After emigrating to Puerto Rico from Olmeta-di-Capocorso, Corsica in 1857 and 1868 respectively, brothers Domingo Felipe (1834-1899) and Pablo Francisco (1844-1909) Pietri Pietri acquired numerous tracts of land in the Yauco area during the 1860s, '70s and '80s, individually and in partnership.  One of these tracts of land, to the best of our understanding acquired by Domingo individually from Silvestre Fraticelli, included a coffee processing unit then known as Hacienda Maria or Hacienda La Rubia in Barrio Rubias of Yauco.  From a court case decided by the PR Supreme Court in 1905, it appears Fraticelli established the hacienda on or around 1864-65 when he acquired one hundred cuerdas from Mariano Bartolomei.  It is unclear when Domingo acquired the hacienda from Fraticelli but it is believed to have been in the 1870s.   

In need of help, in 1883 Domingo requested that his fourteen year old nephew Domingo Masini Pietri (1869-1928) emigrate from Corsica to help him in the plantation.  Five years later, Domingo's brother Juan (1873-1937) then fifteen years old, arrived from Corsica also to help in the hacienda.  Domingo and Juan were the sons of Domingo Pietri Pietri's sister Maria Pietri Pietri and her husband José Masini Antonorsi, both residents of Corsica.

According to his death certificate, Domingo Pietri Pietri never legally married but between 1890 and 1898 had five children with his common law wife Ramona Ruiz Ramos (1847-1937),  who at the time of Domingo's death were not of legal age.  This edition of La Gaceta de Puerto Rico makes reference to two purchase and sale deeds between Ramona Ruiz Ramos and Juan Masini Pietri four days before and the day after Domingo's death.  La Gaceta also makes reference to a purchase and sale deed between Domingo Pietri Pietri and Juan Masini Pietri just three days before Domingo's death.  It is unknown the specific properties included in these purchase and sale deeds. 

La Gaceta de Puerto Rico also makes reference to another deed dated January 17, 1899, just twelve days after Domingo's death, grouping several parcels of land in which Juan Masini Pietri signed as "apoderado" or legal representative of the estate of Domingo Pietri Pietri.  This deed suggests that Juan was appointed and had the responsibility to settle Domingo's estate, all or most of which he became owner of including Hacienda Maria.  Juan Masini Pietri married Ángela Rafaela Molini Ruiz, the daughter of Antonio Molini Benigni and Monserrate Ruiz Montes.  Juan was one of the organizers in 1924 of the Cooperativa Cafeteros de Yauco together with Rafael Mejía, Ernesto Lopez Ballester, Domingo Vivaldi, Tomás Molini and Mariano Molini.

​​This hacienda originally consisted of seven hundred forty cuerdas and in 1899 it had grown to some six hundred cuerdas, today the hacienda is still active with more or less four hundred cuerdas.  All the original structures from ca. 1870 had to be rebuilt after the pass of Hurricane San Felipe in 1928.  Throughout the years, the hacienda has undergone some changes, but in general these have been minor and its historic structures have been preserved in their original state.  There is no old machinery left though.

The first picture below, which is published as a courtesy of Roberto Ramirez Vivoni, probably dates to the early 1920s based on the car in the picture.  It seems to have been taken before the effects of Hurricane San Felipe on the structures as stated above,.  All other photos are part of a 1987 study by Archeologist Dr. Luis Pumarada O'Neill, source: Puerto Rico State Historic Preservation Office.