Here I will star with some draft for my articles.
- 1) Gaspar de Santa Coloma
The first one will be a small biography of Gaspar de Santa Coloma, who went to Argentina in 1768 from the Basque country. He became one of the most important merchants in the "Río de la Plata".
It was written first in Spanish. I will translate it to English in the following days or weeks. It might need some editing regarding style and grammar (since my native language is Spanish).
--Mazorquero (talk) 03:30, 27 February 2008 (UTC)
This is the article to be translated and improved.
Gaspar de Santa Coloma y Sollano fue uno de los mercaderes más importantes del Virreniato del Río de la Plata, recogido por Susan Scolow entre los principales mercaderes de Buenos Aires entre 1778 y 1810. Sin embargo, quizá la obra más importante de Gaspar de Santa Coloma no fue su actividad comercial sino el haber escrito con detalle sus memorias y copiadores de cartas.
Llegó al Río de la Plata en 1768, siendo originario de la Casería de la Campa -hoy Campijo- Arceniega, Álava. Se casó con Flora de Azcuénaga y Basavilbaso, hija de Vicente de Azcuénaga y nieta de Domingo de Basavilbaso, todos de origen vasco.
Una descripción muy interesante de la obra, vida y pensar de Gaspar de Santa Coloma se encuentra en “Buenos Aires Colonial”, de Enrique de Gandía, de Gandía, E. (1957) "Buenos Aires Colonial". Buenos Aires: Editorial Claridad S.A. libro basado en las memorias de Gaspar de Santa Coloma (14 volúmenes), proporcionadas a Gandía por María Antonia Goycoechea Santa Coloma, nieta de Francisco de Santa Coloma y Azcuénaga y casada con Federico Santa Coloma Brandsen. En dichas memorias hay relatos muy detallados sobre la vida en el virreinato, sobre las invasiones inglesas, sobre Martín de Álzaga, y sobre la revolución de Mayo, que han sido muy bien relatados y explicados en el libro “Buenos Aires Colonial”, de Enrique de Gandía . María Antonia cedió luego las memorias de Gaspar a Enrique Williams Álzaga, quién posteriormente las donó al Museo Histórico Nacional.
Además de albergar y educar a varios sobrinos, Gaspar de Santa Coloma hizo lo mismo Martín de Álzaga, héroe de la lucha contra las invasiones inglesas. Álzaga fue enviado a trabajar y educarse con Gaspar desde muy joven. Tenía sólo 12 años y cuando llegó del país vasco solo sabía unas pocas palabras de castellano y un cerrado vascuence. No existe ninguna referencia sobre los motivos por los que fue enviado tan joven a lo de Gaspar. Solamente se sabe que el tío de Álzaga era el Capitán del barco que lo trajo, quién probablemente hizo los arreglos con Gaspar, y que la situación económica de los Álzaga en el país vasco no era buena; no hay muchos más datos. Quizá enviarlo a lo de Gaspar como aprendiz de mercader fuera una solución para el futuro del joven Martín, como efectivamente lo fue. En realidad, la vida de estos dos vizcaínos está llena de incógnitas, desde las intrigas palaciegas que forzaron la venida de Gaspar de Santa Coloma al virreinato, que nadie se animó a detallarlas y se han perdido con el paso del tiempo, hasta la idea de Álzaga de instaurar una monarquía.
Gaspar de Santa Coloma escribió en sus memorias refiriéndose a las invasiones inglesas y a la participación de Álzaga : ¡Ah Cabildo de Buenos Aires! ¡Ah, don Martín de Álzaga, alcalde de primer voto, cómo se trabajó aquella noche, cómo se dispuso todo para que no entrasen nuestros enemigos! Álzaga permaneció en lo de Gaspar desde los 12 años hasta los 22, cuando se independizó y formó su propio comercio –Álzaga y Requena-, que según el mismo Gaspar, lo hizo de una manera mucho más eficiente que él. Martín de Álzaga tuvo así una muy importante participación en el comercio del virreinato, llegando a ser uno de los hombres más ricos de esa época. Fue fusilado por el Triunvirato de 1812, formado por Bernardino Rivadavia, Juan Martín de Pueyrredón y Feliciano Chiclana. Gaspar de Santa Coloma, por otro lado, pudo salvar su vida a costa de su fortuna, destruida debido a las continuas confiscaciones de los revolucionarios. Nunca sabremos con certeza los detalles de lo que ocurrió, ya que poco dejaron escrito por temor a represalias. Martín de Álzaga logró salvarse en una primera oportunidad en 1809, porque tuvo un juicio justo, donde incluso declaró Gaspar de Santa Coloma. Sin embargo, dos años más tarde, en 1812, Martín fue detenido bajo acusaciones y testigos falsos, no se le permitió un abogado y fue fusilado ese mismo día. Solamente se atrevieron a acompañar sus restos Gaspar de Santa Coloma y su amigo José Martínez de Hoz.
