son of John and Christina Comb Sim Donaldson
husband of Frances Cora Harris Donaldson, b. 1881
father of Carl Maeser Donaldson, b. 1897
grandfather of Chad Klaron Donaldson, b. 1943
JAMES ROWAN DONALDSON
1877-1938
By Verma L. Donaldson, 1990
James Rowan Donaldson was born at West Porterville, Utah on April 6, 1877 to John Donaldson and Christina Comb Sim. He was their third child. He had a sister, Mary Janet and a brother, John William.
When he was around three years old his family which now included a baby brother, Samuel Alexander, moved to Grand Valley, Emery County, Utah. While there his brother Joseph Smith was born. Then the family moved to Castle Dale, Emery County, Utah. It was here that Margret Ellen was born but she didn’t live. In a couple of years they were blessed with another son, Hyrum.
On April 28, 1886 his mother passed away and then the very next year his little brother Joseph died. It was a heartbreaking, sad and hard time for the family to lose them both in such a short time.
The fall of 1887 the family sold their home in Castle Dale and moved to Old Mexico in the hopes of having a better and easier life but it didn’t work out that way. Times were hard and food was scarce. They all had to work to provide for themselves. The brothers got 50 cents a day for grubbing mesquite to clear land for farming. Dad Donaldson told me that he was doing some freighting for James Mortenson before he got married.
When he was around 19 ½ years old he married Frances Cora Harris. Their first home was a two room adobe house. Later they add three more lumber rooms on to it. One room was used for their kitchen, one for storage and the other for the boys’ bedroom. Their mattress was made out of ticking stuffed with corn shucks. Their pajamas were made out of muslin. Ozz remembers four of the brothers sleeping in one bed; two at the head of the bed and two at the foot. Quite often he would get kicked.
While living in this home in Diaz they had eight children; Carl, November 13, 1897; Richard (Dick), September 15, 1899; John, January 10, 1901; Conrad (Tim), August 9, 1902; Vearl, April 29, 1904; Oswald (Ozz), December 16, 1906; Marvin, May 27, 1910; and Clifford (Cliff), May 20, 1912.
Dad was very industrious. He and several other men went into the cattle business. He also farmed, had a meat shop and did barbering. He worked hard and provided a good living for his family for those times. He liked to improve his property and himself. Ozz remembers helping this father plant fruit trees that he had started from seed. He also remembers seeing his dad read by kerosene lamp. Tim said his dad could speak Spanish and write it. (Note: He butchered every Thursday).
He really loved his children but was stern with them. How he loved to pick up the baby when he came in from work and amuse it while Fanny finished preparing a meal. Then he would like to hold the baby while they ate and feed it.
It really tickled Ozz when his dad would play ball or catch with him. His dad got some rubber some place and melted it and made it into a ball which bounced better than the string balls they made by wadding up a piece of cloth and wrapping it with string until it was the size they wanted. The rubber ball was heavier and not quite as round as the string ball but Ozz was really proud to think his dad could make a rubber ball.
In the spring he would make his children whistles out of cotton wood which they enjoyed immensely.
He could really whistle loud with just his lips. None of the boys were able to learn how to whistle like their dad except John.
When Sunday came dad would take the family all to church when they were living in Old Mexico.
Ozz said that his father really tried to teach his children at an early age to work. When Ozz was about four years old he had been helping pick up potatoes but he had become bored and tired and was sitting on the spring seat of the wagon. He started grumbling and coaxing to go home. After quite a few, “Let’s go home”, his dad picked him up and gave him a few swats with a potato vine from the seat, telling him to help pick up potatoes and they would all go home. Ozz learned at an early age that when his dad told him to do something that he meant it.
