beautiful and she looked like when I could first remember her.

Then she disappeared and I marveled at this wonderful manifestation and knew that I had to become more prepared.

Just going back a little.  While at Salt Lake City I had the privilege of meeting my wives, Mattie and Eliza, and had a thorough understanding with them as to the future.  I also met my dear sister, Abbie, at Los Angeles and I saw some of my children at San Francisco and at other parts and in Arizona.

About two weeks before I had been called to preside over the Mexican Branch, I had an interesting dream wherein I saw myself laboring among the Mexican people, having been called to a position of responsibility.

When I related this to my wife, she said, "Where and when do you think you will be called?"

 I said, "I do not know, but I want to be prepared and be in a spirit of humility. I want to go wherever they call me."

When I heard the voices of Brothers Keeler and Abegg outside my door late in the night, I knew that I was going to be called to labor among the natives.

I am thankful now to say that while my labors have not been altogether satisfactory, I am enjoying this labor and I want to leave my testimony to all of those who read this that there is only one way and that is to be humble and prayerful, for the beginning of my downfall was in the neglect of the paying of my tithes and my lack of devotion to the Lord.

There is only one way, and that is in service and humility, to retain the Spirit of the Lord.

The death of my wife, Bessie Macdonald, at Colonia Morelos, Sonora in 1904, was one of the severest blows in all my life, for she was one of God's noble women and a wonderful counselor and companion.  God bless her memory.

President Junius Romney and myself began to look for some place for our refugees to get homes and we visited the Pacos Valley in Texas; also Carlsbad, New Mexico and found what looked like suitable locations.  We went to Salt Lake City

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and laid the matter before President Ivins and he sent us to the First Presidency and treated us most kindly and gave the following advice: "We feel that it will be better for the Mexican Saints to scatter among the settlements of the Latter-Day Saints than for them to locate all together."

Then the refugees began to scatter.

Then Brother Joseph C. Bentley came out from a trip to the Colonies in Mexico.

He said, "Brother Orson, I am going to see the First Presidency of the Church and try and get permission for those who desire to have the privilege to return to their homes in the colonies.  "

I said I thought it very foolish at that time and opposed the move as entailing too much danger.  But he said he felt impressed to make the effort and he went to Salt Lake City and the Brethren of the First Presidency gave their consent and their blessing--but not their advice--to return to Mexico.

Brother Bentley was right and I was wrong, as matters have since proved, and here and now I want to pay the following tribute to Brother Joseph C. Bentley:

He is one of the truest friends, most humble and God-fearing and has by his life proved to be one of the most courageous (I mean moral courage) of all the men I ever had the privilege of being acquainted with and associating myself with.  When duty has called, there was no thought of danger and the consequence to his personal safety.

My experiences with Señor Villa, first after the Villa forces had driven the Huerto forces from the State of Chihuahua and the Terrazas and Creele Contingent had left Mexico and come to El Paso:

I got information that there had been organized an English Syndicate to take over all the Terrazas and Creele land and cattle holdings in Mexico and that Senator A. B. Fall was the Terrazas and Creele attorney arranging this deal because all the revolutionary factions in Mexico were respecting English subjects and their property rights.

I immediately went to Señor Rodolfo Fierro in Ciudad Juárez for a permit to go to Chihuahua City to advise General Villa, who was acting Governor and Commander of the Carranza forces in the State of Chihuahua.  There were no trains running at this time between Ciudad Juárez and Chihuahua.

He said to me, "Come over tonight at eight o'clock and I will take you on a special train."

So I went over and we arrived in Chihuahua at 4:00 a.m. next morning and went immediately to Señor Villa's headquarters.  I related the information and that morning he issued a decree confiscating for the government in the

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name of the government all the properties of the Terrazas and Creele holdings, lands, cattle and all properties owned or controlled by them.

He did this by the authority he had as Governor of the state and had the

State Congress in a special session approve the act, thus thwarting the plans of the Terrazas and Creele traitors.

Another experience: I later took service under Señor Villa as Inspector of cattle crossing from Mexico to the U. S. One morning, I received word that a man by the name of Juan Terrazas had arrived at Palomas with twelve men and twelve hundred cattle and that these cattle belonged to about twenty people, principally to the Guermo Arutia Estate from the Fresnel Ranch near Gusman.

