Villalba Family Discussion Post

10/17/2009

This is where anyone can post comments to discuss the Villalba family. Who should be added to the Familias entries. Corrections? Additions? Stories about family members?

29 Comments

Juan Manuel Casas

10/23/2009 12:13:29 pm

[originally posted on "First Post" on Sun, 04 Oct 2009 11:03:00]

Very impressed with the website. I hope that it proves to draw and document a plethora of history that heretofore had been relegated to within our family's histories as they are written and/or told.

Chronicling my familias history in my book, Federico Villalba's Texas: A Mexican Pioneer's Life in the Big Bend, did not come without great criticism. One source was Felton Cochran, owner of Cactus Books in San Angelo, Texas who called me a "revisionist", labeling my work as an "historical novel", to which I injected my "own biased perspective" thereby insuating that family's oral history was contrived. It was my word against every historian that has NEVER WRITTEN an accurate account of our familia's historias.

Contributors to this website are immensly important in memorializing and documenting their family's history as it should be, from the "Mexican perspective". My book was the first to offer true Mexican history of the Big Bend, let it not be the last.

Su Seguro Servidor, Juan Manuel Casas

signs of a deviated septum link

9/26/2013 12:34:44 am

Not so bad Juan. Thanks.

Manuel Villalva Esquivel

10/23/2009 12:26:44 pm

[originally posted on "First Post" on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 19:44:21

In regard to the book ( Federico Villalba Texas ) Author Juan Manuel Casas --
It's a very good book about the pioneers that live In Terlingua Tejas during that time --
And there is another book(Big Bend Country Land Of Unexpected )
By Author,Kenneth. Ragsdale

Juan Manuel Casas

10/23/2009 12:36:29 pm

[originally posted on "First Post" on Sun, 11 Oct 2009 16:10:04]

The reunion my Tio Manuel Esquivel writes of is the Villalba family reunion being held Oct. 30 - Nov. 1 at the Lajitas Resort. If anyone wishes details they can feel free to write me at my website [email protected] .

Manuel Villalaba Esquivel

10/23/2009 12:39:55 pm

[originally posted on "First Post" on Sun, 11 Oct 2009 17:27:26]

Antonio ( Tony )
I applaud you ( Good Job )
Don't forget to go to the reunion
Oct 30 --Nov 1 --and talk to my sobrino
Juan Manuel Casas.

By the way my grandfather was not Francisco Villalba. It was Federico Villalba (I made a Bo Bo).

God bless
Manuel Villalba Esquivel

Juan Manuel Casas

10/23/2009 12:43:20 pm

[originally posted on "First Post" on Sun, 11 Oct 2009 19:29:31]

The Villalba family tree is incorrect as shown. The correct line of descendancy is as follows:
Ramon Villalba Sr. married to Fernanda Jasso. Their sons were Ramon Villalba, Jr., Federico Villalba, Arcadio Villalba, Paz Villalba & daughter Librada Villalba de Rodriguez.

Children of Federico and Maria Cortez de Villalba were sons Felipe, Jorge, Federico, Jr., Jacobo, Santos and daughter, Regina Villalba de Esquivel. More to come……

Su Seguro Servidor,
Juan Manuel Casas

Charmaine Ortega Getz

1/23/2013 02:04:56 pm

Hello, I've been wondering if your Ramon Villalba Jr. is the same person as the gentleman who married Fernanda Calanche, my first cousin four generations back. He was born about 1872 in Chihuahua, Mexico and died in 1959. They lived in Valentine, Texas for some time.

Enjoyed your book very much, by the way. I've never been to Texas and knew nothing of my family's history in the Big Bend region until I started doing genealogy a couple of years ago. Now I'm catching up on history!

This is the first time I've visited the site, and hope to learn much more.

