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Show F Tbe Barth Brothers, not Mexicans, were at El ladito and the Mesdows."·when the Mormons came into the country. These were Solo man, Nathan, and Morris. "SoH! Barth had been, somewbat acquainted withthe country in the Little Gblorado 1&1181 as early as 1864, when he was a mail-driver between arid Prescott---the Albuquerque . mall route havin·b.een moved northward trolll the "Butterfield Trail" across New Mexico, which then included Arizona, in 1862 because of danger from Confederate soldiers during the CivU War. "Sol" must ha .. become interested in the Vicinit1 of the future St. Johns; and perhaps lived there tor. sometime. It is said that in card-games with hie neighbors, probably he acquired a sizeable flock of Mexicans, sheep and some'thousands of dollars in cash. With this ntortune, he decided to, make,El Vadito---the Little Crossing" ot the Uttle' Colorado just beloW" the· ruture St. Johns, his pennanent home. His brothers; Nathan and. ·Morns:; joined him; and they acquired· "squatterS" rigbts" to. some"1,200 acres of land, perhaps in the v.i.cinity of El. lladito and the Meadows a -few miles below. They mar have brought. more, Kexiean workers from their old home in northern ew Mexico. From these holdings evidentl1 came the "interests" sold to the Mormon Church, through Ammon M. TenneT, for 770 head of "cows" in NoYember, 1879. '. Mormon settlement began in December, 1879; and by March 27, 1880, it is said to ha \'e been reported with a populaion ot: the "iranch" At the first- the·-Monuon&'-8.pparent.ll', sett-ed_'near the of about 190. Rt ver, but during. the Y'ear_'1S80 moved to higher;' ground.. A log schoolhouse was erected in 1881; and-Mrs. Anna Ronme1· vas. the' first school ene of: the- old uboweriesf!-; with whichJ Mormney.·-were familiar teacher.. in earlier:-timn, was·· built near the-·scboolbouse.•. This' '!shed'f· built. of logs, brush,- etc •.. probab17 furnished welcOIle shade tor reUp,ous· meetinga, but' gave little ptection .,ainat _wind and ran . . - -. •. 1'lOt-·eriginat .. troa·, a!lT'Mormon Ghurch dig . WOodruff" 40 •. Joseph,· "Snowfiake, Taylor,; H.r, Wilford, nita,ry, .as ami' -Brigham C1 tT, farther westward ili the Little Colorado drainage area; but trom a change _,in the name of El Vadito (Little Crossing) to san Juan, in honor of the first lady to live at the place---Ska La Senora Maria San Juan Baca de PadUla. that her-location was so far up the Little Colo ita- the fact De rado that naturally she would not get the exeessi7 large noods experienced by, M,e lower Mormon settlements, St. Johns had her At first Mexicans;' claimed moat ot the. available water; water troubles. in 1886, were made so the Mormons'got some 3/5'of it. but ,The n ....',·"St ..... Jolmat:t·-does, z , ver . . . arrangements dam in the. Riwr 6. miles above st. Johns (treated tbe. n,:;aough Reservoir"/ This was washed out. in 190.3; and decision to construct the "Lyman Reser-" The cost"is given as was made. voir", some 12 miles btth.x upstream cul. tivation some under to bring about $200,000.00; but it was expe eted. ve that Dam way on the 14th of ga 15,000 additional acres. T·hi.s was the the flood to added already in the April, 1915; and the impounded· water Dam on Woodruff the am River" took out the Hunt. Oem on the 15th, the the of or inches top the 16th. The flood, came within a lDut 10 it not take out, although the "high and dry" St. Joseph Dam, but did Dams). (See St. wide dam in the "spillway" was taken. ReserYol.r; but this were, mad. at the St. Johns Expensive repairs taken out about the middle of Sept., ULyman Re$ervoir" Dam was again Dam was also swept aMa7· 1923; and on the 18tb the St. Josptm 8 Josep . |