Gaspar no sólo recibió en su casa y educó como a un hijo a Álzaga, sino también al padre de Esteban Echeverría, y a varios sobrinos, entre ellos Juan Antonio de Santa Coloma. También se hizo cargo de todos los miembros de la familia Azcuénaga, incluyendo a Miguel de Azcuénaga, que habían quedado huérfanos desde muy jóvenes. Otro tanto hizo con su familia en España y hasta ayudó a sus vecinos de Arceniega. Y a su sobrino Vítores Gutiérrez Santa Coloma, le donó 60.000 reales en su testamento (unos 100 sueldos de maestro de aquella época). Vítores vivía en Arceniega, en la Casería de la Campa (hoy Campijo), donde Gaspar había nacido. Gaspar le había encargado la construcción de una escuela, la reparación de una Iglesia y el mantenimiento de un maestro, Juan Antonio de Palacio, tal como figura en sus memorias y actualmente en algunos documentos de los Archivos del Ayuntamiento de Arceniega. Vítores cumplió tan bien con el encargo de Gaspar, que el maestro Palacio siguió cobrando su sueldo hasta después de 1880, es decir ¡más de 65 años después de la muerte de Gaspar! Su sueldo había aumentado de 700 reales a 1500 reales durante ese lapso. Hacia 1880, aparentemente el maestro perdió la memoria y ya nadie supo en Arceniega o en el gobierno de Álava de donde venía el legado. Tampoco se sabe que ocurrió finalmente con los bienes de Gaspar en Arceniega. De Vítores Gutiérrez Santa Coloma desciende otra rama importante de los Santa Coloma de Argentina, que se inició con su hijo Juan Domingo Julián Gutiérrez Santa Coloma, sobrino nieto de Gaspar de Santa Coloma (véase más adelante la sección #Juan Domingo Julián Gutiérrez Santa Coloma|Juan Domingo Julián Gutiérrez Santa Coloma).
Luego de la revolución de Mayo de 1810 Gaspar de Santa Coloma perdió casi todos sus bienes; su fortuna fue confiscada en varias oportunidades y también muchas de sus propiedades. Después de haber sido uno de los hombres más ricos del Virreinato, murió el 31 de enero de 1815 dejando un modesto legado. Su hijo Francisco de Santa Coloma y Azcuénaga se radicó en San Isidro, en la casa que le compraron a Mariquita Sánchez de Thompson. Los dueños actuales de esta casa, los Beccar Varela, la han donado al municipio de San Isidro para que sea destinada a un museo.
Already translated. It has to be joined with the draft above indicated:
Gaspar de Santa Coloma y Sollano edit
Gaspar de Santa Coloma y Sollano arrived to "Río de la Plata" in 1768. He was originally from "Casería de la Campa" -today "Campijo"-, Arceniega, Álava, Basque Country, Spain. He married Flora de Azcuénaga y Basavilbaso, daughter of Vicente de Azcuénaga and granddaughter of Domingo de Basavilbaso, all from Basque origin.
Gaspar de Santa Coloma was one of the most important merchant of Buenos Aires. However, his most important work, probably unique in the Americas, its made by the register of his letters and memories. A very interesting description of the work, life and views of Gaspar de Santa Coloma can be found in “Buenos Aires Colonial”, by the Argentinean historian Enrique de Gandía [1], book based entirely in Gaspar´s memories. These memories were made available to Gandía by María Antonia Goycoechea Santa Coloma, granddaughter of Francisco de Santa Coloma y Azcuénaga, married to Federico Santa Coloma Brandsen (see section Tomás de Santa Coloma y Loyzaga). María Antonia belong the branch founded in Argentina by Gaspar de Santa Coloma y Sollano, and Federico Santa Coloma to the branch founded by Tomás de Santa Coloma y Loizaga. In Gaspar’s memories, important details regarding the life in the colonial Buenos Aires can be found. Also regarding the invasion of Buenos Aires by England, Invasiones inglesas, the important role of Martín de Álzaga in that events, and some references of the Mayo Revolution (ES), histories very well related in “Buenos Aires Colonial” de Enrique de Gandía [1]. María Antonia gave later these memories (14 books) to Enrique Williams Álzaga (historian), who later donated them to the Nacional Musseum of History (ES) in Argentina.
