Diego Abraham Biscoechea is a man of many mysteries. He has managed to leave behind several clues throughout his life in college and his life in the island of Puerto Rico. His story begins in the island of Puerto Rico in 1891. Diego Biascoechea Martines was born August 24, 1891 in Mayaguez Puerto Rico. He died in March 1975 at the age of 83 years old. His father Jose Maria Biascoechea was a merchant of dry goods in the island. We know this through his business being listed in the Colonial Business Directory of the island of Puerto Rico in 1898. Given his father’s status as a merchant to appear in this directory one can assume Diego’s family was affluent in the island in Puerto Rico.
He enrolled in the University of Michigan in 1910 at the age of 19. He enrolled in the college of Literature, Science and Arts with a concentration in Literature. During his time at the university he was a member of the Phi Delta Chi, Latin American Club and the Cosmopolitan Club. Diego was one of the pillar members on campus focusing on Latino issues. We know Diego traveled back and forth from the mainland and the island of Puerto Rico from the many passenger and crew lists from San Juan and New York. Furthermore, we know Diego was involved as an undergraduate with the Alumni Association branch in Puerto Rico from his name being mentioned in the Michigan Alumnus for the welcoming of Dr. Novy in the island for a medical trip to get his opinion in bacteriology. In 1914 he enrolled in the medical school at the University of Michigan but finished his medical training at Harvard in 1916. Very little is known about his days at Harvard since the alumni records for Harvard are only available to those who have attended Harvard.
Diego was a respected medical surgeon in the island of Puerto Rico. He was published in the International Medical and Surgical Survey in 1922 for his successful treatment for a lithiasis in the male urethra. Furthermore, we know he owned multiple businesses as mentioned by the Federal Communications Commission Reports where Diego is mention to own a significant amount of stocks in the InterAmerican Radio. Being a man of business he is found to own a dental clinic as well in the Historia de la Odontologia en Puerto Rico in 1898. This book is actually at the Michigan library!
Diego married Joaquina Bird Lopez in June 18,1919 in Fajardo, Puerto Rico.He had a large family with his children being: Ana, Teresa, Isabel, Fernando, and Maggie. I tried constructing Diego’s extended family tree and was fascinated by how the Biscoechea family in Puerto Rico had several connections to other businesses and affluent people. For example, Diego’s daughter Isabel Biascochea married Manuel Luis de Valle. Manuel Luis del Valle also attended the University of Michigan and graduated as a Chemical Enginner in 1967. He went back to the island of Puerto Rico and became an executive for one of the distilleries in the island producing whiskey. His daughter Isabel moved to Florida in later years.