Almanzora

         Don Antonio Abellán Peñuela, (1822-1903). He was born in the Almerian town of Cuevas del Almanzora on March 3, 1822, from the marriage between Don Pedro Abellán and Doña Damiana Peñuela.

        Antonio Abellán had an economically humble origin. Their ancestors were mostly miners, but some were investing small amounts in mining stocks. With the passage of time they became the principle of great fortunes.

       Antonio Abellán came to obtain the title of Marquis thanks to having managed to accumulate one of these great fortunes, mainly due to the capital invested by his ancestors in mining stocks. His enterprising character and wise administration made him accumulate new acquisitions and properties to the point of reaching his assets a volume that, valued in pesetas in his will, reached the amount of 1,450,000 in the year 1903.

           Antonio Abellán became one of the richest men of his town at the time. He had gathered under his property estates in the terms of Pulpí, Los Gallardos and Cuevas, as well as a foundry in Las Herrerias. It is said that he even obtained a license from the Government to mint silver coins of different values.

            The farm of greater value and more extension was the one that acquired in the municipality of Cantoria, in the place called Almanzora, next to the river, which was formed by what had been until passing to his property most of the patrimony belonging to the Marqueses of La Romana. Within its limits were inhabited with families at the service of the Marquis 47 houses -cortijo, 3 flour mills and 3 oil mills or oil mills, with a total area of ​​11,500 square meters built. To this we must add the great palace house that served as residence to the Marquises, of 2,484 square meters.

             To this farm must also our character the name that gives title to his marquisate: Almanzora.

            This man had great importance in the region during a period of more than forty years, because he distinguished himself not only in politics, but in the metallurgical industry and in mining. Once his economic situation was consolidated, which happened to him at a relatively advanced age, he leaned towards the field of politics, enrolling in the Liberal Party.

             He was appointed Mayor of Vera, and, shortly after, representing his party in the District of Sorbas, was appointed Deputy to Cortes in the years 1859, 1865 and 1872. Although we do not have specific information on all his efforts, it is known that he fought with determination to favor as much as possible his hometown.

           On August 4, 1872 was appointed Senator, a situation that took the opportunity to take a very active part in achieving the construction of the railroad from Linares to Almeria. Due to the interest shown in the management of the railway, the city council of the latter, on March 4, 1872, declared him an Adoptive Son of the city and awarded his name to a street that still conserves it.

           Due to the merits, King Amadeo de Saboya granted him the title of Marqués de Almanzora when he was President of the Council of Ministers Práxedes Mateo Sagasta. The Marquis, as proof of gratitude for this honor, gave the king a huge copy of native silver from his property in Herrarias. This specimen is still preserved in the National Museum of Rome.

           The detail of giving the benefactors a gift of native silver extracted from the Cuevas mines must have been an extended custom in this town, since, according to Antonio Molina, it is likely that Francisco Martínez de Miguel, also from caves, gave the Pope with a magnificent piece of silver from Las Herrerías, having obtained the title of pontifical Count of Miguel from him.

       Unfortunately this great wealth was disappearing almost as quickly as it had consolidated due to the mismanagement of the second generation of Marquises. Residents habitually in Madrid, squandered the capital bequeathed by the parents, although it is necessary to add, if not as a total exculpation, yes as a release, that their generosity and their inclination to help the needy played a major role.

           Don Antonio Abellán Peñuela, First Marquis of Almanzora, died in Garrucha on March 22, 1903 at the age of 81 years. In the obituary that the newspaper published two days later, it can be read that, among other merits, he had to be knighted Grand Cross of the Royal and Distinguished Order of Isabel La Católica.

            His wife, Catalina Casanova Navarro (1831-1914) was a person who had a decisive influence on his career: his wife Catalina Casanova Navarro born in 1831 in Cuevas and with whom he married in 1848.

            From this marriage were born two sons, Antonio, who inherited the title of Marqués de Almanzora, and Dolores, who upon the death of his mother was the second Countess of Algaida, a title that had been created for her father on June 11, 1887 and that owed its name to a property that the family owned in Tíjola.

        She was a woman of extraordinary character, simple and of generous heart. Always ready to help the needy, he came to have monthly designations destined for charity centers that mainly cared for the elderly.

            Doña Catalina definitively established her residence in the Almanzora palace house since her husband died in 1903. There she died on April 13, 1914, being the First Countess of Algaida and First Marquesa de Almanzora.

The information contained here can be found in much more detail by accessing the book

"Almanzora: a walk through its surroundings, economy, traditions and history"

 

 

 

 

Family tree of the marquises by Frédéric Bonnenfod Márquez