Early years and military career Arturo (Arthur) O'Neill was born in
Dublin,
Ireland (although his ancestors were from
County Tyrone, now in
Northern Ireland), on January 8, 1736. He was the third of five children of Henry O’Neill and Ana O’Kelly. He served in the campaign of
Portugal in 1762.
Governor of West Florida and Louisiana, published in 1781, year in which O'Neill began his government in West Florida At the battle's conclusion on May 9, 1781, he was appointed governor of
Spanish West Florida in the service of
New Spain, proving to be an effective diplomat and an able administrator. Later he became a member of the Supreme War Council and a lieutenant general of allies against
Napoleon, replacing Governor
Miguel de Uztaraiz on the council. In order to defend Florida and help the guard there, he recommended creating at least six
Amerindian companies formed by 100 soldiers each. Along with Amerindians, the
mestizos also belonged to those companies. O'Neill wanted to increase the number of mestizos, proposing marriage between the Spanish and the Native Americans, because he considered that mestizo people kept a more friendly relationship with
whites. To do this, he planned to send a
missionary to the Native American villages and encourage
miscegenation between the
Christian Amerindians and the Spanish. In addition, he considered mestizos an important group in terms of the military and the economy. and was succeeded by
Carlos Howard.
Governor of Yucatán and last years On December 13, 1792, he was appointed governor and
captain general of
Yucatán, O’Neill died in
Madrid on December 9, 1814, and was buried in a
niche in the cemetery of the . He was unmarried and had no children. == See also ==