Moniz (Francisco João)

Belonging to the Moniz family, which has given so many distinguished men to Madeira. In the first elections held in this archipelago for the Constituent Cortes, which functioned from 1821 to 1822, after the representative system was established, Francisco João Moniz was chosen to represent this island in the cortes and advocated the issues that were of closest interest to Madeira with dedication. He was a clerk and later a comptroller of the Board of the Royal Treasury, embarking for Brazil in 1828 to escape the Miguelist persecutions. He served as the Portuguese vice-consul in Rio de Janeiro and was one of the benefactors of the Portuguese Beneficence in the same city. He was the father of the illustrious Madeiran Patrício Moniz (see this name) and passed away, according to a family member, around 1848.