I was reporting this matter to Señor Benavidis, commander of the military forces at Ciudad Juárez at military headquarters when, as was his custom, without previous announcement in came Señor Villa, having come from Chihuahua and Señor Benavidis said to me:

"Tell Señor Villa what you have just told me."

So I reported to Señor Villa and without hesitating, he said to execute the men, confiscate the cattle and bring them here, and then began giving other orders.

They had a leased wire from Ciudad Juárez through El Paso to Columbus and Patomas.  The operator took the message and started to send it when I spoke up.

I said to General Villa, "Why, Señor?  I don't think you should send those instructions to execute those men.  They are only men being employed to bring those cattle to the border and as far as I have knowledge are not enemies of our cause and, besides, it is sure to have a bad effect with our friends, the Americans on the American side.  "

He straightened up his head and thought for a moment and said, "Change the order.  Release the men, confiscate the cattle and bring them here."

This was done and the men came with the cattle and were allowed to pay export duty on the cattle, thus saving the lives of twelve innocent men.

Another incident: Lem Spillsbury had purchased from one of the Carranza

or Villa Colonels about one hundred and fifty head of yearling heifers supposed to be from the Babicuna Ranch and had taken them to the U.S. Later David Spilsbury and Byron Macdonald had purchased about four hundred and fifty head of cattle in the pueblos of Cruces and Namiquipa and brought them out to Juárez.

I had gone over them and signed their release and when they came to pay the

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export duty, the fiscal agent said these cattle were confiscated.  He showed me a telegram from Señor Villa.

I said, "This is strange.  These cattle are O. K. What is the matter?"

He said he didn't know and just then in pops Señor Villa and when I asked for an explanation, he told me, "They are confiscated, that's all."

The next morning I went over and met Señor Villa.

I said, "Señor, Mr. Spilsbury and Mr. Macdonald desire to see you and make any explanation you may desire."

He railed out, "These cattle are confiscated. If those men come over here, I will have them both shot!  That's that!"

I protested and said, "To me this is an act of banditry to take these cattle from these men in this manner--not giving them a chance to defend themselves. '

He said, "Get out!" in a very harsh tone.

So I went to Señor Benavidis and told him and he said, 'Mr. Brown, be careful.  The Señor is in a bad mood."

I went to El Paso and the next morning I went over again and knocked on his door.  He opened it, but never took his hand off the doorknob and put his right hand on his pistol.  He looked at me in the meanest way possible.

He said, "You called me a bandit yesterday, I know who you are."

I looked him straight in the eye.  I prepared for an emergency, as I knew there was one.  I figured on grabbing his pistol if he tried to pull it from the scabbard.

I said, "General, I still think you are not treating these men fair.  "

Things looked and felt mighty bad, but I just looked him straight in the eyes and when the crisis seemed to be consummating, a knock came at the door.  He opened it a little and two Americans were standing there.

He said, "Get out!"

And I got out and was very glad for the privilege.  I immediately went to Señor Benavidis, Commander of the Post.

On entering he exclaimed, "Did you not get my message I sent you last night?" I said I had not.

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Then he said, "Señor Villa was very much infuriated with you for what you said to him yesterday.  He said if you ever come over here again, he would kill you; that he never let any man talk to him as you had and live.  "

Then I told him what had happened and he was very much surprised.  He said, "You must have a charmed life.  " He told me I had better stay away from there.

About a week later, I received word from Edmund Richardson that Villa's men had held him and other men from the Colony of Diaz with their cattle at Palomas.  I went to Villa.  When he saw me coming he turned his back on me, but I went around in front of him and gave him my message.

He said, "I will give my decision to General Benavidis.  Go to him and don't you come to me any more."

He was angry.  I never had occasion to go to him any more, for which I was glad for he was a most disagreeable man to deal with.

In regard to the Macdonald, Spilsbury cattle: When the Villa fiscal agent crossed them into the U.S., I helped Spilsbury and Macdonald claim them and get their money out of them.  I later found the reason for confiscation was that Mr. Hayes of the Babicura Ranch had told the Villa fiscal agent that this bunch of cattle were those from Babicura that Lem Spillsbury had bought--a mistake altogether.

