Tranquilino Luna (1849-1892), Tranquilino Labadie (1854-1913)

Portrait courtesy of the Library of Congress.

  A leading Republican political figure residing in New Mexico in the late 19th century, Tranquilino Luna was a scion of a leading political family in Las Lunas, a town that had received its name in honor of his family. As the son of affluent Valencia County rancher and stock-raiser Antonio Jose Luna, Tranquilino Luna attended college in Missouri and after several years of successful merchandising and stock-raising in his home county turned to politics, being elected as New Mexico's territorial delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1880. Luna would lose his congressional seat due to a contested election in early 1884 but was not through politically, as he went on to serve as a delegate to the 1888 Republican National Convention and occupied the office of sheriff of Valencia County.

  Born in Los Lunas on June 29, 1849, Tranquilino Luna was one of nine children born to Antonio Jose Luna and the former Isabella Baca. It can safely be said that political service ran deep in the Luna family, with Tranquilino's father serving as Probate Judge for Valencia County and his brothers Solomon and Jesus serving as respective members of the Republican National Committee and Sheriff of Valencia County. A student in the public schools of Valencia County, Luna went on to attend the Saint Michael's College in Santa Fe and later studied at the University of Missouri at Columbia, graduating at an unknown date.

  Luna married at age eighteen to Amalia Jaramillo (1853-1888), with who he had one son, Maximiliano (1870-1899). Maximiliano Luna would follow his father into politics, serving two terms in the Mexico Territorial Legislature, including one as speaker of the house. A member of the "Rough Riders" during the Spanish American War, Luna saw action at San Juan Hill and later lost his life in the Philippines in November 1899, drowning while crossing the River Agno on Luzon Island.

  Through the 1870s Luna established himself as a leading stockman in his area and began treading the political waters when he was elected as the vice president of the Valencia County Republican Convention in June 1875. In 1878 his name was prominently mentioned as a candidate for New Mexico's delegate to Congress but bowed out of the contest, throwing his support to Mariano Otero, the nephew of powerful territorial political leader Miguel Antonio Otero (1829-1882).

  In June 1880 Tranquilino Luna served as part of the New Mexican delegation to the Republican National Convention in Chicago where James Garfield was nominated for the Presidency. Following his service, Luna's name was again brought forth as a candidate for delegate to Congress at the New Mexico Republican state convention in August 1880. After accepting the nomination, Luna faced off that November against Miguel Otero, who had represented the territory three times in Congress and was a former acting governor of the territory. Throughout the campaign, both candidate's supporters slung mud at one another in the press, but on election day in November, it was Luna who won out, polling 10, 835 votes to Otero's 9, 562. News of Luna's congressional win made it as far as Massachusetts, where, in November 1880, his curious name and heritage received a backhanded compliment in the Boston Post, which noted:

"Tranquilino Luna, which is the Mexican for Tranquil Moon, is the delegate elect to Congress from New Mexico. We would remark that the moon is about the only thing that can be tranquil in New Mexico, as it is beyond the reach of fleas."

From the Boston Post, November 20, 1880.

  After journeying to Washington, D.C., Luna took his seat and was named to the committee on Coinage, Weights, and Measures. He would return to his home in Los Lunas for a visit in March 1881 and, during an interview with the Las Vegas Morning Gazette, spoke of his meeting with President Garfield as well as his own work to improve the postal service in the territory. Due to Luna's efforts, a "secured" mail route was developed between Socorro and Clairmont, as well as a route from Valencia to St. Johns, Arizona. Following this interview the Gazette would report favorably on Luna's work in Congress, remarking: 

"This shows that Mr. Luna is taking hold of work in an energetic manner, and he will undoubtedly do good work for the territory during his term in office."

  In 1882, after being bolstered by friends and supporters, Luna announced that he'd be seeking renomination as a delegate to congress. Acknowledged as "a man of fine statue, good looking, bright, affable and well educated in both English and Spanish", Luna's first term was lauded by the Prescott, Arizona Miner shortly after his announcement, noting:

"He is regarded in the capital city as being one of the ablest delegates, and his standing with the heads of departments is excellent. We think New Mexico will be lucky if Mr. Luna is retained to represent her a second time."

