José Francisco Chaves (1833 - 1904)

Born 27 Jun 1833 in Padillas, New Mexico

Ancestors

Died 26 Nov 1904 at age 71 in Pinos Wells, New Mexico

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Biography

José Chaves is Notable.

José Francisco Chaves was born on June 27, 1833 in Los Padillas, Departmento de Nuevo México of the United Mexican States (now New Mexico, USA).

José attended schools in St. Louis, Missouri, studied medicine at the New York College of Physicians and Surgeons and engaged in livestock raising in the New Mexico Territory.

He married Mary Bowie in 1857, who died in 1874, leaving two children, Lola and Francesca.

He served as a soldier in campaigns against the Navajos. At the outbreak of the U.S. Civil War, Governor Connelly commissioned Chaves as Major when the 1st Regiment NM Volunteers for the Union Army formed. After Ceran St. Vrain resigned his commission with the 1st, Kit Carson was appointed colonel and Chaves was promoted to lt-colonel. In 1862 he took part in the Battle of Valverde. He later helped establish Fort Wingate, and was post commander for a long period.

After the war he studied law and was admitted to the bar. He was a Republican and in 1858, while absent campaigning against the Navajos, was elected a member of the House of Representatives of the territorial legislative assembly. In 1865 he was elected the delegate from the New Mexico Territory to the U.S. House of Representatives and served in the 39th and 40th Congresses from 1865 to 1867. He was elected back to the House of Representatives in 1868 and successfully contested the election of Charles P. Clever in 1869, serving until 1871, being unsuccessful for reelection in 1870. In 1875 he was elected a member of the legislative council from Valencia County and was reelected to every succeeding legislature. He was president of the New Mexico Territorial Council for eight sessions.

He was district attorney of the Second Judicial District 1875 to 1877 and was a member and president of the New Mexico constitutional convention in 1889. He was New Mexico Superintendent of Public Instruction from 1903 to 1904 and was appointed New Mexico State Historian in 1903.

His career was cut short by an assassin's bullet. On November 26, 1904, he was shot through a window while dining in the home of a friend in Pinos Wells, New Mexico.

"CHAVES, José Francisco, (cousin of Francisco Perea and Pedro Perea), a Delegate from the Territory of New Mexico; born in Padillas, Mexico (now New Mexico), June 27, 1833; attended schools in St. Louis, Mo.; studied medicine at the New York College of Physicians and Surgeons; engaged in the stock-raising business in the Territory of New Mexico; president of the Territorial council for eight sessions; major of the First New Mexico Infantry in the Union Army during the Civil War; promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel; took part in the Battle of Valverde in 1862; elected as a Republican to the Thirty-ninth Congress (March 4, 1865-March 3, 1867); successfully contested the election of Charles P. Clever to the Fortieth Congress; reelected to the Forty-first Congress and served from February 20, 1869, to March 3, 1871; unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1870 to the Forty-second Congress; engaged in farming and stock raising; district attorney of the second judicial district 1875-1877; member and president of the State constitutional convention in 1889; State superintendent of public instruction from 1903 until his death; appointed State historian of New Mexico in 1903, but died before his term of service began; assassinated in Pinos Wells (near Cedar Vale, Torrance County), N.Mex., November 26, 1904; interment in the United States National Cemetery at Santa Fe, N.Mex."

Legacy

• Chaves County, New Mexico is named in his honor.

Sources

• The Leading Facts of New Mexican History, Volume 2, by Ralph Emerson Twitchell
• Wikipedia
• findagrave.com
• Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, accessed December 12, 2015