Harold Abbott Butler (1895-1983)

 
B 5-25-1895 in Mansfield, Mass to Annie Bird Morton and Lucius Abbott Butler
M Ofelia (Sally) Salazar July 4, 1928
D July 1983 in Miami, Florida
C William Abbott Butler and Kenneth Morton Butler
Harold Abbott ("Butt" to his friends) was born on May 25, 1895 in Mansfield, Mass.  His parents were Lucius Abbott Butler and Annie Bird Morton Butler.  He had an older sister, Gertrude, and one younger sister, Doris.  Doris died before she reached the age of 1.

Harold with father and cat around 1900?

Gertrude, Harold and mother, Annie Morton Butler around 1902

 

Harold(?) with cat, around 1908

 

He Graduated from Mansfield High School in 1913

He then 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.  His first assignment with GE was at the Tallapiedra Power Plant.
When he first moved to Cuba, Harold, likely a confirmed bachelor, lived in hotels and ate mainly at Chinese restaurants.  He apparently settled into life in Cuba and never showed any indication of wanting to return to the Northeast.

About 1927 he went to live in a boarding house at M and 19 streets in Vedado, Cuba.  There he met his future wife the lovely Ofelia Salazar Roges.  ("Sally")  See "How Harry Met Sally".  They were married July 4, 1928.

 
They moved to a third story apartment at Linea and M streets in the Vedado.

In 1929, Their first child, Billy was born.  Then, just 2 years later their second and last son Kenny was born.

The apartment had access to a patio on the roof where Harold had installed a sand box and a swing that provided daily entertainment until the age of two when Kenny and Bill would be taken by their mother to a small park across Linea Street every afternoon where they could run and play with other children.
In 1935 he purchased a house on the corner of 4th avenue and 1st street in the La Sierra neighborhood of Marianao, about 10 miles out of Habana.  The house had 3 bedrooms and one bath with maid quarters above the one car garage. It had a big avocado tree in back yard. Stove was coal fired.. redid kitchen.. and converted a patio into a guest bedroom with bath. where Benito and Encarnita would come to visit. Bought his meats and veggies in the neighborhood. On Sundays Ofelia's brothers would visit during the afternoon. during the week after work a stop at the American Club was the meeting place of his good friends where they engaged in games of dice to see would pay for the drinks. This is where Harold Abbott Butler and family lived in Cuba
He joined the Havana Biltmore Yacht and Country Club where he would meet his friends during noontime Sundays while his family enjoyed the beach. As his sons grew older he and Ofelia steered them towards sailing and in 1943 bought them their first boat.
 In 1947 he rented a car in Miami and drove with Ofelia, Bill and Ken to Lafayette Indiana where Bill was left to pursue his engineering career.
 In June, 1951, he and Ofelia flew to Indiana and joined Bill and Elsie at their marriage on June 9 and during Bill's graduation June 10. Also attending was Aunt Helen May Butler (Nell), cousin Helen and many other family members.

CUBA

CUBA

Butler house in Cuba

CUBA CUBA CUBA CUBA
 His career with the Cuban Electric Company went well and he ended up as its General Superintendent.. Retired in 1956.. just before son Bill was transferred to Havana.

After raising his family, retiring from a successful career and settling in to his lovely retirement home in Cuba, his perfect life was upset but the Cuban revolution in 1959.  He always expected the Castro regime to succumb as had the 3 previous revolutions he had experienced. In 1964 he decided to leave. Applied for exit permit. Had to deliver his home to the government who inventoried all and came to check as they left all.. stayed overnight with friends until plane time.. flew out via Mexico.. then to Miami..

 

Butlers in Cuba - Back: William A. Butler, Harold A. Butler, Benito Lloygori.  Front: Encarnita Salazar Lloygori, Ofelia Salazar Butler, Kenneth Morton Butler

Ofelia Salazar, Aunt Mary, Harold Abbott Butler

 
In Miami they eventually settled into the Dallas Park Hotel where they leased a one bedroom apartment complete with kitchen.  This was a step down from what they had 5 years previously but better than life under Castro.

Harold was a great cook  - mac and cheese and Shake N Bake Chicken were his grandchildren's favorites.

They lived there until sometime in the early 1980s when the Dallas Park Hotel was demolished. 

 
Letter from Harold Butler to Helen May Young 1927