Fernando Chacón

Fernando Chacón
57th Spanish Governor of New Mexico
In office
1794–1804
Preceded by Fernando de la Concha
Succeeded by Joaquín del Real Alencaster
Personal details
Profession Military and Governor (of New Mexico)

Fernando Chacón was a Spanish military that exerted as Governor of New Mexico between 1794 and 1804. He was Knight of the Order of Santiago.[1]

Biography

Chacón was joined to Spanish Army in his youth, becoming in Lieutenant Colonel.[2] He was appointed governor of Santa Fe de Nuevo México in August 16, 1793,[2] assuming the charge in 1794.

Early in his administration, a New Mexican, Lorenzo Marquez, delivered a petition to Chacón, signed by himself and fifty-one members, to obtain a grant of land on both sides of the Pecos River at the ford "El Vado." Thus, although they owned a small piece of land in the city of Santa Fe, they needed it larger to keep and feed their large families serving. Therefore, they had agreed among themselves, set on the eastern border of New Mexico, where there was sufficient water and fertile land to live better. According J. J. Bowden, because these lands were at the Apache village, the petitioners agreed to provide their own firearms and ammunition and strengthen the proposed agreement with bastions and towers. So, Chacon accepted the request and on November 25, 1794, granted land to the petitioners. Also ordered the Mayor of Santa Fe, Antonio Jose Ortiz, deliver legal possession of land to people who want to have them, based on the conditions and the requirements needed in such cases.[3] In 1796, under permission of Chacón, Llano San Juan was founded by three families in San Juan Nepomuceno, who wanted build several towns in the place.[4]

Moreover, after 1796, Chacon granted portions of land to 63 families in Taos, New Mexico, in the village of Pueblo Amerindians, an allied ethnic to Spaniards, although this could have been done without the consent of the Amerindians (at least there is no evidence to indicate otherwise).[5]

To order of Salsedo, on May 3, 1804, Chacon sent an expedition to Northern New Mexico in order to find Lewis and Clark, who had begun their exploratory trip four months before. The expedition, formed by 52 soldiers, Spanish settlers, and Amerindians, was led by Pedro Vial and José Jarvet[6] and took name "expedition of Captain Merri".[7] The expedition left Santa Fe, New Mexico, in August 1.[6]

In the same year, Chacón was replaced by Joaquín del Real Alencaster to the New Mexico government in 1804.

References

  1. ↑ Printing - New Mexico Cases
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Comanche Empire. Written by Pekka Hämäläinen. Page 449.
  3. ↑ New Mexico Office of the State Historian: San Miguel del Vado Grant. Posted by J. J. Bowden. Retrieved in Juny 16, 2014, to 17:00pm.
  4. ↑ Pilgrims and Promises: a poetic places journal.Eediting of spanish usage and index by Jose F. Martinez.
  5. ↑ Water in New Mexico: A History of Its Management and Use. Written by Ira G. Clark. Page 21.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Trailing Lewis and Clark. Posted by John Buescher.
  7. ↑ New Mexico: an interpretive history. Written by or marc simmons. page 97.

External links