On June 28, 1848, Francisco Mercado and Teodora Alonso, the parents of Dr. Jose Rizal, got married. Francisco was from Biñan, Laguna while Teodora was from Meisik, Tondo. They had 11 children, 2 boys and 9 girls.
Francisco Mercado-Rizal, the patriarch, was a learned man, he went to College de San Jose in Manila and took up Latin and Philosophy. He was very successful farmer tending several important crops. Teodora Alonso-Realonda, his wife, also tended several businesses including a flour mill, a drugstore, and a store. On market day (tiangge) she would put up a sidewalk store. She also was a travelling saleswoman.
Teodora Alonzo, went to a well-known college for girls, the College of Santa Rosa. (Zaide & Zaide). Teodora had the means to sent her daughters to the best schools then, which were always religious. In his letter to his Austrian friend Blumentritt, Rizal said, “My mother is a woman of more than average education… Her father [Lorenzo Alberto Alonso], who was a deputy for the Philippines in the Cortes, was her teacher; her brother [the cuckolded Jose] was educated in Europe and spoke German, English, Spanish and French ; he was also a knight in the Order of Isabel the Catholic.” (Guerrero)
The couple were known for real honest-to-goodness hardwork, popular and respected from far and near. Their house was always open for guests who were treated sumptuously.
Sources:
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