Colorado Legislator
When Colorado Territory was formed in 1861 out of parts of the territories of New Mexico, Utah, Nebraska, and Kansas, Head’s ranch became part of Colorado. In 1872, he was elected to the Colorado Territorial Legislature from Conejos. He was one of 39 delegates, and one of the four Spanish speakers, elected to the 1875 constitutional convention in preparation for statehood. Head drafted significant portions of the Colorado constitution related to agriculture and irrigation.
Colorado became the Centennial State on August 1, 1876. Head was chosen Colorado’s first lieutenant governor in the October 3, 1876 general election. He received 14,191 votes to 13,003 for his opponent, Michael Beshor. As Lieutenant Governor, Head was the presiding officer of the Colorado Senate, which included 26 elected senators.
Head was elected one of six Colorado delegates to the 1880 Republican National Convention which met in Chicago and nominated James A. Garfield and Chester A. Arthur as candidates for President and Vice President.
Read more about this topic: Lafayette Head
Famous quotes containing the words colorado and/or legislator:
“I am persuaded that the people of the world have no grievances, one against the other. The hopes and desires of a man who tills the soil are about the same whether he lives on the banks of the Colorado or on the banks of the Danube.”
—Lyndon Baines Johnson (1908–1973)
“The legislator should direct his attention above all to the education of youth; for the neglect of education does harm to the constitution. The citizen should be molded to suit the form of government under which he lives. For each government has a peculiar character which originally formed and which continues to preserve it. The character of democracy creates democracy, and the character of oligarchy creates oligarchy.”
—Aristotle (384–323 B.C.)