Family History

Casa Grande has a rich history among local families. This section celebrates the genealogy and histories of our local families.

Gorraiz, Jim
Jim Gorraiz was born in Tempe, Arizona in 1926 to Victor and Anne Marie Lauda Gorraiz. His father was born in Pamplona, Spain of Basque origins. The family originally moved to northern Arizona to herd sheep. Later moving to Phoenix were Victor, Sr. ran various businesses among them “Victor's Cafe" until 1980's. In high school Jim Gorraiz worked part time at the Photo Shop in Phoenix. While attending Arizona State College, he served as the campus photographer, where he solidified his love of photography. Upon deciding that photography was his vocation he enrolled in the Archer School of Photography in Los Angeles for two years of intensive study. Fred Archer, founder of the school, was a pioneer of advertising photography and cinema on the west coast. Here Gorraiz learned skills of the trade and developed his aesthetic. In Los Angeles he began to document through his toned photographic knowledge the local area. The large-format camera brought incredible detail to his photographs. Returning to Phoenix, he worked as a free-lance photographer in downtown Phoenix for several years, saving money for his future business. Jim moved to Casa Grande in 1949 and opened the Casa Grande Photo Shop in 1950, later to be named Casa Grande Photograph and Record Shop. Gorraiz also freelanced for the Casa Grande Dispatch and became a leader in the community, providing photography lessons to the public and sponsoring a photo club. In addition, Gorraiz was an avid traveler, hunter, and fisherman. He travelled extensively in Mexico and was fluent in English and Spanish. He was the driving force behind the creation of the annual O’odham Tash Celebration held in Casa Grande. Gorraiz's main work as a photographer was to provide advertising photographs for the local businesses. For over thirty years he photographed with his 4 x 5 camera, producing hundreds of high quality negatives. He, unknowingly, also created an encompassing portrait of the World War II post war boom of America.

Larkin, William
William Larkin aka Billy Stiles, was an American outlaw in the Old West who, with partner Burt Alvord, led a small gang of train robbers while serving as a deputy sheriff in Arizona Territory. Born in Casa Grande, Arizona, Stiles worked as a prospector and ranch hand in the Superstition Mountains. He later became a lawman working under Jeff Milton and John Slaughter, having a reputation as an expert tracker. Eventually meeting Willcox marshal Burt Alvord, the two formed a partnership and were very successful robbing trains in southern Arizona. Under the guise of deputy sheriffs, they were able to interfere with investigations by local authorities. In 1899, they were apprehended attempting to rob the Southern Pacific Railroad. Alvord soon broke him out of jail however, tying up the jailer and freeing Stiles from his cell with the keys, and the two disappeared from the area. In 1902, Alvord and Stiles assisted the Arizona Ranger Burton C. Mossman with the capture of the Mexican bandit Augustine Chacon. After that, Stiles surrendered to Mossman and briefly served in the Arizona Rangers. The roster of Arizona Rangers shows that Stiles was thirty-two when he enlisted. He did, however, turn back to banditry soon after. Back in Mexico, Alvord and Stiles attempted to fake their own deaths by sending two coffins with their supposed bodies to Tombstone. The ruse was quickly uncovered though and in late 1903 a group of Arizona Rangers entered Mexico to find the two bandits. While successfully capturing Alvord, Stiles was able to escape the country making his way to the Orient, spending considerable time in China and the Philippines. Stiles eventually returned, and became a deputy sheriff in Humboldt County, Nevada under the name William Larkin. On December 5, 1908, he was killed when trying to deliver a court summons. The suspect had opened fire on Stiles as he approached the suspects barn, hitting him three times. The suspect was arrested, but for unknown reasons was acquitted during the trial.

Stiles, Billy
Billy Stiles or William Larkin, was an American outlaw in the Old West who, with partner Burt Alvord, led a small gang of train robbers while serving as a deputy sheriff in Arizona Territory. Born in Casa Grande, Arizona, Stiles worked as a prospector and ranch hand in the Superstition Mountains. He later became a lawman working under Jeff Milton and John Slaughter, having a reputation as an expert tracker. Eventually meeting Willcox marshal Burt Alvord, the two formed a partnership and were very successful robbing trains in southern Arizona. Under the guise of deputy sheriffs, they were able to interfere with investigations by local authorities. In 1899, they were apprehended attempting to rob the Southern Pacific Railroad. Alvord soon broke him out of jail however, tying up the jailer and freeing Stiles from his cell with the keys, and the two disappeared from the area. In 1902, Alvord and Stiles assisted the Arizona Ranger Burton C. Mossman with the capture of the Mexican bandit Augustine Chacon. After that, Stiles surrendered to Mossman and briefly served in the Arizona Rangers. The roster of Arizona Rangers shows that Stiles was thirty-two when he enlisted. He did, however, turn back to banditry soon after. Back in Mexico, Alvord and Stiles attempted to fake their own deaths by sending two coffins with their supposed bodies to Tombstone. The ruse was quickly uncovered though and in late 1903 a group of Arizona Rangers entered Mexico to find the two bandits. While successfully capturing Alvord, Stiles was able to escape the country making his way to the Orient, spending considerable time in China and the Philippines. Stiles eventually returned, and became a deputy sheriff in Humboldt County, Nevada under the name William Larkin. On December 5, 1908, he was killed when trying to deliver a court summons. The suspect had opened fire on Stiles as he approached the suspects barn, hitting him three times. The suspect was arrested, but for unknown reasons was acquitted during the trial.