Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1903-01-24
col. J. FRANCISCO cpAv..


tive assembly OF the territory of New
Mexico A brief sketch OF the life of
this distinguished New Mexican Is
apropos at this time.
Colonel Chaves was born at Les Pa
dillas. now in Bernalllo county ~ NJ.
the 9th day of June. 1888. I'm lS41 his
father sent him to 81. Louis, Mo, to
attend school at the st. Louis uni.
versity. In 1916, war then impending
between the United States and Mex.
leo. he was taken out Of the university,
and returned home. on route on the
plains and travelled with General &. w.
Kearneys invading army against New
Mexico. In April 1SA7. his father being
dead. his mother was prevailed upon
To return him to school to New York
city, where he attended school In that
city, and in Fishkill. Duchess county.
New York, and took a medical course
In the old school known as the Crosby
street school in New York city In 1850
and 1882 He returned to New Mexico
in April Of that year. AMI after remain
ing one year in the territory. pur-
chased band of sheep and drove them
to California, together with +. y. Au-
hrey. Judge a. j. Otero and Frank
Ierea. and remained In California one
year. returning the following year via
what is now very nearly the line of the
Atlantis e. Pacific railroad Returning
to California In 1855. and remaining
there two years engaged in the stock
business until 1857. when having con.
tractcd marriage with Miss Mary
Bowie, OF San Juan, Santa Clara coun-
ty, Cal. returned to New Mexico across
the lsthmus of Panama, first TO Ha.
vana. and then to New Orleans, La,
and subsequently to New York city
as n short cut to reach New Mexico.
which he eventually reached by the
month OF May, 1868, since which time
he has been steady resident of New
Mexico. In October, 1860. he went
into the Navajo country with a volun-
teer company of 1853 men, in an organi-
cation numbering about 500 men, Col
onel Miguel r. Pine being commander,
remaining at Santa Fe: Manuel
Chaves. father of Hon. Amado Chaves.
lieutenant colonel. and Don Jose Maria
Chaves, of Abiquiu, being major. In
September of the same year he was
elected as representative for Valencia
county. together with Judge A. j.
Utero Being absent in the Navajo
country with his company. he did not
reach Santa Fe until after the legisla-
ture had been organized nearly one
month. In 1861, while engaged in gold
mining in the Jicarilla mountains, in
what is now Lincoln county, he re-
ceived his appointment from Mr.. Lin
coin through Secretary of War Cam
eron as a major in the First regiment.
New Mexico cavalry volunteers, in
Santa Fe. He served Ia thai capacity
at Fort Union, and upon the resigna-
ton of the colonel of the regiment,
Ceran st. Vrain, Kit Carson, who was
lieutenant colonel. was promoted to
colonel, and he was promoted to lieu
tenant colonel. He served at Alpu-
querque, at Los Ltinas and at Fort
Craig, where he experienced his
maiden battle. Then again about the
first of April, 1862, at Los Pinos, his
second battle. Subsequently he served
at Cubero. Fort Wingate, now San
Rafael. escorting the civil officials into
| Arizona to establish the civil govern
ment in that territory, at the capital
the governor would choose. which was
at Prescott. Organized the Territory
of Arizona at Navajo Springs, now a
station on the Santa Fe Pacific rail-
road in Apache county on the 3lst OF
December, 1863. He was ordered 10
make another trip INTO Arizona 10
shorten the route thither via Antelope
Springs, the present Flagstaff, and did
succeed In shortening the route con
siderably by what was subsequently
known as the Chaves road, starting
from Camp Verde, across the noun
tains. and striking the Colorado Chi
quito about Winslow In October OF
1864. his term of service having ex
PRED he took his muster out and went
into civil life. On ,ne 18th of April
1865. the republican party was organ
lied. and he received the nomination
lOi utltEutt 10 consItSh DN Tue uIS'
republican convention that ever met IL
New Mexico. and was elected by thu
large majority of 1900 as delegate &c
congress. Served as delegate in the
Thirty ninth congress, was renomnat
ed by the republican party as its candi
date for delegate, and was counted out
He contested the seat against Charles
u. Clever, and obtained his seat 10y
nearly unanimous vote in the house
Of representatives He was thir'
time nominated as republican candi
date for delegate in 1869 against vi
= cente Romero. and reelected. SERVING
In congress in the Thirty-nlnth, For
tleth and Forty-hrst congresses. III
was renominated in 1871 against Padr'
Gallegos, and Major Jose ID. Sena tool
the independent republican nomina
ton. and Gallogos was elected. II
1875 he was nominated in Valencii
county as member of the Legislative
council, was elected and since tina