Luis Figarella

Today, on the eve of the discovery of Puerto Rico in 1493 by the Spaniards, we will take a look at U.S. patents issued to citizens of Porto Rico, as it is formerly known as and sometimes called… In the period in question, there were 38 patents issued to residents of ‘Porto Rico’, although they were not all ‘Citizens’ of PR. For example, the first issued ‘after the change’ was Patent No. 689,671 to Felix Perez Hermida, who was a Citizen of Cuba residing in PR. Patent No. 763,269 was issued to US Navy Lt. Mark St. Clair Ellis, who listed his address as the USS Bancroft, then stationed in San Juana. Patent No. 903,587 went to Luis León, identified as a subject of the King of Spain, and the first PR Design patent, D49,992, was issued to Mr. Giusti, a citizen of France.

Puerto Rico was discovered by the Spaniards on Nov. 19, 1493, during Columbus’ second voyage. For the next 400 years, it was a Colony of Spain, with two brief interruptions, but with no formal transfer of ‘ownership’. The patent activity with (at the time) a foreign power (the USA) is surprising in the latter parts of the 19th century. This article takes a look at the patents issued by the USPTO to Puerto Rico residents within the period.