A Tale of two "Panchos"
Frank "Pancho" Webb (My Grandfather) and Pancho Villa.

In 1905 soon after his first child Melva was born, Frank Webb took a job as construction superintendent over a section of the Copper Canyon Railroad, southwest of Chihuahua Mexico. He had learned "railroading" from his uncle Gilbert [a son of Chauncy Webb] in El Paso Texas when he went to work with his uncle at age 16. He had two groups of workers doing the pick and shovel work, while he did the dynamite. One group was a band of Tarahumara Indians, while the other group was a band of Mexicans under contract to Doroteo Aranga .

"He [Pancho Villa] had legitimate ventures, as well; including that of being a contractor on the Copper Canyon railroad"....from the Texas Cowboy Gazette

All the workers called Grandpa Webb,”Pancho Webb”. Doroteo was later known as Pancho Villa.

Supplies had to be brought up to where the work was going on by pack animals. Aunt Melva at 3 or 4 years of age would sometimes get to ride in front of Pancho Villa as they hauled freight to the railroad camp. He teased her about her “accent”, but was impressed that the little girl could speak Spanish so well.

Melva in front of a tent at the camp up in the Sierra Madre.




The Copper Canyon Railroad today through the area worked by Frank Webb.

After a few years, Pancho Villa quit working on the railroad and with his gang, joined the revolution. All during the time he worked on the railroad, he would disappear for a few weeks at a time during which various cattle rustling, and mine robbing skills were honed. When he did not return, Grandpa Webb was happy because Pancho Villa used to make all the Mexican crew play poker with him and win all their money on pay day, then Grandma Webb would hear all the sad stories from the wives of the poor men. Grandpa had to speak to Pancho Villa after Grandma heard of this, but it is not clear if it had any effect on him.

Grandma Edith Farr Webb

Lee Webb, Chillin' in Chihuahua

Grandma Webb was very popular at the camp. She became the de-facto doctor. She had a beginning Spanish text book and was teaching herself how to read and write Spanish. She started a little school for the wives and children of the workers who would never had been able to go to school. In the evenings, some of the workers including Doroteo, also learned reading and writing Spanish from Grandma Webb. Some years later, Villa kidnapped Lee Webb, a son of Uncle Gilberts, and was going to kill him because the ransom was not paid, no one ever got the ransom note, but that's another story. At least we know Villa picked up something useful from his time with the Webb's, he could write!

General Pascual Orozco heard of the kidnapping and as he was a friend of Uncle Gilberts, he and his army took charge of Lee and escorted him to safety. This, and many more problems created by the Revolution convinced Frank Webb to get back to the states. He ran a successful dairy for many years in Tucson and was in the presidency of the Binghamton branch, later Bishop of the Tucson First Ward for many years. He was in the Tucson City Band with Linda Ronstadts Grandfather, and in his last years was back in road building driving a Caterpillar. He probably thought about how much easier it would have been back in Copper Canyon if he had been able to use a Cat.