Espinosa, Gilberto

Antonio Gilberto Espinosa was born on December 11, 1897 in Del Norte, Co. He was a descendant of Captain Marcello Espinosa, who came to New Mexico with Oñate in 1598. Espinosa wrote books and articles, and lectured on the history, culture and folklore of New Mexico. He was considered an authority on early Spanish and Mexican land grants.

Antonio Gilberto Espinosa was born on December 11, 1897 in Del Norte, Co. He was a descendant of Captain Marcello Espinosa, who came to New Mexico with Oñate in 1598. His ancestors were among the founding settlers of Albuquerque in 1706.

Espinosa moved to New Mexico as a child. He graduated from Albuquerque High School in 1916, and attended the University of Colorado and Catholic University of America before studying law at Georgetown University. He received his law degree from Georgetown in 1921, after which he began practicing law. He served as Assistant U.S. District Attorney for the District of N.M. for 14 years.

Espinosa wrote books and articles, and lectured on the history, culture and folklore of New Mexico. He was considered an authority on early Spanish and Mexican land grants. Espinosa published the first English translation of Villagra's History of New Mexico. He was a charter member of the Albuquerque Historical Society; served on the Cuarto Centennial Commission (1940), the Civil War Centennial Commission (1962), the State Game Commission, and on the board of the Museum of New Mexico. He died in Albuquerque on August 3, 1983, at the age of 86.