A Bit of History
The following is a narrative from Mr. Cornelius H. Friesen, a cheerful, very friendly gentleman from Upper Barton Creek. It has been slightly edited.
"My Dad, who's name is also Cornelius, moved his family from Spanish Lookout to Upper Barton Creek in June, 1969. I was 4 years old back then. About 8 or 9 other families moved together with us. According to my Dad, they left Spanish Lookout because they felt the Kleine Gemeinde were becoming too worldly. Instead of spending more time in spiritual things they were investing more and more in their businesses and neglecting God.
At that time several Old Order Mennonites families from the US had just migrated to Belize and settled in Pilgrimage Valley. Then a year later some of them together with Heinrich Friesen from Spanish Lookout bought land in Upper Barton Creek. So my Dad decided to join their way of simple lifestyle. We hadn't lived there long until my Dad started growing a beard and mustache because he believed that's what the Scriptures required. Mom didn't like it. It was so different than the Old Colony and Kleine Gemeinde men who always shave off both mustache and beard. Soon she got used to it and said she loved him less physically but more spiritually because he was following the Bible.
One time our family made a trip with horse and buggy all the way from Upper Barton Creek to Belize City and back. It took us 2 and a half days one way. We slept beside the road. At that time the road had more curves than right now. They must have followed a cow path when they built that road.
Anyways, back to my history. Not long after we moved the community of Lower Barton Creek was started. Right now many of its residents are ex-Old Colony Mennonites who are seeking a more conservative lifestyle as well as descendants of ex-Kleine Gemeinde who moved there together with us 60 years ago. During the early 70's the people from Pilgrimage Valley moved to Upper Barton Creek. Over time more different types of Old Order and Amish from the US joined us. There was disunity and disagreements among all these different groups of Old Order, Amish, and ex-Kleine Gemeinde until 1984 when the whole community of Upper Barton Creek decided to join the Titus Hoover Mennonites from the US. So officially we are Hoover Mennonites which is a branch of the Old Order denomination. This helped a lot with disunity because now we all agreed on one way of lifestyle and beliefs.
We are different than the Old Colony Mennonites from Shipyard and the Kleine Gemeinde from Spanish Lookout. Much different. For us, it doesn't matter what color of skin you have or what language you talk. If you are willing to live like us, come and join us anytime. In our church you will find names such as Perez, Polanco, Cal. The Scriptures teaches that all men are equal and that all men need a Saviour. Humility is the key to being content. I have first cousins in Spanish Lookout who are a hundred times richer than I am. I pray for them."
"So you are a lot like the Beachy and Holdemans because you accept anyone as long as they join your beliefs?"
"Yes, except I do not agree with the Holdemans in their belief that theirs is the only true church. To me any group that says that is being very prideful and is in danger of being deceived."
"I understand. Please continue."
"In the early 90's Springfield was started because Upper Barton Creek was getting too full. But by that time some families had moved back to the US. Lower Barton Creek had become more distant from us spiritually. They still cling to Old Colony ways even though they dress like us. Some of them later started Pine Hill colony down in Toledo and Red Bank."
"And now, I am one of the last remaining original settlers in Upper Barton Creek. Almost everyone has moved down south to Birdwalk and Springfield. Very soon I will move too."
"Who is taking over Upper Barton Creek?"
"A few Old Order Mennonites from Ontario. They are much more modern than us. But most of the community is empty. Some of our group that remained have joined them. Several others of our group have joined the church in Mile 7, which is made of ex-Amish and Amish Mennonites who recently came from the US."
By this time Mr. Cornelius was ready to leave. I thanked him heartily. He said,
"If you need more information, come to my new house in Birdwalk and spend a day with us. You are also welcome for Sunday service. Anytime."
"My Dad, who's name is also Cornelius, moved his family from Spanish Lookout to Upper Barton Creek in June, 1969. I was 4 years old back then. About 8 or 9 other families moved together with us. According to my Dad, they left Spanish Lookout because they felt the Kleine Gemeinde were becoming too worldly. Instead of spending more time in spiritual things they were investing more and more in their businesses and neglecting God.
At that time several Old Order Mennonites families from the US had just migrated to Belize and settled in Pilgrimage Valley. Then a year later some of them together with Heinrich Friesen from Spanish Lookout bought land in Upper Barton Creek. So my Dad decided to join their way of simple lifestyle. We hadn't lived there long until my Dad started growing a beard and mustache because he believed that's what the Scriptures required. Mom didn't like it. It was so different than the Old Colony and Kleine Gemeinde men who always shave off both mustache and beard. Soon she got used to it and said she loved him less physically but more spiritually because he was following the Bible.
One time our family made a trip with horse and buggy all the way from Upper Barton Creek to Belize City and back. It took us 2 and a half days one way. We slept beside the road. At that time the road had more curves than right now. They must have followed a cow path when they built that road.
Anyways, back to my history. Not long after we moved the community of Lower Barton Creek was started. Right now many of its residents are ex-Old Colony Mennonites who are seeking a more conservative lifestyle as well as descendants of ex-Kleine Gemeinde who moved there together with us 60 years ago. During the early 70's the people from Pilgrimage Valley moved to Upper Barton Creek. Over time more different types of Old Order and Amish from the US joined us. There was disunity and disagreements among all these different groups of Old Order, Amish, and ex-Kleine Gemeinde until 1984 when the whole community of Upper Barton Creek decided to join the Titus Hoover Mennonites from the US. So officially we are Hoover Mennonites which is a branch of the Old Order denomination. This helped a lot with disunity because now we all agreed on one way of lifestyle and beliefs.
We are different than the Old Colony Mennonites from Shipyard and the Kleine Gemeinde from Spanish Lookout. Much different. For us, it doesn't matter what color of skin you have or what language you talk. If you are willing to live like us, come and join us anytime. In our church you will find names such as Perez, Polanco, Cal. The Scriptures teaches that all men are equal and that all men need a Saviour. Humility is the key to being content. I have first cousins in Spanish Lookout who are a hundred times richer than I am. I pray for them."
"So you are a lot like the Beachy and Holdemans because you accept anyone as long as they join your beliefs?"
"Yes, except I do not agree with the Holdemans in their belief that theirs is the only true church. To me any group that says that is being very prideful and is in danger of being deceived."
"I understand. Please continue."
"In the early 90's Springfield was started because Upper Barton Creek was getting too full. But by that time some families had moved back to the US. Lower Barton Creek had become more distant from us spiritually. They still cling to Old Colony ways even though they dress like us. Some of them later started Pine Hill colony down in Toledo and Red Bank."
"And now, I am one of the last remaining original settlers in Upper Barton Creek. Almost everyone has moved down south to Birdwalk and Springfield. Very soon I will move too."
"Who is taking over Upper Barton Creek?"
"A few Old Order Mennonites from Ontario. They are much more modern than us. But most of the community is empty. Some of our group that remained have joined them. Several others of our group have joined the church in Mile 7, which is made of ex-Amish and Amish Mennonites who recently came from the US."
By this time Mr. Cornelius was ready to leave. I thanked him heartily. He said,
"If you need more information, come to my new house in Birdwalk and spend a day with us. You are also welcome for Sunday service. Anytime."
