Jose Chavez y Chavez

by J. Younger

Events & Genealogy
Born: Jose Chavez y Chavez
Birthdate: 1851
Birthplace: Cebolleta, New Mexico (possible)
Marriage: Maria Lucero January 10, 1871 (possible)
Children:
Death: July 17, 1923 near Milagro, NM
Burial: Private Cemetery at Milagro, NM

Mob Constable

Born around 1851, likely in Cebolleta, New Mexico, Jose Chavez y Chavez emerged as a significant figure in the turbulent history of Lincoln County. At approximately 18 years old, Chavez settled in San Patricio, New Mexico, where he established roots and possibly married Maria Lucero in Lincoln on January 10, 1871.
Chavez quickly became a respected member of his community, winning election as San Patricio’s constable in September 1874 and later serving as justice of the peace in 1875. His re election as constable on February 14, 1877, underscored his standing as a trusted local leader.
The Lincoln County War, a violent conflict sparked by a business rivalry between merchants, thrust Chavez into a pivotal role. The 1878 murder of John Tunstall by members of the Dolan faction escalated tensions, culminating in the assassination of Sheriff William Brady on April 1, 1878. As constable and justice of the peace, Chavez joined the McSween Regulators, a group led by Alexander McSween to seek justice for Tunstall’s death. Chavez fought alongside Billy the Kid in several skirmishes, including the intense Five Day Battle in July 1878. During this conflict, Chavez was among those barricaded in McSween’s home, which was set ablaze by opposing forces. As the house burned, McSween and several others perished, but Chavez, Billy the Kid, and a few survivors escaped to the safety of the nearby riverbanks.
Following the war, Chavez testified against Colonel Nathan Dudley in an effort to secure justice for the Regulators, though the involvement of the U.S. Army and Sheriff George Peppin, who sided with the Dolan faction, complicated these efforts. Despite these challenges, Chavez’s commitment to justice remained steadfast.
Chavez also played a role in forging connections between Billy the Kid and the Maxwell family of Fort Sumner. In a notable incident, Chavez confronted a drunken man, the fiancé of a Maxwell daughter, outside the Maxwell home. When Mrs. Maxwell intervened to defuse the situation, Chavez stood firm until Billy the Kid’s diplomatic intervention resolved the conflict. This episode cemented Billy’s ties to Fort Sumner, where he became a frequent guest at the Maxwell residence.
In the aftermath of the Lincoln County War, Chavez joined a posse organized by Governor Lew Wallace, known as the Lincoln County Rifles, under the command of Juan Patron and Captain Purington of Fort Stanton. This militia pursued wanted men, reflecting Chavez’s continued involvement in efforts to restore order.
Jose Chavez y Chavez’s life exemplifies the complexities of loyalty, justice, and survival in the volatile American frontier. His contributions as a lawman, Regulator, and community figure left an indelible mark on the history of Lincoln County.

In May 1880, the Lincoln County jail became the scene of a notorious crime when a prisoner, “One Eyed” Joe Murphy, was assassinated. Whispers in the community pointed to Jose Chavez y Chavez as the perpetrator, though evidence remained elusive, adding to his enigmatic reputation.
By July 1881, as Pat Garrett fatally shot Billy the Kid in Fort Sumner, Chavez was navigating a precarious existence in Las Vegas, New Mexico. Known for his skill with a firearm, stories say he engaged in a shooting contest with Bob Ford, emerging victorious. Legend holds that when Ford was challenged to a duel, Chavez’s formidable presence prompted Ford to flee the area. This victory solidified Chavez’s reputation, and he soon joined the ranks of Las Vegas’s Old Town police force. As one of three policemen, Chavez enforced the laws selectively, balancing his role as a lawman with a penchant for bending the rules.
Chavez’s life took a darker turn when he aligned himself with the notorious Vicente Silva gang, known as La Sociedad de Bandidos or Las Gorras Blancas (White Caps). This group operated like a frontier mafia, using mob tactics such as fence cutting, arson, and physical assaults to intimidate settlers and reclaim lands once used as common pasture. Chavez, with his dual experience as both lawman and renegade, found a natural fit within this shadowy organization, which held significant influence over Las Vegas.
However, as with many criminal enterprises, internal tensions proved fatal. On May 19, 1893, Chavez, alongside two accomplices, turned against their leader, Vicente Silva, killing the crime boss in a dramatic betrayal. This act marked a pivotal moment in Chavez’s descent from community leader to outlaw, cementing his legacy as a complex figure in the American Southwest. It went down something like this…

On October 22, 1892, Old Town Las Vegas, police officers, Chavez y Chavez and 2 others, lynched Patricio Maes. This was committed on the orders of Vincente Silva. A few months later, Silva began to suspect that his brother in law Gabriel Sandoval, knew about Maes ordered killing and that he might “Rat him Out”. Silva then set up Gabriel with the help of Chavez and murdered him. Silva then became paranoid over his wife’s constant questions about her brother’s disappearance and decided she had to be killed also. He ordered his best men to dig a grave for his wife’s body. So while Chavez and the other two men dug the grave, they decided that Silva was out of control. When Silva showed up with his wife’s body, the three men murdered him and buried the two together in one grave.

Almost 2 years later, a man was arrested for a murder and implicated Chavez in the murder of Sandoval. Chavez, with a $500 price on his head, fled. He was arrested May 26, 1894, at Socorro. He was tried, found guilty and sentenced to death, but was given a new trial by the territorial supreme court. Chavez was found guilty again, and was sentenced to be hanged October 29, 1897. He was granted a stay of execution, and on November 20, Governor Otero, over protests and objections from the citizens of Las Vegas, commuted the death sentence to life in prison.

On November 23, 1897, Chavez entered the Territorial Penitentiary as inmate #1089, he remained there until January 11, 1909. At the age of 57, Governor George Curry pardoned him. The pardon was the result of Chavez saving a guards life during a prison riot.

After being released from prison, Chavez returned to Las Vegas and spent his remaining years among his friends.
Chavez died at home in bed holding the hand of Liberato Baca, who was possibly the only man to face Chavez in a gunfight and live to tell about it. Chavez was 72, and died peacefully on July 17th 1923. He is buried in a small private cemetery in Milagro, New Mexico.

Jose Chavez was later implicated by Gov. George Curry, in his autobiography, as the killer in the 1896 murder of Col. Albert J. Fountain and his son, was done by Chavez. A year before he was sentenced and imprisoned. Reports indicate that it had been a belief for years, but was eventually debunked.