Issue No. 9
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At over 65,000 square miles it was half the size of New Mexico. That's because it was, in fact, the Eastern half of New Mexico.
It was Santa Fe County, created in 1848 by a proclamation of Governor George T. Wood.
But just proclaiming something don't make it so, unless you're prepared to back it up. There was a major problem for the governor. I know this is hard to believe, but the people living there did not want to be Texans.
They were against slavery, and besides that, they still resented the attempts to invade them that had been made over the years (Texas saw this as 'establishing jurisdiction'.)
In 1849 there was a new sheriff in town, or to be less cliche and more accurate, a new governor assumed office.
Peter H. Bell was a veteran of the Texas Revolution. He had been a private in Captain Karnes spy/cavalry company. He fought in the Battle of San Jacinto, fought Indians as a Texas Ranger, and commanded a Ranger company under Zachary Taylor during the Mexican War.
He proposed to 'establish jurisdiction' by force and he was just the man to do it.
But like most things, it eventually came down to money. Debt is a bad thing and Texas had a lot of it left over from her days as a republic.
In return for paying off $10 million of the former Lone Star Republic's debt, Texas gave up to the Federal Government not only her claim to the Eastern half of New Mexico, but also a third of Colorado, as well as portions of Kansas, Oklahoma and Wyoming. That's about twelve cents and acre.
They called it the Compromise of 1850.
If it weren't for those big, fat public debts, Las Cruces, Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Taos might be part of Texas today.
It was Santa Fe County, created in 1848 by a proclamation of Governor George T. Wood.
But just proclaiming something don't make it so, unless you're prepared to back it up. There was a major problem for the governor. I know this is hard to believe, but the people living there did not want to be Texans.
They were against slavery, and besides that, they still resented the attempts to invade them that had been made over the years (Texas saw this as 'establishing jurisdiction'.)
In 1849 there was a new sheriff in town, or to be less cliche and more accurate, a new governor assumed office.
Peter H. Bell was a veteran of the Texas Revolution. He had been a private in Captain Karnes spy/cavalry company. He fought in the Battle of San Jacinto, fought Indians as a Texas Ranger, and commanded a Ranger company under Zachary Taylor during the Mexican War.
He proposed to 'establish jurisdiction' by force and he was just the man to do it.
But like most things, it eventually came down to money. Debt is a bad thing and Texas had a lot of it left over from her days as a republic.
In return for paying off $10 million of the former Lone Star Republic's debt, Texas gave up to the Federal Government not only her claim to the Eastern half of New Mexico, but also a third of Colorado, as well as portions of Kansas, Oklahoma and Wyoming. That's about twelve cents and acre.
They called it the Compromise of 1850.
If it weren't for those big, fat public debts, Las Cruces, Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Taos might be part of Texas today.
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Trivia Answer:
John Salmon 'Rip' Ford and his partner Michael Cronican
Before gaining fame as a Texas Ranger, Rip Ford had a brief career as a newspaper publisher, helping to found the Galveston News, and partnering with Cronican to form the Texas National Register of Austin in 1845. In 1846 the printing firm of Ford & Cronican was named public printer by the legislature.
After the death of his wife that same year, Ford signed on with Jack Hays' Texas Rangers for service in the Mexican War. He got the nickname 'Rip' while serving as adjutant. He would include the message, "Rest in Peace" when sending out death notifications. During battle conditions, he would shorten it to 'R.I.P.'
John Salmon 'Rip' Ford and his partner Michael Cronican
Before gaining fame as a Texas Ranger, Rip Ford had a brief career as a newspaper publisher, helping to found the Galveston News, and partnering with Cronican to form the Texas National Register of Austin in 1845. In 1846 the printing firm of Ford & Cronican was named public printer by the legislature.
After the death of his wife that same year, Ford signed on with Jack Hays' Texas Rangers for service in the Mexican War. He got the nickname 'Rip' while serving as adjutant. He would include the message, "Rest in Peace" when sending out death notifications. During battle conditions, he would shorten it to 'R.I.P.'
About
Texas Reader is written by Mark Pusateri of
Copano Bay Press
(BooksOnTexas.com).
It explores little known facets of Texas history you weren't likely taught in school.
Copano Bay Press
(BooksOnTexas.com).
It explores little known facets of Texas history you weren't likely taught in school.
