RIZAL FAMILY

RIZAL’S PARENTS

Don Francisco Mercado (1818-1898)
-born in Biñan, Laguna on May 11, 1818
-studied Latin and Philosophy at the College of San Jose in Manila
-became a tenant-farmer of the Dominican-owned hacienda
-a hardy and independent-minded man, who talked less and worked more, and was strong in body and valiant in spirit
-died in Manila on January 5, 1898 at the age of 80
-Rizal affectionately called him “a model of fathers”

Doña Teodora Alonso Realonda (1826-1911)
-born in Manila on November 8, 1826
-educated at the College of Santa Rosa, a well-known college for girls in the city
-a remarkable woman, possessing refined culture, literary talent, business ability, and the fortitude of Spartan women
-is a woman of more than ordinary culture: she knows literature

THE RIZAL CHILDREN
-Eleven children—two boys and nine girls
1. Saturnina (1850-1913)
-oldest of the Rizal children
-nicknamed Neneng
-married Manuel T. Hidalgo of Tanawan, Batangas
2. Paciano (1851-1930)
-older brother and confident of Jose Rizal
-was a second father to Rizal
-immortalized him in Rizal’s first novel Noli Me Tangere as the wise Pilosopo Tasio
-Rizal regarded him as the “most noble of Filipinos”
-became a combat general in the Philippine Revolution
-died on April 13, 1930, an old bachelor aged 79
-had two children by his mistress (Severina Decena)—a boy and a girl
3. Narcisa (1852-1939)
-her pet name was Sisa
-married to Antonio Lopez (nephew of Father Leoncio Lopez), a school teacher of Morong
4. Olimpia (1855-1887)
-Ypia was her pet name
-married Silvestre Ubaldo, a telegraph operator from Manila
5. Lucia (1857-1919)
-married to Mariano Herbosa of Calamba, who was a nephew of Father Casanas
-Herbosa died of cholera in 1889 and was denied Christian burial because he was a brother-in-law of Dr. Rizal
6. Maria (1859-1945)
-Biang was her nickname
-married Daniel Faustino Cruz of Biñan, Laguna
7. Jose (1861-1896)
-the greatest Filipino hero and peerless genius
-nickname was Pepe
-lived with Josephine Bracken, Irish girl from Hong Kong
-had a son but this baby-boy died a few hours after birth; Rizal named him “Francisco” after his father and buried him in Dapitan
8. Concepcion (1862-1865)
-her pet name was Concha
-died of sickness at the age of 3
-her death was Rizal’s first sorrow in life
9. Josefa (1865-1945)
-her pet name was Panggoy
-died an old maid at the age of 80
10. Trinidad (1868-1951)
-Trining was her pet name
-she died also an old maid in 1951 aged 83
11. Soledad (1870-1929)
-youngest of the Rizal children
-her pet name was Choleng
-married Pantaleon Quintero of Calamba

· Rizal always called her sisters Doña or Señora (if married) and Señorita (if single)
· Francisco Mercado and Teodora Alonso Realonda married on June 28, 1848, after which they settled down in Calamba
· The real surname of the Rizal family was Mercado, which was adopted in 1731 by Domingo Lamco (the paternal great-great grandfather of Jose Rizal), who was a full blooded Chinese)
· Rizal’s family acquired a second surname—Rizal—which was given by a Spanish alcalde mayor (provincial governor) of Laguna, who was a family friend