Agnes at Colonia Diaz

Annie R. Johnson’s Heartbeat of Colonia Diaz portrays Agnes as “Charles’ wisp of a wife, weighing not much more than a hundred pounds, [and] was English culture personified. This was portrayed in her manner, speech, and dress, even while mustering pioneer problems such as would be met while establishing a cattle and dairy ranch in an undeveloped foreign country.” After Charles passed away Agnes and her family moved into Colonia Diaz from the ranch. At that time she had three children who were married and four that were not: Agnes, Beatrice, John and Roxie, ages 6-17. To protect her interest in Charles' estate in Mexico, she and Charles had been married by the justice of the peace in El Paso, Texas, on July 9, 1902. Evidently they were afraid the Mexican government would not accept their sealing in the Endowment House twenty-four years earlier.

The Richins Families are Driven out of Mexico

In 1910 the government in Mexico became very unstable because of the revolution taking place between the Francisco I marauders and the Diaz regime. The government was unable to quell the numerous rebellions and uprisings, so living conditions became very hazardous and uncertain. John W. Richins, who was fifteen at the time, said he remembered when two American men were killed by desperadoes. He was sent from Colonia Diaz as a messenger to the Richins ranch and to neighboring ranches on two different occasions to tell them to come into town for safety. John tells that on one occasion he borrowed a saddle from Lois’ husband, Hyrum, put it on his horse and went with three boys to the Richins Ranch for a load of feed. They stopped for a swim and while they were swimming someone stole his horse. He later found the horse, but the saddle and bridle were missing.

On July 26, 1912, President Romney, leader of the Mormons in Mexico, received orders from General Salazar of the Diaz regime to have all the colonists turn in their arms and ammunition. If they didn't turn them in the rebels threatened to attack the colonists, as well as those favoring the Mexican government. The rebels had already taken possession of some of the other colonies. The decision was made to surrender some of the firearms—the old guns that were in poor condition and one of the community arms imported from the United States. It was soon learned that weapons turned in got into the hands of the rebels, so on July 28, 1912, they received a message from President Romney advising all colonists to leave immediately for the United States.

Agnes, Beatrice and Roxie were visiting in the nearby community of Colonia Juarez with Agnes Clayson when the message came to leave. They were making wedding plans for Beatrice's marriage to Henry L. Smith. That very day they left, along with Jesse Clayson, for El Paso, Texas. Agnes said in her history that she arrived in El Paso, Texas, with the first trainload of refugees.

John remained in Colonia Diaz to help the women and children gather what they could and move out. They could only take necessities. John said, “Many choice things that had crossed the ocean with our parents and had been passed on to us for safekeeping were left behind. After turning the livestock loose and opening the chicken coop door, I hurried over to help my brother, Jesse's family get loaded into a wagon.”

Jesse was nearly a hundred miles south of Colonia Diaz working on a railroad. At that time John and Jesse's family, Lois and Hyrum and their families left Diaz, and went northwest by team and wagon across the border to Hachita in the United States. Once across the border the United State government furnished tents and provisions until the refugees could establish themselves or go to some other destination.

After two weeks in the “tent city” of Hachita, Eunice and James and their family and John went to El Paso, Texas, to be with Agnes and other members of the family. On August 17, 1912, Beatrice was married to Henry Lunt Smith in El Paso, Texas.

Jesse, son of Charles and Agnes, corresponded with the Mexican Government in an effort to get settlement on 100 acres of property owned by Charles Richins that was left behind. In 1889 Charles had taken out citizenship in Mexico so he could protect rights to his property. After thirty years (1943) a settlement was made with the current tenant who had paid the yearly taxes. The amount was 2500 pesos, ($206 or $2.06 an acre) based on the exchange rate at that time.

Agnes and Family Move to Utah and Idaho

On August 20, 1912, Agnes, Roxie, John and Eunice and James with their children left El Paso, Texas for Henefer, Utah. John said they arrived in Henefer in time to help with the hay harvest and stayed there for the winter. Agnes said, “Our folks there treated us very kindly.”

Agnes, John and Roxie moved to Richfield, Utah, in December 1913, to be with Jesse and his family. Eunice, James and family went to Tucson, Arizona, and on to Deming, New Mexico. After being in Richfield four months Agnes, John and Roxie left for El Paso once again. Agnes said she went to El Paso in April, 1914, thinking they could return to Mexico. From there they went to Deming, New Mexico to be with Eunice and James. While living there John and George Richins went to the Hachita Ranch, rounded up all the horses they had brought out of Mexico and drove them to Deming for sale.

In the fall of 1914, Agnes, John and Roxie moved to Oakley, Idaho, where Jesse had moved and taken up a homestead. Eunice and her family were also in Oakley. From there they went to Burley, Idaho, and then to Provo, Utah in the spring of 1919. John got work in Provo with his brother-in-law, Jesse Clayson. Agnes and John lived with Agnes Priscilla and Jesse Clayson in Provo. On February 16, 1925, Agnes Mary Willmott passed away at the age of 67. She was buried in the Provo Cemetery.

Agnes was the mother of ten children four sons and six daughters. Six of her children had families of their own. Another son John never married. Agnes proved herself faithful to her covenants. She sacrificed much to live under plural marriage. Her life was not easy; nevertheless she never weakened in her love for her husband and her family. She maintained a close relationship with her children throughout her life.

Esther in Henefer

Esther purchased a piece of property and log house in Henefer from James Attack with the $400 Charles gave her when she left Mexico. The house consisted of a bedroom, kitchen, hallway and lean-to. She and her boys lived there for several years. Esther made a living for herself and her family by taking in washing and ironing from people in Echo. She managed to help support her son Parley while he served a mission in Arkansas. She was a hard worker and had a little garden of her own.

After Charles’ death Esther went to Mexico seeking a settlement on his property there, but came back without anything. In fact, the Mormons lost nearly everything when the Mexican government drove them out.

After her boys married and established their own homes, Esther lived alone. Her home was adjacent to her son, Noble. Her family and relatives often took turns staying nights with her. As she grew older, her health began to fail and she could only hear out of one ear. One night after dark, she fell through a footbridge that had been removed by Halloween pranksters and broke her leg. Her broken leg took months to heal and from that time on she had to use a cane to walk. Soon after the fall, she was taken to the home of her daughter Emeline Hattie and her husband Alma E. Richins in Henefer to live. There she had a room of her own and a houseful of grandchildren to keep her happy. She lived with the Alma Richins family for about a year. When Esther died July 30, 1924, at the age of 81, she was the oldest female resident of Henefer.

Esther was a true Latter-day Saint, living her religion day by day. Her life was not an easy one, but it was a full life, and she lived to fulfill her mission here on earth. She was faithful to her husband Charles. She never said anything derogatory about him and would stop anyone else who did. She had ten children, five sons and five daughters. Two of her daughters and four of her sons had families of their own.