View source for Ezequiel Cabeza De Baca

{{Short description|2nd Governor of New Mexico}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name         = Ezequiel C. De Baca
|image        = Ezequiel cabeza debaca.png
|order        = 2nd [[Governor of New Mexico]]
|lieutenant   = [[Washington Ellsworth Lindsey|Washington Lindsay]]
|term_start   = January 1, 1917
|term_end     = February 18, 1917
|predecessor  = [[William C. McDonald (governor)|William McDonald]]
|successor    = [[Washington Ellsworth Lindsey|Washington Lindsay]]
|office1      = 1st [[Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico]]
|governor1    = [[William C. McDonald (governor)|William McDonald]]
|term_start1  = January 6, 1912
|term_end1    = January 1, 1917
|predecessor1 = Position established
|successor1   = [[Washington Ellsworth Lindsey|Washington Lindsay]]
|birth_date   = {{birth date|1864|11|1}}
|birth_place  = [[Las Vegas, New Mexico|Las Vegas]], [[New Mexico Territory|New Mexico]], U.S.
|death_date   = {{death date and age|1917|2|18|1864|11|1}}
|death_place  = [[Santa Fe, New Mexico|Santa Fe]], [[New Mexico]], U.S.
|party        = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|spouse       = Margarita De Baca
|education    = [[Regis University]]
}}
'''Ezequiel Cabeza De Baca''' (November 1, 1864 – February 18, 1917) was the first [[Hispanos of New Mexico|Hispano]] elected for office as [[Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico|lieutenant governor]] in [[New Mexico]]'s first election. His term as lieutenant governor was followed by his election as the second elected [[governor of New Mexico]]. This term was brief as he died shortly after taking office. He was the state's first elected [[Hispanic]] governor, and the first governor born in New Mexico after its annexation by the United States.
== Early life ==
He was born in [[Las Vegas, New Mexico|Las Vegas]], [[New Mexico Territory]] on November 1, 1864. He studied at the Jesuit College, now [[Regis University]], in Las Vegas, NM. He worked for the railroads before becoming an influential journalist and Editor of La Voz de Pueblo. Ezequiel C. de Baca was married on December 14, 1889, to Margarita C. de Baca at Peña Blanca, NM.<ref name=Arellano>{{cite web|last1=Arellano|first1=Anselmo F.|title=Ezequiel Cabeza de Baca|url=http://newmexicohistory.org/people/ezequiel-cabeza-de-baca|website=New Mexico History.org|publisher=New Mexico State Record Center and Archives|access-date=10 March 2017}}</ref> He is a descendant of the original [[Spaniards|Spanish]] settlers who later became part of the [[Baca Family of New Mexico]].<ref name=Arellano/>
In 1891, he began working for the Las Vegas [[Spanish (language)|Spanish]] weekly newspaper ''La Voz del Pueblo''. It was there that he became associated with the newspaper's publishers, Antonio Lucero (who would become New Mexico's first [[Secretary of State of New Mexico|Secretary of State]]) and Felix Martinez (who would later found the Martinez Publishing Company).<ref name=Arellano/>
De Baca served as a delegate to the [[Democratic National Convention]] in 1900.<ref name=Governors/> In 1912, after New Mexico became a state, he became its first [[Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico|Lieutenant Governor]], serving from 1912 to 1917.<ref name=Arellano/> It is during this period when he did his most important work for the State.{{citation needed|date=March 2017}} He was a key to developing New Mexico's first state constitution which includes specific language about providing bilingual education to all citizens.<ref name=Arellano/> His professional background as a journalist gave him deep insights into the needs of the citizens of New Mexico, which were further enriched by his travels around the state prior to being elected Lt. Governor.{{citation needed|date=March 2017}} He did not want to pursue elected office to run for governor but was vigorously lobbied by the party and ultimately consented. At the time the pay for these elected officials was very small and he had by now a large family. Although his failing health prevented him from taking a significant part in his own campaign, he was elected the Governor of New Mexico on November 7, 1916. Inaugurated on January 1, 1917, he was sworn into office on his sick bed in St. Vincent Sanitarium in Santa Fe, with only a [[20 (number)|score]] of persons attending.<ref name=Arellano/><ref name=Governors/><ref>{{cite news|title=N. M. Governor Dead|url=http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84026749/1917-02-19/ed-1/seq-7/|access-date=10 March 2017|work=The Washington Times|date=February 19, 1917|location=Washington DC|page=7}}</ref>
