Short biography of Jose Epitacio Torres - Revised

The photo above is from Volume II, page 619 of "History of New Mexico: It's Resources and People." The short biography below is also from that book. Jose Epitacio Torres was my 2nd great grandfather. He was my maternal grandmother's maternal grandfather.

"Jose E. Torres, county treasurer and collector of Socorro county, was born in the city of Socorro, where he yet makes his home, his natal day being May 28, 1859, a son of Balentine and Josefa (Ortiz) Torres. His entire life has been passed in the city of his nativity, and in early manhood he became connected with the cattle business, while since 1901 he has given his attention to merchandising. He still, however, has farming and  ranching property and is running cattle on the range. His fellow townsmen, recognizing his worth and ability, have called upon him to various public offices. He was first elected city marshal on the Republican ticket in April, 1889, serving for a two years' term, and subsequently was elected city counsel, continuing in that office for four terms. As mayor of the city he gave a public-spirited, practical and progressive administration. He was for three terms probate judge of the county, and in 1904 was elected county treasurer and collector.

"On the 25th of April, 1889, Mr. Torres was married to Miss Guadalupe Padilla, and to them have been born the following children: Josefa, Delfino, (sic) Valentia, (sic) Esteban, Moriana, Jose Felipe, Juana Maria, and Guadalupe."

Anderson, George, History of New Mexico: Its Resources and People, Volume II(Los Angeles: Pacific States Publishing Co.,1907) p. 618.

My maternal grandmother Paublita (Zimmerly) Baca is the daughter of Jose E. Torres' daughter Delfina (Torres) Zimmerly. Below are reports I created showing Jose E. Torres' children and his ancestors.

Descendants of Jose Epitacio Torres

copyright (c) 2014 by Robert J. C. Baca

First Generation

 1.  Jose Epitacio TORRES was born on 23 May 1858.¹ He held the political office of city marshal in Socorro, New Mexico in Apr 1889–1890.^2–3 He held the political office of member of the city council for 4 terms or 16 years in Socorro, New Mexico after 1890.^2–3 Jose held the political office of probate judge in Socorro County, Territory of New Mexico in 1897–1902.⁴ He held the political office of member of the New Mexico Bureau of Immigration in The Territory of New Mexico in 1898–1904.² He held the political office of mayor in Socorro, New Mexico in 1899–1900.⁵ Jose held the political office of county treasurer in Socorro County, Territory of New Mexico in 1905–1911.^2,4 About 1908 he was a vice-president of Rio Grande Supply Co. in Socorro County, Territory of New Mexico.² He died in 1932 at the age of 74.⁶

Jose Epitacio TORRES and Maria Guadalupe PADILLA were married on 25 Apr 1889 in San Miguel Church, Socorro, New Mexico.⁷ Maria Guadalupe PADILLA, daughter of Felipe PADILLA and Juana Maria GARCIA, was born in Apr 1869.⁸ She died on 4 Nov 1920 at the age of 51 in Socorro, New Mexico.⁹

Jose Epitacio TORRES and Maria Guadalupe PADILLA had the following children:

          2          i.   Josefa TORRES was born on 30 Jun 1891 in Socorro, New Mexico.¹⁰ She died on 8 Sep 1937 at the age of 46.⁶

        +3         ii.   Delfina TORRES, born 2 Mar 1893, Socorro, New Mexico; married Esteban ZIMMERLY, 22 Apr 1908, San Miguel Church, Socorro, New Mexico; died 7 May 1978, Socorro, New Mexico.

          4        iii.   Valentin TORRES was born on 25 Oct 1894.¹⁰ He died in 1965 at the age of 71.⁶

        +5        iv.   Esteban TORRES, born 18 Feb 1897; died 1965.

          6         v.   Mariana TORRES was born in Feb 1899.