  The 1882 contest for delegate pitted incumbent Luna against Democrat Francisco Antonio "Frank" Manzanares (1843-1904), a banker with business dealings throughout the American southwest. That November Luna again prevailed at the ballot box, besting Manzanares
by a vote of 15, 062 to 13, 376. Taking his seat at the start of the 1883-85 session, Luna was again named to the committee on Coinage, Weights, and Measures. Despite Luna's apparent victory at the polls, Frank Manzanares was not to be denied, however, and contested the election results. Appealing to the house committee on Elections, Manzanares cried fraud, and with this plea instigated an electoral quagmire that dragged on through 1883 and into early 1884. The friction between Luna and Manzanares supporters grew to a fever pitch, finally reaching violence in February 1883, when Luna's cousin, Melchior Luna, fatally shot Manzanares supporter Miguel Sanchez following a quarrel regarding the election.
  Tranquilino Luna continued to serve as delegate through the investigation but eventually lost his seat to Manzanares in February 1884 when the house elections committee deemed over 2,000 votes in the 1882 election as fraudulent, thus swinging the election in favor of Manzanares. Manzanares would serve as a delegate for less than a year, not being a candidate for reelection. 
  Despite being put out of office due to allegations of voter fraud, Luna returned to New Mexico and continued with his earlier business interests. In January 1888 he suffered the death of his wife Amalia and in that same year was appointed as sheriff of Valencia County following the death of his brother Jesus. He was re-elected to that post in 1890 and in 1892 again served as part of the New Mexican delegation to the Republican National Convention, this time held in Minneapolis. Luna would take ill in the latter part of that year and died at his Los Lunas home on November 20, 1892, aged just 43. He was survived by his son Maximiliano and was interred at the San Clemente Cemetery in Los Lunas.

Frome "Representative New Mexicans", 1912.

  Around the same time that Tranquilino Luna was beginning his ascent in New Mexico territorial politics, another man with this unusual first name was doing the same in the county of San Miguel. That man was Tranquilino Labadie, who, after holding several local offices etched his name into state history books when he served as a delegate from Guadalupe County to the New Mexico Constitutional Convention of 1910. His service in that body saw him as a signer of New Mexico's first state constitution, and following his service was elected to the first New Mexico state legislature as a representative from Guadalupe County.

  The son of Lorenzo and Rayitos Labadie, Tranquilino Labadie was born in Sante Fe, New Mexico on July 6, 1854. While still a child he removed with his family to the settlement of Albiquin, where his father had been named as an Indian agent. Labadie would attend the Saint Michael's College in Sante Fe and in 1879 removed to the town of Las Vegas in San Miguel County. Here he would begin his political career, first serving as deputy county clerk from 1879-82 and in the last-named year was appointed as an interpreter for the territorial house of representatives.

 In 1883 Labadie was reappointed as deputy county clerk and during this term pulled political "double-duty", as he had been elected as the first city clerk for Las Vegas. His time in those offices extended until 1885, and in that year entered into the post of undersheriff and collector for San Miguel County. In December 1885 President Cleveland named Labadie as U.S. Postmaster at Las Vegas, serving until 1890.

  After removing to the town of San Miguel in 1890, Labadie undertook a career change, being a manager and partner in a mercantile store and tie contracting business. From 1893-96 he held the post of regent for the New Mexico Normal University, and in 1904 relocated to Guadalupe County. After establishing himself in the town of Santa Rosa Labadie won election as deputy county probate clerk (serving 1905-07) and from 1909-10 was deputy county assessor. 

  Tranquilino Labadie was elected to the 1910 New Mexico Constitutional Convention, convened to help frame the laws of New Mexico. After affixing his signature to the new constitution, Labadie was elected to the New Mexico House of Representatives, the first legislature to occur after New Mexico gained statehood. During this session of the new state legislature, Labadie held the following committee assignments: The Capitol, County and County Lines, Enrolled Bills,  Liquor Traffic, the Penitentiary, Privileges and Elections, Public Lands. He would also hold the chairmanship of the Railroads committee.