He died on February 18, 1917, in office. He had been sick for a long period of time and had traveled to California for treatments which were not successful. He was buried in the Mount Calvary Cemetery in Las Vegas, New Mexico.<ref name=Governors>{{cite web| url= http://www.nga.org/cms/home/governors/past-governors-bios/page_new_mexico/col2-content/main-content-list/title_de-baca_ezequiel.html|title=New Mexico Governor Ezequiel Cabeza De Baca|publisher=National Governors Association|access-date=2012-07-14}}</ref>
[[De Baca County, New Mexico|De Baca County]] is named for Governor de Baca.<ref>{{cite web| url= http://debacaextension.nmsu.edu/|title= De Baca County Extension Office|publisher= New Mexico State University |access-date=2012-07-14}}</ref>
==Children of Ezequiel and Margarita==
Ezequiel and Margarita Cabeza de Baca had 14 children, 5 of whom died in infancy.<ref name=Arellano/>
* Adolfo Amado C de Baca 1890–1953
* Alvar Nunez C de Baca 1892–1892
* Horacio Virgilio C de Baca  1893–1893
* Margarita Esefan C de Baca de Martinez 1895–1969
* Jose C de Baca 1897–1897
* Horacio C de Baca 1898–1970
* Maria Juana C de Baca 1900–1902
* Celia C de Baca 1902–1996
* Hortencia C de Baca 1903–1996
* Alfonso C de Baca 1907–1951
* Maria Natalia Adeleida C de Baca 1909–1973
* Ezequiel C de Baca 1911–1911
* Adelina C de Baca 1913–2009
* Alicia C de Baca 1916–2010
== See also ==
* [[Baca Family of New Mexico]]
* [[List of minority governors and lieutenant governors in the United States]]
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
* {{cite web |url=http://elibrary.unm.edu/oanm/NmAr/nmar%231959-095/nmar%231959-095_m5.html |title=Biography of Ezequiel C. de Baca |access-date=2007-11-25 |publisher=The University of New Mexico |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080706040952/http://elibrary.unm.edu/oanm/NmAr/nmar%231959-095/nmar%231959-095_m5.html |archive-date=2008-07-06 |url-status=dead }}
== External links ==
* {{Find a Grave|7744098}}
* [http://www.nga.org/portal/site/nga/menuitem.94702e711043a03e9d28aca9501010a0/?vgnextoid=af21a7983c98a010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD&vgnextchannel=e449a0ca9e3f1010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD&vgnextfmt=print Biographical information – National Governors Association]
* [http://pagesperso-orange.fr/rancho.pancho/Governor.htm Biographical information by Anselmo F. Arellano]
* [http://elibrary.unm.edu/oanm/NmAr/nmar%231959-095/nmar%231959-095_m5.html Biographical information]{{dead link|date=August 2020|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} – University of New Mexico
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{{s-new|office}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico]]|years=1912–1917}}
{{s-aft|rows=2|after=[[Washington Ellsworth Lindsey|Washington Lindsey]]}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[William C. McDonald (governor)|William McDonald]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Governor of New Mexico]]|years=1917}}
|-
{{s-ppo}}
{{s-bef|before=[[William C. McDonald (governor)|William McDonald]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] nominee for [[Governor of New Mexico]]|years=[[1916 New Mexico gubernatorial election|1916]]}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Félix García (New Mexico politician)|Félix García]]}}
{{s-end}}
{{Governors of New Mexico}}
{{Lieutenant Governors of New Mexico |state=autocollapse}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:De Baca, Ezequiel Cabeza}}
[[Category:1864 births]]
[[Category:1917 deaths]]
[[Category:19th-century American politicians]]
[[Category:American politicians of Mexican descent]]
[[Category:American people of Spanish descent]]
[[Category:Catholics from New Mexico]]
[[Category:Democratic Party governors of New Mexico]]
[[Category:Hispanic and Latino American state governors of the United States]]
[[Category:Neomexicanos]]
[[Category:People from Las Vegas, New Mexico]]
[[Category:Baca family of New Mexico]]
[[Category:People from New Mexico Territory]]