Foundation

Between the years 1605 and 1606, Governor Antonio de Osorio ordered the inhabitants of the western part of Spanish Hispaniola, including Monte Cristi and Puerto Plata, to move east near what is today Monte Plata. The reason for this forced movement was because smuggling became very prevalent on the island and especially in the north. Owners of cattle herds would come to this area to sell their cattle's hides for better prices. In addition the smuggling of Protestant bibles and Protestant baptisms became another concern for the Spanish crown which incited King Felipe III to give the order to Osorio. This event would later be known as the Devastaciones de Osorio.

Part of the migration of the Devastaciones de Osorio included groups that settled on the banks of the merging of the two rivers of Ámina and Inoa. They named the settlement San José de las Matas.

By the end of the 1700s, San José de las Matas would have around 500 people. In 1813, a census conducted by the local priest José María Colón Reyes counted 2,252 people who represented 510 vecinos in the community.

On August 29, 1810 the inhabitants of the town officially founded San José de las Matas and the document was signed by these men:

• Francisco Estévez

• Bernardo Torres

• Antonio López

• Francisco Caba

• Juan Caba

• Pedro Rodríguez

• Carlos Espinal

• Esteban Genao

• Manuel Rodríguez Valerio

• José Espinal

• Antonio Espinal

• Andrés Serrate

• Gregorio López

• José González

• Diego Torres

• Juan Rodríguez

• Gonzalo Rodríguez

• Matías Rodríguez Valerio

These surnames are representative of many families still native to San José de las Matas. Another document indicated that in 1814 Mariana San Pedro de Peralta, widow of Francisco Jáquez, donated land to build the town's church. Many of theses families came to expand outwards to neighboring areas in La Sierra such as in Santo Tomás de Jánico and La Presa de Tavera in La Vega.

Parish Priests

• José María Colón Reyes (died between 1819-1836)

• José Eugenio Espinosa y Sainz de Azcona (1799-1882) (served 1826-1835, 1844-1882)

• Francisco Drteano (1836-1838)

• Miguel de los Santos Quezada y Castro (1828-1884)

• Manuel de Jesús Moscoso y Rodríguez (died 1917) (served1882-1917)

• Honorio Liz i Salcedo (served 1917-1922)

• Ignacio Quirino Alba (served starting 1922)

Alcaldes (1823-1916)

• 1823-1826 Francisco de Castro

• 1827-1841 José González

• 1841-1842 Miguel O. Morel

• 1842-1845 Martin Terrero

• 1845-1846 Juan López & Cayetano García

• 1847 Mauricio Núñez

• 1848-1849 Cayetano García

• 1850 Juan de Mata Mercado

• 1851 Ramón Zuazo

• 1852 Juan de Mata Mercado

• 1853 Juan N. Ureña

• 1854-1856 Aniceto L. Official

• 1857 Juan N. Ureña

• 1858 José Caba

• 1859-1865 Andrés Infante Pichardo

• 1866 Juan Bautista Rodríguez

• 1867-1868 Andrés Infante Pichardo

• 1869-1870 Dionisio Estévez

• 1871-1874 Manuel Peralta

• 1875 Rafael María Montalvo

• 1876 Aniceto L. Official

• 1877 Juan Bautista Rodríguez

• 1878 Rafael María Montalvo

• 1879-1880 Esteban Bisonó

• 1881-1899 Rafael María Montalvo

• 1900-1901 Juan B. Vila

• 1902-1904 Rafael María Montalvo

• 1905-1910 Miguel E. Santelises

• 1911-1912 Agustin Iglesias

• 1913-1914 Rafael María Montalvo

• 1915-1916 Santiago Contreras

• 2024 Ramón Alfredo Reyes Estévez