Category Archives: People In History

People in History

Some of the basic, condensed history of the people that made Dominican Republic. The good and the bad. All had a hand in making our island in the Caribbean what it has become today. The Tainos called the island Quisqueya. It has also been called, Hispanola, Las Americas, La Primera, Greater Antilles, and of course as we know it now, República Dominicana/ Dominican Republic. Read on to learn about the discoverers and founders of this beautiful land.

Diego Colón (Columbus) 1480 – 1526

Francisco de Bobadilla

Francisco del Rosario Sánchez

Father Bartolomé de Las Casas

Fray Anton de Montesinos

Frey Nicolás Ovando

Las Hermanas Mirables / The Mirabal Sisters (The Hermanas Mirabal Museum, Home, Park and Monuments)

Maria Trinidad Sanchez

Sir Francis Drake (Pirate Drake, Privater Drake)

Pedro Santana

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Juan Pablo Duarte

Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina

Luisa Ozema Pellerano

Professor Luisa Ozema Pellerano de Castro

Profesora Luisa Ozema Pellerano de Castro was a strong and very respected woman. She loved education and led the struggle as an activist for Women’s Rights in the Dominican Republic. Luisa also founded a ladies’ school and a nature conservation group during her short time on this earth. She truly left her mark.

Profesora Luisa Ozema Pellerano de Castro
Profesora Luisa Ozema Pellerano de Castro

Luisa was born in Santo Domingo, on November 9, 1870. Her parents are Manuel María Pellerano Bonnetti (1837-1894) and Doña Teresa de Castro de Lara.

Lusia went to school at Salomé Ureña, the first Institute for young ladies. She loved school and learning. She and her sister Eva were part of the first 14 students that graduated from this school. After graduation, she worked for the school until it closed in 1898.

The Instituto de Señoritas Salome Ureña present day located on Calle 19 de Marzo in the Colonial Zone.
The Instituto de Señoritas Salome Ureña present day located on Calle 19 de Marzo in the Colonial Zone.
Image – The Instituto de Señoritas Salome Ureña present day located on Calle 19 de Marzo in the Colonial Zone.

Together with her sister Eva Pellerano and Lucila, they started the new Instituto de Señoritas / Ladies Institute, which was later called Salomé Ureña. Under her teaching, over 100 ladies graduated to become teachers. She was known to be organized, disciplined and of good character.

In 1907 she married Don Federico Henríquez y Carvajal. He was the brother of former President Francisco Henríquez y Carvajal. They never had children.

In 1914, the school she founded became “Escuela Normal de Señoritas” / “Normal School for Young Ladies.” Not only did she love learning and teaching she had a love for nature and conservation. Along with Doña Mercedes Peynado they formed La Sociedad “Día de Árbol” / Tree Day Society.

The home of Luisa Ozema Pellerano de Castro where she lived with her husband near the school she founded on 19 de Marzo in Ciudad Colonial.
The home of Luisa Ozema Pellerano de Castro where she lived with her husband near the school she founded on 19 de Marzo in Ciudad Colonial.

The Tomb

Profesora Luisa Ozema Pellerano de Castro died on March 28, 1927 at the age of 57. They lay her to rest in the cemetery. Her tomb was in disrepair and a group repaired it to include a bust of this important Dominican personage.

She is interred in the Cementerio Nacional de la Avenida Independencia / National Cemetery on Avenue Independencia. Her tomb is so beautiful and is a touching monument to this strong and important lady.

The monument reads:
Luisa Ozema – Vida de sembradora fué tu vida. Cavaste el surco y esparciste el grano… Descansa en paz: La tórtola ya anida. En los trigales que espigó tu mano. Rough translation-Planting seeds was your life. You dug the trench and scattered the grain. Rest in peace. The turtledove nests. In the wheat fields where your hands worked.

The moving monument to Lusia Ozema Cementerio Nacional de la Avenida Independencia/ National Cemetery on Avenue Independencia
The moving monument to Lusia Ozema Cementerio Nacional de la Avenida Independencia/ National Cemetery on Avenue Independencia

Women’s Rights Movement

After the death of Luisa Ozema Pellerano, many of the graduates, ladies known as Maestras Normales / Normal Masters founded and joined the “Nosotras” Club that was founded on June 14, 1927. Many of these lady artists and intellectuals who belonged to that organization joined Acción Feminista Dominicana (AFD) / The Dominican Feminist Action when it was established on August 14, 1931. Their emblem was “¡En Marcha!” / “On the Move!” and their motto was Justicia y Amor Justice and Love. This group of brave and strong ladies worked for the rights of Dominican women.

