Enrique Creel
Encyclopedia
Enrique Clay Creel Cuilty, sometimes known as Henry Clay Creel (30 August 1854 – 18 August 1931) was a Mexican
businessman and politician member of the powerful Creel-Terrazas family
of Chihuahua. Aside from a prolific career as a banker, industrialist and trader, he was elected alderman
, local and federal deputy, ambassador of Mexico to the United States
, governor of Chihuahua
in two occasions, and served in the cabinet of President Porfirio Díaz
as his Minister of Foreign Affairs
in the last years of his regime.
, and Abraham Lincoln
's US Consul in Chihuahua
. He was born in Chihuahua, Chihuahua
and became son-in-law of don Luis Terrazas
by virtue of marriage to his daughter Angela (Reuben Creel and Luis Terrazas were married to sisters of the wealthy Cuilty family, whose ancestry was Irish and was related to Sir Thomas More
).
After Porfirio Diaz became president of Mexico in 1876, he appointed Creel as a director of the National Board of Dynamite and Explosives. Mexico’s demand for explosives was high because of its mining and railroad industries and the army’s need for munitions. The board imposed an 80% import duty on dynamite, allowing its members to manufacture explosives without competition and reportedly enabling Creel to amass an even larger fortune in kickbacks.
Enrique Creel served as Mexico's Minister of Foreign Relations and as its Ambassador to the United States. He served as interpreter when Presidents Porfirio Díaz
and William Howard Taft
met in 1909 on the international bridge between Ciudad Juárez
and El Paso
. He became vice-president of the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway
, where he was responsible for the construction of part of the railroad west of Chihuahua, now the Chihuahua Pacific Railroad (Ferrocarril Chihuahua al Pacífico) and runs through the town of Creel, Chihuahua
. His haciendas once totaled more than 1.7 million acres (6,900 km²).
The Mexican Revolution
forced him to abandon Mexico for the United States, though he returned after the revolutions end, and died in Mexico City on 18 August 1931 .
Mexican people
Mexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....
businessman and politician member of the powerful Creel-Terrazas family
Creel-Terrazas family
The Creel-Terrazas family is a powerful and wealthy family based in the Mexican state of Chihuahua.- Events: During the rule of President Porfirio Díaz and the Mexican Revolution, this family was part of the científico faction. The científicos were conservative civilian technocrats and...
of Chihuahua. Aside from a prolific career as a banker, industrialist and trader, he was elected alderman
Regidor
A Regidor is a member of a council of municipalities in Spain and Latin America. Portugal also used to have the same office of Regedor.-Mexico:...
, local and federal deputy, ambassador of Mexico to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, governor of Chihuahua
Governor of Chihuahua
According to the Political Constitution of the Free and Sovereign State of Chihuahua, Executive Power in that Mexican state resides with a single individual, the Constitutional Governor of the Free and Sovereign State of Chihuahua, who is chosen for a period of six years and cannot for any reason...
in two occasions, and served in the cabinet of President Porfirio Díaz
Porfirio Díaz
José de la Cruz Porfirio Díaz Mori was a Mexican-American War volunteer and French intervention hero, an accomplished general and the President of Mexico continuously from 1876 to 1911, with the exception of a brief term in 1876 when he left Juan N...
as his Minister of Foreign Affairs
Secretary of Foreign Affairs (Mexico)
In Mexico, the Secretary of Foreign Affairs is a member of the federal executive cabinet with responsibility for implementing the country's foreign policy. The secretary is appointed by the President of the Republic and heads the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs ...
in the last years of his regime.
Biography
Creel was the son of Reuben Creel, a veteran of the Mexican American War from Greensburg, KentuckyGreensburg, Kentucky
Greensburg is a city in Green County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 2,396 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Green County...
, and Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
's US Consul in Chihuahua
Chihuahua, Chihuahua
The city of Chihuahua is the state capital of the Mexican state of Chihuahua. It has a population of about 825,327. The predominant activity is industry, including domestic heavy, light industries, consumer goods production, and to a smaller extent maquiladoras.-History:It has been said that the...