Another incident: While I was working for General Bell and representing him in Ciudad Juárez, one morning while I was making the rounds of the jail as was my custom, a man called to me.  It was Joseph Williams from Colonia Dublán.  I talked with him, then went to see Señor Francisco Gonzalez, Commander of the Carranza forces at Ciudad Juárez.

He said, "This man and two Mexicans had a bunch of stolen cattle and I am going to have them executed tomorrow morning.  "

I protested and went to General Bell.  He wired to Columbus.  An airplane went to Colonia Dublán and returned to Columbus with word from General Pershing regarding the incident.  I took this word from General Bell to General Gonzalez.

"You, Señor Gonzalez, will be held personally responsible for the safety and life of Joseph Williams."

Gonzalez railed out, "If you damn Americans think you are going to give me orders on this side of the border, you are badly mistaken."

Then I said, "Don't you dare execute this man for if you do, General Pershing and his forces will hunt you as they are now hunting Villa."

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He turned pale and I went to El Paso and General Bell called Andres Garcia, the Mexican Consul, and told him that if Williams was not protected he would cross the border.

Garcia went to Juárez and counseled with General Gonzalez.  He accused me of threatening him and we had some lively words in Gonzalez's office, but saved the life of Joseph Williams.

August 20, 1932.

In conclusion I want to make the following declaration: The preservation of my life in the many instances and incidents has not been because of my personal bravery, but because of my being willing to serve others in a humble way and thereby depending upon the Lord for His strength and protection which was promised me by his servants in whose words I have implicit faith.

I hereby give my testimony that if we are faithful in the service of the Lord, He will protect and bless us in every way that will be for our good.  We are useful in this life only according to the service we render others.  The privilege to serve is the greatest blessing that ever came into the life of man and it depends on the kind of service we give, the amount of good we get out of it and the blessing we reap.

For the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the most sacred trust ever handed down to man from the God of our fathers and we who have had the privileges of its blessings should exemplify virtue, inspiration, vigor and strength.

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Incidents from 1916 to 1943.
About 1916 before Obregón became President:

I became connected in business with Louis C. Booker.  The titles of land which we had in common were in his name and he sold to a Canadian company for $65, 000 and was to retain ten percent, but instead he used all the money and then died and I had no recourse.  That together with other unprofitable deals and revolutionary conditions broke me.

General Rojas with 500 men went to Colonia Diaz and burned the buildings of the colony and then proceeded west to my ranch known as the Los Quevas (The Waves) where he with his men remained for eighteen days rounding up the cattle and horses, killing the three men I had there and putting them in a well.  He took about 1, 600 head of cattle and horses and went into the Southwest.  This, with other disasters incident to the revolution, put me out of business and I wandered around like a lost sheep.

Then my wife, Jane, through the influence of her brother Raphael, told me not to come to her house anymore.  Later through this same influence, after I had visited the children in Salt Lake City, she swore out a warrant against me for plural marriage and only through the timely warning of our son, Ronald, did I escape arrest and came on to El Paso where I met U.S. Marshal White who said he had papers for me at his office.  I told him to give me half an hour and he said I could have an hour.  I did not tell him that I would go to his office, so I went to my room and packed my valise and went to Juárez, Mexico.  I advised him by phone that I was in Juárez and that he could send the papers back to Salt Lake City.  When things were clear, I returned to El Paso and went to work.  I tried to get employment in a number of places, but because of my age was turned down.  I finally opened up a labor agency and made enough money for rent and food.

In 1918, when the U.S. went to war with Germany, I found myself in a very bad condition.  My three wives, Mattie Romney Brown, Jane Galbraith Brown and Eliza Skousen Brown, refused to come where I was and it wasn't healthy for me in Utah.  This separation caused them to divorce me and I was apparently left to myself.  I felt that I had no friends and was alone.  Under these circumstances, I wrote to Brother Ivins, confessing my sins as I felt that I wasn't worthy of membership in the church to which I belonged.  He sent this letter with the records to the Presidency of the St. Joseph Stake in Arizona to take whatever action necessary against me.  They notified me to appear at a high counsel trial and I refused.  They took action and disfellowshipped me.  For a long time it seemed to me that I was in HELL!

