In the bloody saga of the Lincoln County War and beyond, few figures accomplished more in life than Martín Chávez. Yet despite his central role, his name has since faded into near obscurity.
During the Lincoln County War, Martín sided with Alexander McSween’s faction after Dolan’s men looted the village of San Patricio. In July 1878, he led a force of armed partisans into Lincoln under the cover of night, seizing key positions and giving McSween’s men the advantage for several days.
Martín narrowly survived gunfire, outmaneuvered opponents, and ultimately made the difficult decision to withdraw when the U.S. Army brought in a howitzer. His leadership was decisive, even if later overshadowed by more famous names.
After the war, Martín resumed ranching and became a pillar of his community. He maintained a close friendship with Billy the Kid, often defending his character. And over the following decades, Martín rose steadily in both business and politics.
He served as a road supervisor, county commissioner, postmaster, justice of the peace, and delegate to various Democratic conventions. His wool and mercantile businesses flourished, and by the early 20th century, he was one of New Mexico’s most respected entrepreneurs.
In 1923, Governor Hinkle appointed him to the New Mexico State Tax Commission, capping a lifetime of public service. When he died in Santa Fe on December 8, 1931, newspapers across the region honored him as a “valuable citizen.”
Yet despite his extraordinary life—shepherd, war leader, businessman, politician—Martín Chávez has been largely forgotten by history. His story reminds us that some of the most influential figures of the Old West never made it to the silver screen, even when they shaped history in ways that legends like Billy the Kid could not.
I recently had the pleasure of speaking with author and historian James B. Mills. If you’re not familiar, James is the author of Billy the Kid: El Bandido Simpático. Which, in my opinion, is one of the more definitive biographies on William H. Bonney.
Mills’ new book, In the Days of Billy the Kid, examines the lives of lawman-turned-outlaw José Chávez y Chávez, intellectual prodigy Juan Patrón, the aforementioned Martín Chávez, and resilient vaquero Yginio Salazar.
I recently had the opportunity to sit down with James, and we discussed everything from José Chávez y Chávez to the Los Gorras Blancas and the White Caps uprising, the infamous Vicente Silva, and the Society of Bandits. We also talked about Billy the Kid’s escape from Lincoln, the stand-off at White Oaks, and a TON more!
If you’d like to give it a listen, it’s now available WHEREVER you consume The Wild West Extravaganza. I hope you’ll check it out, as James is returning to the show soon for a listener Q&A. If you have any questions regarding Billy the Kid or his various friends and enemies, let me know, and I’ll make sure to ask!
Also, don’t forget to pick up a copy of In the Days of Billy the Kid. I just ordered mine and can’t wait to dive into the fascinating, yet nearly forgotten, history.
I’m so excited to have found this! A fascinating subject.