Reference Pages	Page last updated: 29 April 2012
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People & Place Names
— Los Algarrobos —
1896-1950

The people and place names mentioned in John's record (1904-1911) at Los Algarrobos and Cruz Grande, as well as the writings of others associated with Los Algarrobos, form a unique set.

A brief History of Monte Buey is included at the foot of this page, translated into English from the Monte Buey website.

We will be adding information, names, and maps as we add more material, e.g. the recollections of others.  Any suggestions and corrections are welcome.

   Maps:

Principal Properties mentioned by JEBz	Fields Ea. “Los Algarrobos” c.1950, about 1,300 ha.	Casco [HQ] Ea. “Los Algarrobos” c.1950	Monte Buey SE Córdoba
	“Campo Winter” & Ea. “El Bermejo” 1937	The Hills — (Cruz Grande is north of La Cumbre)

   Names:

Abbreviations

FJBz - Frank J. Benitz, eldest son of WB (1850-1881) AABz - Alfred A. Benitz, son of WB (1859-1937) JEBz - John E. (Johnnie) Benitz, son of WB (1861-1916) WABz - William A. (Willie) Benitz, son of WOBjr (1888-1956) WB - William (Wilhelm) Benitz, family patriarch (1815-1876) WOBjr - William O. (Willie) Benitz, son of WB (1854-1911)

BA

Abbreviation universally applied to Buenos Aires within the Anglo-Argentine community.

Banco de Londres

Usually the Bank of London and South America, one of the few to survive the crash in the 1930’s it was considered very solid.

Bell Ville

Large town in south-eastern Córdoba province and a stop on the Ferrocarril Central Argentino between Rosario and the city of Córdoba.  Monte Buey and Los Algarrobos are about 50 km. to its SE.  Originally known as Fraile Muerto (Dead Friar), in c.1870 it was renamed Bell Ville in honor of Robert A. Bell, from Dunbar, Scotland.  He and his brother, Anthony M. Bell,  were amongst the first estancieros to settle the area in the 1860’s, and were leaders in the campaign to rid the area of malones.

Campo Winter

Estancia (10,000 ha.) founded by General Winter on the southern shores of the Río Bermejo, Chaco prov.  Bought by AABz in 1916(?), he added to it another 8,000+ ha.  AABz' widow, Olga, sold it all after his death in 1937, the proceeds distributed amongst his many nephews & nieces.  Used for breeding beef cattle.  Today split up into smaller holdings. 

Cañada de Gómez

Large town in central Santa Fé province and a stop on the Ferrocarril Central Argentino between Rosario and the city of Córdoba.  Las Rosas is about 40 km. to its north, La California about 30 km.

Central Argentine Railroad

See Ferrocarril Central Argentino.

Comisión de Caminos

Roads Commission.  In 1908, JEBz was on the Comisión de Caminos de Punilla and appointed president of the Comisión de caminos de Unión.

Cruz Chica

[Small Cross] See The Hills.

Cruz Grande

[Large Cross] The name of JEBz’s summer home on the river, and in the village, by the same name in the province of Córdoba.  He built the house in 1904, the property is currently part of St. Paul’s School.  See The Hills.

Durham

Alternative name for the Short-horn breed of cattle (red with variegated white markings).  Developed in the US during the mid to late 1800’s as a more productive beef animal than the Texas Long-horn.  It was imported into the Argentine, but lost favor to the beefier British breeds Hereford and Aberdeen-Angus (red with white faces, and all black respectively).  For more detail, see vacunos (cattle) in the Spanglish Glossary.

El Bermejo

Estancia (20,000 ha.) shaped liked an inverted "T", its foot on the southern shores of the Río Bermejo, province of Chaco (then a national territory), used for breeding beef cattle; managed by JEBz but owned by The Bermejo Estancia Co. Ltd., a partnership between JEBz, Thomas F. Agar, Malcolm Cross, Col. J.S. Ruston, and others (see JEBz diary April-Oct. 1910).  Bought in 1910 from Araoz for $14m/n per ha., sold in 1917(?).  AABz purchased the neighboring Campo Winter.  See Campo Winter and Scottish Estancia Co. Ltd.

