Memorias De La Familia Salazar

by Ofelia Salazar Butler

Emilio Salazar e Hidalgo Gato was born in Pinar del Rio in 1852.  He studied medicine and dedicated his activities in the country, where he became well known as a "Country Doctor".  He was 33 years old when he married 18 year old daughter of German Roges y Estrada, owner of an Estate called "Santa Juana de las Ovas".  He met Juana during frequent visits that he made to the farm to take care of his patients.  He died on April 22, 1924 at the age of 72.... Juana died on September 2, 1911.

Jose Salazar y Roges was born on May 13, 1889 in Pinar del Rio, Cuba.  He married Eulalia Laine y Garascho ("Lala") on October 17, 1818 daughter of Bauduy Laine and Clara Garasche.  When Jose was 12 years old an uncle (Tio Taboada) married to Encarnacion Salazar e Hidalgo Gato, took him to the United States and left him in a Boys' school owned and operated by the Sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth College, Convent Station, New Jersey.  The Lakawana Railroad from Morristown to Hoboken served the route.  In Hoboken, a Ferry would take the passengers to New York City.  Joe remained in the Boys School (now demolished) until he graduated from Grammar School.  Sister Marie Dolores, a native of Nicaragua, Central America, was the guardian of all the Latin pupils that went to St. Elizabeth.  She spoke English and Spanish fluently and became Joe's guardian and kept in touch with his father in Cuba.

While in this school, he was taught to be an altar boy.  He learned the Latin answers and rang a small bell at the most important parts of the Mass.  When he was older (14 years) he went to Manhattan College in New York, where he finished High School.  Later he went to Holy Cross College in Worcester, Mass for his college years...After graduating he returned to Cuba and stared working for the Railroads.  While in Matanzas, he met Eulalia Laine (Lala) whose father was the manager of Central "Dos Rosas".

One day, my brother Joe took Benito, Encarnita and myself for a stay of a few days at Central "Dos Rosas".  Lala, his wife was in Tuscon, Arizona, where she had taken Jossie on account of having constant colds.  At this sugar mill there was a 15-year old from China boy named Vicente.  He cooked and served excellent meals, using white gloves for the occasion.

When Joe finished his work with the Railroads, he returned to Havana, where he lived in Consulado 59 (9 years).  He kept seeing Lala on and off, receiving from her gifts of delicious chocolate cakes, which he used to like.

Havana before Fidel Castro was a lovely place.. the shops... the people were gay.  There was a certain elegance.  Mrs. Salazar sat in the living room of her son's home in Manchester and talked about the land she fled in January of this year (1967)  As she talked, her voice was quiet and her eyes were calm and steady.  She wore a black dress, one of the few things she was allowed to bring with her when she left her native land.  There is no thing as private property any more.  When people leave the country the Cuban government takes all of her property and sells what it can, to raise money.  Yes, Cuba has changed, said Mrs. Salazar sadly.  The prices of food have gone way up because the food is very scarce.  Everyone has to have a ration book.  One person is allowed half a pound of potatoes a week and there are two potatoes to the pound.  One egg costs 60 cents and a chicken $10.00.  Of course, people with money could buy from the black market.

Where Mrs. Salazar lived and raised her family are empty now.  The people have gone.  The homes are left to be occupied by the Russians.  The house next to hers was turned into a special school for Russian children.  They do not let the children mix with the Cubans.  There are, probably, more Russian children in Cuba than people realize.  They run everything.

The Castro government has tremendous control over the Cuban people.  An organization called "Defense of the Revolution" have headquarters on every block.  Their job is to spy on the people.  The government knows everything that goes on.  If you need medicine, in case of sickness, you get it from the government.  The people are too scared to do anything else.  The United States has been good to the Cuban refugees.  I love this country and find Connecticut a beautiful state.  She visited her son Jossie who lives here.  Mrs. Salazar has made her home, temporarily in Texas with her daughter.  When Lalita McIntire was transferred with her husband Bob to Caracas, Venezuela, Mrs. Salazar joined her there.  During her stay in Caracas, she became acquainted with Mr. Frank Toscano, who married her.  The Toscanos then moved to New Jersey, Fair Lawn N.J.

