Perfecto Armijo (February 20, 1845 – September 23, 1913) was a native of
New Mexico
)
, population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano)
, seat = Santa Fe, New Mexico, Santa Fe
, LargestCity = Albuquerque, New Mexico, Albuquerque
, LargestMetro = Albuquerque metropolitan area, Tiguex
, Offi ...
, where he became frontier trader, store owner,
probate judge
A probate court (sometimes called a surrogate court) is a court that has competence in a jurisdiction to deal with matters of probate and the administration of estates. In some jurisdictions, such courts may be referred to as Orphans' Courts o ...
, county sheriff,
alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members them ...
, county treasurer and rancher. He was also a
Civil War
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government polic ...
colonel in the New Mexico militia. In
Albuquerque
Albuquerque ( ; ), ; kee, Arawageeki; tow, Vakêêke; zun, Alo:ke:k'ya; apj, Gołgéeki'yé. abbreviated ABQ, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Its nicknames, The Duke City and Burque, both reference its founding i ...
, he befriended gunman
Milton J. Yarberry
Milton J. "Milt" Yarberry (1849 – February 9, 1883) was an outlaw, gunman and lawman of the Old West, best known for having been the first Town Marshal for Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Early life
Yarberry was born in Arkansas, to a family whos ...
, hired him as a county deputy, and helped him to gain an appointment as first town marshal. However, he was later forced to hang Yarberry for charges of murder, though he continued to plea his innocence, stating that "Yarberry should have been rewarded instead of punished" for the killings.
George B. Anderson, ''History of New Mexico: Its Resources and People'' (1907) Vol. 2
Colonel Perfecto Armijo, sheriff of Albuquerque, is a son of Ambrosia Armijo, who was born at Ranches of Albuquerque. He was probate judge for many years and served as a colonel of the militia during the Civil war. Prominent in public life, he was treasurer of the county at the time of his death, which occurred in 1884. His political allegiance was given the
Republican party. He married Candelario Otero, a daughter of Vicente Otero.
Colonel Perfecto Armijo was born in
Valencia county, New Mexico
Valencia County is a county in the U.S. state of New Mexico. As of the 2010 census, the population was 76,569. The county seat is Los Lunas.
Valencia County is included in the Albuquerque, NM Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The county was a ...
, February 20, 1845, and supplemented his preliminary education by four years' study in
St. Louis University
Saint Louis University (SLU) is a private Jesuit research university with campuses in St. Louis, Missouri, United States, and Madrid, Spain. Founded in 1818 by Louis William Valentine DuBourg, it is the oldest university west of the Missi ...
, being a student there at the time of the outbreak of the Civil war. He was active in various military drills there with the boys at school, but did not enlist. About 1862 he returned to New Mexico, and for a number of years engaged in freighting to Leavenworth, Kansas City, Chihuahua, El Paso, Tucson, Prescott and other points, during which time he had much trouble with the Indians, who were numerous upon the frontier and committed many depredations against the white settlers, who were trying to found homes and engage in business in this part of the country. At
Las Cruces, he established a store in connection with his brother, Jesus Armijo. Later he freighted again until 1880, when the railroad was built, and rendering his business unremunerative, he sold his teams and other paraphernalia of the freighting outfits. At that time he turned his attention to merchandising in Old Albuquerque, where he conducted business for several years. He was appointed sheriff of the county and served for one year, after which he was elected on the Republican ticket to the office of sheriff of the county. He was also alderman of Albuquerque and was a delegate to the last convention. On September 1, 1905, he was appointed sheriff to succeed Thomas S. Hubbell, and after a hard contest, which is now historic, gained the office.
Colonel Armijo was married in 1868 to Miss Febronia Garcia, a daughter of Pedro Garcia, of
Doña Ana county
Don (; ; pt, Dom, links=no ; all from Latin ', roughly 'Lord'), abbreviated as D., is an honorific prefix primarily used in Spain and Hispanic America, and with different connotations also in Italy, Portugal and its former colonies, and Croati ...
. They had nine children, two of whom have died. The living are Victoriano, the wife of Captain A. W. Kimball, quartermaster at
Fort Snelling, Minnesota
Fort Snelling is a former military fortification and National Historic Landmark in the U.S. state of Minnesota on the bluffs overlooking the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers. The military site was initially named Fort Saint Anth ...
; David, of the City of Mexico; Candelario, the wife of Alfredo Otero; Solomon, a resident of Colorado; Chonah and Perfecto, both at home, and Juanita, the wife of Dr. Rogers Haynes, at El Vado, New Mexico.
Perfecto Armijo died in Albuquerque on September 23, 1913.
References
External links
* George B. Anderson, ''History of New Mexico: Its Resources and People''
Vol. 2Perfecto ArmijoFind a Grave
{{DEFAULTSORT:Armijo, Perfecto
1845 births
1913 deaths
Hispanic and Latino American history
People of the New Mexico Territory
People of New Mexico in the American Civil War