El Rincón

AABz’s summer home in Cruz Grande, Córdoba.  Encompasses the entire watershed of the Cruz Grande river valley (quebrada) above the summer homes of his mother and siblings.  Built in 1915, it is still in the family.  See The Hills.

El Venado

Estancia, southern part of Los Algarrobos.  JEBz's daughter Elsie and her husband Tommy Sympson inherited it when the Algarrobos was split up, c.1930.  They sold it c.1960 when they retired to Nono, in the Sierras Grandes (Cba).

El Victoriano

An estancia immediately to the south-west of Los Algarrobos.  Bought in late March, 1904, by the Scottish Estancia Co. Ltd in which JEBz held shares. See JEBz diary: March, 1904, & May 3, 1908.

F.C.C.A.

Ferrocarril Central Argentino - see below.

F.C.O.

Ferrocarril Oeste - see below.  JEBz (diary, 21 April, 1908) mentions a crew surveying for a proposed line north of Los Algarrobos.  However, it seems more likely to have been the F.C.C y R. or the F.C.O.S. (Ferrocarril Oeste Santafecino, bought by the F.C.C.A. in 1900).

F.C.C. y R.

Ferrocarril Córdoba y Rosario - see below.

Ferrocarril Central Argentino

JEBz often rode this railroad.  Wide gauge railroad built 1863 - 1870 by William Wheelwright (North-American with British capital), it joined Rosario with Córdoba, passing through Cañada de Gómez, Bell Ville, and Villa Maria.  In 1908 it absorbed the BA to Rosario line, nationalized in 1949, it became part of the Ferrocarril Nacional General Bartolomé Mitre (F.C.N.G.B.M.), privatised during the 1990's, it is today part of the Nuevo Central Argentino S.A. (N.C.A.). Click here for a history of Rosario railroads, and the N.C.A.

Ferrocarril Oeste

The first railroad of Arg., begun in 1857.  Centered on BA, it spread west as its name indicates.  It did not have lines in Córdoba or Santa Fé.

Ferrocarril Córdoba y Rosario

Metric gauge railroad that ran between Rosario and Córdoba paralleling the F.C.C.A. to the south, passing through Casilda, Cruz Alta, Monte Buey (in 1910), and Río Tercero.  Begun after 1888, may have changed its name to the Ferrocarril Central Córdoba (F.C.C.C.), it apparently was acquired by the F.C.C.A. prior to 1910 because the track through Monte Buey was laid by the F.C.C.A.

Greystone

The summer home of WOBjr, it was on the road to Los Cocos from Cruz Grande, a 2-3 kilometers north from his siblings. (see The Hills).

La California

Estancia founded by WB in 1874, 9 km. south of Las Rosas, province of Santa Fé, it became the Benitz family’s main operation and residence.  Purchased from Carlos Vernet for 16,000 pesos fuertes [426,000 US-D2000), it originally consisted of an east-west strip 1x4 leagues (10,800 ha. – 6,000 x 24,000 varas).  A quarter of it (the westernmost league) was sold in 18xx to pay the debts of FJBz.  When WB's sons split up their properties in 189x, the casco and the 2 eastern leagues went to WOBjr, the third league went to AABz who named it estancia Las Tijeras.  After WOBjr’s death (1911) it was split up again; WABz inherited the casco and was able to retain much of the rest by purchasing (with the assistance of his uncle AABz) several of his sisters’ sections when they sold.  After WABz’s death (1953) it was once again split up and more was sold.  Today the original casco is owned by WB’s great-grandson Charles A. Benitz.  Another section, estancia El Piquete, is owned by the sons of F. Malcolm Benitz (themselves g-g-grandsons of WB).  The land is slightly undulating with very fertile soils (loess), first used for cattle breeding and some wheat.  It is today dedicated to corn, soybeans, wheat, and cattle fattening (grass fed).

La Cumbre

The principal town of the summer resort area on the west slopes of the Sierras Chicas de Córdoba.  See The Hills.

La Escondida

Estancia bought by JEBz on 17 May, 1904, from Benjamín Sastre, for the Scottish Estancia Co. Ltd., it comprised 939.917 ha. (at $40 per ha., $37.596.68, or 439,881.16 USD-2000).  Adjoined La Minnesota to the east and El Victoriano to the south, JEBz estimated its true size to be 961 ha.  For full details, see his diary, 17 & 30 May, 1904.

