Casimiro Barela (March 4, 1847 – December 18, 1920) was an American politician responsible for authoring the
Constitution of Colorado
The Constitution of the State of Colorado is the foundation of the laws and government of the U.S. state of Colorado. The current, and only, Colorado State Constitution was drafted on March 14, 1876; approved by Colorado voters on July 1, 1876; ...
.
He served in both the
Colorado Territory
The Territory of Colorado was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 28, 1861, until August 1, 1876, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Colorado.
The territory was organized in the ...
legislature and the legislature of the State. He was known as the "Father of the Colorado Senate" and served for 40 years.
According to scholars, Barela's legacy in Colorado would show a willingness to work for the business class but to also guard the Hispanic culture and
Spanish language speaking populace from the newer culture being introduced from the east, all while acting as a politician-patron for the people of
Trinidad, Colorado
Trinidad is the home rule municipality that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Las Animas County, Colorado, United States. The population was 8,329 as of the 2020 census. Trinidad lies north of Raton, New Mexico, and s ...
.
Early years
Born on March 4, 1847, in what would become
New Mexico
)
, population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano)
, seat = Santa Fe
, LargestCity = Albuquerque
, LargestMetro = Tiguex
, OfficialLang = None
, Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ke ...
, Casimiro Barela was born in the middle of the
U.S.-Mexican War that ended in 1848.
Barela was born in the town of
Embudo, which at the time was still a part of
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
, but following the war became a
U.S. territory
In the United States, a territory is any extent of region under the sovereign jurisdiction of the federal government of the United States, including all waters (around islands or continental tracts). The United States asserts sovereign rights for ...
.
At a young age, Barela briefly dropped out of school to help his father, Don José María Barela, working as a cattle raiser.
It was out in fields, where he frequently brought books to read aloud to his father, that Barela's father said: "My son, from today forward you will no longer assist me in my work; by all means, you will go to school".
From then forward, Casimiro valued his education and prioritized his studies in his young, formative years.
Career
Moving to Colorado
In 1867, Casimiro Barela moved from New Mexico to about 20 miles outside of
Trinidad, Colorado
Trinidad is the home rule municipality that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Las Animas County, Colorado, United States. The population was 8,329 as of the 2020 census. Trinidad lies north of Raton, New Mexico, and s ...
.
In Colorado, Barela slowly gained a great fortune by doing a variety of crafts, including: stock raising sheep and cattle, publishing newspapers,
freighting, and merchandising.
On his twentieth birthday, he married Josefita Ortiz,
a daughter of a well-known family in the
Colorado territory
The Territory of Colorado was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 28, 1861, until August 1, 1876, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Colorado.
The territory was organized in the ...
.
When he was just twenty-two years old, Casimiro Barela was elected as
Justice of the Peace in Trinidad, beginning his political career.
Politics
After being elected as justice of the peace in Trinidad, Barela was named
County Assessor
Tax assessment, or assessment, is the job of determining the value, and sometimes determining the use, of property, usually to calculate a property tax. This is usually done by an office called the assessor or tax assessor.
Governments need to ...
in 1870.
While serving in this new position, in 1871 by popular vote, Barela was also elected representative to the Territorial Legislature. While fulfilling his public offices, Barela also found success with his several businesses on the side, and enjoyed spending time with his wife and young daughters in the early 1870s.
In 1875, Casimiro Barela helped to write the
Colorado State Constitution
The Constitution of the State of Colorado is the foundation of the laws and government of the U.S. state of Colorado. The current, and only, Colorado State Constitution was drafted on March 14, 1876; approved by Colorado voters on July 1, 1876; ...
, and he guaranteed its publication in
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
,
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Can ...
, and
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
.
While fighting for the publication in multiple languages, Barela stated, "You may say that ignorance of the law does not excuse the breaking of it. I say it is the only excuse."
Casimiro Barela served as a Delegate to the
1880 Democratic National Convention in
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wi ...
, and the
1888 Democratic National Convention in
St, Louis, Missouri.
In addition to his service as County Assessor and Justice of Peace, Casimiro also served as
County Sheriff
A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland that is commonly transla ...
for
Las Animas, ran a blacksmith and supply shop, and was a postmaster.
Colorado Senate
Following his role in the publication of the Colorado State Constitution in 1875, Casimiro Barela became a
Colorado State Senator in 1876.
While in the Senate, Casimiro Barela accomplished many political and social gains such as:
* Advocating for bilingual education, as many residents living in Southern Colorado had Mexican origins.
* Supporting the women's suffrage movement in Colorado in 1893, making Colorado one of the first states to allow women to vote prior to the 19th Amendment.
* Bringing Congress's attention to the Mexicans that became U.S. citizens because of the
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ( es, Tratado de Guadalupe Hidalgo), officially the Treaty of Peace, Friendship, Limits, and Settlement between the United States of America and the United Mexican States, is the peace treaty that was signed on 2 ...
, that were losing their land claims in the New Mexico territory.
* Helping push for New Mexico's statehood.
* Making
Columbus Day
Columbus Day is a national holiday in many countries of the Americas and elsewhere, and a federal holiday in the United States, which officially celebrates the anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas on October 12, 1492.
...
an official holiday in 1907.
Casimiro Barela served for almost 40 years in the Senate, from 1876 to 1917. After gaining his seat in the first Colorado State Senate elections in 1876, he was reelected nine times. He lost his seat in the Senate in a surprising defeat by Democrat Samual de Busk in 1916.
In addition, Casimiro started his career as a
Democrat
Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to:
Politics
*A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people.
*A member of a Democratic Party:
**Democratic Party (United States) (D)
**Democratic ...
but later switched to the
Republican party.
Personal life
Barela married twice in his lifetime.
He had nine children with his first wife, Josefita Ortiz. Only three of the children survived and in 1883, Josefita died.
Barela would remarry the following year on February 16 to Señorita Damiana Rivera, who is recorded as having come from "one of the most distinguished families in the
Territories of New Mexico".
Together with his second wife, Casimiro adopted three more children.
Barela died on December 18, 1920.
Recognition
Barela, while alive and posthumously, has received many awards and has been recognized by many as "Father of Colorado State".
Some of his accolades include:
* An installation of
stained glass of Casimiro Barela in the dome of the
Colorado Capitol in 1900, making him one of sixteen people honored in this way.
* Earning the "Legacy Award" for the 2016 Colorado Latino Hall of Fame.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Barela, Casimiro
1847 births
1920 deaths
19th-century American politicians
American justices of the peace
Members of the Colorado Territorial Legislature
Colorado state senators
Colorado sheriffs
Colorado Democrats
Colorado Republicans
Hispanic and Latino American state legislators in Colorado
Neomexicanos
People from Rio Arriba County, New Mexico
People from Las Animas County, Colorado