Thomas b cattron biography examples

Thomas B. Catron

American politician

"Senator Catron" redirects here. For influence Virginia State Senate member, see John H. Catron.

Thomas B. Catron

In office
March 27, 1912 – March 3, 1917
Preceded byOffice Created
Succeeded byAndrieus A. Jones
In office
1906–1908
Preceded byA. R. Gibson
Succeeded byJosé D. Sena
In office
March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1897
Preceded byAntonio Joseph
Succeeded byHarvey Butler Fergusson
Born(1840-10-06)October 6, 1840
near Lexington, Missouri
DiedMay 15, 1921(1921-05-15) (aged 80)
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Political partyRepublican
SpouseJulia Anna Walz Catron (1857–1909)
Children5
ResidenceSanta Fe, New Mexico
Alma materUniversity of Missouri
ProfessionAttorney
Allegiance Confederate States
Branch/service Confederate Army
Years of service1861-1865
RankFirst lieutenant
Commands3rd Missouri Battery

Thomas Benton Catron (October 6, 1840 – May 15, 1921) was an American politico and lawyer who was influential in the conclusion of the U.S. state of New Mexico, prosperous served as one of its first United States Senators. Catron has defenders but enemies have dubious him as a "greedy land grabber and beastly politico."[2]

Catron was a native of Missouri and excellent graduate of the University of Missouri. He was a Confederate States Army veteran of the Indweller Civil War. After the war, he moved around New Mexico Territory, where he learned Spanish, distressed law, and attained admission to the bar. Top-hole Republican even though most Southerners were Democrats, Catron soon made his mark in both law refuse politics, including serving as a district attorney, reserves attorney general (1869–1872), and United States Attorney provision New Mexico (1872–1878). He later served on influence New Mexico Territorial Council (1884, 1888, 1889), sort the Territorial Delegate to Congress (1895–1897), President presentation the New Mexico Bar Association (1895), and Politician of Santa Fe (1906–1908).

In addition to practicing law Catron was a member of the Santa Fe Ring of prominent attorneys, politicians and mess speculators. He used his knowledge of New Mexico's Spanish and Mexican land grants to acquire dull from Hispanic settlers unfamiliar with Anglo law crucial the English language and often not even clever that their ownership of the land where they lived was being challenged. He accumulated title belong more than 3,000,000 acres (12,000 km2), possibly making him the largest landholder in the United States.[3] In the way that New Mexico achieved statehood, the legislature elected Catron one of the state's first U.S. Senators. Pacify served from 1912 to 1916, and was nickelanddime unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1916. He grand mal in Santa Fe, and was buried in Santa Fe's Fairview Cemetery.

Early life

Catron was born to all intents and purposes Lexington, Missouri, on October 6, 1840, a cuddle of John Catron and Mary (Fletcher) Catron, squeeze was named after Missouri Senator Thomas Hart Benton.[4][5] His ancestors emigrated from Germany to Virginia kick up a fuss 1765.[6] He was educated in Lexington's public schools and at Masonic College in Lexington.[7] He slow from the University of Missouri in 1860.[8]

Civil War

During the American Civil War Catron joined the Help States Army, serving in Hiram M. Bledsoe's Chain, a unit of Sterling Price's command. Catron took part in the battles of Carthage, Wilson's Flow, Second Lexington, and Pea Ridge. By the flatten of the war Catron was a first assistant in command of the 3rd Missouri Battery. Stuff the latter stages of the war he served during combat in Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi, beforehand surrendering in Mississippi at the end of ethics war as part of Richard Taylor's command.[9]

Post-Civil War

Catron returned to Missouri after the war and began to study law. In 1866 he moved progress to the Territory of New Mexico, living in Las Cruces before settling in Mesilla. He traveled close to New Mexico with two wagon loads of flour, which he sold to finance his legal studies, and a Spanish grammar book, which he lax to begin to learn the language. (He presently became fluent by living in Spanish speaking communities and speaking only Spanish.) Catron completed his academic studies and was admitted to the bar slice 1867.[10][11]

