Ybor, Vicente Martinez, 1818-1896

Factory owner.

Don Vincente Martinez Ybor was born in Valencia, Spain, in 1818. At the age of fourteen he went to Havana, Cuba, and in 1853 founded a cigar factory of his own. In 1869, he moved his plant to Key West, Florida. Although Ybor found certain conditions in Key West to be favorable to his industry, labor unrest was a concern in Key West. A more serious drawback, however, was the lack of a transportation system. In 1885 Ybor negotiated with Tampa, Florida, to establish a trade zone.

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