Arwell Lee Pierce was born on June 8 1882 in Glendale, Sevier, Utah to Isaac Washington Pierce II and Caroline Done Pierce ( her parents were James Done and Ellen Parker). Isaac's parents were Isaac Washington Pierce I and Phebe Baldwin.

Arwell married Mary Brentnall Done ( born on Feb 15, 1885 in Payson, Utah) on October 2, 1907 in El Paso, Texas. Her parents were Abraham Done and (1st of 3) Elizabeth Annie Robinson of Payson, Utah. Brentnall comes from her great grandmother Jemima Mary Brentnall Parkes.

Arwell's mother gave birth to four sets of twins, his siblings are:
1-Arwell Lee Pierce 1882-1967; md. Mary Brentnall Done.
2 and 3 - (Set 1) Eudora Elna Pierce 1883-1884, Lenora Caroline Pierce 1883-1884,
4 - Ruby Evadna Pierce Taylor Moon 1885-1950,
5 - Clyde Done Pierce (Nash) 1896-1976,
6 - Ada Diantha Pierce Cardon 1889-1979,
7 and 8 - (Set 2) Isaac LaRue Pierce 1891-1892, James Lamar Pierce 1891-1891,
9 - Vera Juanita Pierce Anderson 1893-1972,
10 and 11 - (Set 3) Ireta Pierce 1900-1903, Zereta Pierce Harris 1900-1982,
12 and 13 - (Set 4) George Teasdale Pierce 1904-1904, Nathan Taylor Pierce 1904-1972.

Arwell Pierce and Mary Brentnall Done Pierce had twelve children:
1- Lee Pierce
2- MaryBeth Pierce md. Al Done
3- Brentnall Pierce
4- Merlin Pierce
5- Arthur Clyde Pierce Sr. b. June 23, 1916 in El Paso, Texas; md. Mary Joiner in the Salt Lake Temple Oct. 2, 1945; d. Jan. 14, 2002 in Layton, Utah.
6- Wendell Pierce
7- Ireta Pierce
8- Arwella Caroline Pierce b. February 11, 1921 in El Paso, Texas; md. June 14, 1939 Elmer Ray Moon in the SLC Temple; d. May 16, 2004 in Duchesne, Utah

Orson Pratt Brown's Good Friend

Around 1917 Arwell was a stockholder in a wholesale business in Ciudad Juárez along with Andres Gonzalez, Josiah Spencer, Joseph Williams, John W. Williams.

Bishop Arwell L. Pierce performed the marriage of Orson Pratt Brown's son, Dewey Brown and his fiancee, Emma Amelia "Millie" Robinson, in El Paso, Texas on September 2, 1922. Dewey and Millie then took the train to Denver, then on to Salt Lake City, Utah for a temple ceremony.

Bishop Pierce re-baptized Orson on March 26, 1925 in El Paso, Texas.

Orson went to the Church Centennial Celebration with Abner Keeler, Arwell L. Pierce, Anson Call, [and Louis Cardon?] around April 6, 1930.

Arwell L. Pierce gave Ray Brown a copy of Thomas Cottam Romney's book The Mormon Colonies in Mexico, inscribed, " To my good friend Ray Brown, with my compliments and best wishes. Arwell L. Pierce, El Paso Texas, March 1, 1939"

Brother Pierce was the Mission President in Mexico where Gustavo Brown, Bertha Brown and Aaron Brown served their missions during the a period of strife between the Church and about a third of the Mexican membership that had formed a splinter group named the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Third Convention. Pierce had been instrumental in reuniting this group with the main body of the church after ten years of separation between April 1936 and May 1946.

Bertha honorably released from her mission by Mission President Arwell L. Pierce on November 14, 1944.  Gustavo also released from his mission around this same time.

President of the Mexican Mission Arwell Pierce ordained Everardo Molina Navas to the Aaronic Priesthood on November 26, 1944 at the Toluca Branch.

President of the Mexican Mission Arwell Pierce ordained Everardo Navas M. to the Melchizedek Priesthood on December 24, 1945 at the Ermita Branch, Mexico.

