José Antonio Vizcarra
| José Antonio Vizcarra | |
|---|---|
| 3rd Mexican Governor of New Mexico | |
|
In office November 1822 – September 1823 |
|
| Preceded by | Francisco Xavier Chávez |
| Succeeded by | Bartolomé Baca |
| Personal details | |
| Nationality | Mexican |
| Profession | Soldier |
José Antonio Vizcarra (or Viscarra) was a Mexican soldier who served as Governor of New Mexico from 1822 to 1823. While conducting an expedition against the Navajos in 1823, he was to first to record the ruins of Chaco Canyon.
José Antonio Vizcarra was the son of Don Juan José Viscarra and Doña Gertrudis Alvarado, and was born in Cuencamé, Durango. Entering the army, he rose to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel and was appointed military chief of New Mexico in October 1822. Vizcarra was governor of New Mexico from November 1822 to September 1823. From June to September 1823 he led a punitive expedition to the west and north against the Navajo.
On 14 April 1824, Lieutenant Colonel José Antonio Vizcarra, Special Commander of the province, married Doña Ana Maria Ortiz, widow of Sheriff Don Fernando Delgado. His wife was the sister of Ramón Ortiz y Miera, who became an influential priest and after the Mexican–American War (1846–1848) was to be the repatriation commissioner. Vizcarra briefly acted as governor again in 1828. He was then appointed assistant inspector-general of the army in New Mexico, and was inspector-general from 1829 to 1833.
Vizcarra was elected Governor of New Mexico, succeeding Francisco Xavier Chávez in November 1822. As governor, in March 1823 he was asked to mediate over sales of land from Abiquiu Pueblo. Although the Indians had been paid, such sales were not allowed. Vizcarra refused to validate the sales, and ordered that the purchase prices should be refunded by the Indians of the Pueblo.
News traveled slowly between Mexico City and Santa Fe, a distance of perhaps 1,500 miles (2,400 km) over poor roads. On 31 October 1822 Agustín de Iturbide, who had been declared "constitutional emperor" of Mexico, closed down the Congress and assumed absolute power. When the news of Iturbide's coup reached Santa Fe, Colonel Viscarra arranged for a great celebration in favor of the emperor in December 1822. On 2 December, the revolutionary leader Antonio López de Santa Anna started a revolt against the emperor in Veracruz. The revolt spread, and in February 1823 Iturbide restored Congress, abdicated and went into exile.
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