Estevan Ochoa
Encyclopedia
Estevan Ochoa was a Mexican
-born American businessman and politician who participated in the creation of the Arizona Territory
.
. Ochoa accompanied his family's wagon trains from Chihuahua to points as distant as Independence, Missouri
. His experiences on the trail taught him the skills of a merchant while time spent in Kansas
provided him with fluency in the English language.
Following the Mexican-American war, Ochoa decided to settle in the United States. His first store was located in Mesilla, New Mexico Territory
. From there he expanded to a second store in Las Cruces
Shortly thereafter he partnered with Pinckney R. Tully, who had moved to Mesilla in 1854, to form the freighting and mercantile firm of Tully & Ochoa. In 1856, Ochoa was a delegate to a convention seeking creation of Arizona from a section of New Mexico Territory.
One of Tully & Ochoa's early business ventures sent a large supply train to Tucson, New Mexico Territory
. After all the supply train's goods sold out in just a few hours the firm decided to open stores in both Tucson and Tubac
. Ochoa soon followed, moving to Tucson in 1860.
By the time the American Civil War
broke out, Ochoa was loyal to both his adopted homeland and the Union
cause. When a Confederate
column reached Tucson, the commanding leader sent for Ochoa and demanded he swear a loyalty oath
to the Confederacy. The merchant immediately refused, informing the officer that he "owed all he had in the world to the Government of the United States, and it would be impossible for him to take an oath of fidelity to any hostile power or party." He told the officer he was willing to leave town instead of signing the oath. The officer then allowed Ochoa to select a horse and quickly pack a pair of saddlebags before providing him a rifle with 20 rounds of ammunition and having him escorted out of town. The merchant then surprisingly survived a journey of 250 miles (402.3 km) through Apache
territory to Union forces stationed on the Rio Grande
.
Ochoa returned to Tucson after the Union regained control of the town. His return to prosperity soon followed. In addition to their mercantile operations, Tully & Ochoa landed a number of lucrative government contracts supplying Indian reservations and military outposts. The freight hauling operations in turn, with their associated system of relay stations, gained wide-spread recognition as it brought goods to Arizona and New Mexico from as far away as Kansas City, Missouri
. The firm's armed convoys, which frequently had to fight off Apache attacks, became a primary link during the 1860s and 1870s between Tucson and the outside world. The firm even operated a stagecoach line connecting Tucson to Yuma
and Santa Fe, new Mexico Territory
. Ochoa's other business interests included mining operations and an 1870s experiment with manufacturing woolen goods in Tucson.
As one of Tucson's leading citizens, Ochoa and his wife, Altagracia, maintained a magnificent home that boasted a peacock among its amenities. Together with his friend, Governor Anson P.K. Safford
, the merchant was a champion of public education. Ochoa represented Pima County
in the council of both the 5th
and 6th Arizona Territorial Legislature
. During the second of these sessions he introduced legislation that created Arizona's first public school system. Ochoa then donated the land for Tucson's first public school building and even paid to complete construction when tax revenues proved insufficient for the task.
In 1875, Ochoa was elected Mayor of Tucson by a margin of 187–40. He also served as President of Tucson's school board. His final service in public office came with his election to the 9th Arizona Territorial Legislature
as a member of the House of Representatives. With the arrival of the railroads in 1880, Ochoa's business fell on hard times. The shipping firms large investment in wagons and livestock became virtually worthless. With the resulting loss of over US$200,000 ($ current value), the firm of Tully & Ochoa collapsed.
Ochoa died in Las Cruces on October 27, 1888. Initially buried there, his remains were moved to Tucson in 1940.
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
-born American businessman and politician who participated in the creation of the Arizona Territory
Arizona Territory
The Territory of Arizona was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 24, 1863 until February 14, 1912, when it was admitted to the Union as the 48th state....
.
Biography
Ochoa was born to an affluent family in Chihuahua, Mexico on March 17, 1831. While he was growing up, his family operated a freight hauling business along the Santa Fe TrailSanta Fe Trail
The Santa Fe Trail was a 19th-century transportation route through central North America that connected Missouri with Santa Fe, New Mexico. Pioneered in 1822 by William Becknell, it served as a vital commercial and military highway until the introduction of the railroad to Santa Fe in 1880...
. Ochoa accompanied his family's wagon trains from Chihuahua to points as distant as Independence, Missouri
Independence, Missouri
Independence is the fourth largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri, and is contained within the counties of Jackson and Clay. It is part of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area...
. His experiences on the trail taught him the skills of a merchant while time spent in Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
provided him with fluency in the English language.
Following the Mexican-American war, Ochoa decided to settle in the United States. His first store was located in Mesilla, New Mexico Territory
Mesilla, New Mexico
Mesilla is a town in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 2,180 at the 2000 census...
. From there he expanded to a second store in Las Cruces
Las Cruces, New Mexico
Las Cruces, also known as "The City of the Crosses", is the county seat of Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 97,618 in 2010 according to the 2010 Census, making it the second largest city in the state....
