From Erwin Warkentin

I have some records of the Mennonite emigration to Mexico that I collected at the National Archives (then still the PRO) in London. I used them in a previous article in the _Journal of Mennonite Studies_ (2008). The first deals with the Mennonites leaving for Mexico and their situation regarding the British Crown. Not directly of interest, but it sets the stage for what our people were to encounter and their later difficulty in returning to Canada. The second deals with their situation in Chihuahua Province as a group of them prepares to return to Canada. The third is perhaps of greatest interest to us in that it contains the names of our family members in the "lists." These were people that the British Government had to rule on in relation to their citizenship status. At special risk were children born to Mennonite families (Uncle Peter for example). The Mennonite marriages were not necessarily recognized by the various governments, because the Mennonites were still viewed as a cult of sorts and thus their marriages were often considered invalid or not having taken place at all. Children were thus often considered illegitimate and thus Mexican nationals. The Reddekopps left Saskatchewan relatively late. This was as much a result of being drawn to Mexico and family as it was the outright prejudiced attitudes of the the Provincial Government. When one looks through the cabinet documents and federal/provincial correspondences of 1929-1930, the Saskatchewan attitude toward the Mennonites bordered on xenophobic hatred. I'll provide the links under the links app.

The Mennonites and British protection in Mexico.

FO 723-38 British Protection for Canadian Mennonite Settlers in Mexico

www.docwarkentin.ca

Mennonites preparing to Leave Durango. Family entries can be found here.

FO 723-270 Mennonite Colony Durango

www.docwarkentin.ca

Mennonites preparing to leave Chihuahua

FO 723-271 Mennonite Colony Chihuahua

www.docwarkentin.ca