Manuel Armijo

Manuel Armijo
Pastel portrait of Manuel Armijo by Alfred S. Waugh, ca. 1840
6th, 11th, and 13th Mexican Governor of New Mexico
In office 1827–1829
Preceded by	Antonio Narbona
Succeeded by	José Antonio Chaves
In office 1837 – April 1844
Preceded by	Albino Pérez
Succeeded by	Mariano Chávez
In office March 1845 – August 1846
Preceded by	José Chávez y Castillo
Succeeded by	Juan Bautista Vigil y Alarid
Personal details
Born	ca. 1793 Albuquerque, New Mexico
Died	1853 Lemitar, New Mexico
Nationality	Mexican
Profession	Soldier and politician

Manuel Armijo (ca. 1793–1853) was a New Mexican soldier and statesman who served three times as governor of New Mexico. He was instrumental in putting down the Revolt of 1837, he led the force that captured the Texan Santa Fe Expedition, and he later surrendered to the United States in the Mexican-American War, leading to the Capture of Santa Fe.

Manuel Armijo was born, 1793, in the Albuquerque, New Mexico area, most likely in Belen. He was the son of Vicente Ferrer Duran y Armijo and Bárbara Casilda Durán y Cháves, both from prominent New Mexico families. Vicente Armijo and his family resided in the Plaza de San Antonio de Belén during the 1790s, and according to the Spanish census, Vicente was a stockman and lieutenant in the militia. Manuel Armijo married María Trinidad Gabaldón in 1819. The couple did not have children, but adopted a daughter named Ramona, who was named "my universal heir and daughter" in Manuel's will. Ramona Armijo was married to Luís C. de Baca of Socorro, New Mexico.

According to many Hispanic New Mexicans, historians have been unfair in their telling of the history of Manuel Armijo. Angélico Chávez wrote "Manuel Armijo's character as Governor and as a man has been unjustly painted in sources too numerous to mention here." William Wroth wrote on the New Mexico State Historian's Website, "Governor Armijo was portrayed by George Wilkins Kendall as having been an uneducated man from a poor family who worked his way up by stealing. This gross caricature was Kendall’s way of vilifying Armijo due to his perception that the Governor had treated him unfairly in 1841 in the capture of the disastrous Texas Santa Fe expedition."

According to George Wilkins Kendall, he became wealthy by working for a sheep rancher and stealing and selling the sheep, often to his own employer; but Kendall was writing about his experience as Armijo's prisoner in 1841 and his biographical sketch of Armijo is scurrilous. The historian Marc Simmons ascribes the story of sheep theft to "tradition". Armijo became the alcalde (mayor) of Albuquerque and militia lieutenant in 1822 and 1824.