Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1901-09-24
HUNDRED YEARS
OLD TOMORROW
General Jose Maria Chaves is One
of the Oldest Men in
New Mexico.
A MAN OF DISTINCTION
he Took Part in Eleven Campaigns Against
the Indians in Five Of Which He Com
manded-Also Was Distinguished
in Civil Life.

General Jose Maria Chaves of Abb
lquiu, Rio Arriba county,will tomorrow
celebrate the Tooth anniversary of hi
birth. The old man although he suf
fered a cataleptic attack severa
months ago, during which coffin ha(
been brought for him and invitations
for his funeral had been sent out, il
still hale and hearty and for so aged {
man, astonishingly clear of mind ant
active about his home. An autobiogra
ply by him would make very interest
ing reading for he has been in the
midst of many stirring events and in
cidents which have marked epochs il
the history of New Mexico.
| General Chaves was born in Santa
Clara, Santa Fe county. on September
25, 1901. His father was Francisco An
| tonic Chaves and his mother Francisco
Rosalia Velarde. His grandfather was
Tomas Chaves and grandmother To
masa Baca; his great grandfather was
| Diego Antonio Chaves and his great
grandmother was Antonia Baca. The
parents of Deigo Antonio Chaves were
Fernando Duran Y Chaves and his wife
Dona Lucia. This genealogy is only
on the paternal side of General Chav-
es. His mother was Francisco Rosalia
Velarde and her great grand parents
were Jose Eugenio Perea and Gregoria
Gallegos.
Don Fernando y Chaves brought to
New Mexico with him the title of
"Reconqueror.' His original name
was Duran, but as the king of Spain
had given him the keys of conquest,
figuratively speaking, he and his two
brothers adopted the additional name
ed men, both in political as well as in
military life who have been members
|of this family, but foremost among
them all is undoubtedly General Chav-
es. When years old, the subject of
this sketch moved with his parents to
Abiquiu near the same spot where
General Chaves lives today. Early in
life he took an interest in public af-
fairs, He impressed his neighbors
with his energy and intelligence. At
this time Abiquiu was near the from
tier from which the hostile Indians
swept over the territory leaving death
and devastation in their tracks. This
inflicted much suffering upon the pio-
neers of those days and, retarded the
progress of the territory considerably.
The Utes the Apaches, the Comanch-
es, the Navajos and other Indian
tribes would plunder and murder
whenever and wherever opportunity
offered itself to them. This implanted
courage and boldness in the settlers,
and General Chaves was soon among
the leaders against the Indians. At
the age of 12 he was lieutenant in the
urban militia and was promoted later
to auxiliary captain commander of
squadron in the army Of Mexico. In
1918 he received the appointment of
lieutenant in the Mexican army, was
advanced to inspector of arms in the
Rito, Ojo Ca1iente and other points,
and later to lieutenant colonel. Soon
after New Mexico became a part OF
the United States he was commission
ed general Of the militia. He led sew
eral successful campaigns against the
Navajos in that capacity, being the
ommander-in-ch in five expeditions
against those Indians and a subordi-
nate officer in six other Indian cam
paigns.
In civil life General Chaves was no
less distinguished. He served under
three governors of Spain, all the Mex
lean governors and all of the govern
crs appointed by the United States
thus far and hopes to live to see the
people of New Mexico elect their own
governor. In early youth he was q
bailiff and later member Of the gov
erning council, under the regime OF
Spain. He was a prefect or alcalde
and a legislator under the government
of Mexico. Under the United States
government he served several terms as
probate Judge as well as a member OF
the house of Representatives and OF
the council of the territorial legisla-
ture.
General Chaves has three sons and
three daughters.
But few men have had so varied a
career honorable in every respect, as
General Chaves, and but few are the
men who attain the remarkable age of
100 years as will General Chaves to-
morrow. Certainly honor and respect
Mexican hopes that he may live to
see the day when his beloved New
Mexico is admitted into the Union as
a full-fedged state.