La Independencia

Name given to the westernmost league of La California, beyond Las Tijeras, it was sold in 18xx to pay off the debts of FJBz.

La Josefina

Josephine Kolmer (de) Benitz’ home in Cruz Grande, Córdoba, built for her by her son JEBz in 1910, sold in 19xxx.  Across the Cruz Grande river from son JEBz’s summer home.  Later owners (the Bell family) renamed it Bellmont, it subsequently became part of St. Paul’s School.

La Gloria

Estancia part of Los Algarrobos.  JEBz's daughter Jo and her husband Howard Webster inherited it when the Algarrobos was split up, c.1930.  Jo sold it in the early 1950's when she retired to Chañar Yacu, in Nono, Sierras Grandes (Cba).

La Minesota

Estancia comprising...

La Quebrada

Name by which JEBz refers to AABz' property that became El Rincón.  It encompassed the entire valley (quebrada) above his own property on the Cruz Grande river.

Las Lomas

Estancia to east of estancia Las Rosas, established in 1874 by the Dickinson brothers, Henry and Alfred.  They were first cousins of Olga. B. Horner, AABz's wife.

Las Lomas

Town established by the Dickinson brothers in 1888 east of Las Rosas.  It was absorbed by and became the major part of Las Rosas (which had the advanage of being on the railroad).

Las Rosas

Estancia to imediately east of the town of Las Rosas established in 1864 by Guillermo Kemmis.

Las Rosas

Town in the department (county) of Belgrano, central Santa Fe province, about 40 km. north of Cañada de Gómez, founded in 1889 by Guillermo Kemmis and made the county seat in 1890.  See also Las Lomas.  Las Tres Lagunas borders it to the south-west;  La California is 9 km. to its south-east.

Las Tijeras

Estancia owned by AABz, part of the original La California.  Allotted to Alfred in 1898 when the Benitz brothers split up the properties they held in common.  Most of it, including its casco, was allotted to Willie Horner after Olga’s death in 1963.  Pieces of it have since been sold.  See Las Tres Lagunas. 

Las Tres Lagunas

a.k.a. The TL.  Estancia (½ league) bought by AABz in 1908, it became his principal home.  The town of Las Rosas borders it to the north, estancia Las Tijeras borders it to the south.  After Olga died in 1963, it and Las Tijeras were split into three parts amongst John, Mary, & Willie Horner: TL, Don Alfredo, and Las Tijeras respectively.  Don Alfredo was created from the western section of the original two estancias.  During the 1990’s half the remainder of the TL was sold, including the casco.

Los Algarrobos

Estancia bought by JEBz in June, 1896 (3¾ sq. leagues, pre-metric: 10,125 has. total); located south of Monte Buey in south-eastern Córdoba province.  In the early 1930's more than half was sold to meet debts; the rest was divided up: La Gloria (Elsie Bz. & Tommy Sympson) and El Venado (Jo Bz. & Howard Webster) were split off.  The remainder (John & Alfred, 1,300 has.) was operated as one unit until the early 1950's when it was sold.  Very flat with lighter soils than those of La California, originally used for sheep and cattle breeding, it is today dedicated to crops (in particular soy beans for which its sandier soils are excellent) and cattle fattening.

Los Algarrobos Sociedad Anónima Ganadera

Approx.: Los Algarrobos Cattle Company, Inc., company set up by JEBz on March 16, 1906, to own Los Algarrobos.  Final papers were drawn up May 17, 1906, with JEBz as the major shareholder, AABz, WOBjr, and others as minor partners, included to meet legal requirements (see diary, Jan. 1907).  The draft of his first annual report can be found at the foot of the 1907 diary.

Los Palmares

Estancia rented by the Benitz brothers and managed by AABz from 1890 to 1904.  Located west of the town of Calchaquí, between the Calchaquí and Salado rivers in north Santa Fé province, semi-forested it was used for cattle breeding (4,000 - 8,000 head). See Alfred's day-books for the years 1884-1904 when he ran cattle at Laguna Yacaré and Los Palmares.

Ministro de Obras Públicas

Minister of Public Works.

Monte Buey

Town in the department (county) of Unión, south-east Córdoba province; Los Algarrobos lies to its SW some xxxx km.  See its history below.

