John R. Baylor

John Robert Baylor (July 27, 1822 – February 6, 1894) was a US Indian agent, publisher and editor, politician, and a senior officer of the Confederate States Army. After being dismissed as Indian agent, he became one of the founding editors of The White Man, a newspaper in North Texas, and a strong critic of Governor Sam Houston.

During the American Civil War, Baylor led Texas Confederate forces into New Mexico and declared himself the 1st Governor of the Arizona Territory. He was confirmed by Confederate President Jefferson Davis. In an altercation, Baylor attacked and killed Robert Payne Kelley, an editor of a rival newspaper who ridiculed Baylor. Davis disapproved of orders Baylor gave his regiment to exterminate the Apache in his territory and removed him from office as governor, stripping him of his Texas commission.

Later Baylor recovered, settling in San Antonio. He was elected to state government as a legislator and became a rancher. In 1881 he killed another man in an argument when he was about 59 but was acquitted at trial. He died years later at his ranch.

Early life John R. Baylor was born in Paris, Kentucky, in 1822, the son of a United States Army surgeon and his wife. He had a brother, George Wythe Baylor, who followed their father into military service, later achieving the rank of colonel. The boys grew up with their family on the various military posts where their father was posted as an assistant surgeon in the Seventh Infantry.

Governor of Arizona Territory (1861–1862) Following his victory at the First Battle of Mesilla (July 25, 1861), and the surrender of U.S. forces in the area, Baylor proclaimed himself as the governor of Arizona Territory, a region encompassing the southern half of contemporary New Mexico and Arizona. The Confederate Congress confirmed his position, and he was promoted to colonel in 1861.

Soon, a disagreement over critical articles in the Mesilla Times led to a fight between Baylor and the editor, Robert P. Kelly, whom he killed. Attorney General Marcus H. MacWillie, a member of Baylor's state cabinet, officially pardoned him for the homicide. MacWillie was rewarded when Baylor orchestrated the former AG's election to the 1st Confederate States Congress.

Baylor became known for ordering his cavalry regiment to exterminate the Apache, with whom the encroaching settlers conflicted. He issued the following order to his men:

When news of this order reached Confederate President Jefferson Davis, he relieved Baylor as governor and revoked his commission as colonel.

C.S. House of Representatives (1863–1865) Baylor later was elected to the 2nd Confederate States Congress, serving from 1863 to 1865, representing Texas. He regained his commission as colonel and was raising a new force to recapture the Arizona Territory when the American Civil War ended two weeks later.

Later life In the postwar years, Baylor settled in San Antonio, Texas. In 1873, he unsuccessfully campaigned for the Democratic party's nomination for governor of Texas, losing to Richard Coke.

In 1876, during the height of the Black Hills War, Baylor offered his services to the U.S. Army against the Lakota Sioux.

In 1878, he established a sizable ranch in Uvalde County. He prospered but continued to be involved in violent confrontations and reputedly killed a man in the early 1880s in a feud over livestock. This killing happened in Uvalde County; the victim was named Gilchrist. Baylor was never charged with the crime.

He died at his ranch on February 6, 1894, aged 71.