Arwell Pierce knelt in proxy in the Mesa Arizona Temple for Orson Pratt Brown when his family was sealed the 6^th of November 1946.

Mexico Mission President Arwell Lee Pierce and Elder Robert Miller gave a birth blessing to Anna Lucia Navas, daughter of Everardo Navas and Bertha Brown, on March 2, 1947 at the Toluca Branch.

Some Mormon families started to settle in Guatemala in 1902. In 1903, the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve read a letter from twenty-five Church members in Guatemala, seeking to establish a Church colony in the country. But no official Church presence was felt in Guatemala until many years later. (Rudger Clawson diary excerpts, 1903).

John Forres O'Donnal was raised in the Mormon colonies in northern Mexico. In his patriarchal blessing he was promised that one day he would perform a great work among the Lamanite people to the south. In 1942, while working for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, he was assigned to work in Guatemala on an experimental rubber plantation. He met and married his wife Carmen, a Guatemalan. In 1946, he was visited by President Arwell L. Pierce, of the Mexican Mission. Later that year, Brother O'Donnal went to Salt Lake City and met with President George Albert Smith. Brother O'Donnal believed that the time was right to open up Guatemala to missionaries.

On September 4, 1947, President Pierce assigned four missionaries to Guatemala, as part of the Mexican Mission. The elders were: Seth G. Mattice, Earl E. Hansen, Robert B. Miller and David D. Lingard. President Pierce and his second counselor, H. Clark Fails, accompanied the four elders to open up the country. Three days later, the first Sacrament meeting was held in that country. Brother O'Donnal assisted with this meeting that was attended by several government leaders. He was also set apart to serve as a local missionary.

1. In Colonia Díaz we lived in adobe rooms, one in one end of the lot the other in the other end of the lot, and a long narrow path joined them. One room was the kitchen and living room, and the other was the bedrooms. I was probably just three years of age (we moved from Colonia Díaz to Colonia Dublán when 1 was three years old.) One pitch dark night, it was the dark of the moon, and cloudy, so you cou1dn't see your hand before your eyes. From our comfortable place in the kitchen Mother told us all to go to bed as it was late. We dreaded to walk that long narrow path in darkness. But Mother had told us to go and we knew we had to do it. Besides the bad night there was a mad dog, "Rover" reported in our neighborhood and we were extremely afraid. But Mother said, "Ah-, Bah- nothing's going to hurt you, go on. We went, but some of us, swore that old Rover was after us, and had even brushed up against us. But after a few cries and screams, we all made it to bed, safe and sound, as Mother had predicted.

2. Mother's courtship and marriage as told to me by Arwell is interesting. Father was In the Bishopric in Glenwood, Sevier County Utah. He was considered well fixed financially. Mother, as a girl had hired out to do work for Aunt Ellen, Father's wife. It seemed that the brethren from Salt Lake City kept after Father about taking another wife, (Polygamy was being practiced then in the Church). One day Father came home from Church, and he told Aunt Ellen the Brethren were urging him to take another wife. And that he didn't have any thoughts or desires in that. Then Aunt Ellen said to him "Isaac you are in the Bishopric and you should try to do what the Brethren ask you to do. I think you and you should take another wife. Father's reply was he had not thought of doing such a thing, besides If he should, who would he ask? Most of the available women in town were discussed one by one, but they couldn't decide on any one to ask. Finally Aunt Ellen said "There's Caroline Done. She's a lovely girl, and she is right here, let us ask her. So both Father and Aunt Ellen went to Mother and told her what their problem was, and would she be willing to consider it. Mother blushed and didn't say a word, so Father tactfully said, "Don't answer now, think It over and you can let us know sometimes later." Grandma Done, was very much opposed, for various reasons, mostly because of the difference in age, mother not quite 16 and Father about 42. So matters coasted along for a time, how long I don't know. They both prayed about it. Mother had other suitors but none really appealed to her even though young, handsome, and single, and good Church men. Finally one day in Church. Mother was sitting on the back row with some other young and jolly girls and Father was preaching from the pulpit. He glanced down at Mother, her eyes and his met and for a few seconds there was a message transmitted silently between them, and they both knew they were meant for each other. The result of course their marriage in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City.