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On Saturday, December 4 1968, Mr and Mrs. Toscano decided to visit their Daughters.  Both were then living in Venezuela.  Lalita married to Mr. Robert McIntire, who worked for Sears, Roebuck of Venezuela and Mrs. Jean Blenderman, Mr. Toscano's daughter.  Both were at the Maiquetia Airport to meet them.

Unfortunately, the Pan American plane 217 from New York to Caracas on which the Toscanos were traveling, suddenly disappeared from the radar screen at Caracas Maiquetia Airport during its approach, just before 10 o'clock... A helicopter first sighted the wreckage about 15 miles off the coast.  Boatmen had picked up 10 bodies, all of them badly mutilated, when the plane apparently exploded as it hit the sea. 

Jose Salazar y Roges and Eulalia Laine Garasche had two children, Lalita and Josie.  Lalita was educated in the Sacred Heart College in Cuba and later came to the States to mayor in Music.  Lalita is married to Robert McIntire, High Official of Sears, Roebuck.  She is well known in the English speaking community of Caracas.  An active worker in social and civil activities, she teaches music at a school for the children "del Barrio Las Minas".

Lalita was born in Cuba as Maria Eulalia Salazar Laine, daughter of well-to-do Civil Engineer.  After a year with intensive training with Mr. Wall of Los Angeles .....

The McIntires have two children.  Robert Anthony born 1953 and John Charles, born 1957.

Robert Jr. will graduate this year (1975) from Brown University, Providence, R. I.  John Charles attends Lawrenceville, New Jersey where he will graduate from high school.

Lalita met Mr. McIntire on the occasion of a performance she gave, when she sang "So in Love"... After the performance, Mr. McIntire went back-stage to tell her how much he liked it... They were married two years later and since then she limited her professional career to occasional appearances, to become as she said "a happy wife and mother".

When her husband's career as an executive of Sears was called to the United States, his wife appeared once more on stage with the Miami Light opera - a cast by Renata Tebaldi.

A tall green-eyed honey blonde, Lalita McIntire has lived in Caracas for a few years... Later her husband was transferred to Lima, Peru, where she is busy with her singing as she says: "Anything I do has some connection with music" And music is vital in Lalita's life...

The McIntires still have Vicente, a servant who has been in the family for three generations.  He came from China when he was about fifteen years old and has served with Lalita's mother and grandmother.  Lalita also has a brother who is married to Marta Galbis.  They live in Manchester, Connecticut at the moment.. Josey and Marta have five children:  Maria Cristina, Ricardo, Alberto, Pepito, y Fernando.

Lalita McIntire makes visits to the United States every year on or about the month of June and visits the family.

As a business deal they have bought an apartment on the 15th floor of the Venetian in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.  This apartment is rented by the year and is under the administration of a manager. Should the political situation in Peru get out of hand they will have a place to live, should the apartment be vacant at the time.  It has a beautiful view of the Miami-Biscayne Blvd. waterfront.

Mr. Robert McIntire was employed by Sears Roebuck of Venezuela.

ENCARNACIÓN SALAZAR Y ROGES - - BENITO LOYGORRI PIMENTEL

Encarnación was born in Pinar del Rio Cuba on the 23rd of May 1890 in a farm belonging to her parents Dr. Emilio Salazar e Hidalgo Gato y Juana Roges y Medina.  At the age of ten years (when she lost her mother)  it was decided to send her to the United States for her education...The College of St. Elizabeth in Convent, NJ was chosen.  At first, she and her sister Ofelia were very lonesome...They did not know English and everything was strange.  Finally they decided to run out and play with the other children. They remained in this school over six or eight years when her father decided that they should return to Cuba. She married Benito Lloygori on October 18, 1918 when we were living in Consulado 59 in Havana.  He was living at the time in a Boarding House located on the top floor of the building in Consulado 59.  Encarnita, as she was called, had a parrot, which she fed with her hands in the afternoon, while flirting, in a way and looking at Benito.  Finally, Benito, requested a friend of his named Damborenes, to introduce him to my father.  Shortly, they were married on the 18th of October.  It was a Civil wedding which took place in a town called Calvario, Havana Province.

