Manuel V. Domenech

Manuel V. Domenech
Mayor of Ponce, Puerto Rico
In office 1904–1904
Preceded by	Antonio Arias
Succeeded by	Luis P. Valdivieso
Personal details
Born	March 23, 1869(1869-03-23) Isabela, Puerto Rico
Died	1942 (aged 72–73) San Juan, San Juan
Political party	Republican
Alma mater	Lehigh University
Profession	Politician, Architect

Manuel V. Domenech (March 23, 1869 - 1942) was a Puerto Rican politician and engineer.

Early years

Domenech was born in Isabela, Puerto Rico. He graduated in 1888 from Lehigh University in eastern Pennsylvania.^[1]

Political career

Upon his return to Puerto Rico, he became active in politics and was a member of the first Puerto Rico House of Representatives created after the Spanish American War of 1898. Elected in 1900, he was reelected in 1902 and 1904.

During 1904, he served as Mayor of Ponce, Puerto Rico. In 1914, he was appointed to serve as Puerto Rico's Commissioner of the Interior, becoming one of the first Puerto Ricans to hold a presidentially-appointed Puerto Rico Cabinet position. He was subsequently appointed as Treasurer of Puerto Rico, a position he held from 1930 to 1935. On several occasions, he served as acting Governor of Puerto Rico.

A very active member of the Republican Party of Puerto Rico, he attended the 1928 Republican National Convention as an alternate delegate. Ironically, his great grand nephew, Francisco Domenech, is very active in contemporary politics, but in the Democratic Party, where he serves as a so-called "superdelegate". Another relative, Douglas Domenech, his grand nephew, served as the Deputy Chief of Staff of the United States Department of the Interior and a Bush appointee to the White House Task Force on Puerto Rico's Political Status and now serves as Secretary of Naturl Resources of the Commonwealth of Virginia^[2]. Douglas' son, Ben Domenech, was also a Bush appointee who served under the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.

Engineer

Domenech is also known to have acted a the municipal architect for the city of Ponce. ^[3] He was a civil engineer and, in 1914, also rehabilitated the house where King of Tenors Antonio Paoli was born and grew up as a child.^[4]

Death and Burial

Domenech died in 1942 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. After his death, a major avenue in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico was named after him.

References

1. ^ Pennsylvania Alpha Graduates 1885-1900
2. ^ http://www.naturalresources.virginia.gov/
3. ^ Buena Vista: Life and Work on a Puerto Rican Hacienda, 1833-1904 By Guillermo A. Baralt. Page 5.
4. ^ US Dept of the Interior, National Park Service. NRHP Registration Form. Casa Paoli. 2009-08-11.

See also

• Ponce, Puerto Rico
• List of famous Puerto Ricans

Political offices
Preceded by Antonio Arias	Mayor of Ponce, Puerto Rico 1904–1904	Succeeded by Luis P. Valdivieso

Persondata
Name	Domenech, Manuel V
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	March 23, 1869
Place of birth	Isabela, Puerto Rico
Date of death	1942
Place of death	San Juan, San Juan