Miscellaneous, 1847-1848
Archival Record — Reel-frame: 98:195
Scope and Contents
From the File:
New Mexico was officially occupied by the United States, August 18, 1846 when Stephen Watts Kearny, commanding the "Army of the West," took possession of Santa Fe. Kearny proclaimed "Territorial" status for New Mexico, and on September 22 appointed officials headed by Charles Bent as Governor and Donaciano Vigil as Secretary. He then marched for California with the main body of troops, leaving Col. Sterling Price in charge of New Mexico military affairs. On January 19, 1847 a revolution of Mexican nationalists and Pueblo of Taos Indians, at Fernando de Taos, resulted in the assassination of Bent and several other leading citizens. Donaciano Vigil served as Acting Civil Governor and Price as Military Governor until October 10, 1848 when Col. John M. Washington replaced Price and assumed civil as well as military functions. Vigil continued to serve as Registrar of Land Titles. Col. John Munroe succeeded Washington on October 23 of the following year.
In the spring of 1847 Congress repudiated the conferring of Territorial status by General Kearny, and New Mexico was administered primarily by military authority until Congress passed the Compromise of 1850. On September 9, 1850 President Fillmore signed the proclamation which admitted New Mexico to the Union as a Territory. James S. Calhoun, who had been appointed New Mexico Secretary of Indian Affairs in 1849, was now appointed Territorial Governor and inaugurated on March 3, 1851.
Executive records during this period are organized according to the dates of tenure of both civil and military executives. Unfortunately, except for the papers of Donaciano Vigil which were acquired by the Historical Society of New Mexico in 1906, few records from this four-year period have survived.
In this section, as well as in succeeding governor's papers through the administration of Lew. Wallace, some official records are located in special collections of the State Records Center. These documents are, however, microfilmed in proper order in this edition with the name of the special collection designated.
In the absence of the territorial governor the Secretary of the Territory was acting chief executive. Papers of the secretaries in this capacity are microfilmed with the executive under whom they served.
In the spring of 1847 Congress repudiated the conferring of Territorial status by General Kearny, and New Mexico was administered primarily by military authority until Congress passed the Compromise of 1850. On September 9, 1850 President Fillmore signed the proclamation which admitted New Mexico to the Union as a Territory. James S. Calhoun, who had been appointed New Mexico Secretary of Indian Affairs in 1849, was now appointed Territorial Governor and inaugurated on March 3, 1851.
Executive records during this period are organized according to the dates of tenure of both civil and military executives. Unfortunately, except for the papers of Donaciano Vigil which were acquired by the Historical Society of New Mexico in 1906, few records from this four-year period have survived.
In this section, as well as in succeeding governor's papers through the administration of Lew. Wallace, some official records are located in special collections of the State Records Center. These documents are, however, microfilmed in proper order in this edition with the name of the special collection designated.
In the absence of the territorial governor the Secretary of the Territory was acting chief executive. Papers of the secretaries in this capacity are microfilmed with the executive under whom they served.
Dates
- 1847-1848
Language of Materials
From the Collection:
English.
Access Restrictions
None
Extent
From the Collection: 189 rolls
Repository Details
Part of the New Mexico State Records Center and Archives Repository