Manuel Francisco Xavier

Captain-major Manuel Francisco Xavier (died 1840) was a Portuguese-born Brazilian plantation owner. He, along with his wife Francisca Elisa Xavier, were wealthy land owners in the Vale do Paraíba region of what is now the state of Rio de Janeiro. These included the Freguesia (currently Aldeia de Arcozelo), Maravilha and Santa Tereza plantations, along with Cachoeira farm. The largest slave revolt in the region, led by Manuel Congo and Mariana Crioula, occurred on the plantations they owned.

Biography

In 1804, he married Francisca Elisa. According to coronel Francisco Peixoto de Lacerda Vernek, Xavier was inconsistent in his treatment of the people he enslaved, at points being lenient, at other points extremely severe. An inventory made of Xavier's property, made in 1840 and two years after Manuel Congo revolted, counted 449 enslaved people, 85% of whom were men and 80% were African.

During the course of the rebellion, Xavier had asked for help from a local squire from the freguesia of Nossa Senhora da Conceição do Paty do Alferes, lieutenant coronel José Pinheiro de Souza Vernek, though was not successful. He had already had a prolonged political conflict with sergeant-major and later padre , Mariana, however, was forced to watch the execution of Manuel Congo.

Xavier died in 1840 in Paty do Alferes.