Pedro Romero de Terreros
| Pedro Romero de Terreros | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Born |
Pedro Romero de Terreros June 28, 1710 Cortegana, Spain |
| Died | 1781 Huasca, New Spain |
| Nationality | Spanish |
| Occupation | Count of Regla, magnate and philanthropist |
Pedro Romero de Terreros (1710–1781), the first Count of Regla, was a mining magnate and philanthropist in 18th century Mexico.
Pedro Romero de Terreros was born in Cortegana, Spain, on June 28, 1710, the fifth (of six) child and fourth son of Ana Gómez and José Romero de Terreros. His parents had little land or wealth but were related to the two largest landowners in Cortegana. Pedro and his brothers were all literate, although no documentation has been found as to how they were educated. Pedro showed signs of having a superior intellect, and his parents originally considered having him trained for the priesthood.
It is likely that Romero de Terreros began his career as a clerk in Puerto de Santa María. There would have been little opportunity for advancement, and the pay would have been very low. As a younger son, Romero de Terreros would not have received the same support from his parents as his elder brothers received, and he would have needed to find his own way. Several members of his extended family had previously emigrated to the New World and operated successful businesses there, and his eldest brother Francisco had emigrated in 1723 to work for their uncle Juan Vázquez Terreros; Francisco died in Mexico in 1728.
About 1730, Romero de Terreros journeyed to Mexico. According to a contemporary account, Romero de Terreros's trip may originally have been to settle his brother's estate, but he chose to stay and assist his uncle. On his arrival, he followed local practice of recent European immigrants using the honorific "don", a title which in Spain was reserved for the minor nobility (hidalgos). Romero de Terreros joined his uncle in Querétaro, the third largest city in Mexico.
On his arrival, Pedro learned that his uncle was almost bankrupt; rather than being trained, Pedro was instead almost immediately given full authority over his uncle's businesses. After his uncle's death in 1735, Romero de Terreros administered the estate. According to the will, Romero de Terreros would receive one-third of the profits from any future business, with the rest to be shared by Vázquez's children. In the will, Vázquez praised Romero de Terreros for his "activity, accuracy, and good work". By 1747, however, he settled his uncle's estate; money from the sale of the businesses was distributed to Vazquez's children.
Romero de Terreros showed an affinity for making money and soon brought the businesses back into profitability. In 1741, he began to invest in the Pachuca-Mineral del Monte silver mines, along with his business partner Jose Alejandro Bustamante. As his personal wealth rose, so did his social status. He served as alcalde of Querétaro, and in 1752 was given an honorary knighthood in the Order of Calatrava. Spanish King Ferdinand VI granted Romero de Terreros a special exemption so that he could be inducted into the order from Querétaro rather than have to travel to Spain for the ceremony.
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