Gaspar de Santa Coloma was married to Flora de Azcuénaga y Basavilbaso. Although there are not descendants with the last name Azcuénaga (known), we can found some of their legacy today in the Presidential Residence Quinta Presidencial de Olivos (ES), which survived since its was donated specifically to that use; in the two columns of the “Quinta “San Antonio”, in the train station of [[wikipedia:es:Vicente López (partido) |Vicente López (ES)]], Provine of Buenos Aires, that survived the pass of time since these two columns were located between the raiwail and the street, in a place that do not bother to much to the “civilization”. The history of the “Quinta Presidencial” has been published under the sponsorship of the Vicente López County. [2] Vicente de Azcuénaga and Manuel de Basavilbaso had two farms aside in what today is Vicente López, as can be seen in the map made by José Custodio de Saa y Faria (see [2]). In June 1794 Miguel de Basavilbaso passed away, leaving only debths and a single douther, Justa Rufina de Basavilbaso y Garfias, that was then protected by Gaspar de Santa Coloma. Soon, by influence of Gaspar, Justa Rufina married her cousin Miguel de Azcuénaga, brother of Flora de Azcuénaga and brother in law of Gaspar de Santa Coloma. The farm of Manuel de Basavilbaso was inherited by Justa Rufina and gave origin to the Quinta Presidencial. The farm of Vicente de Azcuénaga was inherited by Flora de Azcuénaga and gave origin to the Quinta San Antonio of Vicente López, between the streets Roca and San Martín, today gone, and only survived the two columns that belong to the entrance, and that are located towards the end of the train station of Vicente López, in the way towards San Isidro. Aparently the land belonged originally to the Viceroy Vértiz(see Anecdotes The two columns of the station of Vicente López, a window to the past of the “San Antonio” farm).
From the Azcuénaga nothing was inheritaged by the Santa Coloma's, except an old umbrella, enough broken, perhaps forgotten in San Antonio in a rainy day, that can certify that in those times of May Revolution the umbrellas actually exist, something that time to time was questioned; it even has a very sophisticated mechanism with springs. In its ivory grip can be read M. Azcuénaga de O.F, since it belonged to Manuela Azcuénaga, daughter of Miguel de Azcuénaga, married with her brother cousin, Jose Antonio de Olaguer Feliú y Azcuénaga, son of Ana de Azcuénaga and the Vicerroy Olaguer Feliú. [3] Manuela was the only one of four brothers with descendants.
The son of Miguel de Azcuénaga, Miguel José, constructed the present building of what is today the Presinetial residence in Olivos (town that follows Vicente Lopez, in Buenos Aires). This building was the first work of Prilidiano Pueyrredón (ES). Miguel died old and without children, in Chile, and made a will in favor of his nephews the Olaguer Feliú Azcuénaga. Then, Antonio Justo Olaguer Feliú inherited the Quinta. He did not have descendants, reason why in 1903 inherited the Quinta its nephew, Carlos Villatte Olaguer. Finally, Carlos Villatte Olaguer (ES) donated it to the National State, with the condition to be always a residence for the President of Argentina. Gaspar de Santa Coloma, besides lodge and educate several nephews, he did the same with a great protagonist of our history, Martín de Álzaga, hero of the fight against the English invasions. Álzaga was sent to work and to be educated with Gaspar from very young. It was only 12 years old when he arrived from the Basque country, knowing only a few words of Castilian (he spoke only Basque language). There are not references on the reasons by which he was sent so young to Gaspar. But it was common at that time to send a boy to lern some office. The merchants usually chouse some that in the future could be a prospective sun in law, and teached everyting. Regarding Martin, it is only known that his uncle was the Captain of the ship that brought him, who probably made the adjustments with Gaspar, and it is also known that the economic situation of the Álzaga in the Basque country was not good; there are no many more data. Perhaps to send Martin to Gaspar as merchant apprentice was a solution for the future of the young Martin, as indeed it was. In fact, the life of these two Basques is full of mysteries, from the intrigue in the Royal Palace of Spain that forced the emigration of Gaspar de Santa Coloma to the virreinato, for which nobody was fearless enough to give details and therefore are lost forever, until the idea of Álzaga to restore a monarchy. Gaspar of Santa Coloma wrote in its memories, regarding the English invasions and the participation of Álzaga against them [1]:
