Doroteo Arango changed his name to Villa, the name of his grandfather.
(Some say after a notorious bandit.)
He was born to a sharecropper in Rio Grand, Durango Mexico on Rancho de la Coyotada
owned by the Lopez Negrete family. The date of his birth seems to vary depending
on the book you read. The book “Villa and Zapata” by Frank McLynn
has his birth as June 6, 1878 to parents, Agustin Arango and wife, Micaela Arambula.
I have seen June 5, and the year 1877 and 1878 as his birthdate.
He was killed on July 20, 1923. Pancho Villa along with Emilano Zapata were rebels
and outlaws who became legendary revolutionaries in the Mexican Revolution.
Zapata helped Francisco Madero overthrow Porfirio Diaz then broke with Madero
over his refusal to distribute hacienda lands to the peasants. He refused to aid
Victoriano Huerta and joined Pancho Villa against Venustiano Carranza (1914-19)
He won several battles against Carranza's army but was finally ambushed and
assassinated in Morelos.
Poncho Villa's responsibilities started young when his father died leaving his mother
with 5 children. He had four younger siblings, two sisters,Marianita and Martina,
and two brothers, Hipolito and Antonio. Several stories
are told of how he became an outlaw. One version is when Villa was
fifteen or sixteen, he was coming back from working in the fields, and he found
his mother trying to defend his 12 year old sister from been raped, by Agustin
Lopez Negrete. Villa claims he shot him in the foot and fled for fear of arrest.
Another version claims Villa mortally wounded Lopez, and left to the Sierra De
La Silla to avoid the rural police. Another story is that he was caught and
given a death sentence, and wounded his jailer in his escape. Some say the
whole story is suspect.
Villa later joined a group of outlaws led by Igancio Parra, and Refugio Alvarado.
Parra was a famous bandit in Durango, who later was shot in a gun battle
with the police. Villa was arrested for stealing two mules but because Pablo Valenzuela
was friendly with the Parra gang the judge dismissed the case.
Villa was arrested next for assault and robbery and sentenced to a year in the
Army. He deserted in 1902. Various stories claim he was a cattle rustler, mule
driver, tried mining, and was a small rancher and worked for the North Western
Railroad. He ran a butcher shop in Hidalgo del Parral. Friedrich Katz
who wrote “Life and Times of Pancho Villa”, says there is no agreed history of
the first 30 years of Villas life. What he called, The black, white, and epic
legends are all backed by evidence. John Steinbeck refers to Pancho Villa as
“nothing but a bandit”. John Reed the American Journalist who promoted the film
"The Life of General Villa", which was filmed on the battlefield in 1914,
promotes Villa more as a Robin Hood.
Villa broke up the holdings of local hacendados and gave them to the widows and
orphans of his fallen soldiers. He was said to have married 26 times, and was
a non drinker. In his camp. Villa's forces were based in Chihuahua. He financed his army by stealing from cattle herds and selling
them selling rustled beef over the US border to merchants for arms and ammunitions.
Rudolfo Fierro, his right hand man, and one of his Generals,was known as the Butcher for
carrying out his executions.
The actor, Antonio Bandares, who stars as Pancho Villa in the 2003 HBO film
“And Starring Pancho Villa As Himself”, states in an interview about the film...
“When you tell people about this story--that there was an American crew filming
Pancho Villa in battle, in 1914 in Mexico--they say that's not true, that it is
a fantasy, a legend," says Antonio Banderas. "But it is true. It happened."
In 1910 Villa joined the Francisco Madero revolution against the Porfirio Díaz
government. Presidient Porfirio Diaz, was forced to resign in 1910. Villa visited
El Paso Texas in May 1911, when John Hart invited him to a banquet for Madero
sympathizers. Madero was assassinated soon after overthrowing Porfirio and
Victoriano Huerta seized power. Villa, Venustiano Carranza, and Alvaro
Obregon remained in command of the army but soon began to compete for power.
Villa worked under Huerta who later sentenced him to death for insubordination.
Villa decided to escape into the United States. In 1913 he went to El Paso,
where he recruited followers against Huerta. Villa was able to recruit thousands
for his army, including Americans, some of whom were made
captains in the División del Norte.
In the summer of 1913 Villa brought his wife Luz Corral and son to El Paso.
Alvaro Obregon joined Carranza against Huerta. Villa returned and supported
Carranza in a revolution against Huerta. Villa later turned against Carranza
and in 1916 a civil war between Villa and Carranza followed. The United States
sided with Carranza in support of his presidency. Angry with the U.S,
in 1916 Villa raided US border towns. On March 9, he attacked the town of
Columbus New Mexico. President Wilson put General John J. Pershing in command
of an army with orders to cross the border and capture Villa. Pershing was
unsuccessfull and his troops were recalled in
1917.
After defeating Villa in several battles Alvaro Obregon served in Carranza’s
cabinet. Obregon resigned in 1917 and later led a revolution to overthrow
Carranza, who was killed in the revolt. Obregon was elected President in 1920 and
Villa made peace with the new government. Mexican federalists bought
Villa's retirement by giving him an estate in 1920. He was assassinated on July
20, 1923. My old world book 1955 encycopedia says he was murdered by his former
followers. The book "Villa and Zapata" says Obregon planned the assassination
with pressure from minister of the interior, Calles, and Secretary of war,
Joaquin Amaro. Pluerto Elais Callas followed Obregon as president in 1924.
Obregon was re-elected in 1928 and assassinated 16 days later.
If you would like to see his photo go to Photos of Pancho Villa.
Return to the American History Selection Page.
More Poncho Villa Sites....
WIKIPEDIA Read about Pancho at The free online Encyclopedia.
PANCHO VILLA
The Revolutionary Hero A great site for Poncho Villa information and photos.
Historical Test Archive
The Personal History of Pancho Villa and Its Effects on Mexican History
For those who want to dig deeper into the Mexican Revolution....
Panco Villa Homepage
Pancho Villa Information