Shortly thereafter he partnered with Pinckney R. Tully, who had moved to Mesilla in 1854, to form the freighting and mercantile firm of Tully & Ochoa. In 1856, Ochoa was a delegate to a convention seeking creation of Arizona from a section of New Mexico Territory.
One of Tully & Ochoa's early business ventures sent a large supply train to Tucson, New Mexico Territory
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
. After all the supply train's goods sold out in just a few hours the firm decided to open stores in both Tucson and Tubac
Tubac, Arizona
Tubac is a census-designated place in Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States. The population was 949 at the 2000 census. The place name Tubac is an English borrowing from a Hispanicized form of the O'odham name, which translates into English as "rotten". The original O'odham name is written...
. Ochoa soon followed, moving to Tucson in 1860.
By the time the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
broke out, Ochoa was loyal to both his adopted homeland and the Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
cause. When a Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
column reached Tucson, the commanding leader sent for Ochoa and demanded he swear a loyalty oath
Loyalty oath
A loyalty oath is an oath of loyalty to an organization, institution, or state of which an individual is a member.In this context, a loyalty oath is distinct from pledge or oath of allegiance...
to the Confederacy. The merchant immediately refused, informing the officer that he "owed all he had in the world to the Government of the United States, and it would be impossible for him to take an oath of fidelity to any hostile power or party." He told the officer he was willing to leave town instead of signing the oath. The officer then allowed Ochoa to select a horse and quickly pack a pair of saddlebags before providing him a rifle with 20 rounds of ammunition and having him escorted out of town. The merchant then surprisingly survived a journey of 250 miles (402.3 km) through Apache
Apache
Apache is the collective term for several culturally related groups of Native Americans in the United States originally from the Southwest United States. These indigenous peoples of North America speak a Southern Athabaskan language, which is related linguistically to the languages of Athabaskan...
territory to Union forces stationed on the Rio Grande
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande is a river that flows from southwestern Colorado in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it forms part of the Mexico – United States border. Its length varies as its course changes...
.
Ochoa returned to Tucson after the Union regained control of the town. His return to prosperity soon followed. In addition to their mercantile operations, Tully & Ochoa landed a number of lucrative government contracts supplying Indian reservations and military outposts. The freight hauling operations in turn, with their associated system of relay stations, gained wide-spread recognition as it brought goods to Arizona and New Mexico from as far away as Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
. The firm's armed convoys, which frequently had to fight off Apache attacks, became a primary link during the 1860s and 1870s between Tucson and the outside world. The firm even operated a stagecoach line connecting Tucson to Yuma
Yuma, Arizona
Yuma is a city in and the county seat of Yuma County, Arizona, United States. It is located in the southwestern corner of the state, and the population of the city was 77,515 at the 2000 census, with a 2008 Census Bureau estimated population of 90,041....
and Santa Fe, new Mexico Territory
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and is the seat of . Santa Fe had a population of 67,947 in the 2010 census...
. Ochoa's other business interests included mining operations and an 1870s experiment with manufacturing woolen goods in Tucson.
As one of Tucson's leading citizens, Ochoa and his wife, Altagracia, maintained a magnificent home that boasted a peacock among its amenities. Together with his friend, Governor Anson P.K. Safford
Anson P.K. Safford
Anson Pacely Killen SaffordVarious sources give multiple variations for the spelling of Safford's two middle names. Among these are Peasley, Peacely, Keeler, and Killen. was the third Governor of Arizona Territory...
, the merchant was a champion of public education. Ochoa represented Pima County
Pima County, Arizona
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*74.3% White*3.5% Black*3.3% Native American*2.6% Asian*0.2% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.7% Two or more races*12.4% Other races*34.6% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
in the council of both the 5th
5th Arizona Territorial Legislature
The 5th Arizona Territorial Legislative Assembly was a session of the Arizona Territorial Legislature which met from November 10, 1868, to December 16, 1868, in Tucson, Arizona Territory. It was the last of the annual legislative sessions.-Background:...
and 6th Arizona Territorial Legislature
6th Arizona Territorial Legislature
The 6th Arizona Territorial Legislative Assembly was a session of the Arizona Territorial Legislature which met in Tucson beginning on January 11, 1871, and running till February 14, 1871.-Background:...
. During the second of these sessions he introduced legislation that created Arizona's first public school system. Ochoa then donated the land for Tucson's first public school building and even paid to complete construction when tax revenues proved insufficient for the task.
In 1875, Ochoa was elected Mayor of Tucson by a margin of 187–40. He also served as President of Tucson's school board. His final service in public office came with his election to the 9th Arizona Territorial Legislature
9th Arizona Territorial Legislature
The 9th Arizona Territorial Legislative Assembly was a session of the Arizona Territorial Legislature which convened on January 1, 1877, in Tucson, Arizona Territory. It passed 79 statutes and adopted the Hoyt Code as the basis of the Territory's legal system....
as a member of the House of Representatives. With the arrival of the railroads in 1880, Ochoa's business fell on hard times. The shipping firms large investment in wagons and livestock became virtually worthless. With the resulting loss of over US$200,000 ($ current value), the firm of Tully & Ochoa collapsed.
Ochoa died in Las Cruces on October 27, 1888. Initially buried there, his remains were moved to Tucson in 1940.