Today is the 198th anniversary of the birth of Matias Ramon Mella Castillo, one of the three founding fathers of the country along with Juan Pablo Duarte and Francisco del Rosario Sanchez.
Mella was best known for his military prowess, and he is credited with making a significant contribution to the success of the battle for Dominican Independence which put an end to the Haitian occupation and was declared on 27 February 1944.
Mella was born in Santo Domingo on 25 February 1816, and married Josefa Brea, who was a member of one of the country’s prominent families, in 1836. They had four children.
During the first republic he became a member of the Provisional Government and was appointed governor of Santiago where he was the head of both the military forces and the political activity in the country’s most important region.
When Buenaventura Baez became President in September 1849, Mella was appointed Secretary of State for Commerce and the Treasury.
http://eldia.com.do/hoy-se-cumplen-198-anos-del-natalicio-de-matias-ramon-mella/