Ángel Castro y Argiz facts for kids

Ángel María Bautista Castro y Argiz (born December 5, 1875 – died October 21, 1956) was a farmer and businessman. He was born in Spain and later moved to Cuba. He is known as the father of important Cuban leaders like Fidel, Raul, and Ramón Castro.

Ángel's parents were Manuel de Castro y Núñez and Antonia Argiz y Fernández. They were married in Láncara, Spain.

Ángel Castro's Early Life

Ángel Castro was born in Láncara, a small village in Spain. His family lived in a simple stone house. When he was about 16 or 17 years old, he joined the Spanish military. He was sent to Cuba during a war for Cuba's independence.

After Spain lost the war in 1898, Ángel went back to Spain. He was a cavalry soldier but saw no future there. So, in 1905, he decided to move to Cuba for good. He arrived in 1906 with his brother Pedro.

Starting a New Life in Cuba

Ángel began working in nickel mines near Santiago de Cuba. He was a very hard worker. This helped him get a job with the Nipe Bay Railway Company. This company was building a big sugar mill.

He moved east to a mountainous area called Oriente province. Here, he worked for a company that grew sugar. He helped manage workers who loaded sugar onto wagons. At this time, many sugar farms were growing in Cuba. Workers were needed to clear forests and plant sugarcane.

Ángel started his own small business. He organized a group of men to cut wood and sell it. He also set up a shop in a town called Guaro. He sold tools and supplies to the sugar cane workers. The money he earned helped him leave his job with the sugar company. He then hired his own workers to load wagons and cut timber.

He tried opening a restaurant called Progress, but it didn't do well. In 1910, he became part-owner of a mine. This was one of many deals he made in land, animals, and timber. These deals helped Ángel Castro become well-known in Cuba.

Becoming a Successful Businessman

In 1914, Ángel started a business selling trees with immigrant workers. He used his experience to buy land. He first bought about 200 acres. This farm was in a place called Birán.

He raised sheep and chickens. He built a house on stilts, like the houses in his home region of Galicia, Spain. It had a wide porch and big rooms. The land was good for growing sugarcane. He also planted corn and raised cattle.

Soon, he owned a large farm called Manacas. This farm had its own stores, a place to process meat, and a bakery. There were 27 buildings in total. These included a school, a teacher's house, a movie theater, a store, a bar, and even a post office.

Ángel Castro was a strong-minded businessman. He was fair, but he expected a lot. He believed strongly in education. Even though he couldn't read or write when he was young, he made sure his children got a good education. He sent his son Fidel to a good primary school. Living on a farm helped his son Fidel become strong and determined.

Ángel Castro became very successful. He eventually owned about 1,800 hectares (about 4,400 acres) of land. He also rented another 10,000 hectares (about 24,700 acres). This land produced wood, raised animals, and grew sugarcane. By the 1950s, Ángel was worth a lot of money. Even though he was a successful businessman, he disliked how much influence Americans had in Cuba. He taught his children to be wary of too much luxury and American-style business.

Ángel Castro's Family Life

Ángel Castro married María Argota y Reyes on March 25, 1911. They had five children together:

• Manuel Castro Argota (1913–1914)
• María Lila Perfidia (Lidia) Castro Argota (1913–1991)
• Pedro Emilio Castro Argota (1914–1992)
• Antonia María Dolores Castro Argota (1915–1920)
• Georgina de la Caridad Castro Argota (born 1918)

Ángel and María had different personalities. María liked to buy expensive clothes and jewelry. She wanted to live in the city. Ángel, however, preferred to explore the countryside and look for new land.

Later, Ángel became friends with Perfecto Ruz Vasquez. Perfecto introduced him to his niece, Lina Ruz Gonzalez. Lina was 15 years old and worked as a maid in Ángel's home. She loved riding horses.

Ángel and Lina had seven more children together before they married in 1943:

• Ángelita María Castro Ruz (1923–2012)
• Ramón Eusebio Castro Ruz (1924–2016)
• Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (1926–2016)
• Raúl Modesto Castro Ruz (born 1931)
• Juana de la Caridad (Juanita) Castro Ruz (born 1933)
• Emma de la Concepción Castro Ruz (born 1935)
• Agustina del Carmen Castro Ruz (1938–2017)

Ángel Castro also had another son, Martin Castro (1930–2017), with a farm worker named Generosa Mendoza.

His children grew up on the ranch. Some became economists or engineers. The eldest son took over the farm. The girls learned to play guitar and dance. They all learned to swim and celebrated holidays together.

Ángel Castro y Argiz passed away on October 21, 1956, in the village of Birán. He was 80 years old. His death happened 42 days before his son Fidel landed in Cuba to start a revolution. Ángel's wife, Lina, is buried next to him in Birán.

See also

In Spanish: Ángel Castro Argiz para niños