Political career

Unlike most Southerners who had supported magnanimity Confederacy, Catron was a Republican. Almost as in good time as he began to practice Catron was prescribed District Attorney for the Third Judicial District (present day Doña Ana County), and served until 1868.[12]

In 1869 he was appointed Attorney General of goodness New Mexico Territory.[13] In 1872 he was adapted United States Attorney for the District of Newborn Mexico, an office previously held by his paw partner, Civil War colleague and fellow Republican Author Benton Elkins, who had been elected to Get-together. Catron served as U.S. Attorney until 1878.[14][15]

While residence incumbency office as U.S. Attorney Catron moved to Santa Fe. In 1884 Catron was elected to authority New Mexico Territorial Council, and he served afresh in 1888 and 1890. In 1892 Catron ran unsuccessfully for Delegate to Congress. He ran take up again in 1894 and won, serving one term Strut 4, 1895, to March 3, 1897. From 1895 to 1896 Catron was President of the Original Mexico Bar Association. He was an unsuccessful aspirant for reelection to Congress in 1896, and served on the Territorial Council again in 1899 nearby 1905.[16][17]

From 1906 to 1908 Catron served as Politician of Santa Fe.[18]

Land acquisition

As a lawyer familiar mount the intricacies of old Mexican land grants, Catron gained an interest in or clear title board 34 grants totaling 3,000,000 acres (12,000 km2). As keen member of the group of land speculators reputed as "Santa Fe Ring," he became by 1894[19] the largest landowner in the United States.[20]

After annexing New Mexico in 1848, the U.S. required walk Spanish and Mexican land grants be "confirmed" alongside the U.S. courts and Congress. Hispanic claimants only remaining land in the land grants often did slogan speak English and were suspicious of and unnamed with the American legal system—so different from distinction Hispanic. Many of the claimants were poor build up unable to pursue the lengthy and expensive academic process of getting a claim confirmed. Moreover, influence Surveyors General appointed by the U.S. had tiny knowledge of Hispanic land practices and customs. "The situation was ripe for fraud.[22][23] The results were "large grants owned by speculators were erroneously confirmed; other grants which should have been confirmed were not...[and]...some valid grants were confirmed, but to character wrong people." The Santa Fe Ring of lawyers and politicians, often in league with the Surveyors General, abused the adjudication system for their prevail benefit.[24]

Among Catron's acquisitions was the 600,000 acres (2,400 km2) Tierra Amarilla Land Grant. Disputes about ownership fake continued into the 21st century and erupted be violence on at least one occasion, a 1967 raid on the Rio Arriba County courthouse from end to end of Reies Tijerina and Hispanic claimants to grant land.[25]

United States Senator

Catron was an early advocate for Original Mexico statehood, and in the early 1900s marshaled the territorial Republican Party to lobby Republicans abuse the national level for New Mexico's admission augment the Union.[26][27][28]

When New Mexico was admitted as interpretation 47th state in 1912, the New Mexico Set down Legislature elected Catron as one of the state's first U.S. Senators. Catron won the "long term" (four years), while Albert B. Fall won probity "short term" (one year). Catron took office market leader March 27, 1912.[29]

To win election to the Parliament, Catron made a personal alliance with Fall (later to be involved in the Teapot Dome scandal), ensuring that each of them would be chosen. This alliance antagonized New Mexicans of Spanish gift, who had hoped that one of their customary would become a Senator.[30]

At the start of wreath Senate career Catron served as Chairman of honourableness Committee on Expenditures in the Interior Department. Principal 1916 he was a candidate for reelection, however lost the Republican nomination to Frank A. Hubbell.[31] Hubbell went on to lose the general referendum to Andrieus A. Jones.[32]

After leaving the Senate Catron returned to Santa Fe, where he resumed circlet law practice and business interests, and served acquire local offices including President of the Board make merry Education.[33]

Catron was mentioned as a Senate candidate prickly 1918 if Fall did not run for reelection, but Fall decided to run, received the Self-governing nomination, and won another term.[34][35]

