Pancho F. Villa
Born 1870's.
Died 1920's.
Francisco 'Pancho' Villa born in San Juan del Rio, state of Durango on June 5, 1878, the son of a field labourer. His full name: José Doroteo Arango / Arangol. Father -- Agustin Arangol/ Arango died about 1893. Pancho's mother- Maria Micaela Armábola. Augustin's father - Jesus Villa.
As a teen Pancho assaulted a man and fled into the Sierra de la Silla Mexican Mountains and changed his name and led the life of a bandit (cattle rustling and bank robbery) with a gang from 1894 to 1910. He used the name 'Pancho' which is a nickname for Francisco.
Over his life he married many times and had many children. First wife: May 29, 1912 he married Maria Luz Corral de Villa and they had an adopted son- Francisco Piñon. The marriage ended in 1921. Maria died in 1981. One son - José Trinidad Villa - became an actor.
After coming out the mountains and having married by 1912, Pancho became part of the Mexican Revolution. In 1913 Villa formed an army several thousand strong which came to be known as the Division del Norte - the Division of the North. He fought on the side of Venustiano Carranza and the Constitutionalists against the new dictator, General Victoriano Huerta. After victory, there was a major disagreement between Villa and Carranza and Pancho in fled in mid-1914 to northern Mexico to continue guerilla warfare.
In January 1916 Villa and his followers killed 17 American citizens in Santa Isabel (called the Santa Ysabell Massacre) and attacked Columbus in New Mexico in March 1916 because the U.S. Government supported the new government under Carranza.
In the early morning ( 2:30 am) of March 9, 1916 approximately five hundred soldiers led by General Francisco “Pancho” Villa attacked the small border town and military camp (13th U.S. Cavalry at Camp Furlong ) at Columbus, New Mexico. The “Villistas” / “Pistoleros” killed twenty-four American soldiers and civilians in the town of Columbus (the first attack on American soil since the War of 1812) before withdrawing into Mexico. They had shouted ‘Death to Americans.”
The attack exhibited the long history of tension between the United States and Mexico dating back to the Mexican War of 1846-1847 and now journey of United States troops into Mexico to protect American citizens and their property.
Brigadier General John J. Pershing and his 8th Infantry Brigade were sent to guard the U.S. and Mexico Border.
Villa and his men continued violent attacks on American business investments and military posts in New Mexico and along the Mexico border. When the word of continued attacks reached Washington,D. C., President Wilson ordered Pershing and his 4,800 troops into Northern Mexico to capture Pancho Villa (called the Punitive Expedition). Pershing increasing troops to 11,000. National Guard troops from TX, NM, Arizona went sent to guard the border. Additional National Guards came from other states, making 112,000 new guards.
By Feb. 1917 many were pulled out. Pershing had not captured Pancho Villa.
Villa always had the support of the poor Mexican people because he was truly unafraid of anyone or anything.
After the Carranza government was overthrown, Pancho was allowed to return and given a pardon. Villa retired to a ranch in Parral, Chihuahua.
Villa was assassinated in the town on July 20, 1923. Villas was driving in his black 1919 Dodge roadster along with five friends when a group of seven riflemen fired 150 shots in just two minutes into his car. Only one survived. Villas had made many enemies over the years.
Legend - his head was taken from his buried corpse in 1926.
Married many times, maybe 7 wives and had many children. Some of the wives:
- Juana Torres
- Soledad Seañez
- Asuncion Villaescusa
- Austreberta Rentería in Hidalgo del Parral in 1921 to 1923. Their children: Francisco and Hipólito.
[Note: The personal memories, photos (3) and family tree for Pancho are not public.]
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