José do Canto

Who was José do Canto?

José do Canto was an Azorean landowner and intellectual who distinguished himself as a bibliographer and promoter new agricultural technologies and species into the Azores. He was a renowned gardener and botanist responsible for the creation of botanical garden, that later bore his name, in Ponta Delgada. He was also a philosophical romantic and fan of Luís de Camões; his holdings included a large number of rare books in various languages, which were incorporated into the Azorean public library and regional archive.

José do Canto was the son José Caetano Dias do Canto e Medeiros, a rich politician, and wife Margarida Isabel Botelho, both connected to the more important and rich families on the islands of São Miguel and Faial. He was the brother of the bibliographer Ernesto do Canto.

His father was culturally well-educated for the time, and was directly responsible for the education of his children. Young José began his studies at the age of 5 years, supported by a keen intellect, that allowed him to vault over the weak system of education in the public system at the time.