the first captain-donatário, vasco gil sodré, was diligent in his duties, establishing a customs-house for the more fertile and ample lands in the northern part of the island, while his brother-in-law duarte barreto do couto was able to coopt the southern part of the island into a second captaincy around the village of praia. after 1485 the captaincy of graciosa was unified under the administration of pedro correia da cunha, second captain of porto santo (madeira) and brother-in-law of christopher columbus. taking his family to graciosa, he settled in santa cruz, moving the municipal seat and supplanting praia as the administrative center. the following year santa cruz is elevated to "village" and municipality, under the religious parishes of santa cruz and são mateus da praia. the change caused an influx in settlers from beiras, minho and flanders (in the habsburg netherlands) permitting the installation of the first municipal structures (in this case the construction of the santa cruz lighthouse in 1486).