José Antonio Durán

José Antonio Durán (1810 - c.1880) was an Argentine military man and politician, who participated in the main military actions that occurred during the Argentine Civil War. He served as secretary of the Government of Nazario Benavídez, and as war correspondent of Juan Manuel de Rosas in San Juan Province.

Biography

He was born in San Juan Province, Argentina, the son of Juan Durán and Javiera Ortiz, belonging to a traditional Creole family. He had an active participation in Argentine civil conflicts, serving under the General Benavides in the military campaigns of 1841, 1842 and 1843, against Unitarian troops. He also taking part in the Battle of Angaco.

He served the army of the Argentine Confederation during the Battle of Cepeda and Pavón, to be later incorporated into the ranks of the Argentine Republic. He maintained an intense political activity in his native province, holding public positions alongside distinguished politicians of the city as Guillermo Rawson and Saturnino Manuel de Laspiur.

Family His paternal family was related to Camilo Rojo, governor of San Juan in 1864. He was married three times, first to Gregoria Pereira, secondly to Dolores Cabrera, daughter of Blas Cabrera and Mercedes Etchegaray, and third with Francisca Arredondo, daughter of Eugenio Arredondo and Rita Montemayor, belonging to a family from Entre Ríos and Santa Fe Province. He had several children, including Blas Antonio Durán Cabrera, godson of Nazario Benavidez, and Magdalena Durán Pereira, a lady related to the Quiroga family.

On July 19, 1866 he attended in the Parish Nuestra Señora de Montserrat like godfather of Alejo Camilo Canavery, son of Quintina Páez and Sinforoso Camilo Canavery, a former military man, who served in the Federal Army.