3. These were Pioneer days, and hard times. to make it worse, because of being In polygamy, after the Edmunds-Tucker act, Father and other were hounded by U. S. Government officers, until they bad to abandon their home to abandon their homes and go to other parts and go to New Mexico, and finally to Old Mexico. Besides all this, Mother gave birth to some 14 children, four pair of twins among them. Mother's health broke, and she had much sickness, besides losing half of her babies In infancy. In Colonia Díaz there were many times that cornbread, vinegar and red-root weed for greens was about all they had to eat.

4. It was during these hard times in Colonia Díaz that Mother decided to go to work. This hurt Father's pride terribly, but what else could she do. So Mother went to Deming, New Mexico and worked a while for a family by the name of Wright. There she was able to gather up clothes, bedding, and quite a lot of things for her family. She took these things back to Colonia Díaz, and this eased their situation, however the hand of providence was over the family, and little by little better fortune came father's way.

5. A story is told by those of the family who remember of the ward or Home Teachers coming other and her family, when they came to visit the home of were on the "Under-ground", as they called it, Mother did not go by the name of Pierce, but took, Father's first name Isaac and made it Isaacson. So she and her children were Isaacson, Mother's oldest daughter Ruby was real young and small, and a cute little child. One of the Ward Teachers took her upon his lap to talk to her, and be asked, What is your name, little girl". She answered, "My name Is Ruby Isaacson, but I have a prettier name than that."

6. Father was a small man, but powerful and "wirey", and in a tussle, he had no trouble of overpowering mother, but father was very ticklish, and mother knew real well how to overpower Father. 'All she had to do was to point her finger at him as though she was about to tickle him, and he would cringe, and beg for mercy.

6. John Pierce, Aunt Ellen's oldest son at all times was very kind and considerate of Mother, and upon various occasions he befriended Mother. Mother appreciated this so very much.

7. Mother with her little family, about the year 1899, moved to Colonia Dublán about 60 miles north of Colonia Díaz. There Father built her a two story brick house. At first this was quite an advancement for the family. Here it, was that Zerita, and Ireta (twins) were born. In this house it was that Ireta died when 3 years old. It looked like Mother was dying at the same time, and Father had come in from Ciudad Juárez expecting Mother to die, but it proved to be Ireta. Because of the strong winds, and the somewhat fragile construction of the house, it was not considered safe, and after Father's death. Arwell had it torn down, and a large 8 room house built in its place.

8. It was in Colonia Díaz that Arwell had a severe and somewhat tragic experience. Father had told him to do something. Mother didn't know it, so she had him go and work in the little garden they were trying to raise. Inasmuch as Arwell didn't show up to do what Father bad told him, Father came and found Arwell working with Mother in the Garden. Without saying much only why aren't you doing what 1 told you, he answered, "because Mother told me to do this." Father gave Arwell a real hard whipping. Mother cried and of course Arwell cried too. Then the severe lesson came to both Mother and Arwell. Father said, "I want you both to know that I am the head of this family, and when I give an order to Arwell he is to obey my order, and even if Mother gives another order, Arwell is to obey my orders first." Poor Arwell. He was trying his best to obey his parents, and be got whipped for it Arwell said that he felt he had been made the "goat", and had been dealt with unjustly. But anything like that never happened again. The lesson had been learned.

9. One time when Ruby was about to get a whipping from Mother for something she had or had not done, Arwell interceded and said, "Mother please don' t whip Ruby. She is my pretty sweet sister. Mother, whip me instead," Mother stood still for a moment, thinking things over, and finally she said to Arwell, "Alright", and she gave Arwell a real bad whipping for sister Ruby.

10. Mother was a very good Mother, and a very good teacher. Many times she has either had me sit on her lap as a small boy or sit at her feet while she taught me the Gospel, especially do 1 remembering her teaching me of the pre- life. That it was very possible that she and I knew each other In the former life, and that she chose me there to be her son and that I chose her to be my Mother. It even seemed so reasonable to me that It seemed I could partly remember. that 1 really know it before she told me.

