Stephen Scott on the Old Colony Mennonites:
People known as Old Colony Mennonites occupy large tracts in the state of Chihuahua near Cuatemoc and Casas Grandes and in Durango.
These German-speaking people emigrated from Manitoba and Saskatchewan in western Canada in the 1920s. They came to North America in the 1870s from Russia. The name, “Old Colony,” derives from their origin at Chortitza, the oldest Mennonite settlement in Russia. The Russian settlers were originally from Prussia and the Prussian Mennonites can be traced to Holland.
So, the Old Colony group represents the Old Order element of Dutch Mennonitism, a separate branch from the Swiss Mennonites from which the Amish and Old Order Mennonites descend. The Old Colony Mennonites emerged as a distinct group in the 1880s in Manitoba.
All photos were taken by Jordi Busque. The first three are from the Riva Palacios Colony in Bolivia. Starting in the 1950′s, large groups of Mennonites left the Mexican settlements and established communities in Bolivia, Belize, and Paraguay. Scott says that “this last emigration represents the ultra-conservative element among the Old Colonies”.
Scott explains that Old Colony Mennonites took advantage of discarded automobiles, stripping them down until only the chassis remained, and then converting them to two horse wagons known as “Karrenwagen” (auto-wagons).
I found these photos interesting because you can see the type of transportation used in this settlement. The vehicles seen in the first three shots look smaller than the ones Scott presents in his book, with more of a converted-golf cart appearance.
This family, parents and ten children, resides in Durango in Mexico.
Cheesemaking is an important occupation in some communities. Pinondi Colony.
Children on their way to school, Swift Current Colony in Chihuahua.
More of Jordi Busque’s Old Colony Mennonite photography.
Text source: Plain Buggies: Amish, Mennonite, and Brethren Horse-Drawn Transportation by Stephen Scott.
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22 responses to Old Colony Mennonites
Fantastic pictures, interesting communities.
That was very interesting! Thank you for sharing this.
We have a lot of “Mexican Mennonites” in SW Ontario now. They still maintain close ties with their families in Mexico.
Some of family, including my daughter live in Coahuila MX. The Old Colony Mennonites sell their home made cheese on the streets and roadsides in that area too. I find the local Old Colony people in Ontario to be in great transition and there seem to be a number of social issues in the group.
Old Colony Mennonites
I’ve never heard of the Old Colony Mennonites till now! How neat!
Thank you for allowing me to learn something new about Anabaptism today!
Hope you have a good Memorial Day weekend!
Dawn
What I want to know is, do they speak German with a Spanish accent?
It was fun learning how others see my heritage
I would love to get in contact with Mennonites – can anyone help? Please write to me: glueckskindline#aol.com (please exchange the # with @ to minimize spam)Thanks!
i would like to get in contact with Mennonites my in Texas and Mexico my email is mchljanuary@yahoo.com
My grandmother is a mennonite from Durango. My father has told me that his father was a tarahumara Indian. My father left home when he was young and never returned home. I was trying to see if anyone can shed light as to how I could get a hold of my grandmother. My father’s name is Ramon Muela Enriquez. If anyone has any ideas please contact Gustavo at gusen93@yahoo.com. thanks.
I am a old colony mexican mennonite. I live in ontario canada. We are peacefull people who are raised with rules and tradition.
Did Russian Mennonites settle in the Monclova, Abasolo region of Coahuila in the 1800′s? Where can I read up on it? Although I always thought I was 100% Mexican, since my parents were born in Abasolo and San Buenaventura Coahuila, my autosmal DNA is showing substantial Russian DNA??
Great informative report and thanks for it. I’m from San Buenaventura, Coahuila and even though, I’m from 100% Basque descent, I like to read stories of other European ethnic groups in the Americas. Eskerrik asko.
Glad you found it worthwhile Albert!
Jaime, I am not an expert on the OCM, but as I know the first Old Colony Mennonites came to Mexico from Canada in the 1920s, and settled in Chihuahua and Durango. They would have come to Canada from Russia previous to that.
Fellow genealogy buffs,
I am trying to find it on the web right now, but I found a short blurb, that the first Russians into Monclova/Abasolo Couhuila was in the early 1800′s when Czar Alexander 111 began persecution of a particular Russian population. Maybe somebody out there can help???
