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Stephen Watts Kearny

Stephen W. Kearny
Stephen W. Kearny.jpg
Military Governor of New Mexico
In office
August 1846 – September 1846
Preceded by Juan Bautista Vigil y Alarid
Succeeded by Sterling Price
3rd Military Governor of California
In office
February 23, 1847 – May 31, 1847
Preceded by
Succeeded by Richard Barnes Mason
Personal details
Born August 30, 1794
Newark, New Jersey
Died October 31, 1848(1848-10-31) (aged 54)
St. Louis, Missouri
Profession Soldier
Awards Fort Kearny named for him.
Camp Kearny, San Diego, named after him.
Military service
Allegiance  United States of America
Service/branch CavalryBC.png Cavalry
Years of service 1812 – 1848
Rank Union Army brigadier general rank insignia.svg Brigadier General
Union Army major general rank insignia.svg Bvt. Major General
Unit Cantonment Missouri
Commands Jefferson Barracks
The Old Guard
1CavRegtDUI.jpg 1st U.S. Dragoons
Army of the West
Veracruz
Mexico City
Battles/wars War of 1812
Mexican-American War
Battle of San Pascual

Stephen Watts Kearny (/ˈkɑːrni/ KAR-nee; surname also appears as Kearney in some historic sources; August 30, 1794 – October 31, 1848), was one of the foremost antebellum frontier officers of the United States Army. He is remembered for his significant contributions in the Mexican–American War, especially the conquest of California. The Kearny code, which was proclaimed on September 22, 1846 in Santa Fe, established the law and government of the newly acquired territory of New Mexico, was named after him.

Kearny was born in Newark, New Jersey, the son of Philip Kearny, Sr. and Susanna Watts. His maternal grandparents were the wealthy merchant Robert Watts of New York and Mary Alexander, the daughter of Major General "Lord Stirling" William Alexander and Sarah "Lady Stirling" Livingston of American Revolutionary War fame. Stephen Watts Kearny went to public schools. After high school, he attended Columbia University in New York City for two years. He joined the New York Militia soon after he left school in 1812, beginning his military career.

In the late 1820s after his career was established, Kearny met, courted and married Mary Radford, the stepdaughter of William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The couple had eleven children, of whom six died in childhood.


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