Aniceto C. Abeytia is one of Socorro County's leading citizens whose interests are varied and extensive. He was born April 20, 1856, in Santa Fe, a son of Aniceto and Clara (Nieto) Abeytia. The father's birth occurred in Santa Fe on the 17th of April, 1830, while the mother was born in Chihuahua, Mexico. The paternal grandfather, Captain Don Diego Abeytia, was a merchant and stockman and received his title in the Mexican army. He became a resident of Santa Fe, of which he was alcalde and later in the history of that city, mayor. Captain Don Diego Abeytia married Josefa Armijo, a niece of General Armijo.
Aniceto C. Abeytia was educated at St. Michael's College of Santa Fe and then embarked upon a business career, entering the jewelry store of Mr. Andrews, where he learned the manufacturing of Mexican filigree jewelry. After four years he formed a partnership with his brother under the firm name of F. Abeytia & Brother, manufacturers of filigree jewelry, employing a number of men and doing a large wholesale business. The partnership was dissolved in 1885 and A. C. Abeytia then located in Las Vegas, where for about one year he was associated with a Mr. Mares in the same line of business. On the expiration of that period he purchased his partner's interest and continued the business as an individual and in 1895, with others, incorporated the enterprise as the Mexican Filigree Jewelry Company. In 1896 he sold out his business in Las Vegas and removed to Socorro, where he has since resided.
In 1880, in Santa Fe, Mr. Abeytia was united in marriage to Miss Fidelia Ortiz, by whom he had three children, Justiniano, Elvira and Luis, all of whom are deceased. Justiniano, who died at the age of nineteen years, had already gained a thorough education, having attended the Christian Brothers College at Las Vegas, New Mexico, the Jesuit Fathers College at Denver, Colorado, the School of Mines at Socorro, New Mexico, and having graduated as a lawyer at the Nashville Law College of Nashville, Tennessee. Mrs. Fidelia Abeytia passed away July 4, 1894, and in 1896, in Socorro, Mr. Abeytia married Tomacita Garcia, the only daughter of Don Juan Maria Garcia and Maria Isabel Torres de Garcia, both deceased. Mrs. Abeytia is a thoroughly accomplished, affable, and courteous lady. Her husband has membership relations with the Catholic Knights of America.
Mr. Abeytia is a staunch Republican and one of the prominent representatives of the party in Socorro County and in the state of New Mexico at large. He has been chosen to fill many offices of trust and responsibility. In 1887 and 1888 he was county superintendent of schools in San Miguel County, in 1889 and 1890 served as chief deputy sheriff and collector of San Miguel County, in 1891 and 1892 was school director in that county, during the years 1893 and 1894 acted as chairman of county commissioners and in 1896 and 1897 served as assessor in San Miguel County. From 1897 until 1903 he was a member of the city council of Socorro, while through the years 1904 and 1905 he held the office of mayor of the city of Socorro. He likewise served as school director and member of the board of education, in 1907 and 1908 acted as sheriff of Socorro County and in 1910 was sent as a delegate to the state constitutional convention. From 1908 until 1912 he served as regent of the New Mexico School of Mines and he also represented Socorro County in the senate of the first legislative assembly.
Mr. Abeytia was one of the organizers of the Socorro Electric Light Company and served as its first president, and he was also the first president of the Socorro County Fair Association. He is an extensive owner of city real estate in Socorro, where he was the pioneer in utilizing cement for sidewalk construction. He likewise owns some line ranch property, including about four hundred acres of alfalfa. His is the notable record of a self-made man, for he began his business career with the capital accumulated through his own savings and has become wealthy. He is a well-informed man on current events and issues and has traveled extensively with his wife in the United States and Mexico. His acquaintance is wide and he enjoys an enviable reputation as a public-spirited, progressive and valued citizen.
Aniceto Abeytia; Socorro County New Mexico; Santa Fe