Martín Jacobo Thompson

Martín Jacobo Thompson (1777-1819) was an Argentine patriot, who had an active participation during the English invasions, and the Revolution of May. He is considered the founder of the Argentine Naval Prefecture.

Biography
Martín Jacobo Thompson was educated at the Royal College of San Carlos, and also in London, England, where was student of prestigious School. In 1796 he entered the Naval Academy in Ferrol. And on July 11, 1800 he began his military career in the Spanish navy. Thompson had participated in the defense of the city during the British invasion in Montevideo, where he was wounded and in Rio de la Plata, where captured several brigs of the enemy's, being promoted to the rank of Ensign of The Spanish Armada.

He was one of the promoters of the May Revolution of 1810, and attended the Cabildo Abierto on May 22. He was appointed by the Primera Junta as Captain of the port of Buenos Aires, where served until 1815.

In 1813 Thompson held the position of Lieutenant colonel, and was promoted to Colonel in 1816. That year, he was appointed by the Supreme Director, Ignacio Álvarez Thomas, on a diplomatic mission to United States. He arrived in Washington in August 1816, with the intention of meeting with the President Madison, which at that time was on vacation. After the meeting frustrated, Thompson decided to travel to New York City where he started their own negotiations for the purchase of war material. Martín Jacobo Thompson died on October 23, 1819 at sea.

Family
Martín Jacobo was the son of William Paul Thompson, born in 1721 in London, and Tiburcia Valeriana López, a criolla, born in Buenos Aires, who descendant of Pedro Sánchez Rendón. His father had arrived in Buenos Aires in 1750. He belonged to the elite of English merchants, who were established in Cádiz. Martím Thompson had married on July 29, 1805 with Mariquita Sánchez, daughter of Cecilio Sánchez de Velasco and María Magdalena Trillo y Cárdenas, belonging to a distinguished family.

His wife descended from distinguished lineages of the Río de la Plata, including Melchor Casco de Mendoza, and the Portuguese family of Gonzalez de Mora and lnes Nuñez Cabral (sister of Margarida Cabral de Melo. Thompson and Mariquita Sánchez were parents of five children: Clementina (1805), Juan Thompson b. 1809 (educated in Europe, Magdalena (1811), Florencia Martina (1812), and Albina Dolores born on February 28, 1815.