María Eugenia Escalada de Demaría (de María)

Other names/titles:
Gender: F
Ethnic origin: White

Biographical details

Born in Buenos Aires on 8 September 1781, the half-sister of Remedios Escalada de San Martín. She married José Demaría on 7 June 1797. In 1810 she joined other women in contributing 2 onzas of gold and in 1812 she gave a donation to buy arms for the troops at a meeting in her father's house. She died in Buenos Aires on 29 October 1822. (Sosa de Newton, 210)

In 1812 she was among a group of women who sewed uniforms for the patriot army. Several of these offered to buy weapons and they asked that their names be inscribed on them. Their accompanying note (below) was reproduced in the Gaceta Minist, No.12, 26 de junio de 1812. (Mitre, Obras completas, VII, 16-17)

She was the daughter of Antonio José de Escaleda and his first wife Petrona Salcedo niece of Viceroy Vértiz. Her mother died in 1784. She married José de María in 1797. Her father was the only member of the 1810 cabildo to vote against the viceroy and their home was a centre of pro-independence activity. Her father died in 1821. She took part in the small and hidden society of the salons. In 1812 she donated 2 onzas of gold to the independence cause. In 1812 the Argentine troops were struggling and Escalada was one of several women in Tucumán who offered to buy arms from the United States. The absence of her husband and political and social difficulties in the country meant that she became a recluse, living in silence until her death on 29 October 1822. (Carranza, 92-96)

Life Events

Born	1781	She was born in Buenos Aires 8 September 1781.
Other	1784	Her mother died.
Married	1797	She married José Demaría on 7 June 1797.
Other	1810	She contributed gold to the independence cause.
Other	1812	She donated money to buy arms for the independence troops.
Other	1821	Her father died.
Died	1822	She died in Buenos Aires on 29 October 1822.

References

Sosa de Newton, Lily, (1986), Diccionario biográfico de mujeres argentinas

Mitre, Bartolomé, (1940), Obras completas de Bartolomé Mitre

Carranza, Adolfo P., (1910), Patricias argentinas

Publications

Letter: Carta

Links

Resource id #37 (137)

Resource id #41 (69)

Resource id #45 (35)

Resource id #49 (7)

Resource id #53 (6)

Resource id #57 (14)

Resource id #61 (20)

Gendering Latin American Independence

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