A wild steer of his would hide out and evade being caught when they rounded up the stock. One day he decided to get this steer so he could butcher it. He got Jimmy Jacobson to help him. He thought that if he backed his horse up toward the steer, maybe it would charge him, which it did. He had his rope all ready and lassoed it. They had quite a time getting it to the corral. It even gored his horse on the shoulder. When they got it in the corral, he put up the bars that they had for a gate, believing that a steer wouldn’t attack if you stood still. That didn’t mean a thing to the steer; he charged him and caught his horn in the hobble ropes he had tied around his waist. Around the corral went the steer with dad D. dangling in front. When he saw that the steer was going towards the pole gates, he untied the rope and was able to roll to safety under the poles. Some children that had seen them drive the steer into the slaughter corral were eager to watch so dad had them hide in some brush. Just as he had his gun aimed the children let out a yell. This startled him and he lowered the gun missing the steer. This excited the steer and over the fence he went galloping into town. He played havoc all night until they shot him.
In 1912 daddy D. purchased a brand new home from James Jacobson which was on the other side of what they called the box pasture from their present home. Ozz’s mother was thrilled with this new home and she made or had made for it new curtains and rugs. She was only able to live in it for a coupe of weeks when she had to leave Mexico.
On Sunday morning at 3 o’clock, July 28, 1912, the peaceful sleeping town had a rude awakening when Levi Tenney rode into town with a letter from the stake presidency telling them that Diaz was in great danger, as the rebels were demanding that all the guns and ammunition held by the Mormons be delivered to them (July 28) and they were supporting their demand with ruthless force. The upper colonies were already sending their women and children to El Paso and he advised them to immediately leave and cross the border into the United States.
Immediately the bishop called the men to a meeting and it was decided that a few men would stay and watch over the town. The rest would take enough supplies for a few days and those that had space would take those that didn’t have a means of going.
Uncle Sam had just sold his wagon, so it was decided that he would use his team and daddy D’s wagon and take both families. Dad and Carl would stay. Hurriedly they loaded what worldly goods they could on the wagon, besides the thirteen passengers, which included the following: Uncle Sam, Aunt Nora, Erva, Clem and Merlin, Fanny (Ozz’s mother), Richard, John, Conrad, Veral, Ozz, Marvin, and Clifford who was only 6 weeks old. They bid goodbye to dad and drove off with the other saints as they fled to the United States for safety.
After the last wagon of the caravan of refugees had left town, Bishop Ernest Romney called a meeting of the remaining men and boys, explaining to them that they were left to take care of the town and to guard the rear of the towns departing inhabitants. A plan was formulated dividing the responsibilities between them.
Two or three hours later a group of Mexican rebels came galloping into town demanding the rest of the guns which the Mormons had. They told them the people who had left had taken them. The rebels were going to go after the fleeing Mormons and get the guns, but Edmund Richardson, who could speak Spanish fluently, convinced them that it would be useless to try and get the guns. It was with great relief to see the rebels ride off toward La Ascension.
Feeling quite certain the order for guns would be repeated, the men stacked some old guns at Dad D’s home, and Carl (about 14 ½ years old) was left to deliver them upon demand.
August 2nd, five days after the general exodus, a band of 150 loot crazed rebels came into town. They entered the store where Bishop Romney and Charles Edmund Richardson were. After making havoc of the store they took the two men prisoners and demanded $1,000 and guns. Dad D brought a few old guns and explained to them that they would need more time to raise $1,000 for ransom. They let the two men go and demanded that they have the money for them the next day.
Shortly after 5:00 p.m. the same day, two messengers came (one was Willie Young) to town with a message from the church authorities to flee from the country.
Quietly and under cover, the Diaz men and the two messengers prepared to leave. Orson Richens and Lorin Johnson were put in charge of the ammunition wagon. The other men were divided into three groups: one was to drive the horses, one to take some outfits and the rest were to guard the flight. Bishop Romney, Edmund Richardson and dad went into a huddle to formulate precautionary measures in case of an attack. Luckily they didn’t have to fight and were able to travel by moonlight. They hurried forward without resting until they reached tent city where their families were.
