Leopoldo González de Carvajal y Zaldúa (1838 - 1909)

Born 29 May 1838 in Soto Del Barco,Oviedo,Spain

Ancestors

Died 2 Mar 1909 at age 70 in La Habana, Cuba

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Biography

He was born in Avilés, on the 29th of May 1838 at 8:30 p.m. He was baptised on the San Nicolás de Bari church on the 31th. Legitimate child of D. Calixto Gonzalez-Carvajal, born in Soto del Barco (Concejo de Pravia) and of Dª Flora de Zaldua, From Aviles. His paternal grandparents were D. José Gonzalez-Carvajal and Dª Josefa Fernández de la Buría, neighbours from Soto and maternal grandparents D. Leoncio de Zaldua and Dª María García Barrosa, from Avilés, his godparents were his maternal grandparents. (L. 12, fº 363) His father owned an import/export business in La Ferrería, Avilés. He spent his childhood with his sisters and brother. Studied at Universidad Literaria de Oviedo then left for Cuba with the idea of starting a career in politics-

In Cuba he worked with his uncle in the tobacco trade in the company "Los dos Carvajales"; then he was elected as council member (concejal del Ayuntamiento de La Habana), later he was elected as Diputado a las Cortes (representative to the Crown). He had shares in gas, electricity and railway companies. He founded "Zaldua Carvajal y CIA", an ice factory. Owner of Hotel Plaza. Co-founder of the recreative societies"Caridad" and "Pilar". Lecturer at the Comisión Inspectora del Canal de Vento that provided drinkable water to the city. Director of Diario de La Marina. President of Casino Español. Member Partido Unión Constitucional that defended the Spanish rule over Cuba. The Ruling Queen Doña María Cristina de Borbón widow of Don Alfonso XII, in the name of her son the King, Rey Don Alfonso XIII, appoints him Senador del Reino por La Habana (he was senator from 1866 to 1899)

He married doña Mª del Carmen Gonzalez-Carvajal y [Alvarez] Cabañas, daugher of don Manuel Gonzalez-Carvajal and doña Mª Jesús [Alvarez] Cabañas –daughter of don Francisco Cabañas–, a rich landowner from the province of Pinar del Río Doña Mª del Carmen Cabañas was awarded the title of Marquesa de Avilés by Royal decree.

After the Spanish Cuban war, in which Cuba gained its independence, he returned to his family home in Avilés. After some time in Avilés, he came back to La Habana where he died in 1909. He was buried in the Colón cemetery in the pantheon next to the church.

Sources

• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 05 September 2019, 19:20), entry for Leopoldo González Carvajal y Zaldua(PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:GSBK-SWB); contributed by various users.
• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 26 June 2020, 21:43), entry for Leopoldo Gonzalez Carvajal(PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:KCYY-QQL); contributed by various users.
• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 24 May 2016, 17:18), entry for Leopoldo Gonzalez Carvajal(PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:KCYY-QQL); contributed by various users.
• https://elblogdeacebedo.blogspot.com/2013/04/el-marques-de-pinar-del-rio-avilesino.html

https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marquesado_de_Pinar_del_R%C3%ADo

https://www.geni.com/people/Leopoldo-Gonz%C3%A1lez-de-Carvajal-y-Zald%C3%BAa-I-Marqu%C3%A9s-de-Pinar-del-R%C3%ADo/6000000079258940868

http://indianos-asturianos.blogspot.com/