  On May 30, 1913, not long after his first term in the legislature had concluded, Tranquilino Labadie died at his Santa Rosa home at age 59. A burial location for him remains unknown at this time, and he was subsequently memorialized by his fellow representative Ramon Baca as:

"One of the best known Spanish Americans in the state and was unswerving in his loyalty to his friends. He was chairman of the committee on railroads at the last session and showed much energy. He was thoroughly honest and reliable in all his dealings."

From the Estancia News-Herald, June 5, 1913.

Ove Ephraim Overson (1879-1950)

Portrait from the New Mexico Blue Book, 1917.

  One term New Mexico state representative Ove Ephraim Overson is another unusually named legislator from that state located recently, and it is worth noting that, in addition to political service, he attained further distinction in the Church of Latter-Day Saints, where he was an elder and missionary. The son of Ove Christian and Maren (Christensdotter) Overson, Ove Ephraim Overson was born in Brigham City, Arizona on July 17, 1879. While still in infancy Overson removed with his family to St. Johns, Arizona, where he attended the common schools.

  Baptized into the Church of Latter-Day Saints in 1887, Overson subsequently held various offices in the church and for a three year period (1902-05) undertook a mission through the southern states, visiting Mississippi, Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee. He would baptize Mormon converts in Key West and in June 1905 was appointed as stake clerk for St. John's stake. In November of the following year, he was named as bishop for the St. John's ward, and in 1905 married to Lillian Sorensen in Salt Lake City, Utah. The couple's four decades of marriage saw the birth of five children: Ove Parker (1908-1958), Alonzo Ephraim (1910-1981), Josephine Lillian (died in infancy in 1912), Claude Leon (1913-1989), and Leora (died in infancy in 1915).

  Following his marriage, Overson was affiliated with the Northern Arizona Real Estate and Investment Co. as an agent, and by June 1912 had gained his law license, establishing his law office in St. Johns. His practice would take him into courts located in New Mexico, and by early 1915 had removed to the city of Gallup in McKinley County. Here he would form the law firm of Ruiz and Overson with Alfred Ruiz, and in 1916 announced his candidacy for a seat in the New Mexico House of Representatives.

  Overson would win a legislative seat in November 1916 as a Republican and took his seat at the start of the 1917-19 session. Representing McKinley County during this session, Overson was a member of the committees on Banks and Banking, Constitutional Amendments, Libraries, and Public Property. This term also saw Overson and fellow representative G.W. Stroud introduce legislation for the "teaching of high grades in the rural schools of the state", which would pass in the house, 39 votes to 2.

  Little information could be found on Overson's life following his time in state government. He is recorded as having served as city attorney for Gallup, and prior to his death relocated from Gallup to Hot Springs, New Mexico, where he was an assistant district attorney. Overson was last a resident of Reserve, New Mexico, where he died on February 28, 1950, at age 70. He was survived by his wife and was later returned to Arizona for burial at the St. Johns Cemetery in Apache County.

Ursinus Sidney Bateman (1856-1935)

From the Sante Fe New Mexican, March 20, 1901.

  New Mexico is another state that has been seldom featured here, and that meager political representation consists of just two previous articles, state representative Candelario Vigil (profiled in December 2012) and Woodlan P. Saunders in September of this year. With these facts in mind, the recent discovery of the name Ursinus Sidney Bateman (a two-term territorial representative) comes as a welcome surprise. A native of Texas, Bateman had previous political experience in that state prior to his removal to the New Mexico Territory, serving two terms as mayor of Jewett in Leon County.

  Born in Rush County, Texas in February 1856, Ursinus Sidney Bateman was the son of Micajah and Mary Agnes (McArthur) Bateman. Left fatherless at the age of four, Bateman's formative years were spent on a farm with his mother and would attend the public schools of Rush County. They would later remove to Jewett, Texas, where Bateman made his first foray into newspaper work, becoming editor and publisher of the Jewett Advance in the late 1870s. Bateman's work in that field would later be abandoned, as he decided to go into the mercantile business, where he continued until he resettled in Potter County, Texas in 1887. Bateman's previous residency in Jewett saw him elected to two terms as that town's mayor (his exact dates of service being unknown) and was also selected by Texas Governor John Ireland as one of that state's commissioners to the World's Industrial and Cotton Centennial Exposition held in New Orleans from 1884-85.

