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Spanish Envoy to the United States (1796-1809): Marques de Casa Irujo and His Philadelphia Wife Sally Mckean*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 December 2015

Eric Beerman
Eric Beerman*
Affiliation:
Madrid, Spain
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Extract

Carlos Martínez de Irujo y Tacón was first secretary of the Spanish Embassy in London, when he received a promotion and transfer as minister plenipotentiary of the Spanish legation in Philadelphia, replacing the chargé d'affaires, José Jáudenes y Nebot, who returned to Spain for a new assignment. Carlos Martínez de Irujo arrived in Philadelphia in the summer of 1796 and assumed his duties. Soon after arrival, the diplomat met, and apparently was captivated by, Sally McKean, the vivacious sixteen-year old daughter of Pennsylvania's chief justice and one of the state's most respected citizens—Thomas McKean. Two years later the couple married at St. Augustine Parochial Church in Philadelphia. Sally McKean, being from an influential American family, along with her own charm, grace, intelligence and beauty, contributed greatly to the success of her husband's mission in the United States. In 1802, as a result of his diplomatic services in Philadelphia, Martínez de Irujo received the Spanish aristocratic title of Marquis of Casa Irujo, with his Philadelphia-born wife becoming the first Marquise of Casa Irujo. He served as Spanish minister in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., until 1808, when he was reassigned to Spain, accompanied by his wife and their six year old son. This Spanish diplomat culminated a brilliant professional career when he was named Secretary of State in 1819.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Americas , Volume 37 , Issue 4 , April 1981 , pp. 445 - 456
Copyright
Copyright © Academy of American Franciscan History 1981

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Footnotes

*

Eric Beerman, a native of California, has his doctorate from the University of Madrid in Spain, where he has resided for 13 years, dedicated to research on the Spanish historical and genealogical heritage in the Americas and has published widely in the field.

References

1 Manuscript illustration of the Martínez de Irujo family tree attached to a large expediente (dossier) regarding Carlos Martínez de Irujo y Tacón's entry into the Royal Order of Carlos III, Archivo Histórico Nacional, Madrid (hereafter cited as AHN), Orden de Carlos III, Expediente 878 (hereafter cited as Expediente de Carlos Martínez), folio 1. The dossier contains a great mass of historical and genealogical documentation on the Martínez de Irujo line.

2 Ibid.

3 Entry of Manuel Martínez de Irujo into the Order of Carlos III in 1780, AHN, Orden de Carlos III, Expediente 759, f. 1.

4 Copy of marriage document, AHN, Expediente de Carlos Martínez, f. 2. Original document recorded at Cartagena Cathedral, Book of Marriages (commencing December 16, 1756), f. 111.

5 Copy of baptismal record, ibid., f. 3. Original registered at Cartagena Cathedral, Book of Baptisms (commencing May 8, 1634), f. 47, document 2.

6 Copy of baptism, ibid., f. 4v. Original recorded at Cartagena Cathedral, Book of Baptisms (commencing October 1, 1763), f. 30, document 1.

7 Royal Order of December 5, 1794, ibid., f. 1.

8 Letter from Carlos Martínez de Irujo to Manuel Godoy (secretary of State), London, January 1, 1796, AHN, Estado, Legajo 3896 bis.

9 Ibid., Norfolk, June 11, 1796, AHN, Estado, Leg. 3896.

10 Ibid., Philadelphia, July 12, 1796, AHN, Estado, Leg. 3896bis.

11 Ibid., November 10, 1796, AHN, Estado, Leg. 3896bis.

12 Ibid., November 20, 1796, AHN, Estado, Leg. 3890bis, no. 1.

13 Ibid., February 18, 1797, AHN, Estado, Leg. 3889bis.

14 Dispatch from Carlos Martínez de Irujato King, Philadelphia, September 22, 1797, AHN, Estado, Leg. 3897.

15 Copy of parent”s marriage document recorded in the dossier of Carlos Fernando Martínez de Irujo y McKean”s entry into Order of Carlos III, AHN, Orden de Carlos III, Expediente 1924 (hereafter cited as Expediente de Carlos Fernando Martínez) f. 6. Regarding the marriage of Carlos Martínez de Irujo to Sally McKean, the following letter (translated) to Manuel Godoy (Prince of the Peace), from Philadelphia, on April 12, 1798, give some insight into the problems encountered by Spanish diplomats marrying nationals of the country to which they are assigned:

My dear sir:

On September 22, 1797,1 wrote you requesting your assistance in obtaining permission of the King in order to marry Miss Sally McKean, daughter of the Chief Justice of Pennsylvania, one of the most important dignitaries of the American Republic, President of the Continental Congress at the time that the French Army of Mr. de Rochambeau fought for the American Revolution. Six months have passed and I have received no reply; as a result, 1 am interpreting the silence as conformity, especially due to the fact that Miss McKean possesses all the qualities required fora man in my situation; she is also a Catholic. If I have to continue to leave my domestic situation in the hands of servants, it will continue in chaos. Given the high cost-of-living of America, my salary does not cover my expenses, which are considerable, due to the fact of my position. Perhaps said request was lost in the mail, or possibly the King is involved in other much more important affairs-of-state, so I am led to understand that the silence is approval. It would be greatly appreciated if you would explain this to the King. … (signed Carlos Martínez de Irujo, AHN, Estado, Leg. 3897).