. He was born in Chihuahua, Chihuahua
Chihuahua, Chihuahua
The city of Chihuahua is the state capital of the Mexican state of Chihuahua. It has a population of about 825,327. The predominant activity is industry, including domestic heavy, light industries, consumer goods production, and to a smaller extent maquiladoras.-History:It has been said that the...
and became son-in-law of don Luis Terrazas
Luis Terrazas
Luis Terrazas, born José Luis Gonzaga Jesús Daniel Terrazas Fuentes , was a Mexican politician, businessman, rancher and soldier. He was a pivotal figure in the history of the state of Chihuahua from the middle of the 19th century through the outbreak of the Mexican Revolution...
by virtue of marriage to his daughter Angela (Reuben Creel and Luis Terrazas were married to sisters of the wealthy Cuilty family, whose ancestry was Irish and was related to Sir Thomas More
Thomas More
Sir Thomas More , also known by Catholics as Saint Thomas More, was an English lawyer, social philosopher, author, statesman and noted Renaissance humanist. He was an important councillor to Henry VIII of England and, for three years toward the end of his life, Lord Chancellor...
).
After Porfirio Diaz became president of Mexico in 1876, he appointed Creel as a director of the National Board of Dynamite and Explosives. Mexico’s demand for explosives was high because of its mining and railroad industries and the army’s need for munitions. The board imposed an 80% import duty on dynamite, allowing its members to manufacture explosives without competition and reportedly enabling Creel to amass an even larger fortune in kickbacks.
Enrique Creel served as Mexico's Minister of Foreign Relations and as its Ambassador to the United States. He served as interpreter when Presidents Porfirio Díaz
Porfirio Díaz
José de la Cruz Porfirio Díaz Mori was a Mexican-American War volunteer and French intervention hero, an accomplished general and the President of Mexico continuously from 1876 to 1911, with the exception of a brief term in 1876 when he left Juan N...
and William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States...
met in 1909 on the international bridge between Ciudad Juárez
Ciudad Juárez
Ciudad Juárez , officially known today as Heroica Ciudad Juárez, but abbreviated Juárez and formerly known as El Paso del Norte, is a city and seat of the municipality of Juárez in the Mexican state of Chihuahua. Juárez's estimated population is 1.5 million people. The city lies on the Rio Grande...
and El Paso
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
. He became vice-president of the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway
Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway
The Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway, started in 1900 by American railroad entrepreneur Arthur Edward Stilwell, was the predecessor to the Chihuahua al Pacífico railroad in Mexico. It was intended to reach the Pacific Ocean at Topolobampo, Sinaloa...
, where he was responsible for the construction of part of the railroad west of Chihuahua, now the Chihuahua Pacific Railroad (Ferrocarril Chihuahua al Pacífico) and runs through the town of Creel, Chihuahua
Creel, Chihuahua
Creel is a town in the Sierra Tarahumara of the Mexican state of Chihuahua. It is the second-largest town in the municipality of Bocoyna. It is located some to the southwest of the state capital, Chihuahua, Chih...
. His haciendas once totaled more than 1.7 million acres (6,900 km²).
The Mexican Revolution
Mexican Revolution
The Mexican Revolution was a major armed struggle that started in 1910, with an uprising led by Francisco I. Madero against longtime autocrat Porfirio Díaz. The Revolution was characterized by several socialist, liberal, anarchist, populist, and agrarianist movements. Over time the Revolution...
forced him to abandon Mexico for the United States, though he returned after the revolutions end, and died in Mexico City on 18 August 1931 .
Publications
(The Banks of Mexico) (Imports and Exports) (Agriculture and Agrarianism)See also
- Creel-Terrazas FamilyCreel-Terrazas familyThe Creel-Terrazas family is a powerful and wealthy family based in the Mexican state of Chihuahua.- Events: During the rule of President Porfirio Díaz and the Mexican Revolution, this family was part of the científico faction. The científicos were conservative civilian technocrats and...
, a powerful and wealthy family from Chihuahua founded by Luis TerrazasLuis TerrazasLuis Terrazas, born José Luis Gonzaga Jesús Daniel Terrazas Fuentes , was a Mexican politician, businessman, rancher and soldier. He was a pivotal figure in the history of the state of Chihuahua from the middle of the 19th century through the outbreak of the Mexican Revolution...
, his father-in-law.