La Fortuna - Maricao

La Fortuna was established by Corsican immigrant Antonio Francisco Negroni Mattei (1794-1861), my 3rd Great Grandfather on my mother side.  Antonio Francisco arrived in Puerto Rico in 1822 and received his letter of naturalization in 1828.  He was also a sugar grower who during the 1840s was the owner of Hacienda Florida and Hacienda San Colombano in Yauco.  Family history is that Antonio Francisco came to Puerto Rico to help in the business affairs of his uncle, also Corsican born Domingo Mattei Antoni (1783- ) who arrived in Puerto Rico in 1803 and was a coffee farmer in Yauco.  According to the book Corsos de Puerto Rico, Domingo is considered the father of the Corsican immigration to the island.

Hacienda La Fortuna was reportedly inherited by Antonio Francisco's daughter Maria Luisa Negroni Rodriguez de la Seda (1837-1868).  Maria Luisa married Spanish immigrant from San Feliu de Guixols, Cataluña Francisco Lluch Pruneda (1816-1877).  They had three children; Antonio Francisco Lluch Negroni (1858-1928) who married Ana Regina Mattei Lluberas (1860-1943), Maria Luisa Lluch Negroni (1860-1941) who married Pedro Jose de Cardi Novella and Adolfo Pio Lluch Negroni (1861-1881) who died at a young age.  

The 1920 census shows Antonio Francisco Lluch Negroni as a coffee farmer residing at Calle Betances in Yauco.  Francisco and Ana Regina had nine children, apparently none of whom dedicated themselves to agriculture.  It appears that arount the time Antonio Francisco Lluch Negroni died in 1928, Hacienda La Fortuna was acquired by Luis Natali Pietri (1845-1930) who though of Corsican origin, had no common relatives or direct family relationship with the Negroni family.

Antonio Francisco married three times.  From his second marriage he had a daughter named Rita Negroni Contreras (1841-1910) who married Spanish immigrant José Gordils Anglada and had a daughter named Maria del Carmen Gordils Negroni (1863-1889) who married Francisco Lluch Barrera (1851-1913).  The website Biografía de la Riquezas de Puerto Rico states that from the marriage of Francisco Lluch Barrera, Mayor of Yauco between 1895 and 1897 and owner of Hacienda Engracia in Maricao, and Maria Del Gordils Negroni was born Francisco Lluch Negroni who was a wholesale merchant on Comercio Street in in front of Washington Square.  This is incorrect, the correct son's name is Francisco Lluch Gordils (1887-1962) who married Maria Subirá Rius and lived in Catalonia, Spain.  

The website also states that Hacienda La Fortuna passed on by marriage to the Natali family and then to the Roca Mattei's who were cousins of the original owner Antonio Francisco Negroni Mattei.  This is also incorrect as the Mattei side of the Rocca Mattei's originates in Puerto Rico with Juan Mattei Casanova-Bonavita who although of Corsican origin also, had no direct family relationship with Antonio Francisco Negroni Mattei.  It also states that its most recent owner is Francisco Alberto Ortiz Roca, also known as "Marqués de Lises", son of Francisco Ortiz Irizarry and Aurea Roca Mattei (1918-2003).

The 1920 census record shows Aurea Roca Mattei and her parents Eugenio Roca Gracia, occupation dry goods merchant, and his wife Maria Mattei L'Artugaut living in Barrio Indiera Alta of Maricao.  From the record it is not possible to determine if they lived at Hacienda Fortuna though, which is located in Barrio Indiera Alta of Maricao as well.  It is likely their residence was at Hacienda Santa Maria which is also in Barrio Indiera Alta and was owned by Luis A Natali Pietri and his second wife Juana L'Artigaut Mignucci, aunt of Maria Mattei L'Artigaut.

As stated above, it appears that Hacienda Fortuna was acquired rather than passed by marriage to the Natali family as their is no marriage between the two families.  The book Corsos de Puerto Rico published by the Puerto Rico Corsicans Association, states that between 1910 and 1930 Corsican immigrant from Olmeta di Capocorso Luis Natali Pietri was owner of several coffee plantations in Barrio Indiera Alta of Maricao including Hacienda Santa Maria, Hacienda La Fortuna, Hacienda La Florita , Hacienda Los Sapos and Hacienda Maria Antonia in Barrio Aguas Blancas.

Luis Natali Pietri and his 2nd wife Ana Maria Bartolomei Giuliani (1872-1946) had a daughter named Ana Luisa Natali Bartolomei who married Gaspar Roca Bacó.  Although there is a distant relationship by marriage, there is no direct family relationship or common relatives between Gaspar Roca Bacó and Aurea Roca Mattei.

Based on all the above, it is unclear how ownership of Hacienda Fortuna was passed on after its ownership by Luis Natali Pietri.  I will keep on researching and will update when additional information is obtained.