Happy trails,
Charmaine Ortega Getz

Juan Manuel Casas

1/30/2013 03:40:53 pm

Charmaine, The Ramon Villalba I'm familiar with was born in 1856 and was my great uncle, brother to Federico Villalba. The Villalba ranch in Chihuahua, belonged to Juan Villalba, cousin to the brothers. Ramon Jr. left Aldama where he was born, to work on Rancho Villalba in Chihuahua, Chihuahua. At one time, my grandmother was engaged to Juan's son, Francisco. In fact, the ranch is still active. Ramon became a gunrunner for Pancho Villa. He was actually a Colonel in Pancho's army. Ramon owned a store in Valentine which was more or less a front for his gunrunning. Ramon was in parntership with another fellow whose name escapes me at the moment. All of this is documented Federico was not too happy with Ramon. He was not a fan of Pancho. Pancho's men used to steal cattle from Federico's Rancho Barras.

Charmaine Ortega Getz

1/30/2013 04:36:35 pm

Comment deleted

Charmaine Ortega Getz

1/30/2013 04:42:08 pm

Have no idea why my comment posted 3x!

Hope the extra posts can be removed. Gracias.

Antonio Franco

1/30/2013 10:46:49 pm

Charmaine Ortega Getz
01/30/2013 22:34

Juan,

Sounds pretty close to what I have on my Ramon C. Villalva -- that's how I've found it spelled most often.

I don't know about a store but there's a story that he had the only car in 1914, in Valentine, Texas, when Pancho Villa needed a ride back across the border to Ojinaga. This Ramon was married to one of my first cousins, 4x removed, named Fernanda Calanchi (or Calanche). There were many Calanchis in this area of Texas, several of whom rode with Villa.

However, this Ramon's birth date stated on Census forms is about 1873, in Aldama, Chihuahua. He may have died in January 1959. His family lived in Valentine until at least the 1920s.

Perhaps this is your Ramon's son? Would seem to be the right age.

Thanks for your time and attention.

Antonio Franco

1/30/2013 10:49:04 pm

[Editor's note: Charmaine posted the following reply and for some reason it appeared three times. We removed them at her request and here is what she posted last night.]

Charmaine Ortega Getz
01/30/2013 22:34

Juan,

Sounds pretty close to what I have on my Ramon C. Villalva -- that's how I've found it spelled most often.

I don't know about a store but there's a story that he had the only car in 1914, in Valentine, Texas, when Pancho Villa needed a ride back across the border to Ojinaga. This Ramon was married to one of my first cousins, 4x removed, named Fernanda Calanchi (or Calanche). There were many Calanchis in this area of Texas, several of whom rode with Villa.

However, this Ramon's birth date stated on Census forms is about 1873, in Aldama, Chihuahua. He may have died in January 1959. His family lived in Valentine until at least the 1920s.

Perhaps this is your Ramon's son? Would seem to be the right age.

Thanks for your time and attention.

Edward Villalba link

7/7/2010 03:57:30 pm

Santos Villalba Sr and Isadora Baiza Villaba children are as follows David Villalba Sr., Jake Villalba Sr. Born May 17 1935, Santos (Blocker) Villalba Jr. Born Nov 29,1937 and George (Jorge) Villalba Sr. They never had any other children and none that died at birth. My dad Santos Jr name was not placed on his birth certificate when he was born. He didnt find out till he went to get a copy so he had his name put on it a few years back. I can supply you with more info on the Santos /Isadora family There are a lot of kids and grandkids and even greatgranchildren
Take Care
Edward Villalba

Antono S. Franco

7/9/2010 10:37:42 pm

We really appreciate the information you have provided. We have added a family page for Santos Villalba Sr. and Isadora Baiza. You can see that at:
http://www.familiasdeterlingua.com/villalba---santos.html

We would be happy to post more information on the family -- photos marriage records, or other documents.
Again,
Thanks

Barbara Valenzela Hammond link

7/31/2010 02:15:44 pm

I have a question. Where does my grandmother - Andrea Villalba Valenzuela fit in? She was Atilano and Manuel Villalba's only sister. I believe her mother was Cassamira???