The refugees didn’t get to go back to their homes in a few weeks as they had hoped to. Now they were faced with finding new homes. The government offered them free tickets on the train to where they wanted to go. Some went to Utah, some to Idaho, some to Arizona. Dad and Uncle Sam decided on staying there at Hachita and in time took up ranching.
Dad D. got a job cutting posts down on the U-Bar Ranch southeast of Alamo Hueco which lasted a month. They lived in a tent. One day Vearl and Ozz were carrying lunch to their father and brothers who were cutting posts, when they heard a lion roar. It really scared them and also their dad, for he heard it too. He ran in the direction they would be coming to check for their safety. What a relief to find them safe.
The family then lived at Four Mile Mill near Hachita, in a tent and a shelter they had made of soapweeds, while Dad D. looked around to see what opportunities there were for making a living.
They moved to Hachita and built a one room rock house. Ozz remembers going with his dad and brothers to get rock from a small hill near Table Top Mountain. They just used mud and possibly straw to hold the rocks together. His dad built the bottom of the walls quite wide. They used the tent and possibly the wagon for some of them to sleep in.
While they were living in this rock house (across the railroad in Hachita) the blacksmith and the sheriff, George Richards came to see Dad D, accused him of stealing the blacksmith’s wood stove, and told him he was going to search for it. It must have really angered dad D. to be accused of stealing for him to say, “Be sure and search the s--- house too. This infuriated sheriff Richards and he drew his gun and said, “I’ll put you where the dogs won’t bark at you.”
Mother D. heard him and came running out of the house and stood in front of dad. Very loudly she said, “Don’t you dare shoot my husband.”
Without stopping to search their place the sheriff and the blacksmith rode off.
Dad D. liked to farm so they moved to Franklin planning on farming, June 1914. That summer he worked for farmers in general; pitching hay, hoeing, etc. He and Carl also hauled lumber for Bud Spiller to build his home on the 24 Ranch. (Note: Carl bought the 24 Ranch in 1929 and moved the house in sections across the Gila River to the farm he bought. The house is the one Carl is now living in and raised his family in.)
Dad D’s asthma really bothered him here in the valley, so they moved back to Hachita in September. Uncle Sam had written him telling him there was a lot of prairie grass and thought that there would be ranchers who would hire to have it cut. The hay cutting didn’t turn out to be very profitable. So Dad D., Carl, Dick, and John started hauling ore for Senior Albert Fitch for 90 cents a ton. They could haul three tons on the larger wagons and 2 ½ tons on the smaller wagons. They had six wagons that they hauled ore with. They had four horses that would pull two wagons, one trailing behind the other. John usually rode a horse and helped load all the wagons.
Tim usually ran the water wagon which took water to the Mexicans that worked at the mine for drinking, washing, etc. They hauled water in wooden barrels which were quite a problem to keep from leaking when they got dry. They bought the water for 10 cents a barrel. Don’t know how much they sold it for. Ozz helped in the summertime.
When they moved back to Hachita (September 1914) they rented a small lumber house near Fitch’s on the South westerly side of Hachita. Dad D. slept in a tent on account of his asthma. One day he noticed a v-shape cut in his tent. He thought sure the children had done it and was very surprised when he found out they hadn’t. Some man had done it during the night. He slipped into the tent and ransacked a trunk that was in the tent without waking Dad D.
Very rarely would Ozz’s dad let him sleep in the tent with him; but when he did, it really thrilled Ozz.
One day a man with a big white bulldog came to see Ozz’s dad about some business. When he saw their dog, he said, “You better put your dog up or my dog will kill it.” Before they could do anything, Old Watch (their dog) spied the bulldog on his dominion. He didn’t like that. Quick as a wink, he grabbed the bulldog by the throat and started shaking him and tearing him up. Boy did he start yelping. The man was shocked and started yelling, “Please call off your dog.” This tickled Ozz and his brothers to think their dog could whip this bulldog that was supposed to be such a good fighter.