I went along--after a while I met a young Mexican woman, Angelita Gabaldón, and after a year we were married and moved to Ciudad Juárez where we lived seven years.  While there, I was visited by such friends as Sullivan C. Richardson, Kewl K. Young, Thomas Kimball and Alma Tate.  I had very poor health and was

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in desperate straits financially.  These brethren plead with me and prayed with me.  Finally I got strength enough to ask the Lord to forgive me and in the Rio Grande River I was rebaptized into the Church and began a new life.  The four children we had born in Ciudad Juárez were all blessed and I returned to Colonia Dublán taking the family with me where I began to live once more.

In 1930, my son, Miles, asked me if I would like to come to the Church Centennial.  I came and while there in Salt Lake, I met Brother Thomas Kimball and he asked me if I had had my former blessings restored to me and I said no.  He went to President Grant and related the circumstances and informed President Ivins to confer all my former blessings which he did and resealed all my former wives to me for time and all eternity.  I had been laboring as a teacher in the Mexican Branch at Colonia Dublán, notwithstanding that I did not hold the priesthood.

A little later I had a wonderful dream.  I was on a grassy knoll.  The word had gone out that the Savior was coming.  There was a road running round the knoll.  To the east and north side there was a grove and as I looked around the knoll, I saw a couple of men.  As I walked towards them, I saw that one was kneeling and the other holding his hand.  I recognized the one as the Savior--the other kneeling was a Mexican pleading for forgiveness.

I said, "They say the Savior is coming.  "

He raised his head and answered, "You are like many others looking for me where I am not.  For my spirit and that of my Father is ever present to those who are humble like this brother."  They then disappeared and I walked along the road to where there was a beautiful river--the water clear as crystal.  My wife, Angelita, had in her arms our little baby, Mary.  She was a beautiful child.  She was tossing her up and down as we stood on the bank.  The baby fell into the river and I saw, coming towards the river, my mother.  She looked just as I first remembered her, young and beautiful and walking so sprightly.  I called to her, "Oh, Mother, look at this beautiful child.  Can we come over there?"

"No, Orson, " she answered.  "You haven't finished your work here on earth yet.  "

I said, "Mother, you aren't lame anymore."

She answered, "I have my resurrected body and am no longer bothered with that awful rheumatism.  I am so happy to see you and to know that you are working in the service of the Lord again.  "

The vision closed and I awoke and the impression came to me that I was going to be called to labor among the Mexican people (related earlier).

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Then I had a very serious accident in 1940 in which my right leg, from knee to foot, had twelve fractures.  The local doctor put it in a cast.  There was a compound fracture near the ankle and the pain was so great, I couldn't rest.  The brethren were fearful that I couldn't stand the trip to El Paso.  Patriarch Joseph Bentley came and blessed me that I would have sleep and rest.  I then went to sleep at six o'clock p.m. and didn't awaken until ten the next day.  I awoke and took nourishment.  The next day they put me on the train with my daughter, Bertha, and we arrived at Ciudad Juárez at 3:00 a.m. Bishop Pierce and Brother Pauly took me to a nice room where I rested.

That evening Dr. Britain came and took me to the Providence Hospital in El Paso.  That night they operated on me.  They took out my left eye, which also was injured in the accident and had become so badly swollen as to be beyond aid or cure.  Then Dr. Stevenson, the bone specialist, cut the cast off my leg and found the cement had gone right into the flesh and at the point of the compound fracture; the flesh was decaying and smelling.  The doctor said, "My God!  That man left no place for drainage when he put on the cast and I may have to take off this leg for gangrene has set in.

I said, "No, you're not!  You're going to stop that poison."

After being in the hospital forty-eight hours, I asked the doctors if I might rest in an apartment where my daughter would care for me.  The doctors came every day and attended me and Bertha took care of me in the apartment where I was more at rest.  In two or three days the poison had been killed in my leg and Dr. Stevenson took me back to the hospital and straightened up the leg, broke the adhesions and put on a cast leaving a hole for drainage.

Then my two sons came, Donald from Phoenix and Duncan from Mexicale, Lower California, and we had a wonderful and lovable father and son experience.

Duncan said, "Well, Father, I'm glad we have come together, but I'm sorry it had to take this to bring us together in a feeling of father and son affection."

