| José María Coppinger | |
|---|---|
| 08º Spanish East Florida | |
| In office 1816–1821 |
|
| Preceded by | Juan José de Estrada |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 5, 1773 Havana, Cuba |
| Died | March 6, 1888 Havana, Cuba |
| Spouse(s) | Antonia Maria Josefa Crescencia De Saravia (m. 1797) Narcisa Armenteros Muñoz (m. 1803) |
| Profession | soldier and governor |
José Coppinger was a prominent Cuban soldier and governor who served the Royal Army's Infantry and ruled the Plaza de St Augustine, Florida and Spanish East Florida between 1816 and 1821. He was a Gentleman Military Order of San Fernando and San Hermenegildo.[1]
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José María Lopez de Gamarra and Coppinger was born in Havana, Cuba on April 5, 1773 [1] (although according to other sources, he was born in Bayamo, Cuba in 1800 [2]) and he was baptized on July 18 at the Cathedral of Havana. He was the son of Cornelius Coppinger and O'Brien and of María Dolores López De Gamara.[1][3] His father was of Irish origin that in 1767 became a naturalized Spanish and his mother was Cuban, though his family was originally from Seville, passing this to Cuba in the seventeenth century.[3] José María grew under Catholic religion.[1] In 1797 he was Captain of the Regiment of Hibernia and Assistant Mayor of Second Battalion. Some years later, in 1801, Jose Maria became the political and military governor of the New Filipina (current Pinar del Río) and the town of Bayamo, Cuba. Later, in 1814, he settled in Trinidad and became Captain of War of the Cuatro Villas. José María abandoned this position in 1817, to become, in the same year, the Acting Military Governor of the Plaza de St. Augustine of Florida and East Florida, replacing Brigadier Kindelan. He held this post until 1820.[1][3] However, on January 28, 1825 he ruled only parts of Cuba and Florida,[2][3] but he also became governor of the castle and the Plaza de San Juan de Ulúa in Mexico.,[1][3] being the last Spanish governor of this place.[3] He participated in the battle of Spanish and Mexicans during the attempt reconquest of San Juan de Úlua, in the Spanish side. According to some sources he died on August 15, 1844, in Cárdenas, Cuba.[3] According to other sources, (although these are less reliable) died on March 6, 1888 in Havana, Cuba but he was buried in St. Augustine.[2]
Jose Maria Coppinger married with Cuban Antonia Maria Josefa Crescencia De Saravia in the Parish of Santo Christo del Buen Viaje in Havana on July 11, 1797, and they had four children: Maria de la Trinidad, Jose Maria, José Cornelius and María Antonia Coppinger and Saravia.[1] But later, he Know to his new wife, Narcisa Armenteros Muñoz[1][3] and moved to St. Augustine of the Savannah area, Georgia, changing its name and married, then with Narcisa Armenteros. To return later to Havana.[2]