Palermo Show

See Show and Exposición Rural. in he Glossary of Camp Terminology.

Porteño

(Sp.) A person from the port of Buenos Aires.  Term applied to anyone from Buenos Aires and its suburbs.  Like their counterparts from New York and Paris, they are often regarded as arrogant by their unfortunate countrymen.

Punilla

Departmento de…  The department (county) in which La Cumbre and other resort villages are located, central Córdoba province NW of Córdoba city.  See The Hills.

Rosario

Large city north of Buenos Aires on the Paraná River, in the province of Santa Fé.

Scottish Estancia Co. Ltd.

Investment company JEBz established with Mr. T. Agar, major investor & president.  The company owned El Victoriano and La Escondida which were managed by JEBz.  First mentioned in JEBz diary of Feb., 1904, when he received 15 shares dated July 7, 1903.  See also El Bermejo.

Sierras Chicas de Córdoba

A chain of mountains (highest: Uritorco – 1,950 mts.) running north-south immediately to the west of Córdoba city.  A series of summer resort villages are found on its western slopes where the climate is very pleasant in summer; the air is cool, dry, and fresh.  Anglo-Argentines favored the area close to La Cumbre, about 90 km. drive north-west of Córdoba city - see The Hills.

Sierras Grandes de Córdoba

A north-south chain of higher mountains (highest: Champaquí – 2,790 mts.) paralleling and west of the Sierras Chicas.  On its western slopes, just south of Cura Brochero, are the villages of Mina Clavero and Nono where the more reclusive Anglo-Argentines preferred to retire.  The climate is drier, the amenities more austere.

Sociedad Anónima Ganadera Los Algarrobos

Named swapped around.  See Los Algarrobos Sociedad Anónima Ganadera.

The Hills

Term by which most Anglo-Argentines refer to the summer resort area of the Sierras Chicas de Córdoba, see its entry.  The term encompassed the town of La Cumbre and the villages to its north: Cruz Grande, Cruz Chica, & Los Cocos.  It sometimes included the village of Ascochinga on the east side of the mountains, north of Córdoba city.  In the early 1900’s long before air-conditioning many well-off Anglo-Argentines built themselves summer villas in The Hills to escape the heat of the pampas and Buenos Aires.  It is still favored by Anglo-Argentines as a retirement community. (Some have complained that during winter the social activities are limited to endless rounds of cocktail parties and funerals.)

The TL

Abbreviation used within the Benitz family for estancia Las Tres Lagunas.

Unión

Departmento de…  The department (county) in which Monte Buey and Los Algarrobos are located, located in south-eastern Córdoba province.

   History of Monte Buey:

Prior to the founding of Monte Buey ( Translation of the history page from the Monte Buey web-site El Antes de la Fundación de Monte Buey ) In 1909, when the F.C.C.A. began laying the railroad line from Cruz Alta to Córdoba, today’s district of Monte Buey [Ox Hill] belonged politically and administratively to Saladillo, at that time the only evidence of civilization in the region, apart from some scattered estancias [ranches]. In those days, the future urban area of Monte Buey belonged to estancia “Monte del Buey”, the property of the spouses don Federico Judson and doña Luisa Carpenter de Judson [Mr. Frederick E. Judson and Mrs. Luisa Judson (née Carpenter)], who donated it to the railroad in 1909 with the explicit condition that the town would take the name of the estancia.  However, the original name was Woodgate by which the town was known until 1916.  When the Cruz Alta to Córdoba line was put into public service on the 22nd of October, 1910, the railroad station was the sole building in existance. Towards the end of the 19th century, the neighbouring lands of Monte Buey began to be sold for the purpose of establishing agricultural enterprises known as estancias [ranches].  Most of those who settled the area and established what are today the historic estancia cascos [ranch headquarters] were of English origin.  Amongst many others, we can list “Los Algarrobos”, “La Maya”, “La Minesota”, “El Victoriano”, “Santo Domingo”, “San Ponciano”, etc. Monte Buey’s first residents established themselves after 1910, don [Mr.] Enrique Chem, the brothers Gudiño, Pascual Ceballos and others.  Faced with the advent of numerous colonies and residents, it was necessary to set up a local government.  The first municipal commission was formed in 1915, presided over by don Juan Benitz [Mr. John Benitz].