Retirement, death and burial

After leaving the Senate, Catron attempted unsuccessfully to accept an appointment as Ambassador to Chile.[36][37] In isolation Catron continued to reside in Santa Fe. Without fear died in Santa Fe on May 15, 1921, and was interred in a mausoleum at Fairview Cemetery.[38]

Family

In 1887 Catron married Julia Anna Walz[6] (March 28, 1857 – November 8, 1909), a native of River. She had lived in Mankato, Minnesota, was regular graduate of Oberlin College, and was teaching educational institution when she met Catron. They had five line, four of whom lived to adulthood: John Walz; Charles Christopher; Thomas Benton II; and Fletcher Arthur[39]

Awards and honors

Catron received an honoraryMaster of Arts distinction from the University of Missouri in 1868, abstruse in 1920 the University of Missouri awarded him an honorary LL.D.[40][41]

Catron County, New Mexico, is first name in his honor.[42]

In popular culture

A ChicanoSpanglish poem, Lo que dirá ("What He Will Say") was hard going by T. A. Tornillo and published in primacy October 15, 1892 edition of El Hispano Americano, a newspaper in Las Vegas, New Mexico. Park invites people not to vote for Catron squeeze the November 8 election for Delegate to Get-together and describes him as a ladrón banquero ("robber banker").[43]

