Sugar manufacturer. Benefactor of Cienfuegos. Born in Nueva Paz into a family of coffee growers who were eventually forced to give over two coffee plantations to sugar plantations because of high US tariffs and the explosion of cheaper coffee production in Brazil. He studied medicine at the University of Paris but troubles at home motivated his return to Cuba. He had by this time come to the attention to his father's friend, Don Tomas Terry. The two shared business and political interests, and talked much about their experiences living in Paris, and reactions to new European economic theories and methods of manufacture, the development of European politics and society—and comparing it unhappily with the realities in Cuba.
In 1866, Acea married Teresa, the daughter of Tomas Terry, and their only son Tomas Lorenzo was born in Paris in August of 1867. Happy in his home life, he worked to modernize his business and turned it into a great success, employing the latest technology available. Although he supported eventual independence for Cuba, he felt his country unprepared for it in 1870, and could not sympathize with impatient revolutionaries.
His wife's delicate health forced a move to New York, where she died in 1870 at the age of 30, and was buried in her father's Green-Wood vault. Acea returned to Cienfuegos with his 3-year old son. By 1878, he had been a founder of the Constitutional Union Party and become a Lieutenant Mayor of Cienfuegos. In 1881, he married Francisca Tostes y Garcia, a woman who had become very attached to Tomas Lorenzo. Lorenzo soon became ill with TB. This time, Acea moved with his family to the mountains of California for his son's health. As before, the move was futile, and Lorenzo died at 17 in 1884. He was buried here before the mausoleum was consructed. Acea returned again to Cienfuegos, where he became an active political and financial supporter of Marti. He became an active benefactor of his city, Cienfuegos. He provided for the establishment of schools and hospitals still in service today. The Cementerio Tomas Acea, is named after Acea's son. Acea rebuilt its entrance as a replica of the Parthenon in Greece. He is still, over a century after his death, known in Cienfuegos, as "The Benefactor."
In 1866, Acea married Teresa, the daughter of Tomas Terry, and their only son Tomas Lorenzo was born in Paris in August of 1867. Happy in his home life, he worked to modernize his business and turned it into a great success, employing the latest technology available. Although he supported eventual independence for Cuba, he felt his country unprepared for it in 1870, and could not sympathize with impatient revolutionaries.
His wife's delicate health forced a move to New York, where she died in 1870 at the age of 30, and was buried in her father's Green-Wood vault. Acea returned to Cienfuegos with his 3-year old son. By 1878, he had been a founder of the Constitutional Union Party and become a Lieutenant Mayor of Cienfuegos. In 1881, he married Francisca Tostes y Garcia, a woman who had become very attached to Tomas Lorenzo. Lorenzo soon became ill with TB. This time, Acea moved with his family to the mountains of California for his son's health. As before, the move was futile, and Lorenzo died at 17 in 1884. He was buried here before the mausoleum was consructed. Acea returned again to Cienfuegos, where he became an active political and financial supporter of Marti. He became an active benefactor of his city, Cienfuegos. He provided for the establishment of schools and hospitals still in service today. The Cementerio Tomas Acea, is named after Acea's son. Acea rebuilt its entrance as a replica of the Parthenon in Greece. He is still, over a century after his death, known in Cienfuegos, as "The Benefactor."
Sugar manufacturer. Benefactor of Cienfuegos. Born in Nueva Paz into a family of coffee growers who were eventually forced to give over two coffee plantations to sugar plantations because of high US tariffs and the explosion of cheaper coffee production in Brazil. He studied medicine at the University of Paris but troubles at home motivated his return to Cuba. He had by this time come to the attention to his father's friend, Don Tomas Terry. The two shared business and political interests, and talked much about their experiences living in Paris, and reactions to new European economic theories and methods of manufacture, the development of European politics and society—and comparing it unhappily with the realities in Cuba.
In 1866, Acea married Teresa, the daughter of Tomas Terry, and their only son Tomas Lorenzo was born in Paris in August of 1867. Happy in his home life, he worked to modernize his business and turned it into a great success, employing the latest technology available. Although he supported eventual independence for Cuba, he felt his country unprepared for it in 1870, and could not sympathize with impatient revolutionaries.
His wife's delicate health forced a move to New York, where she died in 1870 at the age of 30, and was buried in her father's Green-Wood vault. Acea returned to Cienfuegos with his 3-year old son. By 1878, he had been a founder of the Constitutional Union Party and become a Lieutenant Mayor of Cienfuegos. In 1881, he married Francisca Tostes y Garcia, a woman who had become very attached to Tomas Lorenzo. Lorenzo soon became ill with TB. This time, Acea moved with his family to the mountains of California for his son's health. As before, the move was futile, and Lorenzo died at 17 in 1884. He was buried here before the mausoleum was consructed. Acea returned again to Cienfuegos, where he became an active political and financial supporter of Marti. He became an active benefactor of his city, Cienfuegos. He provided for the establishment of schools and hospitals still in service today. The Cementerio Tomas Acea, is named after Acea's son. Acea rebuilt its entrance as a replica of the Parthenon in Greece. He is still, over a century after his death, known in Cienfuegos, as "The Benefactor."
In 1866, Acea married Teresa, the daughter of Tomas Terry, and their only son Tomas Lorenzo was born in Paris in August of 1867. Happy in his home life, he worked to modernize his business and turned it into a great success, employing the latest technology available. Although he supported eventual independence for Cuba, he felt his country unprepared for it in 1870, and could not sympathize with impatient revolutionaries.
His wife's delicate health forced a move to New York, where she died in 1870 at the age of 30, and was buried in her father's Green-Wood vault. Acea returned to Cienfuegos with his 3-year old son. By 1878, he had been a founder of the Constitutional Union Party and become a Lieutenant Mayor of Cienfuegos. In 1881, he married Francisca Tostes y Garcia, a woman who had become very attached to Tomas Lorenzo. Lorenzo soon became ill with TB. This time, Acea moved with his family to the mountains of California for his son's health. As before, the move was futile, and Lorenzo died at 17 in 1884. He was buried here before the mausoleum was consructed. Acea returned again to Cienfuegos, where he became an active political and financial supporter of Marti. He became an active benefactor of his city, Cienfuegos. He provided for the establishment of schools and hospitals still in service today. The Cementerio Tomas Acea, is named after Acea's son. Acea rebuilt its entrance as a replica of the Parthenon in Greece. He is still, over a century after his death, known in Cienfuegos, as "The Benefactor."
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