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People & Place Names
— North East Chaco —
El Bermejo & Campo Winter
1904-1940

To jump, click:
 0-9  A-M   N-Z 

The people and place names mentioned in John's record of his visits to estancia "El Bermejo" (for The Bermejo Estancia Co., Ltd.) and later by Alfred's record of his visits to "Campo Winter" form a unique set.

We will be adding names to the list and maps as we progress with the transcription of the diaries.  Any suggestions and corrections are welcome.

Gone to Paraguay.

  Maps:

 
No map.

Chaco Territory (east half)
1916
(Source: Biblioteca Digital Trapalanga
de la Biblioteca Nacional, Argentina)

Missing map.

Campo Winter
with: Campo Araoz,
El Sombrerito,
& El Picaso

1937
(Source:F.M. Benitz)

Missing map.

Cattle Counts
Campo Winter

1937
(Source:F.M. Benitz)

 

  Estancia El Bermejo: ( 1910 - 1950+)

The estancia El Bermejo, 10 sq. leagues (25,000 ha.), was bought on 13 May, 1910, for $a280,000 by the British company The Bermejo Estancia Co. Ltd., the principal shareholders of which were T. Agar, M. Cross, & Col. Ruston.  John E. Benitz was also a shareholder (10%), he represented the company in Argentina with authority to register it, to buy & sell land, and to oversee its management (see John's diaries for details).  It was good for cattle breeding, but was also valued for its quebracho trees.  During the period of Alfred’s diaries (1927-1934), it was managed by Mr. Armitage until October 30, 1930, thereafter by Mr. Brownrigg.  The estancia was in the shape of an inverted "T", 4 leagues east to west, and 2 league north to south (4x2), with a stem 1 league wide that reached north 2 leagues to the Rio Bermejo.  The town of El Zapallar (renamed in 1950 to: Gral. José de San Martín) was at its S-W corner.

  Campo Winter (1917-1937+):

Campo Winter, 4 sq.leagues (2x2, 10,000 ha.), was given by the federal government to General Lorenzo Vintter (1842-1915) for services rendered in campaigns against the indians (see Wikipedia).  Alfred A. Benitz bought it in 1917 from Vintter’s daughters for $a50,000 (?).  It was bordered to the north by the Rio Bermejo, to the south and east by estancia El Bermejo.  Alfred later bought another 8,400 hectareas, east of the El Bermejo "stem" (see maps above).  Per the above cattle count of 1937, it carried 7,565 head, about 1 per 2½ hectares (6 acres).  It was all sold soon after his death in 1937. 
   The first mayordomo (hired manager) at Campo Winter was apparently Tuckey (no title).  In 1930, Mr. Hamilton was managing it (at $500 per month), there is no mention of when he started nor why Tuckey left.  The Miss Spackman mentioned is Phyllis Enid Spackman, governess to John & Mary Horner, and at one time was engaged to Mr. Hamilton.

Camp Bought Size (ha.) Price ($a)
Campo Winter 1917 10,000 50,000
Campo Araoz     2,500  
El Sombrerito     2,980  
El Picaso 1937   2,910  
    18,390  

  Names:

Conventions used:

People are listed by their surnames then their first-name (if both known), followed by their titles (Cacique, Capt., Comandante, Don, , Mr., Sr.).  People may be listed twice for the diary entries don't always provide full names, in particular of those people the writers are familiar with, especially the workmen.  Therefore, when searching for a person, search separately for both the person's first-name and surname.

Places are listed by their proper name, followed by any preposition (El, La, Los) or feature qualifier (Arroyo, Cañada, Colonia, Estero, Fuerte, Isleta, Laguna, Mar, Paso, Rio).

Ñ - we treat as an accented N, not as a separate letter (as it is in the Spanish alphabet). The tilde was often omitted by English writers, as were most accent marks on vowels.

(1918 Jan.) - Many entries are followed by one or more dates in brackets.  The dates indicate the first month in which a name is found in the diary for the year shown.

— Abbreviations —

Alfred – Alfred A. Bz. – 2nd gen.

Arg. – Argentina

BA / B.A. / Bs.As. – Buenos Aires

Bz - Benitz

Cba. – Córdoba (province)

Herman – Herman Bz – 2nd gen.

Johnnie – John E. Bz. – 2nd gen.

Josephine – Josephine Bz-Schrieber – 2nd gen.

LaCal. – Estancia “La California”

Mother - Josephine Kolmer-Bz - 1st gen.

SFé – Santa Fé (province)

TL – Estancia “Las Tres Lagunas”

W&J – William & Josephine Bz – 1st gen.

WBz – Wilhelm Bz – 1st gen.

Willie – William O. Bz. – 2nd gen.

For more about the Benitz 2nd generation, see this family page.

