Pedro Casanave

Pedro Casanave (c. 1766 - 1796), also known as Peter Casenave, was a prominent Spanish merchant who served as the fifth mayor of Georgetown (in modern Washington DC) and Master Masonic. Casanave is particularly remembered by directing the construction and having buried the first stone in what later became in the White House on October 12, 1792. Although we have little data about him.

Biography

Casanave was born in Navarra, Spain in about 1766. He was the thirteenth son of a lawyer and trader of Navarra. He emigrated to the US in 1785, having only 200 pounds and almost unable to speak English. However, before long, Casanave established his first business, a shop dedicated to the sale of oil, Spanish pork and "dust" for the hair. The establishment of the store, despite their limited money, was probably due to the friendship between him and George Washington, as his uncle, Juan de Miralles, had exerted like "linkage Between the Spanish Crown and the American insurgents "during the War of the Independence, taking a prominent role in the American Revolution. In this first business, they followed companies such as "night dance hall" for men. In 1790, Casanave became property agent, selling areas of modern Washington DC.

Between late 1790 and 1793 he became an "agent" and sponsor students who studied at Georgetown College. There, he was administrator of the funds of the students, covering their expenses. When students were foreign or did not have sufficient resources to pay for their studies, Casanave paid them with their own money. Apparently there Casanave came to perfect his still deficient English, and later one of his sons, also called Peter, studied there.^[1]

Pedro Casanave directed the construction of White House and buried the first stone under them.

In late of 1792, he directed the construction of what later became the White House. Thus, on 12 October this year, Pedro Casanave buried the first stone in the building (date that coincides with the 300th anniversary of the Discovery of Americas by Christopher Columbus). This took place when, one day, after a big party at the tavern "The Fountain Inn" (where the upper class normally met), the inaugural procession came to a solar (where would be built the Presidential Palace) and some workmen (after open a small hole in the ground), gave him the stone to Casanave and he buried it, covering it with sand (using a shovel for it). It is known that, before placing it, he had placed, under, a bronze plaque in which can read:

The first stone of the Presidential House was laid on October 12, 1792, and the 17th year of the Independence of the United States of America.^[2]

In 1793 he joined the Common Council of the Corporation of the city and, the following year, he was elected mayor of Georgetown, thus being the fifth person to hold the position.

Sometime already living in the US Casanave joined the Freemasonry community.

He died in 1796, probably a few years after joining the Brotherhood. Although we do not know exactly how old he was at this time, based on some testimonials about their participation in the inauguration of the President's House, he must have been about thirty years.^[1]

Personal life

In September 1791, after becoming property agent, he married a Catholic girl from Georgetown, Ann Nancy Young, whose father, young Notley, was a prominent businessman and merchant of the city, putting the sale of soils.

Possibly its real name was not Casanave, since the few surviving sources indicate his surname as Casaneva, Casenave, Cazenave and Casanova.^[1]

References