Jose Felipe Silva Sandoval County, New Mexico

Jose Felipe Silva, deputy treasurer and collector and superintendent of schools of Sandoval county, and postmaster of the city of Sandoval since May, 1905, was born at Las Conales, now Sandoval, in Bernalillo county, August 23, 1859;. His paternal grandfather was Juan Jose Silva, whose wife lived to be one hundred and ten years of age. Their son, Jesus Maria Silva, father of our subject, served in the militia in the Civil war and had vouchers for land. He fought the Navajos during the period of hostilities and was actively connected with many events of importance during the early history of this portion of the country. He married Felicia Gutierrez, a daughter of Juan Jose Gutierrez. The father of our subject died in 1877 and the mother passed away in 1889.

Jose Felipe Silva was reared in his native city and has lived all his life here or in Albuquerque, having been a resident of the latter place from May 2. 1903. until January 6, 1905. He was employed there by the Gross-Kelly Company. He is the owner of thirty acres of land under cultivation, which is a part of the Alamada grant. This land was granted in 1710 and was approved by Congress. Part of the grant was sold by Francisco Montes y Vigil's heirs and the original tract was granted to Juan Gonzales, the great grandfather of Mrs. Silva. It contained about seventeen hundred acres. Mr. Silva has devoted the greater part of his life to farming and in addition has filled various positions of public trust. He was justice of the peace at Los Corrales for eight years and ditch commissioner for eight years. He has been school superintendent since January, 1905 and at the same time was appointed deputy treasurer and collector.

He served as deputy sheriff in Bernalillo County under Santiago Baca for four years, and in May, 1905, was appointed postmaster at Sandoval, which position he has since filled. He received the appointment of notary public by Governor Hagerman May 15, 1906.

Mr. Silva married Adela Gutierrez, a daughter of Francisco Gutierrez and Sista (Gonzales), and they have become the parents of fifteen children, eleven of whom are living, namely: Carina, Emilia, Leandro, Clotario, Candelaria, Felicita, Edwina, Ambrosina, Celia, Lezandro and James.

Back | New Mexico County Biographies

Source: History of New Mexico, Its Resources and People, Volume II, Pacific States Publishing Co., 1907.