Buenaventura Marcó del Pont
Encyclopedia
Buenaventura Marcó del Pont y Porí (1728–1817) was a Catalonia
n businessman, and founder of the family of the same name.
He was born in Calella de Palafrugell
, Gerona in Spain
. Early in his life, he relocated to Vigo
, in Galicia, where he lived since at least 1750, and where he soon became became one of its most important businessmen by building a new salting installation for the processing and distribution of fish to his native land. The good result of his business attracted some other catalonian families to the area, such as the Buch, the Curbera, the Escofet or the Fábregas.
As one of the most important ship-owners in Spain
, he obtained from King Charles III of Spain
in 1773, the first concessions to allow trading between the port of Vigo and the new world. In 1779 he obtained permission to attack the British
naval commerce and that of its allies such as portugueses
, during the American Revolutionary War
. The good fortune of his ships made him a fortune in such articles as salt, oil, leather and cloth among others. In 1817, as a regidor of Vigo
, he ordered the reconstruction of the Concatedral de Santa María de Vigo, which had been destroyed during the Peninsular War
. He personally donated the statue of the Cristo de la Victoria, which is still the most important religious icon of the city.
Marcó del Pont married Juana Ángel Díaz y Méndez, with whom had four sons. Two of them became very famous during their lifetime: Francisco Casimiro was the last Royal Governor of Chile and Buenaventura Miguel
represented his father's company in Buenos Aires
, and his family became one of the most important and wealthy of the Argentine republic
.
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
n businessman, and founder of the family of the same name.
He was born in Calella de Palafrugell
Calella de Palafrugell
Calella de Palafrugell is one of three coastal towns belonging to the municipality of Palafrugell, province of Girona, Spain, the other two being Llafranc and Tamariu. It is part of the Costa Brava, the coastal region of northeastern Catalonia, in the comarca of Baix Empordà...
, Gerona in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. Early in his life, he relocated to Vigo
Vigo
Vigo is a city and municipality in north-west Spain, in Galicia, situated on the ria of the same name on the Atlantic Ocean.-Population:...
, in Galicia, where he lived since at least 1750, and where he soon became became one of its most important businessmen by building a new salting installation for the processing and distribution of fish to his native land. The good result of his business attracted some other catalonian families to the area, such as the Buch, the Curbera, the Escofet or the Fábregas.
As one of the most important ship-owners in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, he obtained from King Charles III of Spain
Charles III of Spain
Charles III was the King of Spain and the Spanish Indies from 1759 to 1788. He was the eldest son of Philip V of Spain and his second wife, the Princess Elisabeth Farnese...
in 1773, the first concessions to allow trading between the port of Vigo and the new world. In 1779 he obtained permission to attack the British
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
naval commerce and that of its allies such as portugueses
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, during the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. The good fortune of his ships made him a fortune in such articles as salt, oil, leather and cloth among others. In 1817, as a regidor of Vigo
Vigo
Vigo is a city and municipality in north-west Spain, in Galicia, situated on the ria of the same name on the Atlantic Ocean.-Population:...
, he ordered the reconstruction of the Concatedral de Santa María de Vigo, which had been destroyed during the Peninsular War
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
. He personally donated the statue of the Cristo de la Victoria, which is still the most important religious icon of the city.
Marcó del Pont married Juana Ángel Díaz y Méndez, with whom had four sons. Two of them became very famous during their lifetime: Francisco Casimiro was the last Royal Governor of Chile and Buenaventura Miguel
Ventura Miguel Marcó del Pont
Buenaventura Miguel Marcó del Pont Ángel Díaz y Méndez was a Spanish merchant and treasurer for the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata....
represented his father's company in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, and his family became one of the most important and wealthy of the Argentine republic
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
.