Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography/Goicoechea, José Antonio de Llendo y

GOICOECHEA, José Antonio de Llendo y (goi-co-cha'-ah), South American naturalist, b. in Cartagena, Colombia, in 1735; d. in Guatemala in 1814. He studied in his native city and Bogotá, entered the Franciscan order, and, after serving as teacher in several of the convent-colleges of his order in Europe, was called as professor of philosophy and theology to the university of Guatemala. He was an eminent preacher, and also brought into his adopted country many useful inventions. He was an indefatigable student of natural history, and established at the university courses of instruction in botany and agricultural chemistry. In 1795 he united with some friends to establish the “Economical Society of Guatemala,” under the presidency of Jacobo de Villaurrutia, which has done much for the progress of Central America. Goicoechea wrote treatises on botany, agriculture, mendicancy and the means of suppressing it, all of which were read in the Economical society, a volume of sermons, and an eloquent representation in favor of the Indians to King Charles IV.