Ángel Canavery

Ángel Mateo Canavery
Birth name	Ángel Mateo Canavery Castillo
Born	September 21, 1850 Buenos Aires
Died	July 20, 1916 (aged 65) Buenos Aires
Allegiance	Argentina
Service/branch	Argentine Army
Years of service	1870-1905
Rank	Lieutenant colonel
Battles/wars	Jordanist Rebellion Conquest of the Desert Revolution of 1880 Revolution of the Park
Signature

Angel Mateo Canavery (1850–1916) was an Officer of the Argentine Army.^[1] He served as lieutenant in the 1st Regiment, taking part in the expeditions against the Indians during the Conquest of the Desert.^[2]

Throughout his military career he participated in civil conflicts and faced the Chiefs Juan José Catriel and Manuel Namuncura.^[3]

Personal life

His wife, doña Mercedes Montero Rondó (centre)

Angel Mateo Canavery was born 21 September 1850 in Buenos Aires, the son of Tomás José Canaverys and Macedonia Castillo, belonging to a Creole family..^[4] The Canavery Castillo family had numerous children including, the Colonel Tomás Canavery,^[5] a hero of the Battle of Valentinas Lomas during the Paraguayan War. And María Juana Canavery, wife of Enrico Mosconi, and mother of General Enrique Mosconi Canavery.^[6]

Angel Canavery was descended from a traditional family of Buenos Aires of the XVIII century, whose ancestors came from Western Europe, Italian Peninsula and Iberian Peninsula. His paternal grandfather Mariano Canaverys was a teacher who served as lieutenant of the 1st squadron of Hussars of Pueyrredón, having an active participation in the defense of Buenos Aires during the English invasions. The founder of this family was Juan Canaverys (1748-1822), a Spanish official of Franco-Piedmontese roots, who participated in the May Revolution of 1810.^[7] Ángel, his parents and brothers Tomás, Justino and Juana had lived in the neighborhoods of Monserrat^[8] and San Telmo.^[9]

On April 3, 1880 Ángel Canavery was married in the parish Nuestra Señora del Pilar to Mercedes Montero, daughter of Apolinario Montero and Julia Rondó, possibly related to familie of José Rondeau.^[10] He and his wife did not have children. In 1898 Canavery and Mercedes Montero, were godfathers of baptism of Carmen Canaveri, daughter of Saturnino Canaveri and Carmen Canavery (cousins in third grade of Ángel Canavery).^[11]

Mercedes Montero Rondó de Canavery was in charge of the Sociedad Protectora de Huérfanos de Militares (Society of Military Orphans),^[12] a charitable association founded on July 12, 1891.^[13] She was granddaughter of Juan C. Montero, an officer who participated in the War of Independence.^[14]

Military career

Ángel Mateo Canavery

The 2nd division of the army, under the command of Cnel. Levalle crossing La Pampa c.1879

Canavery began his military career as second lieutenant in the 8th Infantry Battalion, to the orders of Lt. Col. Tomas Elliot.^[15] In 1873, he participating in the end of the Campaign against Ricardo López Jordán in Entre Ríos. Later he served in the military Garrison of Mercedes, province of Buenos Aires. In 1875, he was discharged from the army for personal reasons.^[16]

Canavery rejoined the army in 1876,^[17] serving in the Fuerte General Lavalle (current General Pinto) and Puan. In 1877 with the rank of first lieutenant, he served in the 1st Line Regiment^[18] under orders of Colonels Teodoro García, Nicolás Levalle and General Julio Argentino Roca.^[19]

During the military expeditions he participated in the assault on the tribes of Catriel in "Treyco Grande" (La Pampa). And in the operations against the tribe of Namuncura in Chiloé (La Pampa).^[20] Later he took part in the Battle of Hucal Grande against the tribes of Cañumil and Huenchuquil (occurred in 1878).^[21] In 1878 the Argentine army returned to face against the tribe of Namuncura in Lihué Calel, taking part in the bellicose actions of the 6 and 7 of December.^[22]

In 1879, Canavery provide services in the garrison of Choele Choel and participates in the actions commanded by Gral. Roca, on the banks of the Río Negro.^[23]

Some sources claim that during the desert campaigns, the Lt. Ángel Canavery had been honored by the chief Catriel with a poncho.^[24]

In the year 1879, the Argentine troops stopped using sabers and spears, the rifles of a single shot, were suppressed to be replaced by the modern Remington rifles and Carbines.^[25] The officers were equipped with Lefaucheux pistols.^[26]

After finishing his services in the Argentine south, Ángel Canavery returned to Buenos Aires, being promoted to captain on April 1, 1880.^[27] A year later he served in Salta to the orders of Colonel García, until June 5, 1882.^[28] That same year Canavery provides services at the Infantry Inspection, being promoted to major in 1886, and appointed as Military attaché from Italy in 1889.^[29] Returning to Argentina a year later, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel in August 1890, serving in the Estado Mayor del Ejército.^[30]

Between 1892 and 1895, Canavery was in charge of the military detachment of Santa Catalina and served as Commander of the detachments of Córdoba and San Luis until 1900.^[31] In 1896, he went on to serve in the Plana Mayor Activa.^[32]

During the revolutions of 1880 and 1890, Ángel Canavery remained loyal to the governing elite, participating in the bellicose actions against the rebel troops.^[33] He was an active member of the Club del Progreso, a bourgeois institution which was attended by important political figures of Argentina.^[34]

In 1894 the National government granted him nearly 2,000 hectares in Rio Negro for his participation in military expeditions in the South of Argentina. He donated all of these lands to the national state, lands that were later adjudged to a landowner by the government.^[35]

In 1905, Angel Mateo Canavery retired from the army with the rank of lieutenant colonel.^[36] He died on 20 July 1916,^[37] and his wife Mercedes Montero in 1930.^[38]

References

Link

• archive.org
• familysearch.org
• familysearch.org