Monroe County FlArchives Biographies..... CARBONELL, JUAN  May 27, 1871 - 
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Author: The History of Florida:  Past & Present, The Lewis Publishing Co., Vol.II  p291,  1923

     CARBONELL, JUAN, the first to introduce the moving picture amusement 
enterprise in the City of Key West, is here the owner and popular director of 
two modern picture houses, the Strand and the Monroe, which represent an 
investment of more than $100,000.  The major distinction of this well known 
citizen, however, is that of having been one of the most loyal of Cuban 
patriots who aided in large measure in the cause of Cuban independence.
     Mr. CARBONELL was born in the City of Havana, Cuba, May 27, 1871, and is 
a son of the late FRANCISCO C. and LEONA (DEVS) CARBONELL, both likewise 
natives of Cuba, where the respective families, of fine Spanish lineage, were 
early founded.  FRANCISCO C. CARBONELL became a prosperous merchant in the 
City of Havana and later at Key West, Florida, in 1886, he having passed the 
remainder of his life in this city, where he died in 1911.  He was a most 
loyal supporter of the cause of Cuban independence, and made liberal financial 
contributions to the same.
     JUAN CARBONELL gained his early education in his native city, and was 
fourteen years old when the family home was established at Key West, Florida.  
Soon afterward he here began work in a cigar factory, and he followed the 
trade of cigar maker nine years.  In 1896 he was a member of the first 
expedition of Cuban patriots sent from Key West to Cuba, on the steamer 
Dauntless, and he joined the forces of General Gomez.  Thereafter he was 
commissioned by the Cuban Government to return to the United States and obtain 
recruits for the Cuban Army.  He recruited about twenty men, and with them 
returned to Cuba.  He served under HENRI CAPOCE, and gave four years to the 
cause of a free Cuba.  He took part in many battles, including those of El 
Paso and De Los Damaez, and after peace had attended the close of the Spanish-
American war he had influential and flattering offers to remain in Havana, but 
as the members of his family were all in Florida he returned to Key West, 
where for eleven years he was engaged in the restaurant business.  He then 
became the first here to establish a moving-picture theater, and in this line 
of enterprise he has since continued with gratifying financial success.  He 
has  made valuable and highly appreciated contributions to the amusement 
attractions of the city.  He is affiliated with the Elks and the Knights of 
Pythias, and he and his family are communicants of the Catholic Church.
     May 16, 1900, recorded the marriage of Mr. CARBONELL and Miss FERNANDA DE 
CIARAN and CONCEPCION (NUNEZ) DE CIARAN, the former of whom was born in Spain 
and was an executive in the Spanish Custom House at Havana, Cuba, for a number 
of years.  He is now deceased, and his widow is still a resident of Cuba.  Mr. 
and Mrs. CARBONELL became the parents of seven children, of whom the eldest, 
JOSE RAMO, a fine youth of marked popularity, met his death in an accident 
while hunting, he having been shot and killed October 20, 1920, when nineteen 
years of age.  The surviving children are FRANK, JOHN, FRED, PUBLIO, IGNACIUS 
and MARTHA.


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