Family Histories: Espinoza

Father Bryan Sherry
Assumption Parish
Florence, Arizona 85232

Dear Father Sherry:

I am pleased to give a short history of the Espinoza family, who have roots in Florence dating back to the early 1870's.

My great-grandfather, Tranquilino Espinoza was born in 1837 in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. He married Josefa Rivera. Josefa was born about 1838 in Three Rivers, California. Their children were Jose Tranquilino, Jesus, Juan, Soledad, Isabel, Virginia and Teresa.

Juan married Reyes Celaya, who was born in Wickenburg, Arizona in 1871 and came to Florence as a child. Their children were:

-Angelita, - never married,

-Eliazar - married Lilly Estrada. They had three children: Harriet Benson, divorced. no children. Irene , who married Richard Stolper. Their children are: Mark, who married Sharon Traynor, Their children are Christopher Stolper and Elizabeth Stolper. Henry Espinoza, divorced, no children. Eliazar later married Mabel Westfall. They had one child, Leonard Espinoza. Leonard married Terry. They had two children: Terri, who is divorced and has one child. Leonard - single.

-Eduardo Espinoza married Frances Gallego. They had one son, Edward. Ed is divorced and has four children: Mark - single. Steve, wife Beth, no children. Joe, married Erika, no children. LeAnn, married Bill Peckham, no children.

-Ernesto Espinoza married Petra Gallego. They had five daughters: Laura married Peter Sam Feliz and they had three children:
Peter, who married Barbara DeWall. They have one daughter, Victoria

Karen Feliz.

Andrea, who has one son, Jason.

Jason has a daughter, Shelby Irwin.

Ernie, who married Christina Valdez. They have no children.

Celina who married Duane Clemmer. They have four children as follows:

Stephanie, single.

Catherine, who married Steve Osborn. They have no children.

Greg - single.

Patrick, single.

Delia, who married Ray Nunez They have four children:

Michael, married Della. They have a son, Michael.

Patricia who married Steve. No children.

Rachel married Vinny. They have three children - Rebecca, Amy and

Vinny, Jr.

Phillip married Liz. They have one child - Lizette.

Mary Helen Espinoza, who married Nolan Dismukes. They have two children:

Natalie, who married Daniel Cole. They have two children, Andrew and

Rachel.

Edward who is single.

-Magdalena married Christopher Iberri. No children.

-Juan Espinoza married Carmelita Encinas. They had three daughters:

Juanita, who married Douglas Crawford. Our children are:

Dana, divorced, three children:

Amy Padilla, Rebecca Padilla and Dominic Padilla.

Shannon, who married Robert Murrieta, two children: Christine and

Creighton.

Susan Crawford - Single.

Douglas, married to Rosalie Frazier, one child, Jaime Christine.

Eleanor, married Oscar Ferletic, two children:

Elizabeth, who married Ken Frith, no children.

Michael, single.

Angle, who married Richard Husk, three sons:

Gary, who married Louanne Gagnon. They have two children: Carmen

and Ryan.

Ricky Husk (divorced) who has one child, Ricky.

James (Jimmy) Husk - single.

-Mary, married Myron Lusk, no children.
-Robert Espinosa, married Adeline lberri, three children:
Robert, divorced, three children Debbie, Robert. and Stephanie.
Cecilia Espinosa, single.
Daniel Espinosa, who married Vicky Henry. They have four children:
Brandon, Danny, Christina and Katherine..

Tranquilino and his three sons, who came from California, worked as freighters and as cowboys for a while. Then they were involved in farming and ranching, having received land grants from the government.

There are Espinoza family members in the families of Elvira Segovia and Joe Padilla, Audelia Segovia and Vicente Granillo, and the Ernie Castro family still living in Florence. There are also children and grandchildren of John Baca Espinoza who live in Coolidge. Cousmis Larry Espinoza of Coolidge and Tommy Espinoza of Tempe have done a great job of tracing over 600 descendants of Tranquilino Espinoza and Josefa Rivera. I wish to thank Larry and Tommy Espinoza and Laura Feliz who were a big help in the preparation of this history.

The Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary has been the foundation of our family and many other families since its beginning. It has been the center of deep mourning and joyous celebration, all of which have brought the members of the Parish together in the worship of our Lord and in the veneration of our Patroness, the Blessed Virgin Mary. I am very thankful to be a part of this Parish Community.

Sincerely yours,

Juanita Crawford