Juan Manuel Casas

2/22/2014 08:49:15 am

Are you or have you been in touch with Pete Villalba. Did you know that your grandma also had a brother named Encarnacion "Chano"?

Diana

6/21/2014 07:05:01 am

Hi Juan. George Villalba (Santos & Isadora's son born 5/29/49) is my birthfather. I knew your cousin Ed Villalba from Mystique and had no idea we were first cousins until recent DNA test connected Louie Villalba and myself as first cousins (through 23andMe). I was adopted at birth and I wasn't given any of my background information other than my father and mother's names. If you would email me I'd appreciate it. [email protected]

Thank you.

Diana

Diana

6/21/2014 07:05:29 am

Diana

6/21/2014 07:08:31 am

Hi. George Villalba (Santos/Isadora's son born 5/29/49) is my birthfather. I knew your cousin Ed Villalba but was unaware we were first cousins until a recent DNA test connected Louie Villalba as a first cousins. I was adopted at birth and I have no information other than my father and mother's names. If you would email me I'd appreciate it.

Diana

6/21/2014 07:08:54 am

Melba Valenzuela Ramos

5/10/2016 04:10:14 pm

Barbara, Pete Villalba has done some research. If you want his address, his sister, Buddy Ruiz, in Ft. Stockton has it.
Take care.

Grace Ramos Garcia

5/28/2012 07:06:13 am

To the Family of Federico Villalba i would like to know if you have ever been in contact with Catano family they had a Ramona Catano who married My great grandfather Felipe Ramos Sr. Any info please let me know my name is Grace Ramos Garcia. You may message me through Facebook or email me [email protected]
thank you !

anna martinez

3/3/2013 02:33:47 pm

my mom and uncles are villalba from alpine tx. and semiloe texas we went to la hitas for the family reuion like 3yrs or so ago had fun and hope we make it that way again

Santos L. Lujan, Jr.

1/23/2014 04:43:28 pm

My wife is Mary Lou Billalba from Big Spring, Tx. She is the daughter of Ruben Billalba who was the son of Jorge (George) Billalba, one of Federico Billalba's sons. The family tells me that after the shooting incident and trial, Jorge moved his family to Big Spring and modified the Family name to Billalba. We have visited Federico's gravesite at Terlingua many times.

Juan Manuel Casas link

8/21/2014 03:34:13 am

Santos,

Sorry it has take this long to respond. I don't get to the familias website as often as I would like. The surname Billalba is actually a corruption of the correct family name Villalba. It was not used because they wanted not to be associated with the Villalba's after the trial of Jorge and his move to Big Spring. The B and V are used interchangeably. I found many documents that existed prior to the shootings of the Coffman brothers and the subsequent trial where even Federico spells the surname with a B. The Anglo was the first to start the trend. I've seen names like Vela, Vasquez and others that the Anglo spelled with a B. It's how it sounded to them. Some of the Billalba's have changed their name back to Villalba, as it should be. The name an important name in the annals of Spanish and Mexican history. Their are no family crests, that I'm aware of, where the name is spelled with a B. I suppose one can choose however they want their last name to be spelled, but it amuses me that the Billalbas want to retain that surname over a name that is so important to world history. So be it, I guess.

Juan Manuel Casas link

8/21/2014 03:34:20 am

Juan Manuel Casas link

8/21/2014 03:34:31 am

Antonia McCloud

3/2/2015 01:53:13 am

Hi! I am a Villalba from Hermosillo, Sonora Mexico. I just wanted to see if you have any family history related to the Villalbas from Sonora?
My grandpas name was Gonzalo Villalba and he was born in a small town in Sonora call Ures.
I would really appreciate any infor. Thanks.

Richard Diaz

11/10/2023 07:30:32 pm

I am grandson to Jorge (V) Billalba I have been trying to find someone that has a family tree. I have just recently started looking on internet trying to see how far back I could go. I went to big bend to try and find the old homestead in 2019 but ran out of time. I'm planning on going back 2024 to see I can find the home place of my great grandfather . If any one can help drop me a line.

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