Abigail Mejia wrote the following eulogy:
“Quitaos el sombrero, ciudadanos,
el Maestro de escuela se adelanta.
Hoy el Maestro está triste.
Su rostro, bondadoso mira hacia la tierra con amargura, reclamándole algo que le robó a deshora.
Ha muerto Luisa Ozema”

Translation:
“Take off your hat, citizens,
The school teacher comes forward.
Today the Master is sad.
His face, kindly looks at the earth with bitterness, claiming something that stole from him at the time.
Luisa Ozema has died ”

You can see more pictures of monument and tomb of Luisa on the picture collection slide show of Cementerio Nacional de la Avenida Independencia / National Cemetery on Avenue Independencia

References:
Facebook – Historia Dominicana en Graficas

https://listindiario.com/la-vida/2010/04/22/139238/renuevan-mausoleo-de-una-gran-maestra

Villalobos History – Home

Marcelo de Villalobos

Marcelo de Villalobos. Born in Seville in 1480 – Died in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic), 1526. He was part of the first Audience of Santo Domingo. He was one of the 3 original judges appointed by the Queen of Spain sent to the city of Santo Domingo. Villalobos ended up dying in debt to the city and the crown.

Villalobos Short History | Villalobos Home

Villalobos Short History

Marcelo de Villalobos was born in Seville around 1480, the son of Diego de Villalobos and Aldonza de Vera, where he studied law. On October 5, 1511, a Royal Provision, signed by Queen Doña Juana, created an Audiencia y Juzgado / Audience and Court on Hispaniola. He, Juan Ortiz de Matienzo and Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón, were appointed juez de Apelaciones de la dicha “Audiencia y Juzgado” / judge of Appeals of the said “Audience and Court”.

At the end of February 1512 Villalobos left for the Indies, taking with him nine men. After a fairly lengthy stay in the Canary Islands, he and his wife, noble lady, Isabel de Manrique arrived in Santo Domingo. They brought their many servants along. On July 9, 1512 the viceroy Diego Colón gave him possession on Santo Domingo.

Villalobos owned over two hundred Indians, which he used to work in the Cotuí mines. He gained his own home and herds of sheep and cows. He took part in the Slave Trade markets. For all of this and more, he was tried for abuse of power.

Villalobos died on July 25, 1526. He was deeply in debt to the city of Santo Domingo. The crown sought to collect from his family, but because of the devastating hurricane of October 6, 1526, they suspended all financial obligations for a year. Finally, on January 1528, the bailiff took possession, from his daughters, of the domicile of the Villalobos on behalf of His Majesty.

Read the complete history of Marcelo de Villalobos in Spanish.

Villalobos Home

Marcelo De Villalobos home where he died located on Arz. Meriño in the Colonial Zone
Marcelo De Villalobos home where he died located on Arz. Meriño in the Colonial Zone

The house where Marcelo de Villalobos lived and died is located on Calle Arzobispo Meriño (near Mercedes and the Parking Garage) in the Colonial Zone. All that is there to recognize this home is a plaque on the wall.

The plaque on the wall of the home reads
“Esta casa fue la morada del Licenciado Marcelo de Villalobos. Primer jues de la corte de apelacion en la isla de la Española y el nuevo mundo, en los comienzo del siglo XVI (1512 – 1526). Fray Vincente Rubio” /
This house was the abode of Mr. Marcelo de Villalobos. First judge of the court of appeal on the island of Hispaniola and the new world, at the beginning of the 16th century (1512 – 1526). Fray Vincente Rubio.

The sign on the wall of the house where Marcelo de Villalobos lived and died
The sign on the wall of the house where Marcelo de Villalobos lived and died


People In History

People in Dominican Republic History

Some of the basic, condensed histories of the people that made Dominican Republic. The good and the bad. All had a hand in making our island in the Caribbean what it has become today.

A painting inside the offices of the Alcazar Colón, Plaza España, Colonial Zone.
A painting inside the offices of the Alcazar Colón, Plaza España, Colonial Zone.

The Tainos called the island Quisqueya. It has also been called, Hispanola, Las Americas, La Primera, Greater Antilles, and of course as we know it now, República Dominicana/ Dominican Republic. Read on to learn about the discoverers and founders of this beautiful land.

Anacaona

Diego Colón (Columbus) 1480 – 1526

Eugenio María de Hostos

Francisco de Bobadilla

Francisco del Rosario Sánchez

Juan Pablo Duarte

Father Bartolomé de Las Casas

Fray Anton de Montesinos

Frey Nicolás Ovando

Las Hermanas Mirables / The Mirabal Sisters (The Hermanas Mirabal Museum, Home, Park and Monuments)

Luisa Ozema Pellerano de Castro

María de Toledo

Maria Trinidad Sanchez

Sir Francis Drake (Pirate Drake, Privater Drake)

Pedro Santana

Marcelo de Villalobos

Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina