Francisca Aparicio de Barrios
The Marchioness of Vistabella | |
---|---|
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First Lady of Guatemala | |
In role 24 July 1874 – 2 April 1885 | |
President | Justo Rufino Barrios |
Preceded by | María García Granados |
Succeeded by | Carmen Ramírez |
Personal details | |
Born | Francisca Aparicio y Mérida 23 July 1858 Quetzaltenango, Guatemala |
Died | 31 January 1943 Bern, Switzerland | (aged 84)
Nationality | Guatemalan, Spanish |
Spouses | |
Occupation | First Lady of Guatemala |
Francisca Aparicio, 1st Marquis of Vistabella (23 July 1858 – 31 January 1943) was the First Lady of Guatemala between 1874 and 1885, performing the state duties required for the post. After her husband's death, she moved with her seven children to New York City and was well known for her entertainments. In 1892, she married a Spanish parliamentarian and moved to Europe, where her children were educated. Two paintings of her, painted by Francisco Masriera y Manovens are in the collection of the Museo del Prado in Madrid. When she was 14, she married Justo Rufino Barrios and immediately became the first Guatemalan First Lady in history to take office.
Early life
[edit]Francisca Aparicio y Mérida was born on 23 July 1858, in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala to Francisca Gregoria Mérida y Estrada and Juan José Aparicio y Limón and baptized the following day at the Catedral del Espíritu Santo de Quetzaltenango .[1][2] She was the third child in the family of eleven children and the oldest daughter.[3][4] Her father owned the Santa Cecelia coffee plantation, which contained 400,000 coffee plants, the largest privately owned plantation in the Suchitepéquez Department and a second coffee farm which had 100,000 plants.[5] During the uprising led by Miguel García Granados against the President Vicente Cerna in 1871,[6] Justo Rufino Barrios was stationed in Quetzaltenango and met the young girl. He became infatuated with her, but her parents, thinking she was too young, sent her to Guatemala City to the school run by Ursuline nuns, which catered to the upper classes in the country.[7] Not giving up his pursuit, when Barrios was elected to the presidency in 1873, he won-over the objections of her parents to his marriage proposal.[8][9] Later, Barrios made her father governor of the Quetzaltenango Department, which gave him the authority to distribute the land in the area.[10]
First Lady of Guatemala
[edit]On 24 July 1874 Aparicio married Barrios in a civil ceremony in her home town.[2][8] According to custom, they were then married in a religious ceremony on 5 August 1874 at the Catedral del Espíritu Santo.[11] A grand ball held to honor the couple took place amidst an earthquake which initially was believed would not be serious. The quake left around 200 people dead and destroyed or severely damaged six towns.[12] In spite of her young age, Barrios entrusted Aparicio with the duties of state, placing her in charge of political and state functions both at home and abroad. They traveled extensively in the United States and Europe during his presidency[13] and the couple had seven children:[3] Elena (1875–1944),[14][15] Maria de la Luz (1876–1949),[16] Jose Ignacio (1877–1895),[17][18] Maria Josefa (1878–1959),[19][20] Cárlos (1880–1897),[21][15] Justo Rufino, Jr. (1882–1909)[22][15] and Julia Francisca (1884–1905).[23] Within a few months of her youngest daughter's birth, her husband was killed on the battlefield in 1885,[24] while trying to unite the countries of Central America into a confederated state.[25]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c6/Francisca_Aparicio_y_M%C3%A9rida%2C_marquesa_consorte_de_Vistabella.jpg/220px-Francisca_Aparicio_y_M%C3%A9rida%2C_marquesa_consorte_de_Vistabella.jpg)
Almost immediately after her husband's funeral, de Barrios, who had inherited her husband's fortune outright, set sail with her children for San Francisco. They remained in California briefly before moving to New York City.[24][26] Around the same time, her parents also moved to New York to establish an office to facilitate distribution of his agricultural products in the United States.[4] In New York, she bought the property located at 855 Fifth Avenue, which quickly became a gathering place for Spanish-American society figures of the city.[25] She enjoyed entertaining in her opulent mansion, decorated with Latin American artworks, and was known for her dancing and skill with classical music.[25][27] She also had a private opera and was known for engaging local artists for performances and lavish costume balls.[28] Her entertainments were widely covered in the society press with descriptions of her gowns and extensive collection of jewelry.[29][27][30][29]
In 1891, accompanied by her mother and family, de Barrios traveled to Barcelona for the International Exposition.[31] From Barcelona, they traveled to Madrid, where at a circus party, she met José Martínez de Roda, Marqués de Vistabella , a Spaniard, whose family were from Granada.[3] Roda was a member of the Spanish Congress of Deputies[24] and the two saw each other often during the social season. They entered into an engagement and the following spring, on 21 April 1892, the couple married at de Barrios's home on Fifth Avenue. A double service was performed with Hugh J. Grant, mayor of New York City performing the civil service and Archbishop Michael Corrigan performing the religious ceremony.[3] When the family moved to Europe, Perry Belmont, a one-time Minister to the court of Spain, took over her house on Fifth Avenue.[28][32] For the next several years, the family made their home traveling between Madrid, Biarritz and Paris.[33] In June 1899, her father died in New York City.[34] Six months later, in December 1899, the Marqués de Vistabella died suddenly while the couple was in Paris, leaving the Marquesa widowed for a second time.[35]
For the remainder of her life, the Marquesa de Vistabella's daughter Elena was her constant companion. Elena never married. When the Marquis de Vistabella died, having no children himself, he designated his wife's son Justo Rufino Barrios y Aparicio as his heir. When Justo died in 1909 in Paris, as he had no heirs and his mother had no more living sons, the title passed to her oldest daughter, Elena.[15] Maria de la Luz, the second daughter, married Juan Alcalá Galiano y Osma, the Count of Romilla[15][36] Maria Josefa married D. Tomás Terrazas y Azpeitia, Marquis de la Ensenada.[20] In 1940, the Marquesa moved to Switzerland.[37]
Death and legacy
[edit]The Marquesa died on 31 January 1943 in Bern, Switzerland.[37] Francisco Masriera y Manovens painted two portraits of her, which are now in the collection of the Museo del Prado in Madrid. One is an oil on canvas painted in 1889.[38] The other oil painting was completed in 1892.[39]
References
[edit]Citations
[edit]- ^ Baptismal Records 1858.