A - M

Alfred / Alfredo / AABz
Alfred Alexander Benitz (1859-1937) – see his short bio. & much more; 8th child of Wilhelm & Josephine Benitz.
Barranqueras
River port of Resistencia (Chaco) on the Paraná river.  Also island by same name.
Bermejo, El
Estancia El Bermejo - see maps & description above.
Bermejo, Rio
A navigable river that flows from north-west to south-east it empties into the Paraná river.  It separates the Chaco and Formosa provinces, and was the northern border to both estancias, El Bermejo and Campo Winter.
Buenos Aires / B.A. / BA
Largest city and capital of Argentina, also the name of the largest province (with capital La Plata) that surrounds B.A. the city
Campo Winter
Estancia owned by Alfred Bz - see maps & description above.
California, La
Estancia founded by WBz in 1875 in the province of Santa Fé. 4 sq. leagues, 100 km. north-west of Rosario and 30 km. north of Cañada de Gómez, or 9 km. south of present-day Las Rosas.  It was the family home and headquarters for several decades after.
Chaco, region
To the Benitz family members, it meant the “Gran Chaco” climatic region that encompasses north Santa Fé, north-east Santiago del Estero, and all of the Chaco and Formosa provinces.  It also includes south-eastern Bolivia, southern Paraguay, and neighboring parts of Brazil, south of the Mato Groso.
Estancia El Bermejo and Campo Winter were in both the Chaco province and climatic region.  Whereas Laguna Yacaré & Los Palmares were within the Chaco climatic region but in north Santa Fé province. 
Chaco, province
Province bordering Santa Fé to the north, its northern border was the Rio Bermejo.
Chiburra
(JEB: 1910 Apr) A squatter, he had 12,000 head of cattle on the lands that would become estancia El Bermejo.
Córdoba
Argentine province to the west of Santa Fé province.  Its capital, Córdoba city, is about 700 km. NW of Buenos Aires.
Entre Rios
Province east of Santa Fé's southern half across the Paraná river.  It’s capital, Paraná, is directly east of Santa Fé city.  The provinces of Misiones, Corrientes, & Entre Rios lie between the Paraná & Uruguay rivers, and form the Argentine mesopotamic region.
Forguahanm
(JEB: 1910 Apr) Likely the Scotsman (farmer from Uruguay) mentioned earlied in JEB's letter
Gómez, Cañada de
(1884 Aug) Town 35km. south of La California, on the rail-road between Rosario and Córdoba city.
John / Johnnie / JB / JEBz
John Edward Benitz (1861-1916) – see a short bio. & much more.; 9th child of Wilhelm & Josephine Benitz.
Josephine (mother)
a.k.a. Josefa Kolmerer, Josefina Kolmer de Benitz, Mother
Mrs. Josephine Benitz (1830-1912) – see her bio. pages; wife of Wilhelm Benitz.
Josephine
a.k.a. Josephine Schreiber – she married Johan Schreiber, 1878
Josephine Benitz (1852-1911) – see her bio. pages; 5th child of Wilhelm & Josephine Benitz.
Leaches
(JEB: 1910 Apr) Mentions the family, settled in NW Argentina.
Maclean
(JEB: 1910 Apr) JEB in a letter to Marjorie, April 1910.  Likely an agent helping JEB find land to buy (see El Bermejo at top).

N - Z

Palmares, Los
Estancia in the Chaco region of northern Santa Fé between the Calchaquí and Salado rivers, 30 km. west of Calchaquí (town).  Used for breeding cattle, Alfred rented it 1890-1904, & later bought it, from the Santa Fé Land Co. (a.k.a.: La Forestal).  See his diaries & day-books, 1884-1904.
Palmas, Las
River port in the Chaco province.  It is on the Rio Paraguay, just north of where the Rio Paraguay joins the Rio Paraná.
Paraná, Ciudad / City
Capital of Entre Rios province, it is directly east across the Paraná river from Santa Fé city.
Paraná, Rio
A major river, its basin includes all of Paraguay, a good part of SW Brazil, and most of northern Argentina.  It drains south, joining the Rio Uruguay to form the Rio de la Plata.  Sea going grain vessels travel up it as far as Santa Fé city.  Before trains, a ferry service linked Buenos Aires with cities as far north as Asunción, Paraguay, e.g. S.S. Berlin.
Paul, Richard
(JEB: 1910 Apr) An Englishman farming in the Chaco; JEB met him when hunting for land.  Possibly related to Grahame Paul, segundo at Los Algarrobos.
Reconquista
River town on the Paraná river, 80 km. NE of Vera, 110 km NNE of L.Yacaré, 150 NE of L.Palmares.  See map.
Resistencia
Capital city of the Chaco province, on the Paraná river, across from Corrientes city, capital of said province.
Rincon, El
Alfred Bz’s summer home in Cruz Grande, Cba.
Rosario
Largest city in the province of Santa Fé, on the west bank of the Paraná river, 310 km. north of Buenos Aires and 160 south of Santa Fé city.  It was & is a grain export terminus.
Rosas, Las
Town closest to La California.  Founded in 1888 (by the Dickinson brothers) as Las Lomas, in 1892 it was incorporated into the adjoining town of Las Rosas (founded in 1889 by William Kemmis). 130 km. NW of Rosario & 35 km. north of Cañada de Gómez, it is today the seat of the department of Belgrano, Santa Fé. 
Salta
Adjective: salteño
Province of north-west Argentina.
Santa Fé
Adjective: santafecino.
Argentine province in which La California, L.Yacaré, and L.Palmares are located.  Its capital, Santa Fé city, is 475 km. north of Buenos Aires on the Paraná river (or 150 km. NE of La California).  The province is named after the city which dates from colonial times.  The northern 1/3 of the province lies within the Chaco geographical region; the southern 2/3 are within the pampa humeda - the humid pampas, prime agricultural land - flat and fertile.
Santiago del Estero
Adjective: santiagueño.
Province west of northern 1/2 of Santa Fé province and south of Chaco province.
Tijeras, Las
Third league / section (counted east to west) of La California.  Populated with colonos (tenant farmers) during the 1880’s.   Alfred received it when he and his brothers divided up their joint properties.
Tres Lagunas, Las
(aka: the TL or 3 Lag) Estancia owned by Alfred Bz; borders Las Tijeras to the north; today it abuts the south side of Las Rosas, Santa Fé.  He bought it in 1909, it became his principal residence.
Vermejo, Rio
see Bermejo, Rio.
William, Willie, WOBz
William Otto Benitz (1854-1911) – see his bio. pages; he married Clara E. Allyn & was the 6th child of Wilhelm & Josephine Benitz.

© Peter Benitz (Benitz Family)