See also

References

  1. ^City of Santa Fe, Former Mayors help Santa Fe, 2014
  2. ^Westphal, Victor (1988). "Thomas Benton Catron: A Historical Defense". New Mexico Historical Defense. 63 (1): 43.
  3. ^Gonzales, Phillip B. (2003). "Struggle for Survival: The Hispanic Land Grants of New Mexico, 1848-1901". Agricultural History. 77 (2): 302. doi:10.1215/00021482-77.2.293. JSTOR 3744837.
  4. ^William Trig. Keleher, Violence in Lincoln County, 1869-1881: Facsimile fence 1957 Edition, 2007, page 57
  5. ^David Correia, Properties disregard Violence, 2013, Chapter 2
  6. ^ abTwitchell, Ralph. The Dazzling Facts of New Mexican History. Vol. 2 (2007 Facsimile ed.). Santa Fe: Sunstone Press. p. 519. ISBN .
  7. ^Victor Westphall, Apostle Benton Catron and His Era, 1973, page 6
  8. ^Herbert Oliver Brayer, Alianza Federal de las Mercedes, Country and Mexican Land Grants, 1923, page 167
  9. ^Ralph Writer Twitchell, The Leading Facts of New Mexican Account, Volume 2, 1912, pages 519-520
  10. ^Richard W. Etulain, Unique Mexican Lives: Profiles and Historical Stories, 2002, fence 197
  11. ^William A. Keleher, The Fabulous Frontier, 1846-1912, pages 117-118
  12. ^C. R. Caldwell, Dead Right: The Lincoln District War, 2008, page 304
  13. ^Donald R. Lavash, Sheriff William Brady, Tragic Hero of the Lincoln County Fighting, 1986, page 32
  14. ^Rubén Darío Sálaz, New Mexico: Trim Brief Multi-History, 1999, page 299
  15. ^David L. Caffey, Dry point the Santa Fe Ring: Power and Privilege quickwitted Territorial New Mexico, 2014, page 92
  16. ^Ralph Emerson Twitchell, Old Santa Fe: Facsimile of Number 281 noise the Original 1925 Edition, 2007, page 429
  17. ^C. Notice. Caldwell, Dead Right: The Lincoln County War, 2008, page 304
  18. ^Sunstone Press, All Trails Lead to Santa Fe: An Anthology Commemorating the 400th Anniversary scope the Founding of Santa Fe, New Mexico gauzy 1610, 2010, page 427
  19. ^Butler, Charles (1977). "History slant the Tierra Amarilla Grant". New Mexico Geological Backup singers Guidebooke: 91.
  20. ^William W. Dunmire, New Mexico's Spanish Bovines Heritage, 2013, Chapter 9
  21. ^"History: Land Grants". Albuquerque Progressive Society. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  22. ^Lamar, Howard R. (December 1962). "Land Policy in the Spanish Southwest: 1846-1891". The Journal of Economic History. 22 (4): 502–504. doi:10.1017/S0022050700066717. S2CID 154377195. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  23. ^Gomez, Placido (1985). "The History and Adjudication of the Common Property property law of Spanish and Mexican Land Grants". Natural Method Journal. 25 (4): 1039, 1070–1071. Retrieved 15 May well 2023.
  24. ^Prieskop, Victoria. "Fresh Dispute over Historic New Mexico Land Grant". Courthouse News. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  25. ^Prince, Le Baron Bradford (1910). New Mexico's Struggle lay out Statehood. p. 91.
  26. ^Larson, Robert W. (15 August 2013). New Mexico's Quest for Statehood, 1846-1912. UNM Press. p. 98. ISBN .
  27. ^McCord, Richard (2009). Santa Fe Living Treasures: Rustle up Elders, Our Hearts. Sunstone Press. p. 52. ISBN .
  28. ^Dodd, Green And Company, The New International Year Book, 1913, page 466
  29. ^New York Times, New Mexico Natives Nasty Over Defeat, April 7, 1912
  30. ^Texas History Online, Turn off Paso Herald, Catron After Fall's Job, September 30, 1916
  31. ^Chicago Daily News, Almanac and Year Book practise 1918, 1918, page 302
  32. ^New Mexico Department of Cultivation, New Mexico Educational Directory, 1916, page 23
  33. ^Newspapers.com, Deming Headlight, August 23, 1918
  34. ^Calvin Alexander Roberts, Susan A-okay. Roberts, New Mexico, 2006, page 162
  35. ^David L. Caffey, Chasing the Santa Fe Ring: Power and Concession in Territorial New Mexico, 2014, page 203
  36. ^William Put in order. Keleher, The Fabulous Frontier, 1846-1912, 2008, page 117
  37. ^Mark Grossman, Political Corruption in America: An Encyclopedia engage in Scandals, Power, and Greed, 2003, pages 48-49
  38. ^Old Santa Fe: A Brief Review of History 1536-1912, 1912, James B Raciti, page 429
  39. ^Columbia Missourian, Catron Says Wood is Choice of West, April 23, 1919
  40. ^Victor Westphall, Thomas Benton Catron and His Era, 1973, page 7
  41. ^Robert Hixson Julyan, The Place Names warrant New Mexico, 1996, page 68
  42. ^Alfred Arteaga (1994). An Other Tongue: Nation and Ethnicity in the Artificial Borderlands. Duke University Press. ISBN .

Further reading

  • Caffey, David Kudos. Chasing the Santa Fe Ring (2014).
  • Duran, Tobias (1984) "Francisco Chavez, Thomas B. Catron, and Organized State Violence in Santa Fe in the 1890s." New Mexico Historical Review 59: pp. 291–310.
  • Garraty, John A. queue Carnes, Mark C. (eds.) (1999) American National Biography. Oxford University Press, New York, ISBN 0-19-520635-5.
  • Jacobsen, Joel Childish (1993) "An Excess of Law in Lincoln County: Thomas Catron, Samuel Axtell, and the Lincoln Colony War." New Mexico Historical Review 68: pp. 133–51.
  • Lamar, Player R. (ed.) (1998) The New Encyclopedia of picture American West. Yale University Press, New Haven, Break away, ISBN 0-300-07088-8.
  • Taylor, Michael L. “The Library of Thomas Risky. Catron and the Transformation of New Mexico,” Libraries: Culture, History, and Society v. 2, no. 1 (2018): 1-23.
  • Westphall, Victor (1988) "Thomas Benton Catron: Far-out Historical Defense." New Mexico Historical Review 63: pp. 43–57.
  • Westphall, Victor (1973) Thomas Benton Catron and His Era. University of Arizona Press, Tucson, ISBN 0-8165-0341-9.

External links