Martín Jacobo Thompson

Martín Jacobo Thompson (1777–1819) was an Argentine patriot, who had an active participation during the English invasions, and the Revolution of May. He is considered the founder of the Argentine Naval Prefecture.[1]

Martín Jacobo Thompson
portrait of Martín Jacobo Thompson
Capitán del Puerto de Buenos Aires
In office
1810–1815
Personal details
Born
Martín Jacobo José Thompson y López Escribano

April 23, 1777
Buenos Aires, Viceroyalty of Río de la Plata
DiedOctober 23, 1819
At sea
NationalityArgentine
OccupationPolitician
Professionnaval Officer
Signature
Military service
Allegiance Spain — until 1810
United Provinces of the River Plate
Branch/serviceSpanish Navy
Argentine Navy
Years of service1800-1819
RankColonel
Battles/warsBritish invasions of the Río de la Plata
May Revolution

Biography

Martín Jacobo Thompson was educated at the Royal College of San Carlos, and also in London, England. In 1796, he entered the Naval Academy in Ferrol. On July 11, 1800, he began his military career in the Spanish navy.[2] Thompson had participated in the defense of the city during the British invasion in Montevideo, where he was wounded, and in Rio de la Plata, where captured several enemy brigs, being promoted to the rank of ensign of the Spanish Armada.[3]

He was one of the promoters of the May Revolution of 1810, and attended the Cabildo Abierto on May 22. He was appointed by the Primera Junta as Captain of the port of Buenos Aires, where he served until 1815.[4]

In 1813 Thompson held the rank of lieutenant colonel, and was promoted to colonel in 1816. That year, he was appointed by the Supreme Director, Ignacio Álvarez Thomas, to a diplomatic mission to United States. He arrived in Washington, D.C., in August 1816, with the intention of meeting with President James Madison. However, Madison was on vacation, so Thompson decided to travel to New York City, where he started negotiations for the purchase of war material.[5]

Martín Jacobo Thompson died on October 23, 1819 at sea.[6]

Family

Martín Jacobo was the son of William Paul Thompson, born in 1721 in London, and Tiburcia Valeriana López, a criolla, born in Buenos Aires, who descendant of Pedro Sánchez Rendón. His father had arrived in Buenos Aires in 1750. He belonged to the elite of English merchants, who were established in Cádiz.[7] Martím Thompson had married on July 29, 1805 with Mariquita Sánchez, daughter of Cecilio Sánchez de Velasco and María Magdalena Trillo y Cárdenas, belonging to a distinguished family.[8]

His wife descended from distinguished lineages of the Río de la Plata, including Melchor Casco de Mendoza, and the Portuguese family of Gonzalez de Mora and Ines Nuñez Cabral (sister of Margarida Cabral de Melo). Thompson and Mariquita Sánchez were parents of five children: Clementina (1805), Juan Thompson b. 1809 (educated in Europe,[9] Magdalena (1811), Florencia Martina (1812), and Albina Dolores born on February 28, 1815.

References
  1. Trámite parlamentario, Issues 139-180, Argentina. Congreso de la Nación. Cámara de Diputados de la Nación. Secretaría Parlamentaria, 1995
  2. Martín Jacobo Thompson: ensayo para la biografía de un marino criollo, Volume 11, Enrique González Lonzième, 1970
  3. Archivo del general José Miguel Carrera, Armando Moreno Martín, 1999
  4. Color De Rosas, Eugenio Rosasco, 1992, ISBN 9789500707411
  5. Congreso Internacional de Historia de América: actas / Academia Nacional de la Historia, Part 7, La Academia, 1966, 1966
  6. Ciudad de angeles: historia del cementerio de la Recoleta, Omar López Mato, 2001, ISBN 9789874335364
  7. Mariquita Sánchez: Vida política y sentimental
  8. La larga lucha de los argentinos: y cómo la cuentan las diversas corrientes, Norberto Galasso, 1995, ISBN 9789505818075
  9. Don Juan María Guriérrez, el hombre de mayo, Ernesto Morales, 1937
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