Mennonites' Arrival in 1909 Marred by Land Scam
by Chris Page

At one time the Mennonite
colony, which consisted
mainly of farming families, was a
significant force in the small
community of Rosedale.

  By the 1940s and 1950s
many Mennonite farming fami-
lies were enjoying economic
good times, from diligent culti-
vation of fertile farms. Some
enjoyed receiving oil royalties
from oil strikes on their land.

  Now the group is assimilated
into the wider community,
which came about through a
pattern of marriagas outside the
original Mennonite families.
The initial disastrous welcome
to Kern County didn't bode
well for the group, however.

  The Mennonites, named af-
ter Menno Simmons, are now a
Christian denomination of
nearly 950,000 members lo-
cated in many countries with
the heaviest concentrations in
Canada and the U. S.

  "Anabaptist and Mennonite
thought has been characterized
by a separation between reli-
gion and the world. Under the
impact of severe persecution in
the 16th century, Anabaptism
was driven to a strategy of
withdrawal from society in its
attempt to survive, a strategy
that became central in Menno-
nite theology." says the
Encyclopaedia Britannica.

  The Mennonites trace their
beginnings to 16th-century
Anabaptists, those known as
the "Swiss Brethren," who
formed a congregation in 1525.

  Primary in their religious be-
liefs was an opposition to
fighting wars, and also to stress-
ing the importance of Baptism
on the confession of faith.
They did believe in church dis-
cipline.

  Heavy and relentless perse-
cution and torture soon drove
the Swiss Brethren across Eu-
rope from one country to
another; in spite of pursecution
their doctrinal views found
quick response among many
people, and for a time the
movement grew, according to
the "Britannica."

  After experiencing great per-
secution in almost every
European country the first
group of Mennonites left Po-
land in 1788 to travel to
Russia's Ukraine where they
became landholders and negoti-
ated an agreeniant freeing them
from military oonacription.

By the year 1835 nearly
1,600 families Were settled in
72 villages with landholdings
totaling about 500,000 acres.

Sadly by the end of World
War II almost all the Menno-
nites were gone from Russia;
only a few remained in scat-
tered settlements.

  The year 1663 began the first
of many Meonnnite emigrations
to North America to achieve
the goals of preserving the faith
of their fathers, to seek eco-
nomic   opportunity   and
adventure, but primarily to es-
cape the ever-present threat of
European militarism.

  In 1775 they addressed a
statement to the Pennsylvania
Assembly that read; "It is our
principle to feed the hungry
and give the thirsty drink: we
have dedicated ourselves to
serve all men in everything that
can be helpful to the preserva-
tion of men's lives, but we find
no freedom in giving, or doing.
or assisting in anything by
which men's lives are destroyed
or hurt,"

  But, even in the U.S. they
paid a price for their opposition
to military conscription.

  In 1783 Mennonites in
Lancaster County were accused
of treason for feeding destitute
British soldiers.

 During the U.S. Civil War,
rather than fight, some hired
substitutes or paid an exemp
tion fee of $300 in the North
and $500 in the South, a not
uncommon practice even
among those who didn't share
their deep religious conviction.

  Those who fought in the
armed forces (at that time)
were usually excommunicated
for doing so.

  During World War II, it is re-
ported many served by working
in the Red Cross.

  A group of 35 families lived
and farmed in Kansas. Okla-
homa aud South Dakota when
approached by a Kern land pro-
moter, Henry James Martins.

  The families found the Mid-
west a hardscrabble place in
which to earn a living, much
less achieve a secure livelihood.

  They eagerly listened to the
promise of California when a
smooth talking real estate sales-
person appeared in their midst.
  
  They turned over deeds to
their Midwest land and a sub-
stantial amount of cash for land
near Rosedale (advertised in
1909 as a tropical paradise,
with pictures of steamboats
shown navigating the Calloway
Canal in British newspapers).

  A 26-car train took them to
present-day Lerdo, 15 miles
north of Rosedale. Upon arrival,
the families gathered, to hold a
small church service. The Men-
nonites hastened to build a
general store and construct a
post office, and began cultiva-
tion of the land.

  They named the town
Martinsdale after the man,
Henry James Martins, who sold
them the land.

  After a time the town be-
came so prosperous they
pledged $16,000 for the cre-
ation of Martinsdale College.

  Before the Mennonites trav-
eled to Kern County, Martins
had made considerable boasts
about the 5,120 acres of land
here in Kern.

  Shock and disbelief struck
the hard-working community
when it was learned that Mar-
tins had not yet purchased the
land from the owner, John
McWilliams, Jr.

  In fact, Martins didn't pro
cure any deeds until October of
that year, and even then only
purchasing a small portion of
the land he was selling to the
Mennonites.

  Soon, the townsfolk became
fully aware of the fact that the
namesake of their town. Mar-
tins, had lied to them and taken
advantage of their trusting
spirit

  Martins was an agent for the
Southern Pacific Railroad, and
so the railroad initially issued
letters defending Martins. After
learning the details of what he
had done, the railroad stopped
defending or supporting him. It
was also learned that Martins
had been party to a previous
land swindle in Hamilton
County, Kansas.

  Meanwhile, the Mennonites
were forced to leave their new
homes and farms and seek resi-
dence elsewhere.

  Some moved to various
other California communities
and some moved to Rosedale,
where they overcame the prob-
lems created by the landscam
and put down solid family
roots.

  Martins tried to continue do-
ing business in Kern County,
but the landscam had destroyed
his reputation and he was
forced to leave town.

  Many descendants of these
original settlers still live and do
business in the Rosedale com-
munity.

  A Mennonite church was es-
tablished on Rosedale Highway
in 1923, and was rebuilt several
times throughout its history,
until it became what is now
Laurelglen Bible Church.

Source; "Anabaptist/Mennonite
Faith and Economics," University
Press of America, Lanham,
Maryland, 1994.

PAGE 6
November 96
The Village News, Kern County CA