Adolfo de Hostos
Adolfo de Hostos | |
|---|---|
| Official Historian of Puerto Rico | |
| In office 1936–1950 | |
| Preceded by | Mariano Abril y Ostalo |
| Succeeded by | Pilar Barbosa de Rosario |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Adolfo José de Hostos y de Ayala January 8, 1887 Santo Domingo, Second Dominican Republic |
| Died | October 29, 1982 (aged 95) San Juan, Puerto Rico |
| Spouses | Rosenda Brunet Guayta
(m. 1914; died 1945)María Asunción Olivar Piñero
(m. 1948) |
| Children | 2 |
| Parents |
|
| Occupation | |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1905–1919 |
| Rank | First lieutenant |
Adolfo de Hostos (1887–1982) was a Dominican-born Puerto Rican historian and archaeologist, known for serving as the fifth Official Historian of Puerto Rico.[1][2][3][4]
Early life
Adolfo José de Hostos y de Ayala was born on January 8, 1887 in Santo Domingo, Second Dominican Republic (present-day, Dominican Republic) to Eugenio María de Hostos and Belinda Otilia de Ayala y Quintana.[1][5] de Hostos was baptised on July 23, 1887 in San Carlos, and had five brothers and sisters.[6][7]
In 1939, he corresponded with his brother Eugenio Carlos de Hostos excitedly relaying how he hoped to have his publication, Trópico, be included in the newspaper Puerto Rico Ilustrado.[8]
Military career
De Hostos served in the United States Army from 1905-1919 rising to the rank of 1st lieutenant. He was as military aide to Gov. Arthur Yeager before his appointment by Gov. Blanton Winship.
Official historian
His most prominent publication is "Ciudad Murada", the history of the city of San Juan, Puerto Rico, the United States' oldest city.
After his retirement in 1950, the position of Official Historian remained vacant for 43 years, until the Puerto Rico House of Representatives approved in 1993 Senate Concurrent Resolution 14, authored by Sen. Kenneth McClintock, designated Dr. Pilar Barbosa.
De Hostos spearheaded the excavation at a location in Guaynabo, finding remnants of early European settlement in Puerto Rico. The location is now called the Caparra Archaeological Site.[9]
De Hostos made an important contribution to pre-Columbian archaeology with his book titled "Anthropological Papers: Based Principally on Studies of the Prehistoric Archaeology and Ethnology of the Greater Antilles" published in 1941.[10]
Personal life
In 1914, de Hostos married Rosenda Brunet Guayta (1887–1945), with whom he had two children.[11][12][13] In 1948, de Hostos married María Asunción Olivar Piñero (1927–2020).[2][5][14][15]
de Hostos died on October 29, 1982, in San Juan, Puerto Rico.[5]
References
- ^ a b "Hostos, Adolfo de, 1887-1982". Library of Congress Name Authority File. Washington, D.C.: The Library of Congress. 2025. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
- ^ a b Lauria-Santiago, Aldo. "El tarjetero misterioso del depósito 6… O una valiosa lección sobre porque hacer preguntas". The Rutgers Puerto Rico Archival Collaboration (in Spanish). New Brunswick: Rutgers University. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
- ^ «Adolfo de Hostos», brief biographical article published in on October-December 1984 at Revista del Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña, page 4.
- ^ de Hostos, Adolfo (December 23, 1959), Fiestas en la antigua San Juan – via www.cervantesvirtual.com
- ^ a b c "Adolfo José de Hostos y de Ayala". Registro Civil, 1836-2001 (in Spanish). Certificado de Defunciones. San Juan, Puerto Rico: Departamento de Salud de Puerto Rico. 1982.
- ^ "Aldolfo Jose Hostos", Dominican Republic, Select Baptisms, 1726-1924 [database on-line], FHL Film Number: 636816, item 4, Provo, Utah: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.: 170, 2014
- ^ "Chronology prepared by Prof. José Diáz English Version – Eugenio Maria de Hostos".
- ^ "[Carta de Adolfo a su hermano Eugenio Carlos de Hostos] | Biblioteca Virtual Miguel de Cervantes". www.cervantesvirtual.com.
- ^ "Caparra Archaeological Site". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
- ^ "Adolfo de Hostos y Ayala - Caribbean | EnciclopediaPR".
- ^ "Adolfo José de Hostos y de Ayala y Rosenda Brunet Guayta, Acta de Matrimonio", Registro Civil, 1836-2001 (in Spanish), San Juan, Puerto Rico: Departamento de Salud de Puerto Rico: 202, 1914
- ^ "Rosenda Brunet Guayta, Certificado de Defuncion" [Rosenda Brunet Guayta, Death Certificate]. Registro Civil, 1836-2001 (in Spanish). 74–80, 1944–1946 (1396). San Juan, Puerto Rico: Departamento de Salud de Puerto Rico. 1945.
- ^ "Adolfo de Hostes [Hostos] Ayala". 1940 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Census Place: San Juan, San Juan, Puerto Rico, Roll: m-t0627-04600, Enumeration District: 8-42. Washington, D.C.: The National Archives: 7B. 1940.
- ^ "Adolfo [José] de Hostos [y de Ayala] y María Asunción Olivar, Certificación de la Celebración de Matrimonio". Registro Civil, 1836-2001. San Juan, Matrimonios 1946–1949. San Juan, Puerto Rico: Departamento de Salud de Puerto Rico. August 10, 1948.
- ^ Molina Alanis, Luis Alejandro; Auffant Vázquez, Vivian (June 30, 2020). "In memoriam: María Asunción Olivar Piñero". Claridad (in Spanish). San Juan, Puerto Rico: Periódico de la Nación Puertorriqueña, Inc. Retrieved 18 August 2025.