Manuel V. Domenech
Encyclopedia
Manuel V. Domenech was a Puerto Rican
politician and engineer.
. He graduated in 1888 from Lehigh University
in eastern Pennsylvania.
During 1904, he served as Mayor of Ponce, Puerto Rico
. In 1914, he was appointed to serve as Puerto Rico's Commissioner of the Interior, becoming one of the first Puerto Ricans to hold a presidentially-appointed Puerto Rico Cabinet position. He was subsequently appointed as Treasurer of Puerto Rico, a position he held from 1930 to 1935. On several occasions, he served as acting Governor of Puerto Rico
.
A very active member of the Republican Party of Puerto Rico, he attended the 1928 Republican National Convention
as an alternate delegate. Ironically, his great grand nephew, Francisco Domenech
, is very active in contemporary politics, but in the Democratic Party, where he serves as a so-called "superdelegate". Another relative, Douglas Domenech
, his grand nephew, served as the Deputy Chief of Staff of the United States Department of the Interior
and a Bush appointee to the White House Task Force on Puerto Rico's Political Status and now serves as Secretary of Naturl Resources of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Douglas' son, Ben Domenech
, was also a Bush appointee who served under the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.
He was a civil engineer and, in 1914, also rehabilitated the house where King of Tenors Antonio Paoli
was born and grew up as a child.
. After his death, a major avenue in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico was named after him.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
politician and engineer.
Early years
Domenech was born in Isabela, Puerto RicoIsabela, Puerto Rico
Isabela is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the north-western region of the island, north of San Sebastián; west of Quebradillas; and east of Aguadilla and Moca. Isabela is spread over 13 wards and Isabela Pueblo...
. He graduated in 1888 from Lehigh University
Lehigh University
Lehigh University is a private, co-educational university located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of the United States. It was established in 1865 by Asa Packer as a four-year technical school, but has grown to include studies in a wide variety of disciplines...
in eastern Pennsylvania.
Political career
Upon his return to Puerto Rico, he became active in politics and was a member of the first Puerto Rico House of Representatives created after the Spanish American War of 1898. Elected in 1900, he was reelected in 1902 and 1904.During 1904, he served as Mayor of Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
. In 1914, he was appointed to serve as Puerto Rico's Commissioner of the Interior, becoming one of the first Puerto Ricans to hold a presidentially-appointed Puerto Rico Cabinet position. He was subsequently appointed as Treasurer of Puerto Rico, a position he held from 1930 to 1935. On several occasions, he served as acting Governor of Puerto Rico
Governor of Puerto Rico
The Governor of Puerto Rico is the Head of Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Since 1948, the Governor has been elected by the people of Puerto Rico...
.
A very active member of the Republican Party of Puerto Rico, he attended the 1928 Republican National Convention
1928 Republican National Convention
The 1928 National Convention of the Republican Party of the United States was held at Convention Hall in Kansas City, Missouri, from June 12 to June 15, 1928....
as an alternate delegate. Ironically, his great grand nephew, Francisco Domenech
Francisco Domenech
Francisco J. Domenech is the former Director of the Office of Legislative Services of Puerto Rico .- Superdelegate controversy :...
, is very active in contemporary politics, but in the Democratic Party, where he serves as a so-called "superdelegate". Another relative, Douglas Domenech
Douglas Domenech
Douglas Domenech, a native of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and resident of Loudoun Conunty, Virginia,, is the former Deputy Chief of Staff of the United States Department of the Interior and a Bush Administration appointee to the White House Working Group on the Political Status of Puerto Rico,...
, his grand nephew, served as the Deputy Chief of Staff of the United States Department of the Interior
United States Department of the Interior
The United States Department of the Interior is the United States federal executive department of the U.S. government responsible for the management and conservation of most federal land and natural resources, and the administration of programs relating to Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native...
and a Bush appointee to the White House Task Force on Puerto Rico's Political Status and now serves as Secretary of Naturl Resources of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Douglas' son, Ben Domenech
Ben Domenech
Ben Domenech is an American conservative writer and blogger who co-founded the RedState group blog. In March 2006, he was hired to write a conservative blog for washingtonpost.com but resigned after three days amid allegations of plagiarism during his college years...
, was also a Bush appointee who served under the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Engineer
Domenech is also known to have acted a the municipal architect for the city of Ponce.He was a civil engineer and, in 1914, also rehabilitated the house where King of Tenors Antonio Paoli
Antonio Paolí
Antonio Paoli was a Puerto Rican tenor. He was known at the height of his fame as "The King of Tenors and The Tenor of Kings." He is considered to be the first Puerto Rican to reach international fame in the musical arts...
was born and grew up as a child.
Death and Burial
Domenech died in 1942 in San Juan, Puerto RicoSan Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
. After his death, a major avenue in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico was named after him.
See also
- Ponce, Puerto RicoPonce, Puerto RicoPonce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
- List of famous Puerto Ricans