Biographical Note

Mechem was born at Ottawa, Kansas, October 10, 1870, the son of Homer and Martha Mechem. He attended Ottawa University, studied law at Kansas University, and was admitted to the bar at Fort Smith, Arkansas in 1895. Mechem migrated to New Mexico in 1903 and settled at Tucumcari. A Republican, Mechem's political offices included district attorney (1905-1907), member of the Territorial Council/Senate (1909-1911), and judge on the Territorial Supreme Court (1920-1921). He served as Governor of New Mexico from 1921 to 1923. Mechem's wife was Eleanor Francis O'Hier. He died on May 24, 1946.