16 Royal Decree of Francisco Saavedra (secretary of State), Madrid, September 19, 1798, AHN, Estado, Leg. 3897.

17 Copy of baptismal certificate of Sally McKean, AHN, Expediente de Carlos Fernando Martínez, f. 10.

18 Manuscript illustration of the McKean/Martínez de Irujo family trees, ibid., ff 1 and 12.

19 Ibid.

20 Copy of baptism, ibid., f. 12v. Original recorded at St. Mary’s Parochial Church, Philadelphia, Book of Baptisms (Year 1751).

21 Encyclopedia Americana, International Edition (1965), Vol. XVIII, page 64.

22 Copy of Thomas McKean’s baptismal certificate, AHN, Expediente de Carlos Fernando Martínez, f. 12. Original recorded at St. Augustine Parochial Church, Philadelphia, Book of Baptisms (Year 1743).

23 Encyclopedia Americana, XVIII, 64–68.

24 Copy of Sally McKean’s parent’s marriage document, AHN, Expediente de Carlos Fernando Martínez, f. 12v. Original registered at St. Augustine Church, Book of Marriages (Year 1773).

25 Copy of Carlos Fernapdo’s baptism, ibid., ff. 4–5. Original recorded at Chapel of Spanish legation, Washington, D.C., Book of Baptisms (Year 1803).

26 Encyclopedia Americana, XVIII, 64–68.

27 Letter from David Humphreys to Francisco Saavedra, Madrid, May 15, 1798, AHN, Estado, Leg. 3891, Expediente 22.

28 Carlos Martínez de Irujo to Saavedra, Philadelphia, November 12, 1799, no. 135, ibid., Leg. 3897.

29 Oficio of Martínez de Irujo, Philadelphia, February 13, 1800, ibid., Leg. 3890bis, no. 1.

30 Letter from Martínez de Irujo to Pedro Ceballos (secretary of State), Washington, D.C., April 26, 1802, ibid., Leg. 3889, Expediente 10, no. 188.

31 Copy of baptism, AHN, Expediente de Carlos Fernando Martínez, ff. 4–5.

32 Royal Order of March 6, 1803, Aranjuez, AHN, Consejos Suprimidos, Leg. 8979, Year 1803, no. 6082.

33 Letter from Marquis of Casa Irujo (Carlos Martínez de Irujo), Philadelphia, July 20, 1804, AHN, Estado, Leg. 3889, Expediente 10.

34 Memorias de José García de León y Pizarro (l770–1835), Archivo del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Manuscritos 27–34.

35 Royal Order of 1809, AHN, Estado, Leg. 3892bis, Exp. 3, no. 192.

36 Ibid.; and Extract of the secretary of State Pedro Ceballos on the affairs of the Spanish legation in Washington, D.C., 1804–09, ibid.

37 Letter from N. M. Delonguem to Casa Irujo, New York, March 6, 1819, ibid, Leg. 3890bis, Exp. 6, no. 49.

38 Enciclopedia universal ilustrada europeo-americana (70 vols.; Barcelona and Madrid, 1903–33), XXXIII, 535–536; and Alberto, and Carraffa, Arturo García, Enciclopedia heráldica y genealógica hispanoamericana (88 vols.; Madrid, 1919–1963), XXXXVI, 55–58.Google Scholar

39 Royal Order of December 5,1850, Queen Isabella II, Palace, AHN, Consejos Suprimidos, Leg. 8983, Year 1850, no. 288.

40 Expediente de Carlos Fernando.

41 Enciclopedia universal ilustrada, XXXIII, 535–536; and Carraffa, García, Enciclopedia heráldica, 46, 55–58.Google Scholar

42 Ibid.; and Royal Decree of 1844, AHN, Consejos Suprimidos, Leg. 8981, no. 1.

43 Royal Order of March 17,1845, AHN, Damas Nobles de la Reina María Luisa (Estado), Legs. 7567, no. 29 and 7569, no. 235.

44 AHN, Consejos Suprimidos, Leg. 8985, year 1856, no. 54. For a photo of the portrait of the third Marquis of Casa Irujo see: Biblioteca Nacional, Madrid, Bellas Arts, Expediente 5537.

45 Carraffa, Carcía, Enciclopedia heráldica, 46, 55–58.Google Scholar

46 Royal letter of succession of July 31, 1889, AHN, Consejos Suprimidos, Leg. 8991, no. 31.

47 Royal Order of April 19, 1876, ibid., Leg. 8970, year 1876, numbers 951–952.

48 Carraffa, García, Enciclopedia heráldica, 46, 55–58.Google Scholar

49 Ibid.

50 Atienza, Julio, Nobiliario español (Madrid, 1959), 832.Google Scholar