Juan Miguel de Esparza

Juan Miguel de Esparza (1712–1766) was a Spanish nobleman, Alcalde, Regidor and Alférez real of Buenos Aires during the Viceroyalty of Peru.

Juan Miguel was baptized on January 30, 1712, being his godparents Miguel de Riglos and Josefa Rosa Alvarado. His parents were Miguel Gerónimo de Esparza and Antonia Cabral, daughter of Antonio Cabral de Melo and Leonor de Morales. He was married to her cousin María Eugenia Sánchez, daughter of Captain Francisco Sánchez and Sebastiana Zenarro, (sister of the Third Order of Saint Francis), daughter of Cap. Juan de Zenarro (born in Pasaia, Gipuzkoa) and Inés Esparza Rodríguez.

Before marrying, Esparza had had a natural daughter (Camila) with María Josefa González de Alderete. Camila de Esparza y González de Alderete was married to Juan José Rocha de la Torre, being the ancestors of Dardo Rocha, founder of La Plata and Governor of Buenos Aires Province between 1881 and 1884.

His wife María Eugenia Sánchez Galiano, born in 1730 in the neighborhood of San Nicolas, died on March 3, 1817 and was buried in the Santo Domingo convent. They were the parents of numerous children including: María Florencia, Mariano Marcos, godson of Francisco Álvarez Campana, Maria Anna, Mathias Joseph. And Catalina Bernarda Esparza, wife of Juan de Canaveris, one of the neighbors who attended the open cabildo of 1810.

Esparza did his studies at Colegio Nacional de Monserrat, and got his law degree at the University of Saint Francis Xavier. His first public office was as delegate of the Buenos Aires Cabildo in the 1738 census in the City. In 1743 Esparza was dedicated to trade, and lived some time in Cádiz, Spain. In 1750 Juan Miguel Esparza was appointed Regidor of council. On January 10, 1754, he served as attorney general. That same year was legal representative of several creditors of Francisco Escalada (merchant), among which was Patrick Lynch, a famous Irish merchant established in Argentina.

In 1758 Esparza was member of the Brotherhood of Charity; Hermanos de la Caridad. One year later, he served as treasurer in the city, a position he occupied until 1763. In 1764, Juan Miguel Esparza was elected Alcalde ordinario of Buenos Aires. For the same year, the newly elected Esparza and Ramón de Palacio (alcalde of 2nd vote), along with the officials Gerónimo de Matorras and José de Albizur, were responsible for fundraising among the neighbors for the construction of a tower in the Cabildo. The new tower of the council included an expensive clock brought from Cadiz, was finished for the year of 1765.

In 1752, due to Indian populations that attacked Spanish settlements, in the northwest region of the province of Buenos Aires, Juan Miguel de Esparza, was commissioned to lead "La Valerosa" a militia of the Regiment of Blandengues of the Frontier, under command Captain José de Zarate. The Regidor Juan de Lezica (Spanish nobleman) had been in charge of the "La Atrevida", serving in the area of Lobos. The mission of border militias were to pursue the Indians rebel and protect civilians and their families. These Cavalry patrols were armed with carabine and sabre. Esparza was the responsible for the defense in the area of Lujan, place continuously attacked by indians raids.

Currently a street in the neighborhood of Balvanera, carries the name Esparza, in honor to Miguel Gerónimo, Joseph (regidor), Francisco (priest), Juan Miguel and Martín Esparza, friar assassinated during the second British invasions of the River Plate.