- ^ a b Medina Vílchez 2015, p. 1692.
- ^ a b c d The Lincoln Evening Call 1892, p. 6.
- ^ a b The New York Times 1899, p. 1.
- ^ Williams 1994, pp. 62, 167.
- ^ Prensa Libre 2015.
- ^ Batres Jáuregui 1950, pp. 412–413.
- ^ a b Batres Jáuregui 1950, p. 413.
- ^ The Times 1892, p. 4.
- ^ Williams 1994, pp. 62, 168.
- ^ Marriage Records 1874.
- ^ The New York Times 1874.
- ^ The San Francisco Chronicle 1892, p. 1.
- ^ Medina Vílchez 2015, p. 1705.
- ^ a b c d e Palma & 26 April 2015.
- ^ Medina Vílchez 2015, p. 1710.
- ^ Birth Registry 1877, p. 170.
- ^ Medina Vílchez 2015, p. 2826.
- ^ Birth Registry 1878, p. 281.
- ^ a b Palma & 21 June 2015.
- ^ Birth Registry 1880, p. 523.
- ^ New York Births 1882.
- ^ Birth Registry 1884, p. 169.
- ^ a b c The Wheeling Daily Intelligencer 1892, p. 1.
- ^ a b c The Saint Paul Globe 1886, p. 10.
- ^ Bancroft 1887, p. 449.
- ^ a b The San Francisco Call 1890, p. 6.
- ^ a b The Sun 1898, p. 5.
- ^ a b The Newton Daily Republican 1889, p. 1.
- ^ Gladden 1891, p. 3.
- ^ Medina Vílchez 2015, p. 2493.
- ^ The Evening Star 1895, p. 6.
- ^ The World 1896, p. 9.
- ^ The New York Times 1899, pp. 1, 7.
- ^ The Times-Democrat 1899, p. 4.
- ^ Barredo de Valenzuela & Cadenas y Vicent 1961, p. 32.
- ^ a b The Hartford Courant 1943, p. 4.
- ^ Museo del Prado 2015.
- ^ La Comarca de Puertollano 2008.
Bibliography
[edit]- Bancroft, Hubert Howe (1887). History of Central America. The Works of Hubert Howe Bancroft, Vol. VIII. Vol. III: 1801–1887. San Francisco, California: The History Company Publishers. OCLC 631068242.
- Barredo de Valenzuela, Adolfo; Cadenas y Vicent, Vicente de (February 1961). "Grandezas y Títulos concedidos por S. M. el Rey Don Alfonso XIII (Continuación)". Revista Hidalguía (in Spanish). IX (44). Madrid, Spain: Ediciones Hidalguia: 17–32.
- Batres Jáuregui, Antonio (1950). La América Central ante la historia: 1821–1921 Memorias de un siglo [Central America early history: 1821–1921 memories of a century] (in Spanish). Vol. 3. Guatemala City, Guatemala: Tipografía Nacional de Guatemala. OCLC 912498282.
- Gladden, Amory (21 April 1891). "Mme de Barrios". The News-Journal. Mansfield, Ohio. p. 3. Retrieved 14 September 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- Medina Vílchez, Gabriel (2015). República de Motril: Historia cronológica de Motril y los motrileños. -818 hasta el 31 de diciembre 1899 (in Spanish) (2nd ed.). Grenada, Spain: Motril. ISBN 978-84-613-8170-8.
