Miguel Gerónimo de Esparza

Personal life

Miguel Gerónimo was born in Buenos Aires, son of Alejo de Esparza and Escolástica Rodríguez, daughter of Alfonso Rodríguez. He was married in the parish of La Merced, on July 2, 1706, to Antonia Cabral, great-granddaughter of Amador Vaz de Alpoim and Margarita Cabral de Melo (descendant of Nuno Velho Cabral). Esparza and his wife were parents of several children born between 1707 and 1725, including: Juan Miguel, Juan Pablo, godson of Juan de Zamudio and Maria Josepha, born in 1725, goddaughter of Alonso de Arce y Arcos and María Báez de Alpoim. His son Juan Miguel de Esparza, was an important Government Functionary of Buenos Aires, where served as regidor and alcalde.

Other members of his family include Joseph Esparza (his brother), married to María Verdún, relative of Bernardino de Verdum y Villayzán. And his sisters María Esparza, wife of Gabriel Ximénez and Inés Esparza, married to Juan de Zenarro, native of Gipuzkoa.

In 1717, Miguel Gerónimo de Esparza attended as a witness in the marriage of his cousin María Josefa Zenarro with Pedro Gribeo, (Lieutenant governor of Corrientes in 1728).

Career

Esparza probably studied law at the University of Saint Francis Xavier. In 1719, he was a defender of minors and the homeless, and in 1724 had served as a lawyer or adviser. After was appointed perpetual regidor of Buenos Aires, a position he held until 1766. In 1744, Esparza was in charge of the census of City. In 1745, he was elected judge, and years later was appointed alcalde of the city of Buenos Aires.

Esparza was also dedicated to commerce, he belonged to the select group of neighbors who had ties to Cadiz. Among these neighbors was Alonso García de Zúñiga, belonging to one of the most powerful families of Río de la Plata. In 1747, Miguel Gerónimo Esparza served as Captain in The Presidio of Buenos Aires, the main fortification of the city.