I found Czar Alexander 111 in wiki pedia. He had an immense dislike for Russian Jews and in 1880 many Russian Jews began to flee. Maybe some fled to Coahuila? I have read that Monclova was a Haven of the forbidden people in the late 1500′s!!
The “Russian” Mennonites as pointed out above are not Russian at all but were part of a huge number of German people who were invited to settle in Russia by Catherine the Great. When she came to hold the lands in South Russia of Ukraine and Crimea, she invited Germans to come and farm it. Many who were persecuted for their religious faith went there, some Mennonites and Amish headed east into Russian lands at the time others were making the trip to Pennsylvania. All of the world’s Hutterites went to Russia and a large number of Reformed and Lutherans as well. Even a few German Catholics. Catherine offered them freedom from taxes for an extended period, 180 acres of land, and the freedom to run their own “dorfs” or villages where they could practice their own religion and teach German in their schools. They were also exempted from the military. This was an attractive position to many Germans. Our ancestors stayed in Russia until the law changed in the late 1800′s and the military exemption law was revoked as well as the German school law. They were going to “Russianize” the Germans.
Thousands of Germans left to come to North America. Many of them the Low German Mennonites. The Old Colony people are part of the Low German people and they speak Low German as their language in their homes. There are many Low German Mennonites though not of the Old Colony faith, in Kansas, Nebraska, the Dakotas and the Prairie provinces of Canada. Many are members of the liberal General Conference, or some smaller groups like the Mennonite Brethren, the Evangelical Mennonite Brethren or the more conservative Church of God in Christ (Mennonite) a.k.a. Holderman Mennonites. There are also many who are members of the conservative Kleine Gemeinde.
Old Colony Mennonites
I am an Old Colony Mennonite
I spent my childhood in Durango Mexico. I now live in Ontario Canada.
Yes the Old Colony Mennonites have evolved allot here in Canada. But part of me does miss how easy and simple life was in Mexico.
it may seem to some a sheltered life but to us its like a dream. the world seem so big and open. your imaginations run wild with excitement. we had few toys to play with but the world was our playground. School was always fun and so spiritual full of song and laughter.
When there were moment of sorrow or fear they were always replaced with reassurance of faith and love.
We had to work hard for a living but it was all our own. our farms, our animals, our fields and our Harvest. that in itself was all the reward we needed. we didn’t have allot of money. But we did well with what we had.
i have often though of writing a book or memoir of how life as an Old Colony Mennonite is. for all those who want to know more or are curious. but must say my grammar need work before that happens.
i am glad there are people who want to know more about us and not judge us based on what society considers “normal”.
Old Colony Mennonites
Glad you took time to share Helen. I bet you’ve seen some changes. I think your group is very little-known, in the States at least. It’s my understanding that Canadian Old Colony Mennonites use motor vehicles and typically higher technology than generally in South America (ie Bolivia)? As you probably know the Amish and Old Colony Mennonites have had some exchanges in recent years.
old colony mennonites
Love hearing about the Amish and Mennonite communities and there background glad to see this and also to hear from people from that heritage comment to see the real side would love to read more things from Helen my grammar is bad also dont let that stop you. A joy to read and very interesting. Thanks
Very interesting Erik! I love learning more and more from your website. Keep it up!
Please write something about the Amish in Colorado! Still waiting on this. I do know they have two groups. One in southern CO and one in N. CO. But that is about all I have been able to find out.
Not what they do for business, etc.
I would be interested in reading the book if Helen ever does write one. Just find someone to help you write it Helen, and you won’t need to worry about your grammer. : )
Old Colony Mennonites
No need to wait
Thanks Lee Ann, here you go:
http://amishamerica.com/colorado-amish/
Also:
http://amishamerica.com/colorado-amish-communities/
http://amishamerica.com/colorado-amish-settlement/
http://amishamerica.com/amish-moving-colorado/
http://amishamerica.com/colorado-amish-history/
interesting
This is nice to see – a bit of ‘social studies’ with a pleasant , positive spin! I have Amish and Conservative Mennonite background. I don’t consider myself Mennonite anymore but I treasure some aspects of that heritage.
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