Benito is the son of Carmen Pimentel de Lloygori.  He had a brother, Pepe, who never married.  He had a friend-companion called Julita and together they lived in an apartment in Florida Street, Madrid.  Benito worked with General Motors, twenty-five years and held important positions as a salesman, being transferred to different countries on account of his knowledge of languages (French, English and Spanish).  In his youth he was an Aviator and held the title of being the first aviator in Spain.  He died the 1st of February 1976 at the age of 90.  He was born September 4, 1885 in B Larritz, France

HAROLD ABBOTT BUTLER & OFELIA SALAZAR ROGES

Harold Abbott was born on May 25, 1895 in Mansfield, Mass.  His parents were Lucius Abbott Butler and Annie Morton Butler.  He graduated from Brown University in 1917 with a degree in Electrical Engineering.  After graduation he worked with General Electric Company in Schenectady and Pittsfield in eastern New York in their Testing Department until September 1919.  Being opposed to cold weather, the G.E. Co. helped him to obtain a position with the Havana Electric Railway Co. which was later merged with an American Foreign Power Company, subsidiary, operating outside of Havana.  This new company was called Campania Cubana de Electricidad and it supplied most of the electricity used in Cuba and also service to Havana.  He continued with this company in various capacities until his retirement in 1956.  About 1927 he went to live in a boarding house at M and 19 streets in Vedado.  There he met his future wife Ofelia Salazar Roges. 

Ofelia Salazar Roges was born in Las Ovas, Province of Pinar del Rio, Cuba.  She met Harold in the boarding house mentioned above under the ownership of Mr and Mr. Ricardo Porro (Luisa Schumann).  They later moved to Hotel Vedado - also on M and 19 - where they left to get married.  They were engaged only three months and went to live at Lens Court 6 and 11 Vedado.  Before her marriage Ofelia started to work with Pesant Steel and Iron Company as Secretary to the President Mr. Carlos Pesand with whom she remained six years...She had her own bed-room furniture - a gift of her brother Joe, who had made it to order at a cost of $1000 .... After my father's passing, Ofelia decided to keep house by renting a small apartment in Vedado with her brother Emilio and his wife Enriqueta, but it did not work.  It was then that she chose to live at Hotel Vedado.  After our marriage we lived in Linea and M streets - third floor.  We had two boys - William and Kenneth.  From here we decided to buy a house and for one year went house-hunting, until we found a lovely one-floor three bedroom house with living room, dining room and side porch which later we turned into a bedroom for the children.  An uncle of mine - Emilio Roges made a two-decker bed of mahogany for them, which we put in the new room.. We moved to the La Sierra home in 1935 and lived there until 1964.  During this time there was political trouble in Cuba and we decided to come to the USA.  In order to get a permit to leave we had to surrender the house with all its contents.

On June 24, 1964 we left Cuba in a Mexican plane, via Merida, arriving in the USA the same day.  We stopped at Hotel Urmey - second avenue and first street.  while we looked around for more adequate quarters.  Finally we decided Dallas Park hotel was the best bet, as we had no furniture at all.  For one year we occupied Apartment 2-L and later moved to 2-H, where we have been 10 years.

William Abbott Butler:  William was born in the American Clinic located on 21st St. Vedado on Sept 1st 1929.  He went to school at Ruston Academy in Vedado and remained in Cuba until he was 18 years old.  We then decided to take him North and place him in Purdue University for his college years...It was at Purdue that he met his wife Elsie Covell of Angola, Indiana, who was also a student at Purdue...Bill and Elsie had five children:  Susan, William Abbot Jr., James, Sally Catherine, and Joseph Kenneth.  William, like his father, will also be an Electrical Engineer.  He obtained his first job by contacting General Electric, Schenectady, NY and has been with them to date as an International employee.  He spent eight years in Manila, Philippines and after was transferred to Caracas, Venezuela.  Bill is very fond of sailing.  His mother was responsible for this because when we became members of the Havana, Biltmore Country Club, he was only twelve years old.  There was a demand for boys his age to be helpers to owners of larger boats.  This taught him a liking for sailing...He acquired and owned a 40-foot boat with sails, which he named Siboney.  The boat was brought to Venezuela in an empty sugar boat acquired by one of his many friends in the Philippines...From Venezuela he was transferred to Miami, Florida, where he bought a home in Coral Gables, Florida.  He was promoted and is at present General Manager of the Caribbean division.  He makes several trips around this section with the effort of selling heavy equipment for factories and sugar mills. 

Wonderful Pictures of Cuba