Filipe Espinosa
Encyclopedia
Felipe Nerio Espinosa was a notorious murderer who during the summer of 1863 killed two dozen people in Colorado
Territory.
Espinosa was born in Veracruz
, Mexico
. As a child during the Mexican-American War (1846–1848), Espinosa lost six family members when his native city was shelled by the U.S. Navy. During his later reign of terror, Espinosa sent a letter to Territorial Governor John Evans
stating his intention to murder 600 "Gringos", one hundred for each member of his family killed during the war.
Aided by two cousins, Espinosa began his murder spree in the thinly populated area of what is now Fremont County, Colorado
. The trios' first victim was found in May 1863, his corpse mutilated and the heart hacked out of his chest. During that summer, twenty-five more people were attacked and killed in similar fashion. Espinosas' letter to Governor Evans demanded full pardons for himself and his "followers", along with 5000 acres (20.2 km²) of land in Conejos County and appointments in the Colorado Volunteers. The letter also threatened that an additional 574 Anglos, including the Governor himself, would be killed if the demands were not met.
Lawmen including Conejos County Sheriff Emmett Harding and Colorado Volunteer Commander S. B. Tappan were dispatched to find Espinosa, but they met with little success. Finally, legendary tracker Tom Tobin was enlisted to join in the search. Tobin was offered a full company of militiamen to help in his quest, but he declined the offer and set about tracking the murderers with a party of three soldiers. In a manner of days, Tobin and his men found the outlaws' camp and in a brief gunfight managed to kill Espinosa and his cousins.
Felipe Nerio Espinosa was not born in Vera Cruz, Mexico but in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico Territory. His parents were Pedro Ignacio Espinosa, who was born in Abiquiu, New Mexico, his mother was Gertrudis Chavez. The Mexican Census of 1845 from El Rito, New Mexico lists the family as Pedro Ignacio Espinosa male 46 years
Maria Gertrudis Chavez female 40 years
Felipe Nerio Espinosa male 13
Maria Tomasa Espinosa female 11
Bivian Espinosa male 9
Juan Antonio Espinosa male 7 Twins
Maria Juana Espinosa female 7
The 1860 US Census lists Felipe Nerio Espinosa living in Conejos, San Fernando Valley, Taos, New Mexico with his wife and two childfre, a girl of five and a son of two.
The story being told is that Felipe and his brother were upset about their home being bombed, their sister being snubbed by an Angelo. The sad truth is Felipe Espinosa and his brother Bibiana Espinosa came home from being on the range and found their wives had been raped, tortured, and slashed to death. The women had had their breasts sliced off. One of the women was not dead yet and was able to tell who the attackers were. Thus began the rage of the Espinosa brothers. As to the letter Felipe supposedly sent to the Governor, Felipe, like a lot of the Hispanics of the time was illiterate and couldn't have sent a letter to anyone with out a second party writing it.
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
Territory.
Espinosa was born in Veracruz
Veracruz, Veracruz
Veracruz, officially known as Heroica Veracruz, is a major port city and municipality on the Gulf of Mexico in the Mexican state of Veracruz. The city is located in the central part of the state. It is located along Federal Highway 140 from the state capital Xalapa, and is the state's most...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. As a child during the Mexican-American War (1846–1848), Espinosa lost six family members when his native city was shelled by the U.S. Navy. During his later reign of terror, Espinosa sent a letter to Territorial Governor John Evans
John Evans (governor)
John Evans was a U.S. politician, physician, railroad promoter, Governor of the Territory of Colorado, and namesake of Evanston, Illinois; Evans, Colorado; and Mount Evans, Colorado...
stating his intention to murder 600 "Gringos", one hundred for each member of his family killed during the war.
Aided by two cousins, Espinosa began his murder spree in the thinly populated area of what is now Fremont County, Colorado
Fremont County, Colorado
Fremont County is the thirteenth most populous of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado of the United States. The county is named for explorer and presidential candidate John C. Frémont. The county population was 46,824 at the 2010 census. The county seat is Cañon City. The Cañon City...
. The trios' first victim was found in May 1863, his corpse mutilated and the heart hacked out of his chest. During that summer, twenty-five more people were attacked and killed in similar fashion. Espinosas' letter to Governor Evans demanded full pardons for himself and his "followers", along with 5000 acres (20.2 km²) of land in Conejos County and appointments in the Colorado Volunteers. The letter also threatened that an additional 574 Anglos, including the Governor himself, would be killed if the demands were not met.
Lawmen including Conejos County Sheriff Emmett Harding and Colorado Volunteer Commander S. B. Tappan were dispatched to find Espinosa, but they met with little success. Finally, legendary tracker Tom Tobin was enlisted to join in the search. Tobin was offered a full company of militiamen to help in his quest, but he declined the offer and set about tracking the murderers with a party of three soldiers. In a manner of days, Tobin and his men found the outlaws' camp and in a brief gunfight managed to kill Espinosa and his cousins.
Felipe Nerio Espinosa was not born in Vera Cruz, Mexico but in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico Territory. His parents were Pedro Ignacio Espinosa, who was born in Abiquiu, New Mexico, his mother was Gertrudis Chavez. The Mexican Census of 1845 from El Rito, New Mexico lists the family as Pedro Ignacio Espinosa male 46 years
Maria Gertrudis Chavez female 40 years
Felipe Nerio Espinosa male 13
Maria Tomasa Espinosa female 11
Bivian Espinosa male 9
Juan Antonio Espinosa male 7 Twins
Maria Juana Espinosa female 7
The 1860 US Census lists Felipe Nerio Espinosa living in Conejos, San Fernando Valley, Taos, New Mexico with his wife and two childfre, a girl of five and a son of two.
The story being told is that Felipe and his brother were upset about their home being bombed, their sister being snubbed by an Angelo. The sad truth is Felipe Espinosa and his brother Bibiana Espinosa came home from being on the range and found their wives had been raped, tortured, and slashed to death. The women had had their breasts sliced off. One of the women was not dead yet and was able to tell who the attackers were. Thus began the rage of the Espinosa brothers. As to the letter Felipe supposedly sent to the Governor, Felipe, like a lot of the Hispanics of the time was illiterate and couldn't have sent a letter to anyone with out a second party writing it.