Manuel Muniz, Circa 1880s

[dmuniz]

My Grandfather, Manuel Muniz, was from Asturias, and became a Newspaper Editor in Madrid in the 1870s-1880s. He published what was apparently an unflatering article about the Royal Family and was forced flee to Cuba sometime in the 1880. He met my Grandmother, Maria Figueroa (from Galicia) in Habana, they both migrated to New York City some time in the late 1880s or 1890s. In NYC he opened a translating business and mostly served the judicial court system. My father, Ricardo, was born in NYC in 1910. Since he was the only member of his family (to my knowledge) to leave Spain, and died before my birth, I have had difficulty tracing the Muniz family, any help greatly appreciated.

[Carlos]

Hello, Donald.

I have done a brief search in the net and have found two mentions on a Manuel Muñiz in Cuba:

http://www.juventudrebelde.cu/secciones ... abril.html

http://galeon.hispavista.com/cienfuegos ... odicos.htm

I'm not sure this is your grandfather, but it seems to have some coincidencies in the years and the profession.

The first one says:

11 de abril de 1890
Aparece en Cienfuegos el diario nombrado “El Día”
Defensor del Partido Unión Constitucional, bajo la dirección de Manuel Muñiz García, y para suceder al periódico “La Lealtad”, que había sido suspendido.

"April 11, 1890
It appears in Cienfuegos the newspaper named “El Día”, defender of the Constitutional Union Party, under the leadership of Manuel Muñiz García, and to succeed newspaper “La Lealtad”, which had been suspended."

And the second:

D. José I. Andreu estableció una nueva imprenta en 1873, y en ella comenzó a publicarse el 15 de agosto de 1878 el periódico “La Aurora”, primer diario liberal existente en Cienfuegos después de la Guerra de Yara. Este periódico fue adquirido el 4 de octubre siguiente por varios afiliados al Partido Autonomista, que importaron de los Estados Unidos una moderna máquina de cilindro y mucho material de imprenta, y fue dirigido sucesivamente por D. Alejandro Muxó, Honorato Fernández del Cueto y Pablo Díaz de Villegas. “La Aurora” fue sacada de la vida precaria en que se hallaba a pesar de ser el vocero local de sentimiento cubano, por el Lcdo. Víctor Virgilio Villa, joven rico e ilustrado que llegó a Cienfuegos procedente de París, con deseos de iniciarse en el periodismo, y se hizo cargo de la imprenta y del periódico hasta que este desapareció, sustituyéndolo “La Opinión”, de iguales tendencias; pero como éstas no eran del agrado de las autoridades, tuvo necesidad de suspender su publicación el 15 de abril de 1882, por las dificultades de toda índole que se presentaron, reanudándolas el 15 de febrero de 1883, bajo la dirección de D. Pablo Díaz de Villegas. El 2 de enero de 1882 se comenzó a publicar el diario “La Lealtad”, de ideas políticas conservadoras con imprenta propia, dirigido por D. Juan Compañol, a quien sustituyó Antonio Vacaro y Vázquez el 22 de junio del propio año, hasta que desapareció el 11 de abril de 1890. Para sustituirla, comenzó a publicarse “El Día”, de la misma tendencia dirigido por Manuel Muñiz.

"On January 2, 1882 began to publish the newspaper "La Lealtad" by conservative political ideas (unionist, pro-Spain) with its own machinery, led by Mr. Juan Compañol, who was replaced by Antonio Vacaro y Vazquez on June 22, same year, until he disappeared on April 11, 1890. To replace it, began running "The Day", with the same tendency, directed by Manuel Muniz."

However, there are some strange points. As you tell the facts, it seems your grandfather was some kind of rebel in Spain. It isn't impossible to be that Manuel Muñiz was politically an anti-monarchist or so, and favourable to the conservation of Cuba, but this not seems very coherent with the anti-independence positions nor the migration to the USA (the Cuban independence was reached in 1898).

It would be very important if you can apport his full name, with the normal Spanish system of two family names.

Perhaps you can try to write to the Press' Association of Madrid:

http://www.apmadrid.es/component/option ... temid,272/

You should ask for the proper person for request the information you need. This Association was born on 1895, but possibly they have a library, service of information or so.

Good luck and please add here aditional data on Manuel Muñiz if you know something.