¡Ah Cabildo of Buenos Aires! Ah, don Martín de Álzaga, Mayor of First Vote, how much that night it was worked, how everything was arranged so that our enemies did not enter¡
Álzaga remained with Gaspar from the age of 12 to 22, when he became independent and with Gaspar’s help established his own commerce -Álzaga and Requena. According to Gaspar himself, Martín was much more efficient as a merchant. Martín de Álzaga had indeed a very important participation in the commerce of the Virreinato, arriving to be one of the richest men of that time. Martín, as spaniar and rich, was not well seen by the Mayo revolutionaries. He was order to die without a trial, and withouth a lawyer by [[wikipedia:es:Triunvirato de 1812|Triunvirato de 1812], formed by Bernardino Rivadavia, Juan Martin de Pueyrredón and Feliciano Chiclana. Gaspar of Santa Coloma, on the other hand, could save his life at the cost of its fortune, destroyed due to the continuous withdraw from the revolutionaries. We will never know with certainty the details of which it happened, since little they left writing from fear of retaliation. Martin de Álzaga managed to be save his life in one first opportunity at 1809, because it had a right trial, where Gaspar of Santa Coloma declared in his favor. Nevertheless, two years later, in 1812, Martin was detained under accusations and false witnesses, without allowing him a lawyer, and was shot that same day. Without a doubt, someone powerful as Álzaga was a threat for the Triunvirato. For that reason they did not leave any margin for defense or appeal and was shot immediately. Gaspar de Santa Coloma and his friend Jose Martinez de Hoz only dared to accompany his rest. Gaspar not only received in its house and educated as a son to Álzaga, but also to the father of Esteban Echeverria (ES), and to several nephews, among them Juan Antonio of Santa Coloma. Gaspar was also in charge of all the members of the Azcuénaga family, including Miguel de Azcuénaga, that had been orphaned from very young. The same did with his family in Spain and even helped his neighbors of Arceniega. He donated in its testament 60,000 reals to its nephew Vítores Gutiérrez Santa Coloma (about 100 pays of teacher of that time). Vítores lived in Arceniega, in Casería de la Campa (today Campijo), where Gaspar was born. Gaspar had ordered to Vítores the construction of a school, the repair of a Church and the maintenance of a teacher, Juan Antonio de Palacio (see section Anecdotes). Vítores fulfilled the order of Gaspar so well, that the teacher Palacio continued receiving its pay after 1880, that is to say, more than 65 years after the death of Gaspar! Its pay had increased of 700 reals to 1500 reals during that lapse. Towards 1880, apparently the teacher lost the memory and nobody knew in Arceniega or in the government of Álava, from where the legacy came. It is not know either what happened finally with the goods of Gaspar in Arceniega. Another important branch of the Santa Coloma’s in Argentina was originated in Vítores Gutiérrez Santa Coloma, that began with its son Juan Domingo Julian Gutiérrez Santa Coloma, nephew grandson of Gaspar of Santa Coloma (see section Juan Domingo Julian Gutiérrez Santa Coloma). After the May Revolution of 1810 (the origin of the Independence of Argentina from Spain) Gaspar lost his power and properties; his fortune was taken by the goberment in many opportunities. After being one of the most influent, powerful and reach personajes of that time, he die on January 31th 1815, living a few properties to his wife Flora and his only son Francisco.
Linage of Gaspar de Santa Coloma edit
Gaspar de Santa Coloma and Flora de Azcuénaga had four children, but only Francisco de Santa Coloma y Azcuénaga survived and had descendants. His son Francisco de Asís de Santa Coloma y Azcuénaga was married with Rosa Pascuala de Azcuénaga y Núñez (brother cousin) and had to Francisco de Santa Coloma Azcuénaga (born in San Isidro, 01.11.1818), married in Buenos Aires on 24.10.1851 to Antonia Armesto y Avellaneda. Details on this linage can be found here
- ^ a b c de Gandía, E. (1957) "Buenos Aires Colonial". Buenos Aires: Editorial Claridad S.A.
- ^ a b Edelstein, O. and col., Una historia de la Quinta Presidencial. 2000, Vicente López, Provincia de Buenos Aires.: Municipalidad de Vicente López.
- ^ Binayán Carmona, N., (1999) Historia Genealógica de Argentina, p. 202-204. Buenos Aires: Emecé