Calixto García (A Wonderful World)

Calixto Garcia Iniguez was the first Governor of Cuba and last Territorial Governor of the Cuban Territory. Garcia was also a brigadier general during the American Civil War and lead Union forces in the defense of Cuba during the Confederate Invasion of Cuba on August 19, 1862. His brigadier effectively held the island and pushed the Confederacy out by Spring of 1863. He also lead the invasion of Florida in April 1964.

After the war ended, he received many medals from President Lincoln himself. Calixto retired from the Army in 1870, at the age of 31. He was soon assigned as the Territorial Governor of Cuba by President Ulysses S. Grant and Garcia quickly became the leader for Cuban statehood. When statehood was approved in August of 1874, Garcia was elected in a landslide as the states first Governor. After serving out his two terms, Garcia made two unsuccessful runs for the Presidency. First in 1880 and again in 1888, where he didn't even win the Republican Primaries.

Garcia retired to his log cabin in Trinidad County where he lived out his life until his death in January of 1920. Santiago County was renamed Calixto County in April of 1923, in honor of Garcia.