The Genealogy Page of Jorge Heredia and Heleen Sittig

James Wild

[849]

7 Mar 1771 - 16 Jul 1854

  • BIRTH: 7 Mar 1771, London, England
  • CHRISTENING: 4 Apr 1771, St. Giles in the Fields
  • DEATH: 16 Jul 1854, London, England
Father: James Wild
Mother: Ann Sarah Heard

Family 1 : Leonora Maria Simonet
  • MARRIAGE: 17 May 1792, Saint Luke Old Street, Finsbury, London
  • EVENT: West End Ballet Dancer and Singer
    Occupation :
  1.  Henry James Wild
  2. +Spencer James Wild
  3. +Eliza Leonora Wild
  4. +Rosina Leonora Wild
  5. +Henrietta Leonora Wild
  6.  Frederick James Wild
  7.  Frederick James Wild
  8. +Perceval James Wild
  9. +Wellesley James Wild
  10. +José Antonio Wilde
Family 2 : Unknown
  1. +Luis Florencio Wild
James Wild. Engraving at Archivo General de la Nación,
Buenos Aires. Courtesy of Mercedes di Benedetto
                                             _____________________
                                            |                     
                       _ Wild ______________|
                      |                     |
                      |                     |_____________________
                      |                                           
 _James Wild _________|
| (1749 - 1801) m 1769|
|                     |                      _____________________
|                     |                     |                     
|                     |_____________________|
|                                           |
|                                           |_____________________
|                                                                 
|
|--James Wild 
|  (1771 - 1854)
|                                            _Isaac C. Heard _____+
|                                           | (.... - 1704) m 1690
|                      _John Heard _________|
|                     | (1698 - 1759) m 1726|
|                     |                     |_Mary Massey ________+
|                     |                       (.... - 1726) m 1690
|_Ann Sarah Heard ____|
  (1746 - ....) m 1769|
                      |                      _Benjamin Michell ___+
                      |                     | (1676 - 1751) m 1699
                      |_Elizabeth Michell __|
                        (1705 - 1778) m 1726|
                                            |_Elizabeth Rowe _____+
                                              (1677 - 1760) m 1699

[849]
James Wild probably arrived in Montevideo after the first English Invasion in 1806. He certainly arrived in Buenos Aires on 1809 with his son Spencer James, by then 14. He witnessed the arrival of the last Spanish viceroy, Baltasar Hidalgo de Cisneros, and the persecution of British merchants thereafter.

Once secure and settled after the Independence took place he had his family come over in 1812. He was then administrator of the recently created National Lottery. He worked also as an English teacher, interpreter and translator. Between 1821 and 1834 he worked as bookkeeper in the Contaduría Nacional, where he introduced modern accounting techniques to the locals. He had been educated in Economics in England. He also designed a new financial system for the economical reform started by Bernardino Rivadavia, the first president of Argentina. Along the years he held several postitions of responsability in several financial institutions. By 1824 he was granted the Argentine citizenship.

Besides his valuable contribution on administrative and accounting matters, Wild was active in a wide range of activities, literature, astronomy, agriculture, among others that enriched the cultural and intellectual life of Buenos Aires in that time. He published several books, adapted theater pieces, and many articles signed by him appeared often in the local press.

In 1828 he enlisted many people for the construction in Buenos Aires of a public garden modelled after the Vauxhall in London that would be called "Jardín Argentino". When this project was realized it seems that it became a little piece of England inserted in the suburbs of Buenos Aires, with beautiful parks and quarters, and attractive service. Many cultural and social activities were organized there, as well as memorable parties attended by the highest personalities in the Argentine society. The Pleasure Garden closed ten years later to become Wild's private home. His beloved wife Leonora Simonet died there in 1852.

He expected to finish his days in Buenos Aires and be buried in the protestant cemetery, as gathered from his will, however he happened to die in London in 1854. He left his wordly possessions to be shared in half for the orphaned children of his late daughter Rosine and the children of his son James Wellesly, and half for his natural son Luis Florencio. By his death he had 8 living children. Only his sons Spencer James and José Antonio Wild lived in Buenos Aires.


Source: Maxine Hanon, Diccionario de Británicos en Buenos Aires

[15080]
JAMES WILD
Spouse: LEONORE SIMOND
Marriage: 17 MAY 1792 Saint Luke Old Street, Finsbury, London, England
Messages: Extracted marriage record for locality listed in the record. The source records are usually arranged chronologically by the marriage date.
Source Information:
Batch No.: Dates: Source Call No.: Type: Printout Call No.: Type:
M020691 1754 - 1783 0585446 Film 6903659 Film
M020691 1783 - 1807 0585447 Film NONE
M020691 1807 - 1812 0585448 Film NONE