Among the many adventurers was a Portuguese named Manuel Batista who established his residence on land that came to be Pará de Minas.

Batista, also known as Pato Fofo (or chubby duck), built a chapel dedicated to the Our Lady of Pity next to his farm.

The place became known as Patafufo's Settlement and the chapel was elevated to the status of a parish in April 1846, under the control of Pitangui.

The town status was revoked in 1850, since the locals did not meet all the conditions laid out in the law of its emancipation.

On June 8, 1858, the settlement was once again elevated to town status and it received the denomination of Vila do Pará.