11. Mother taught me how to make good garden, and as a boy In Colonia Dublán I was rated by those who knew me as having the best garden in town.

12. There had been so many accidents, shootings and drownings, that Mother always hesitated about letting me go hunting, fishing, or swimming.

13, Ada had a boy friend by the name of Mainy Turley. Mother couldn't remember his name so she asked Ada, "where to that "Maniack" friend of yours." This brought a laugh.

14. One day the girls tried to get dinner ready, but complained to Mother that there wasn't a thing in the house to eat. But she said you all get out of here and I'll fix you something to eat". Within a very short time she called us all to dinner, and a more delicious meal I don't think I ever ate.

15. One time in Sacrament Meeting, Mother fell asleep. She had her gloves in her hands. All that week she bad been tending bees and she was very tired and weary. As she slept, she dreamed that a bee lit on her and was stinging her; she threw up both hands and screamed out loud in Church. Her gloves flew in different directions. People were startled, and all eyes were turned on her, Mother was so ashamed that she resolved then and there that she would never go to sleep in Church again.

16. One day Mother was in a terrible dilemma. She had lost her glasses, and couldn't see to do a thing. She asked all the children if they had seen her glasses, but no one had. Then one by one all the children began to smile and one of them said, "Mother would you like me to tell you where your glasses are. Put your hand up on your forehead, and feel them. There they were. She smiled a smile of chagrin.

17. In our big 8 room house in Colonia Dublán, at a time when the revolution was at its height, and the rebels were taking everything they could find from anywhere, we children heard some strange noises downstairs, We all quietly got out of bed. It was about midnight. We could imagine almost anything bad, and we were terribly frightened. We whispered to each other trying to figure out what to do. We owned 3 guns, a 12 gage shot-gun , a 22 rifle, and a 30-70 Rifle. We had just about decided that I would discharge the shotgun from the top of the stairs to the downstairs floor to frighten away what it was that was disturbing us. About that time Mother appeared and quietly asked us what the matter was. We told her of our fright. She listened, then said "Bah", I'll go downstairs and show you there is nothing." We protested telling her she would be killed, and tried to stop her. But down she went, was gone for quite a while. We heard one big sound louder than before, and we were all breathless and speechless, almost. One of us said, "They have killed her, Oh why did we let her go." But when least expected here came Mother up the stairs. "Everything's all right. If you heard noises it was probably some mice or rats. Go on now, go to bed, everything is OK". So we did.

18. After Ruby was married to Ed Taylor, Mother was, to their -place visiting. She decided to go out where Ed was milking the cow; she walked up quietly and leaned on the board fence while Ed was milking. Before long the cows looked up and saw Mother standing there. The cow was startled, and she turned loose and kicked over a big full bucket of milk. Ed didn't know why. But he got up and took his stool and chased that cow around the corral a few times, cussing profusely. Ed knew how to do it. It as natural as to breathe. Mother just stood where she was, and looked on and listened. Mother was a very sedate person, swearing was a thing she was very much opposed to. Finally Ed spied her. He stood still, aghast and speechless. Mother looked at him for a moment. She knew the remorse he had for the cussing he had done. Finally she said, '"Give her hell, Ed." Then she walked away. Ed said that lesson lasted him so that he never cussed again for at least a week.

19. John Jones told Mother that John Pierce was in trouble for doctoring a horse. That didn't satisfy Mother. "But John, if he doctored the horse, that would be good for him. Why should that cause him trouble? They aught to be glad. Mother kept insisting to know, until finally John Jones came out and said "well, Auntie, John castrated him. That's what got him in trouble".

20. Mother was a great one to sing as she worked. The harder she'd sing the harder she'd work, the harder she'd work the harder she'd sing. Her Daddy, James Done was of the same make-up "She sang many songs such as: The Babes in The Woods. Tell me kind stranger have you seen. Our mother got by in her new numbering. It was a dream, a warning dream, kind heaven sent to snatch me from a drunkards curse. I beg of you Tommy Don't go, don't go. My Darling Nellie Gray, Old Black Joe, Love Tarry a Moment, I'll bide. Now beg your way without delay to Edenborough town, Maybell, Maybell my beautiful Pale proud slumbering alone neath the cold granite stone, while I lead a drunkards life etc. etc.

