José was born about 1776. He was the son of a builder in the Royal Navy and got a degree as a lawyer in 1784
Sources
His son´s marriage record.
Pleito de hidalguía: "Pleito de José Antonio de Zaldúa, capataz de construcción de la real armada, y el licenciado José Antonio, su hijo, abogado de los reales consejos, vecinos de Avilés (Asturias)." ES.47186.ARCHV//SALA DE HIJOSDALGO,CAJA 1183,16 http://pares.mcu.es/ParesBusquedas20/catalogo/description/474143?nm . He appears as lawyer and his father of the same name, as employed as builder by the Royal Navy (Real Armada).