- Palma, Claudia (26 April 2015). "Elena III, la marquesa triste" [Elena III, the sad marchioness]. Prensa Libre (in Spanish). Guatemala City, Guatemala. Archived from the original on 31 January 2016. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- Palma, Claudia (21 June 2015). "La marquesa de la Ensenada" [The Marchioness de la Ensenada]. Prensa Libre (in Spanish). Guatemala City, Guatemala. Archived from the original on 25 April 2016. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- Williams, Robert Gregory (1994). States and Social Evolution: Coffee and the Rise of National Governments in Central America. Chapel Hill, North Carolina: University of North Carolina Press. ISBN 978-0-8078-4463-2.
- "A Central American Beauty". The San Francisco Chronicle. San Francisco, California. 25 September 1890. p. 6. Retrieved 14 September 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- "CCM y el Museo del Prado Presentan la Mas Completa Exposicion Sobre el Retrato Español del Siglo XIX" [CCM and the Prado Museum Present the Most Complete Exhibition on Spanish Portraiture of the Nineteenth Century] (in Spanish). Puertollano, Spain: La Comarca de Puertollano. 25 August 2008. Archived from the original on 15 September 2017. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
- "Earthquakes" (PDF). The New York Times. New York City, New York. 20 December 1874. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- "Former First Lady of Guatemala Dies". The Hartford Courant. Hartford, Connecticut. 11 February 1943. p. 4. Retrieved 14 September 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Francisca Aparicio y Mérida, marquesa de Vistabella". Museo del Prado (in Spanish). Madrid, Spain. 28 April 2015. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
- "Guatemala bautismos, 1730–1917: Francisca Aparicio Merida". FamilySearch. Salt Lake City, Utah: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 24 July 1858. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- "Guatemala matrimonios, 1750–1930: Barrios / Aparicio". FamilySearch. Salt Lake City, Utah: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 5 August 1874. FHL microfilm #796275. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- "Guatemala Registro Civil—Nacimientos 1877–1880: Cárlos Barrios Aparicio". FamilySearch (in Spanish). Guatemala City, Guatemala: Archivo General de Centro America. 27 May 1880. FHL microfilm #1281871, certificate #1052. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- "Guatemala Registro Civil—Nacimientos 1877–1880: Jose Ignacio Barrios Aparicio". FamilySearch (in Spanish). Guatemala City, Guatemala: Archivo General de Centro America. 1 October 1877. FHL microfilm #1281871, certificate #40. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- "Guatemala Registro Civil—Nacimientos 1884–1885: Julia Francisca Barrios Aparicio". FamilySearch (in Spanish). Guatemala City, Guatemala: Archivo General de Centro America. 4 July 1884. FHL microfilm #1281874, certificate #5646. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- "Guatemala Registro Civil—Nacimientos 1877–1880: Maria Josefa Barrios Aparicio". FamilySearch (in Spanish). Guatemala City, Guatemala: Archivo General de Centro America. 3 December 1878. FHL microfilm #1281871, certificate #360. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- "Justo Rufino Barrios fue llamado "Reformador"" [Justo Rufino Barrios was called "The Reformer"]. Prensa Libre (in Spanish). Guatemala City, Guatemala. 15 July 2015. Archived from the original on 13 March 2017. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- "Manhattan, New York Births and Christenings, 1640–1962: Justo Rufino Barrios". FamilySearch. Manhattan, New York: Birth Certificates Division. 4 July 1882. FHL microfilm #1322174. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
- "Madame Barrios Married". Wheeling, West Virginia: The Wheeling Daily Intelligencer. 22 April 1892. p. 1. Retrieved 14 September 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Mme de Barrios Married". The Times. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 22 April 1892. p. 4. Retrieved 14 September 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Mr. McLean's New York Home". Washington, D. C.: The Evening Star. 25 May 1895. p. 6. Retrieved 15 September 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Said to have died of Grief". The New York Times. New York, New York. 14 June 1899. p. 1. Retrieved 15 September 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
and "(untitled)". The New York Times. New York, New York. 14 June 1899. p. 7. Retrieved 15 September 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Spanish Beauties". St. Paul Globe. Saint Paul, Minnesota. 15 August 1886. p. 10. Retrieved 14 September 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- "The Romance of It". Lincoln, Nebraska: The Lincoln Evening Call. 22 April 1892. p. 6. Retrieved 14 September 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- "The Young Daughter of Mme. de Roda Soon to Marry Count Villa Leal in Paris". The World. New York, New York. 8 May 1896. p. 9. Retrieved 14 September 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Wedded to a Noble: The Marriage of Madame Barrios". The San Francisco Chronicle. San Francisco, California. 22 April 1892. p. 1. Retrieved 14 September 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Women Worth Millions". Newton, Kansas: The Newton Daily Republican. 15 August 1889. p. 1. Retrieved 14 September 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- "(untitled)". New Orleans, Louisiana: The Times-Democrat. 26 December 1899. p. 4. Retrieved 14 September 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- "(untitled)". The Sun. New York City, New York. 13 February 1898. p. 5. Retrieved 15 September 2017 – via Newspapers.com.