They left me $100 to help pay expenses and returned home.

A doctor had visited me and told me that if he handled my eye operation, it would cost $350, but I had met Dr. Britain in his uncle's office when his uncle had treated my left eye for glaucoma.  I had finally called Dr. Britain and when he came to see me again, I took $50 of the money the boys had given me and handed it to him and said, "Doctor, I want to give you this as an initial payment.  "

He answered, "I have made no bill against you, Mr. Brown.  I feel it an honor to serve a man who has gone into the frontier against Indians and outlaws and has taken the stand that you have.  If you don't need this money, I am paid in full."

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After about three weeks I returned home, and after five weeks time I returned to El Paso where Dr. Britian checked me and said I was getting along fine.  I had a glass eye put into the socket.  Dr. Stevenson ex-rayed my leg, took off the cast and remarked, "Why, Mr. Brown, its a miracle the way that leg and ankle have healed and if you are careful, you will be walking in four or five months.  But in less than two months I was walking and with a cane instead of crutches."

About six months later I became very sick. A complication of stomach trouble, rheumatism, kidneys, liver all became in a very serious condition.  My feet swelled- the swelling coming up to my navel.  My heart, too, was in very bad condition.  Two doctors were in attendance.  One of them said, "Mrs. Brown, your husband can't possibly live more than five days, so you had better get all the information you can concerning his business affairs."

So she came into the room about 5:00 o'clock in the evening with pencil and paper and commenced asking questions.  I was full of dope, but I gave the best answers I could.  In the early morning when she came in to give me medicine, I remembered that she had been asking questions the night before and I said to her, "What is it all about?"

And she answered with tears in her eyes, "The doctor says that you can't live more than five days and that you might go any minute.  We haven't been to the Temple yet and the Patriarch told me that I would have the privilege of going to the Temple and being sealed to you."

And I answered saying, "If it is the will of the Lord, the way will be opened, and if it is not the will of the Lord, then I will be taken and you can go and have it done."

And she answered, "No, that is not the way the Patriarch said it."

I replied, "If you have faith and we are worthy, then the way will be opened.  Now, I am not taking any more of the doctor's medicine since he has sentenced me to death.  We'll call in the elders."

So Brother Longherst and Brother Robinson, who were our neighbors, were called in and I said to them.  "Brethren, it looks as though I am in a very serious condition and I want you to lay your hands upon my head and call upon the Lord to bless me and if it is His will that I should be restored to health and strength--to bless me.  If it is His will that I should go to the other side, then for him to take me.  His will--not mine--be done."

I did not take any more of the doctors' medicine and in fifteen days I was riding around on horseback.  The Lord healed me by His power.  Then a man who had owed me $300 for ten years came to me and said, "I couldn't sleep, so I raked up the money I owed you and here it is --for I know that you need it."

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The Presiding Bishopric of Salt Lake sent me $96 inviting me to come to

Salt Lake for Conference and thus it was that the Lord healed me and provided the way for me to take this wife whom the Patriarch had promised to the House of the Lord and have her sealed to me- -thus fulfilling the words of the Patriarch.

We had a very enjoyable trip going around by San Francisco and meeting my wife, Jane, who is in the mental hospital near San Francisco and meeting as well her two daughters, Martie and Emma, who treated us royally.  Then we came to Los Angeles and stayed there thirty-six hours, but I was worn out and did not feel like visiting there.  Then we went on to Mexicali where we visited Duncan and his wife and had a fine time for a couple of days, and then on to Phoenix where we stayed with Donald and to Mesa visiting Elsie and Marguerite.

Enroute to Salt Lake, we had also stopped over at Mesa and had the privilege of meeting Eliza and her two daughters, Anna and Elizabeth.  We had a little family reunion at Bishop Otto Shill's home at Lehi (Marguerite's husband).  Here we heard Elizabeth sing four numbers and met Donald, Duncan and Elsie's families.  We had a very enjoyable and delightful time.

Earlier than the above incident in 1938 or 1939, 1 had the pleasure of going to Salt Lake City to Conference and on my way, stopped off at Mesa, Arizona and was given a surprise party by Brother Arnold Huber.  Forty people from Morelos came down to Bishop Shill's place at Lehi where we spent one Sunday afternoon recalling and telling experiences and it was one of the most pleasurable of occasions.

