Antonio de La, jun. Cerda

Don Antonio de La, jun. Cerda
Born	1834
Died	1885
Residence	S. Salvador de Bahia, Brazil
Occupation	business
Society Membership membership ASL, AI Local Secretary left 1875.07 last listed elected_ASL 1865.11.14

Notes

Notes From Elsewhere

born in Salvador, on October 1, 1834.
He was the son of the Portuguese merchant Antônio Francisco de Lacerda, business proprietor Antonio Lacerda & Co. Francisco de Lacerda in Bahia arrived around 1820 was established initially in Valencia, where he set up a textile factory.
He had five brothers, including the engineer Augusto Frederico de Lacerda, who would become his partner in the projects.
Lacerda began his studies at the College of Father Moura. In 1844, he went to Geneva, Switzerland, where he remained under the care of naturalist Augusto de la Rive, of Pictet Plantamour and Bishop Gaspar Meunillod, which contributed to his education.
He returned to Salvador in 1850, and the following year he traveled to the United States, where he enrolled at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York state. Founded in 1824, is one of the oldest and traditional engineering schools in the USA.
His brother Augusto enrolled at the same institute in 1852, and graduated in engineering in 1855 (see table below). Then worked in Massachusetts by the end of 1857 and returned to Brazil in January 1858.
Records indicate that the Rensselaer Antonio Lacerda left the course in 1853 and did not graduate. In 1856, at age 22, his father called him back to help in the family business.
Later, Lacerda founded the Company of Urban Transport. In 1869, its trams, horse-drawn, made the journey from Largo da Piedade Largo Victory *. Other ventures followed.
He married Adèle of the Belgian Montobiou, with whom he had seven children. After his death, Lacerda remarried to Maria Joaquina da Cunha Menezes, having another daughter.
The story of his most famous project, the lift that takes its name, is a separate chapter of Engineering National. Called utopia. Since its beginning in 1873, was the tallest public elevator in the world. The high cost of implementation, however, never paid.
For his achievements received many honors and various titles such as Knight of the Order of Christ, Commander of the Imperial Order of the Rose and Honorary Consul of Belgium in Bahia, appointed by King Leopold II of Belgium. Refused the title of Baron de Lacerda offered by Emperor D. Pedro II, claiming lack of conditions to sustain it.
Besides businessman, Lacerda was a philanthropist and scientist of the time. Published several scientific articles and was honored twice by the Societé d'Acclimatation Paris. Built the Chapel of Our Lady of Victories (Pupileira) and created a school for poor children, among other contributions.
Lacerda died at age 51, on August 2, 1885, a victim of evil Bright, one associated with arterial hypertension disease