21. When mother whipped - she whipped hard, you didn't forget it soon.

22. Mother and Aunt Ellen made their brags that they had never quarreled.

Arwella Caroline Pierce Moon
1921 ~ 2004
Arwella Caroline Pierce Moon, 83 of Duchesne, Utah passed away Sunday, May 16, 2004 at her home surrounded by family.

Arwella was born February 11, 1921, in El Paso, Texas to Arwell and Mary Done Pierce. She spent her early years in El Paso, Texas and attended BYU where she met her true love, Elmer Ray Moon. They were married June 14, 1939 in the Salt Lake Temple.

She loved serving in the LDS Church in various leadership and service capacities. Arwella was active in the PTA, DUP, Mothers Club and American Cancer Society.

Arwella fulfilled a full-time mission with her husband, Elmer at the Mormon Battalion Visitor's Center in San Diego, Calif. She was a temple worker with her husband in the Provo and Vernal Temples.

Arwella loved to read and cherished the scriptures. She had a great appreciation for music and played the violin. She encouraged all of her children to develop their talents. Her legacy of writing journals will last forever. She will be fondly remembered as a wonderful friend and mentor to family and friends.

Arwella is survived by her beloved, Elmer Ray Moon; her children, Jerry Ray (Kay) Moon, Maryetta Sampson (Dave) Mumford both of Logan, UT; Caroline Beth (Frank) Woodward, Orem, UT; Doris Louise (Arnold )Thiebaud, Valley Center, KS; Joyce (John) Eugster, So. Jordan, UT; Lee Heber (Kathy) Moon, Duchesne, UT; Judy (Richard) Bell, Park City, UT; Sister MaryBeth (Al) Done, Orange, CA; Special family member, Art (Kara Lynn) Taylor; 39 grandchildren, 52 great-grandchildren, one great-great grandchild. She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Lee, Brentnall, Merlin, Arthur Clyde, Wendell and sister Ireta, granddaughter Christina Eugster, and son-in-law Bill Sampson.

Our special thanks to Dr. Cherie Brunker, Uintah Basin Hospice and the special ladies who so lovingly cared for her in the family home.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, May 20, 2004 at 11:00 a.m. at the Duchesne LDS 1st and 3rd Ward Bldg, 130 S. 300 E., Duchesne, Utah. Family and friends may call at the church Wednesday evening from 6-8 pm and from 9:30-10:45 a.m. Thursday. Burial will be in the Duchesne Cemetery under direction of the Hullinger Mortuary.

Obituary: Deseret News, Tuesday, May 18, 2004
http://www.deseretnews.com/dn/print_ob/1,1751,480007895,00.html?

Sources:

PAF - Archer files

Lines connect through OPBrown~ Gustavo Brown~ Mary Alyce Brown Taylor~ md. Reyel Pratt Taylor~ Daniel Pierce Taylor~ Mary Alice Pierce Taylor~ Brigham Horace Pierce~ George Henry Pierce~ Brother is Isaac Washington Pierce II~ son is Arwell Lee Pierce.

"Shepherd to Mexico's Saints: Arwell L. Pierce and the Third Convention." by  F. LaMond Tullis. BYU Studies, Vol 37:1:127-157, 1997. (This article added for Doris Louise Moon Thiebaud of Kansas, Arwell's granddaughter).

Clyde Done Pierce

"A Diplomat's Diplomat: Arwell Pierce and the Church in Mexico," Pioneers in Every Land: Inspirational Stories of International Pioneers Past and Present. Bookcraft, 1997. Pages 113-124.

"Mormons in Mexico: The First 96 Years", by Gerry R. Flake, The Ensign September 1972, Pages 20-21.

http://longislandgenealogy.com/brewster/names2.htm

Notes:
http://byustudies.byu.edu/index/subject_index.asp?alpha=P
Pierce, Arwell L.
        achievements of, 37:1:127–28, 139–40
        in Mexican Mormon colonies, 5:2:156–57
        and Third Convention, 37:1:140–51, 148, 154–57