Bartolomé Baca
| Bartolomé Baca | |
|---|---|
| 4th Mexican Governor of New Mexico | |
|
In office August 1823 – September 1825 |
|
| Preceded by | José Antonio Vizcarra |
| Succeeded by | Antonio Narbona |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 1767 Belén, New Mexico |
| Died | 30 April 1834 Tomé, New Mexico |
| Nationality | Mexican |
| Occupation | Landowner |
| Signature |  |
Bartolomé Baca (c. 1767 – 30 April 1834) was Governor of the territory of Santa Fe de Nuevo México (New Mexico) from August 1823 until September 1825. His very large landholdings were later the subject of disputes that eventually went to the Supreme Court of the United States.
Bartolomé Baca was born around 1767 in Belén, Nuevo México. He came from a Spanish aristocratic family, and inherited or acquired great personal wealth. He married María de la Luz Cháves, daughter of Vicente Cháves and Juana Aragón, on 2 May 1790 in San Felipe de Neri, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Baca was made captain of Albuquerque's volunteer militia when it was organized in 1808, carrying out his duties "with honor and valor".
Bartolomé Baca established himself at Torreon, overlooking the Estancia Valley, where he obtained a grant of land from the Spanish Governor Facundo Melgares. The land was described as bounded "on the north, by the Monte del Cibolo; on the east, by the Estancia Springs; on the south, by the Ojo del Cuebro; and on the west by the Abo mountains." The area of the grant was about 1,282,000 acres (519,000 ha). Baca took possession of this land in July 1819. Baca lived at San Fernando, but built a large ranch house at Estancia Springs for his three sons, who looked after the ranch. They grazed 40,000 sheep, 900 cattle and 300 mares on the grant. The ranch was profitable until 1833, when Navajo raids increased, killing the shepherds and stealing the livestock, and leading to the ranch eventually being abandoned.
Bartolomé Baca was Governor and Captain-General of New Mexico from 1823 to 1825. Bartolomé Baca died on 30 Apr 1834 in Tomé, Nuevo México.
Baca was governor of the province of New Mexico from August 1823 to September 1825. When Captain Baca became géfe político, equivalent to Governor, in 1823, the Mexican inhabitants of the territory suffered from constant Apache raids. Baca was also géfe militar, and commanded the garrison at Santa Fe, but this had just 119 men and officers. In 1824 the cost of maintaining this company was $35,488. In addition, the settlers maintained a militia at their own expense. Baca used a combination of bribes and treaties to reduce problems with the Navajos and Apaches, and this was generally but by no means always successful.
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