Provenance: : Don Pedro Alejandro Paterno (1857– 1911) and Doña Luisa Piñeyro de Lugo y Merino (Sra. de Paterno, d. 1897)

ABOUT THE WORK

Don Pedro Alejandro Molo Agustin Paterno y Devera Ygnacio passed away from complications of cholera on 26 April 1911. Seeing the 1896 Revolution gradually destroy the Filipinas he loved profoundly, Paterno volunteered as mediator between the Spanish colonial authorities and the Filipino revolutionaries which concluded with “The Pact of Biak–na–Bato” wherein both sides agreed to the cessation of hostilities in December 1897. Paterno became the President of the 1898–99 Malolos Congress and then the Prime Minister of the First Philippine Republic in June 1899. He also became the Representative (Congressman) of the First District of Laguna. He became an eminent lawyer in Manila; also a professor at the Liceo de Manila. An American official described him thus in the early 1900s: “Paterno was a Duke in everything but title.” Pedro Alejandro Molo Agustin Paterno y Devera Ygnacio was born on 27 February 1857 to three generations of Chinese mestizo wealth in Binondo and Santa Cruz, Manila. He was a son of Capitan Maximino Molo Agustin Paterno y Yamson (“Capitan Memo”) and his second wife Carmen Devera Ygnacio y Pineda (“Doña Carmina”). His father Maximino, already born to increasing Paterno prosperity in 1824, expanded his inheritance by sheer industriousness and vision to several big businesses in shipping, logistics, trading, and real estate. Maximino’s maternal side, the Tagalog Yamson y de la Cruz, were direct descendants of Rajahs Suleiman II, Matanda, and Lacandola of Tondo, the flourishing Old Kingdom which the Spanish found in 1571. Pedro’s mother Carmen belonged to the famous Devera, Ygnacio, and Pineda families of Santa Cruz which gave the district its early prestige and luxurious reputation. Capitan Maximino Molo Agustin Paterno y Yamson (“Capitan Memo” b. 1824 – d. 1900) married three times and had a total of 15 children. He first married Valeria Pineda with whom he had his eldest son, Narciso Paterno y Pineda (b. 1848–51). Valeria passed away young so he married her first cousin Carmen Devera Ygnacio y Pineda (“Carmina”) with whom he had 9 children: Agueda (“Guiday” b. 1853), Dolores (“Doleng” b. 1854), Jose Timoteo (b. 1855), Pedro Alejandro (b. 1857 –d. 1911), Jacoba (“Cobang” b. 1858), Antonio (b. 1860), Maximino (“Minong” b. 1863), Paz (b. 1867), and Trinidad (“Trining” b. 1868), surnamed Paterno y Devera Ygnacio. Carmen also passed away young so he married her younger sister, Teodora Devera Ygnacio y Pineda (“Loleng”), with whom he had 5 more children: Mariano (“Nano” b. 1877), Concepcion (“Concha” b. 1878 – d. 1943), the fraternal twins Rosenda and Feliciano (“Ciano” b. 1879), and Adelaida (“Adela” b. 1880 – + 1962), also surnamed Paterno y Devera Ygnacio. Pedro’s paternal great–grandfather Ming Mong Lo was an immigrant Chinese apothecary from China with probable imperial lineage from the Ming dynasts (according to a Beijing scholar and genealogist). His paternal grandfather Paterno Molo de San Agustin was an extremely industrious, forward–looking, innovative businessman who excelled as a ship chandler and he set the family’s path directly to great wealth. His paternal grandmother Doña Miguela Yamson y de la Cruz was a direct descendant of the Rajahs of Tondo in the Old Kingdom --- Suleiman II, Matanda, Lacandola --- hence Pedro’s valid claim to ancient Malay royalty, the “Maguinoo ng Luzon” (according to genealogist Dr. Luciano P R Santiago PhD). His paternal grandaunt Doña Maria de la Paz Molo de San Agustin married Mariano Cagalitan Assumpcion and begat a family of great artists --- painters Antonio (b. 1794), Mariano (b. 1802), Ambrosio (b. 1808), Justiniano (b. 1816), and sculptor Leoncio (b. 1813), all surnamed Asuncion y Molo. His paternal aunt Capitana Martina Molo Agustin Paterno y Yamson de Zamora (“Capitana Tinang”) was a prosperous “sinamayera” embroidered textile dealer who combined her substantial inheritance with extremely fortunate financial derring–do to create a real estate empire all her own. His father Capitan Maximino’s great wealth from shipping, trading, and real estate afforded Pedro the best classical education in Manila and Madrid. The active involvement of his mother’s family --- the Deveras, Ygnacios, and Pinedas --- in the flourishing jewelry trade of Santa Cruz also brought substantial wealth to the Maximino Paternos. It was serendipitous for Pedro to live during the peaks of the various Paterno fortunes. The Paternos’ affluent lives were not without difficulties, vicissitudes, and tragedies. There were the early passings of Capitan Maximino’s first wife Valeria Pineda, his second wife Carmen Devera Ygnacio, Carmen’s talented daughters Dolores and Paz, and third wife Teodora’s infant daughter Rosenda, twin of Feliciano who survived. There was the exile of Capitan Maximino along with other “reformistas” to the Marianas islands following the Cavite Mutiny of 1872. Properties and possessions were confiscated by the Spanish authorities and the best lawyers in Madrid were hired for their retrieval. The Paterno women perforce held the family together during various crises. The Paterno family members, despite their high social positions and identification with the highest ranks of Spanish colonial society, endangered their privileges and luxuries and gave their full albeit quiet support to the 2nd part of the 1896 Revolution and to the 1898–99 Malolos Congress, going so far as to rent a house in that town, withstand the inconveniences of provincial living, and stay there for the duration of the ceremonies. The American occupation beginning in 1899 imposed new challenges on the Paterno family as their large fortunes and aristocratic Spanish way of life from the 1800s were summarily subjected to the turbulent changes of the 20th century.