I am not sure when they stopped hauling ore for Fitch but I think it was in 1917 or 1918. Carl said the most money they made in a month hauling ore was in January 1917, when they made $748.00.
Dad D. told me that he and his boys ran a freight outfit in Hachita from 1915 to 1920. I was asking Ozz about this and he said that after they quit hauling Ore for Fitch, they had hauled lumber for different ranchers. He didn’t remember what else, unless it was ore for another mine.
Christine was born in the little house near Fitch, September 17, 1914. Dr. Thornberry (Railroad Dr.) was the attending doctor.
Dad D. homesteaded some land east of Hachita and moved a two room frame house on the homestead on the running gears of two wagons. Later on he moved another two room house for the boys to sleep in.
Dad started raising cattle in 1915 and spent the rest of his life doing so.
They used to get oat straw and left over feed, after the army horses and mules had eaten all they wanted. One day when Dick came home with a load of waste feed, he also brought some good oats. Dad D. asked him where he got them. Dick said that he had bought them, for he knew the soldier had stolen them. He told Dick that he didn’t want anything stolen on his place.
Ozz thinks it was around 1917 when his dad had the large four room adobe house built in town. He had hired the work done and was sure disgusted when he saw the guy had made little narrow eaves. They rented the house for awhile since they needed to stay on the homestead to finish proving up on it.
Mother D. didn’t get to live in the new house very long, only a year or so. Amy was born in the new adobe home March 19, 1920. That fall, Oct 23, 1920, Mother passed away after being in poor health for some time, she had Bright’s disease. This was a hard blow to Dad D. to lose his dear wife and the mother of his ten children.
Ozz remembers how broken-hearted his dad was in losing his wife, but he didn’t let his sorrow stop him from trying to help fill the void of losing our mother to us children. He was more thoughtful, gentle and loving to us. Dad would do quite a bit of the cooking but Vearl would nearly always make a cake for Sunday.
Ozz remembers Veral, Tim and him working in his dad’s store and taking care of it when he couldn’t be there. Sometimes all three of them would, and then other times, just one of them. The family would really get a kick out of when Amy came to the store. She would get a candy bar or something and who ever was working at the store would ask her where her money was to pay for it. She would answer, “Just charge it . . .” She had heard some of the customers say that. (Amy was less than three years old).
Dad D. didn’t keep the store long after Vearl and the girls left. He told me that he bought the store in 1921 and sold it in 1923.
Vearl wanted to go to Utah and to take the girls with her for she had promised her mother, just before she died, that she would take care of them. It was with great reluctance that dad let the girls go, for he could hardly stand the thought of being separated from them, whom he loved very dearly. Wanting to be sure that nothing happened to them on the way to Utah he had Tim go with them on the train. It was really lonesome without the sisters but one thing that helped Ozz not feel bad was that he didn’t like the riff-raff that was trying to take up with Vearl.
Ozz doesn’t remember who was living at home with his dad, during any particular time, after the girls left and went to Utah.
Carl and Flossie were married June 16, 1921, just a little less than a year after his mother died. They lived in Hachita until around 1927 or 1928, when they sold their Homestead and moved to the farm they bought in Virden Valley, New Mexico.
About 1923, Tim and Ozz went to Douglas to work. Ozz stayed about three years and then went back to Hachita; after receiving a letter from his dad asking him to come back home and to take up a homestead, which would be a good way for Ozz to acquire some land. He also encouraged Tim and Dick to do likewise. With them all having homesteads, it would help them to acquire more government land to run stock on, thus making a larger and better ranch.
Dad D. never married again feeling a great responsibility to provide and take care of Marvin himself and not put him in a home or institution for mentally handicapped.
Tired and weary from the many problems, trials and struggles he had in his life, he passed away quietly November 26, 1938.
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