Francisco de Merlo (1693-1758) was a Spanish notary and politician, who served during the Viceroyalty of Peru as Notary Mayor of the Government of Buenos Aires.[1] He was the founder of the city of Merlo (Buenos Aires Province), [2] and also took part in the foundation of Montevideo in the Banda Oriental.

Francisco de Merlo
Coat of Arms of Merlo
Escribano Mayor of the Río de la Plata
In office
1716–?
MonarchPhilip V
Preceded byTomás Troncoso
Succeeded by?
Personal details
Born
Francisco de Merlo y Barbosa

August 11, 1693
Sevilla, Spain
DiedApril 4, 1758
Buenos Aires, Viceroyalty of Peru
OccupationGovernment
landowner
ProfessionJurist
Signature
Military service
AllegianceSpain

Biography

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Merlo was born in Sevilla, son Antonio de Merlo and Juana Gerónima Barbosa, a distinguished Spanish family.[3] He was married twice, first in Spain to María Teresa de Gámiz, daughter of Pedro Gamiz de las Cuevas and Tomasa Álvarez de Lasarte, natives of Madrid.[4] And second on November 30, 1713 in Buenos Aires, with Francisca del Toro, daughter of Damián del Toro and Lucía González de Marquina, belonging to an illustrious family.[5]

On September 19, 1716, Francisco de Merlo was appointed as Escribano Mayor de Gobierno of the Río de la Plata. In 1717, he notified the City Council of Buenos Aires about the death of King Louis XIV of France, who had died two years ago in Versailles.[6] Exercising the position of notary of government he participated in the founding act of the city of Montevideo.[7] And on August 28, 1755 he founded the town of Merlo in Buenos Aires Province.[8]

Francisco de Merlo and his wife Francisca del Toro, were godparents of Antonio Espinosa Barrionuevo, descendant of Baltasar de Barrionuevo, a Spanish conquistador, born in Talavera de la Reina.

References

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  1. ^ Descripcion ... de la provincia de Santa Cruz de la de la Sierra. Buenos-Aires 1836. Francisco de Viedma. 1836.
  2. ^ Tercer Congreso de Historia Argentina y Regional: celebrado en Santa Fe y Paraná, del 10 al 12 de julio de 1975, Volume 3. Academia Nacional de la Historia, 1977. 1977.
  3. ^ Estudios genealógicos, heráldicos y nobilarios en honor de Vicente de Cadenas y Vincent. Luis de Salazar y Castro. 1978. ISBN 9788400037796.
  4. ^ Nobiliario del antiguo virreynato del Río de la Plata ... Librería y editorial "La Facultad", Bernabé y cía., 1943. 1943.
  5. ^ Nupcias patricias: descendencia de los fundadores de la ciudad, siglos XVII-XVIII-XIX-XX. Alberto A. Wildner-Fox. 1987.
  6. ^ Acuerdos del extinguido Cabildo de Buenos Aires (1714-1718). Archivo General de la Nación.
  7. ^ Coleccion de obras y documentos relativos a la historia antigua y ..., Volume 3. Pedro de Angelis. 1836.
  8. ^ Historia cronológica de la ciudad de Buenos Aires 1536-2014. Contreras, Leonel. March 2014. ISBN 9789870273066.
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