Arturo O'Neill de Tyrone y O'Kelly was a Spanish Army officer and colonial administrator.
17 Facts About Arturo O'Neill
1.
2.
Arturo O'Neill came from a lineage that occupied prominent European positions and titles, since at least the 12th century.
3.
Arturo O'Neill was the third of five children of Henry O'Neill and Ana O'Kelly.
4.
Arturo O'Neill's family lost their lands in Ireland, which forced them to emigrate.
5.
Arturo O'Neill's parents carried Arturo and his brothers to Spain.
6.
In 1752, Arturo O'Neill joined the Irish regiment in Ireland, as a cadet under the command of his cousin, the regimental commander Jose Camerford.
7.
Arturo O'Neill served in the campaign of Portugal in 1762.
8.
Arturo O'Neill was involved in the campaign against Brazil, which contributed to the seizure of Fort Santa Cruz, Santa Catalina Island, where he served as governor until the end of the war.
9.
In late 1787, Arturo O'Neill, based on the fact that he had ruled Florida for six years, asked the Spanish crown if he might ascend to the title of brigadier and be appointed the Governor of Puerto Rico or to a similar position.
10.
Arturo O'Neill's health began to fail in 1788, and he requested a temporary leave of absence in order to recover.
11.
Arturo O'Neill wanted to increase the number of mestizos, proposing marriage between the Spanish and the Native Americans, because he considered that mestizo people kept a more friendly relationship with whites.
12.
Arturo O'Neill expanded the supply of teachers for schools and had to tackle smuggling that was done from across the province of Cuba and the islands the Caribbean Sea.
13.
Arturo O'Neill carried out the seizure of the ship La Bella Jane in San Francisco de Campeche.
14.
Arturo O'Neill wrote a book entitled Description, population and census of the Province of Yucatan in New Spain in 1795, which was never printed.
15.
Arturo O'Neill served as governor of Yucatan until October 19,1800, when he gave the charge to Benito Perez Valdelomar.
16.
Arturo O'Neill was promoted, in October 1802, to lieutenant general in the same promotion as other notable Spanish military commanders of the Spanish armies during the Peninsular War, including the Duke of the Infantado, Manuel Lapena, Juan Carrafa, Francisco Castanos, Francisco Taranco, Francisco Eguia, and Juan Pignatelli.
17.
Arturo O'Neill died in Madrid on December 9,1814, and was buried in a niche in the cemetery of the.