James E. Hyslop

Born in Inverness, Scotland on 7 November 1861, son of William Hyslop and Margaret Gowenlock Hyslop. James came from a wealthy and influential Scottish family, which owned several properties and businesses in the UK. James lived his youth in the city of Church Stretton, England, where he lived with his seven siblings. At the age of 19 years James moved to Oxford, England, to study Mining Engineering at the University of Oxford, from which he graduated with honors.

He arrived in Mexico in 1895, to Parral, Chihuahua, as the San Francisco del Oro mining company manager in Chihuahua, Mexico with several mines in the country and 7 mines abroad.[1] In 1903 he occupied the "Hacienda De Santiago", famous hacienda built in the Spanish Viceroyalty inherited from his father in law, William Christian Beckmann, where various agricultural, livestock and textile activities were practiced.[2] It was established as the official residence of his family.

Hacienda de Santiago

By 1907 James Hyslop was a very successful businessman with investments in diverse industries such as mining, livestock and agriculture.[3] He managed holdings primarily in the State of Chihuahua which led him to become a great landowner.

Hyslop family in the early 1900s

James married Maria Beckmann, a young woman of German descent, from a wealthy family of Chihuahua.[4] James and Maria fathered seven children, Margaret, William, Mary, Letitia, James, Beatrice and Henry.[5]

On 15 August 1931 James Hyslop suffered a heart attack.