Ochoa

Estevan Ochoa, born in New Mexico, became a prominent merchant in the Southwestern United States. He successfully established a business in Mesilla and expanded into Tucson, where he became a key figure in the mercantile industry. Ochoa remained loyal to the Union during the Civil War, refusing to swear allegiance to the Confederacy, and successfully navigated hostile territory to safety. After the war, he resumed his business ventures, including freighting, and was involved in local governance. He died in 1888, remembered as a generous and resourceful pioneer.