True Life Tuesday: Severiano de Heredia

I love learning about interesting people from history that I have never heard of before.

Severiano de Heredia was born in Havana, Cuba on November 8, 1836. His parents, Henri de Heredia and Beatriz de Candenas. His parents were listed as mulattos and were prosperous. He was eventually adopted and raised by his Godfather Don Ignatio Heredia y Camprezano, and his wife, Madeleine Godefroy. Many people believed that Don Ignatio was actually Severiano's biological father. Don Ignatio was a wealthy landowner and slave owner.

When Severiano was 10 he was sent to live in Paris. In 1855 he graduated with highest honors from the prestigious Lyceum Louis le Grand. His Godfather passed away and he received a large inheritance. his allowed him to work as a journalist, literary critic and poet. He married Henriette Hanaire in 1868 and they had two children. Their son, Henri-Ignace, dies in an accident when he was 12 and their daughter, Marcelle. who became a neurophysiologist. 

In 1870 he was granted French citizenship which allowed him to run for political office. He was a progressive  and was in favor of universal education, separation of church and state, industrialization, a free press, women's rights and child labor reforms. In 1873 he was elected to Counselor of the Municipal Council for the 17th district. On August 1, 1879 he was elected President (or mayor) of the Municipal Council for a 6 month term. During this time he dealt with a deadly cold snap. He provided shelter to the homeless and had 12,000 unemployed people clean and keep the streets open. In 1887 he joined the cabinet of Prime Minister Maurice Rouvier as the Minister of Public Works. After losing election in 1889 and 1893 he retired from politics. While he did face racial attacks from conservatives and some members of the press he was widely recognized for his intelligence, demeanor and humility.

In his retirement he was a high ranking freemason. He also succeeded Victor Hugo as the President of the Association Philotechnique, a group dedicated to teaching and promoting the arts. Severiano passed away suddenly from meningitis at home on February 9, 1901. He was buried in the Batignolier Cemetery in Paris.