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Don Matías Castillo | |
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Don Matías Castillo was a distinguished merchant and the wealthiest businessman in Honduras' former capital between 1840 and 1870.
Early life
editDon Matías Castillo was born into the prominent Castillo family of Comayagua, known for their significant political and economic influence in Honduras. His father, Don Benito del Castillo y Calderón de la Barca, and his mother, Doña Antonia Fonseca Aranda, were part of a lineage that traced its nobility and prominence back to their Spanish ancestors.[1]
Family
editIn 1846, Don Matías Castillo married his cousin, Mercedes Montes y Fonseca, daughter of Don Juan José Montes and madame Liberata Fonseca Aranda. Don Juan José Montes served as a member of the Noble Ayuntamiento of Comayagua and as the last Alférez del Rey in 1821, just before Honduras gained independence from Spain. He was also the father of Francisco Montes, who served as president of Honduras three times. The marriage between Don Matías and Mercedes required ecclesiastical dispensations due to their close kinship. They had several children together, including:
- Don Jesús Castillo Montes
- Doña Teresa Castillo Montes
- Don Francisco Castillo Montes
- Don León Castillo Montes
- Don Federico Castillo Montes
- Don Enrique Castillo Montes
- Don Luis Alberto Castillo Montes[1]
Career
editDon Matías Castillo rose to prominence as the wealthiest businessman in Comayagua from 1840 until his death in 1870. His extensive commercial activities, which included importing and exporting a wide range of goods, significantly contributed to the economic prosperity of Honduras' former capital. One notable aspect of his business was the acquisition of a piano from London in the 1850s, making it the first of its kind in Honduras and a symbol of the family's status and cultural influence.[2]
Following the assassination of President Don Santos Guardiola in 1862, his widow, First Lady Doña Anita Arbisú, sought refuge in the Castillo household. The Castillo Montes family provided shelter and protection for eight months until the assassins of her husband were captured and condemned, at which point she moved to Tegucigalpa to live with her daughters.[1]
Death
editUpon his death in 1870, Don Matías left behind a substantial estate, including merchandise valued at 60,000 pesos. His remains can be found in the church of San Sebastián in Comayagua, alongside other notable Honduran figures such as José Trinidad Cabañas and Fray Pedro Alejandro Martínez Castillo.[1]