I went to Salt Lake and met my wife, Mattie, and children Miles, Vera, Phoebe, Anthony and Orson.  We decided to have a Brown reunion at Ogden, Utah.  On the 30th of September, the birthday of my father and the day of his demise, there met together 266 of the grandchildren, great-grandchildren and in-laws of my father's family.  I had the opportunity of bearing my testimony to them hugely enjoyed the opportunity of visiting with them.  I had never seen most of them before.  It was a meeting to remember for all time.

On my return trip, I visited my sister, Cynthia, and her daughter, Edna, and family at Los Angeles; also Duncan and family at Mexicali, and Donald and family in Phoenix and Elsie and Marguerite and Eliza and many friends in Mesa.  At Thatcher, Pima and Layton, Arizona, I met many relatives and friends whom I hadn't seen in many years.  I returned home rejoicing that I had been able to meet and enjoy so many friends and visits.

Because of failing health and so being unable to attend to the many urgent affairs of the Church at Colonia Dublán and after explaining the situation to the Stake Presidency, they gave me an honorable release.. I settled up all the financial affairs of the branch and received from the Presiding Bishopric, the Stake Presidency of the Branch and the local new president--who took my place-­a certificate or letter of commendation for having faithfully performed my duty and for turning over all of the books, papers and assets belonging to the church.

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Since that time, I have in my humble way helped out the new Presidency in every way that I have been able.  On the 15th of April, 1942, we sent our son, Sylvester Gustavo Brown, to Salt Lake where lie went through the preparatory school for missionaries and also went through the Temple and received his endowments and then came home and went on a mission to Mexico City where he is now laboring (February 1943).

In September 1942, I had another accident.  I was driving in a buggy.  One of the shafts came down and the horse ran away.  A trace chain came loose and the other shaft pulled me over under the horse and I was kicked in the head making a gash five inches long and four inches wide from which I nearly bled to death.  This kick also put a kink in my neck from which I suffered very severely and almost constantly.  Then in the month of November of this same year, I was coming down off a high mountain horseback and was holding to the rope around his neck.  As I went to feel my way down, my foot slipped and as I pulled on the rope, the horse jumped down and over I went- -my head and shoulders hitting a big rock.  I felt something slip in my neck and the damage done by the kick of the horse came back into place and my suffering ceased.  Robert Tate of Phoenix was with me--he is Scotch Irish--and he called, "Mr. Brown, are you kilt?  I thought sure I would have to go down to the Venatura (Mesqual joint) and get somebody to help carry your body down."

He and I were hunting for a big zinc deposit that he said he and Mr. Lew Shaddock and Charley Overlee had found 35 years ago somewhere in the region of Cajon Bonito in the Espinelo Mountains in northern Genora.  We didn't find it.

Later I proceeded down to Colonia Morelos where I had the satisfaction of building a monument on the graves of my wife, Elizabeth Macdonald Brown, and my son, Galbraith, who was killed in an accident (wagon overturned) when his mother, Jane, and the rest of the family were coming out of Colonia Morelos, Mexico during the revolution of 1912.

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Appendix I:  Written by Gwen Brown Klein.

Papa said there was more, but he was too tired to do more.  We were pressed for time and many questions relative to some of the incidents crossed my mind as I tried in longhand to take the stories down.  But I didn't interrupt and now it's too late.  How I have enjoyed all of this and now I hope to get mother's impressions of the revolution at least.  She, too, could tell stirring tales.

Appendix II:  Written by Anthony M. Brown,
son of Orson Brown and Mattie Romney Brown

The last time I saw father was at the time of his oldest living child's death, Ray, who passed away in October 1945, and was buried in Chihuahua City, Mexico and after the funeral, Donald, Clyde, Miles, Orson and myself flew over to Dublán and spent a few minutes with him'. As I remembered him, he was a stern but kind father with piercing blue eyes and not afraid of man or beast, very humble, with a desire to serve his Master and live the Gospel.

He passed away in Colonia Dublán, Chihuahua, Mexico on March 10, 1946, leaving a very large posterity.  He was the father of thirty-five children and at this writing, May 15, 1968, there are still living twenty-two children and many grand, great and great-great grandchildren.