          7        vi.   Jose Felipe TORRES was born on 15 Oct 1900.^6,11–12 He died on 1 Mar 1946 at the age of 45.⁶

          8       vii.   Maria Dolores TORRES was born on 9 Oct 1904.¹⁰ She died circa 1 Feb 1905 at the age of 0 in Socorro, New Mexico.¹³

          9      viii.   Maria Guadalupe TORRES was born on 4 Feb 1906.¹⁰ She died on 20 Aug 1978 at the age of 72.⁶

      +10        ix.   Jose Epitacio TORRES, born 13 May 1913; died 18 Aug 1985.

Jose Epitacio TORRES and Josefa ABEYTA were married on 28 Oct 1880 at San Miguel Church in Socorro, New Mexico.¹⁴ Josefa ABEYTA, daughter of Jose Anastacio ABEYTA and Maria Nestora CASTILLO, was born (date unknown).

Jose Epitacio TORRES and Josefa ABEYTA had the following child:

        11          i.   Valentin TORRES was born on 7 Nov 1882.¹⁵ He was baptized on 9 Nov 1882 at San Miguel Church in Socorro, New Mexico.¹⁵

        1. Bautismos San Miguel del Socorro:  January 1854 - March 1865 (Name: Albuquerque: Hispanic Genealogical Research Center of NewMexico, 1996;), p. 71.

        2. C. S. Peterson, Representative New Mexicans: The National Reference Book of the New State Containing Photographs and Biographies of over Four Hundred Men Residents of New Mexico (Denver, CO: C. S. Peterson, 1912), p. 304.

        3. History of New Mexico: Its Resources and People, Volume II (Name: Los Angeles: Pacific States Publishing, 1907;), p. 618.

        4. History of New Mexico: Its Resources and People, Volume II, p. 611.

        5. Staff, "The Mayors of Socorro," article, El Defensor Chieftain, Socorro, NM, 3 April 2010; online archive (http://www.dchieftain.com : accessed 15 September 2012).

        6. Barbara Sanchez, Spreadsheet: Joe Torres Family (Name: Retrieved 24 March 2009 from Barbara Sanchez's email;).

        7. , Matrimonios: San Miguel del Socorro, 1 January 1854 - 31 December 1900; San Ignacio y San Cristobal, 1 March 1869 -  31 December 1900; San Marcial, 26 March 1883 - 31 December 1902; Our Lady of Sorrows of La Jolla, 1 January 1872 - 31 December 1900 (Alburquerque: Hispanic Genealogical Research Center of New Mexico, 1999), pg. 186.

        8. 1900 New Mexico Census, Precinct # 1, City of Socorro, County of Socorro, p. 12.

        9. Death Certificate.

        10. Archives of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, New Mexico, Roll # 16994.

        11. Joe E. Torres household, 1920 U.S. Census, Socorro County, New Mexico,population schedule, town of  Socorro (Name: Enumeration district 148, supervisor's district 2, sheet 2A,dwelling 19, Family 26; Ancestry.com, Library Edition,;).

        12. "Jose Felipe Torres baptism," New Mexico, Births and Christenings, 1726-1918, LDS, FamilySearch.org (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FDNP-VP2 : accessed 17 August 2014)

        13. Anonymous, "Mr. and Mrs. Jose E. Torres will have the heartfelt sympathy of many friends....," obituary, The Socorro Chieftain (Socorro, New Mexico), 4 Feburary 1905, Notice of death of Jose E. Torres' infant; online archives (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86090503/1905-02-04/ed-1/seq-4/ : accessed 1 April 2014); Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress..

        14. , Matrimonios, p. 141.

        15. Archives of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, New Mexico, Socorro, San Miguel Church Records Baptisms 1865-1931. AASF # 0016994.

Jose E. Torres 5 generation pedigree chart

(c) 2014 by Robert J. C. Baca

Click photo to view.

If you wish to receive an ancestor report showing sources, please contact me at abqbobcat@nmia.com.

This post was originally posted on 19 February 2006 and revised on 17 August 2014.