Capt. Luis Joseph Peguero Ortiz

Capt. Luis Joseph Peguero Ortiz "The First Dominican" (c. 1724–1792)
5th Great-Grandfather

The great-great-great grandson of Captain Alonso Estéban Peguero Gómez-Portes, was a Dominican historian, poet, moralist, and cattle rancher born in Baní, in what is now the Dominican Republic (then the Spanish colony of Santo Domingo). Little is known about his early life, but he came from a modest background in a rural area and became a prominent figure in colonial intellectual circles. Peguero is best remembered as an early chronicler of Dominican history, blending factual accounts with poetic elements in his writings. His work focused on the island's conquest, indigenous resistance, and colonial events, often infused with fervent Catholicism and a sense of local pride. He died in Baní in 1792, leaving a legacy as a foundational voice in Dominican literature.

A key highlight of Peguero's career is his 1762 work, Historia de la conquista de la isla española de Santo Domingo, widely regarded as the first book written in vernacular Dominican Spanish—a distinct variant reflecting local speech patterns rather than formal Castilian Spanish. This text, which he "transumpted" (transcribed or compiled) that year, incorporates historical narratives alongside "romances" (traditional Spanish ballads or poems). Among these is the poem "Los Valientes Dominicanos" (often rendered as "Los Valiente Dominicanos" in some references, likely a variant or typographical difference), which celebrates the bravery of Dominican defenders during the 1655 English siege of Santo Domingo led by William Penn and Robert Venables.

In the poem, Peguero praises "los valientes dominicanos" (the valiant Dominicans) who repelled the invaders, attributing the miraculous victory not only to their courage but also to divine intervention by the Virgin of Altagracia (or Our Lady of High Grace), the patroness of the Dominican Republic. He describes how the locals, armed and resolute, defended "su isla española" (their Spanish island) against overwhelming odds, with lines evoking their steadfastness in the face of foreign aggression. For instance, a notable excerpt from his work (integrated into the poem or accompanying prose) states: "los valientes dominicanos an sabido defender su isla española" (the valiant Dominicans have known how to defend their Spanish island). Peguero claimed the Virgin's intercession turned the tide, a theme tied to a colonial painting depicting the event and emphasizing miraculous elements like the Virgin appearing over the city walls.

This poem and the broader Historia marked a pivotal moment in Dominican cultural identity. At a time when the colony was overshadowed by Spanish metropolitan interests and faced external threats, Peguero's writing articulated a sense of local heroism and distinctiveness. By using everyday Dominican Spanish and focusing on indigenous and creole figures (such as Taíno leaders like Anacaona, Cotubanamá, and Enriquillo in other sections of the book), he shifted away from purely European-centric chronicles. Historians view this as an early expression of proto-nationalism, making Peguero symbolically "The First Dominican"—the first author to forge a literary identity rooted in the island's unique experiences, rather than as a mere extension of Spain. His work predated formal independence movements by decades but laid groundwork for Dominican self-conception, influencing later nationalists and earning him recognition as a pioneer in the nation's literary and historical canon.