  After returning to Jewett in the late 1880s, Bateman made preparations for removal to the New Mexico Territory. After establishing himself in the still-young city of Carlsbad in Eddy County, Bateman was admitted to practice law and also made a name for himself in local politics, winning election as city attorney of Carlsbad and from 1896-97 was a member of the board of county commissioners. 

  In November 1896 Bateman was elected as a Democrat to the New Mexico Territorial House of Representatives for the counties of Chaves, Eddy, and Lincoln. The 1897-99 session saw him serve as chairman of the Committee on Finance, as well as serving on the Irrigation and Rules committees. In November 1900 Bateman won a second term in the legislature, and during the 1901-03 session sat as a member of the committees on Education, Insurance, the Judiciary, Municipal Corporations, Public Institutions, and Rules. His two terms saw him acknowledged as "an active and watchful representative", and was a "man not blinded by partisanship."

  During his second term, Bateman married to Mary V. McCord (1872-1955), a widow with two children from a prior marriage. The couple were wed until Ursinus' death in 1935 and had at least two children, Ursinus Sidney Jr. (1912-1995) and an infant who died in 1911. Bateman and his family later relocated to California, where he continued in the practice of law. Ursinus Sidney Bateman died at a Pomona hospital on August 18, 1935, aged 79. He was survived by his wife and son and was interred at the Montecito Memorial Park in Colton, California.

From the San Bernardino Daily Sun, August 21, 1935.

Candelario Vigil (1877-1941)

    From the 1913 work "Representative New Mexicans"

   Candelario Vigil is honored today as the first political strange name profile from the state of New Mexico. A resident of Union County, Vigil was a prominent figure on the New Mexico political scene both before and after it became a state in 1912. Little could be found online in regard to his life and political career, but enough information has been located to compile a small write-up on his accomplishments.

  Born on February 2, 1877, in San Wapello, New Mexico, Candelario Vigil was the son of Augustin (1843-1909) and Eleuteria Ortega Vigil. Candelario is recorded by the 1913 work Representative New Mexicans as attending public schools in the Mora County, New Mexico area and was later enrolled in a private school in the village of Wagon Mound. 

   Candelario married in 1897 to Ms. Carolina Vigil (1878-1941, no relation) with whom he had several children, who are listed as follows: Daniel (1898-1898), Candelario (1900-1979), Lionela (1902-1995), Agustin (1907-1999), Esequiel (1905-1998), Max Elmer (1909-2000), Fulgencio (born 1912) and an adopted daughter,  Juanita (born 1918).

  From the few sources that mention him, Candelario Vigil is recorded as being "one of the most successful stockraisers" in the Union County area, owning a large amount of American Hereford cattle. The Representative New Mexicans also note that Vigil was a notary public and served a term on the Union County Board of Education from 1902-1904. 

  In 1911 Vigil's public profile received a boost when he became a delegate to the New Mexico Constitutional Convention from Union County. This convention was of major importance in New Mexico's history as it drew up a state constitution, and within two years of its creation, New Mexico became the 47th state, with its statehood proclamation being signed by then-President William Howard Taft. 

  In 1912 Candelario Vigil was elected as a Republican to the New Mexico State House of Representatives. Taking his seat in January 1914, Vigil's term concluded in 1916. Due to the lack of information on Mr. Vigil, it is unknown at this time if he took part in any important legislation during his years of service, and it is also a mystery as to the committees he may have served on.

  Little else is known of Vigil's life after his tenure in the New Mexico legislature. He is recorded as dying on March 14, 1941, at age 63 in the town of Clayton, New Mexico, and was shortly thereafter interred at the Clayton Cemetery in Union County. Carolina Vigil died a few months after her husband in September 1941 at age 64 and was interred alongside him in Clayton. 

                   This portrait of Vigil appeared in the 1915 edition of the New Mexico Blue Book.