In 1905, Hezekiah and Carrie Batiste migrated from Savannah, Georgia as servants for a wealthy white family. Mr. Batiste became a businessman he owned and operated a janitorial service. He also maintained a team of horses for clearing land. Mr. Batiste cleared land where the Alameda Junior High School is located now in Las Cruces. Daniel Hibler came to Las Cruces during this time also. He came to the area from Austin, Texas with his wife, Ollie Berry, and three children. They acquired four homes and some development property on the mesa. The Hiblers were good-hearted people often feeding and housing the disabled, transients, and friends down on their luck. They had a farm three miles out from town where they raised corn, wheat, and fruit orchards. They also owned a dairy herd, which consisted of twelve pedigree-bred Jersey cows. The Hiblers were members of the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church. In order for the community to have a church, the Hiblers gave land and financed the building for the CME Church in Las Cruces. When CME District Conferences were held the Hiblers' home was used as a commissary. Mrs. Ollie Berry -Hibler belonged to the Order of the Eastern Stars, the Court of Calanthe, and Daniel Hibler was an officer in the Prince Hall Masonic Lodge, and both were members of the NAACP. The Hiblers were also fluent in Spanish. | 
