Josephine Bracken
Encyclopedia
Marie Josephine Leopoldine Bracken (August 9, 1876 - March 15, 1902) was the common-law wife
of Philippine national hero Jose Rizal
during his exile in Dapitan in the province
of Zamboanga del Norte
in southern Philippines
, till his execution on December 30, 1896 in Manila
. In the early hours on the day of his execution, the couple was married. But even as attested by Josephine herself and the officiating priest, some are disputing the marriage because no records were found regarding the union, discounting the unusual events of that day.
on August 9, 1876 to Irish
parents James Bracken, a corporal in the British Army
, and Elizabeth Jane McBride, who were married on May 3, 1868 in Belfast
, Ireland
. After her mother died shortly after childbirth, her father gave her up for adoption
. She was taken in by a blind American
George Taufer, a fairly well-to-do engineer of the pumping plant of the Hong Kong
Fire Department, and his wife.
in Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte
in southern Philippines. Taufer's condition was beyond Rizal's help, but the physician fell in love with Bracken. They applied for marriage but, because of his writings and political stance the local priest Father Obach, only agreed the ceremony if Rizal could get a permission from the Bishop of Cebu
. Either the Bishop did not write him back or Rizal was not able to mail the letter because of the sudden departure of Mr. Taufner who was initially opposed to the union. Mr. Taufner finally listened to reason, and Josephine accompanied her father to Manila on his way back home.
Before heading back to Dapitan to live with Rizal, she introduced herself to members of his family in Manila. His mother suggested a civil marriage
who believed it as a lesser sacrament but free from hypocrisy
, and would be less sinful to Rizal's conscience, than making any sort of political retraction. Nevertheless, Bracken and Rizal, whom she affectionately called "Joe", lived together in Barangay
Talisay in Dapitan. The couple had a child who was born prematurely, Francísco Rizal y Bracken, who died after only a few hours.
The evening before his execution on December 30, 1896 on charges of treason
, rebellion
and sedition
by the Spanish colonial government, the Catholic Church
claimed that Rizal returned to his Catholic faith and was married to Bracken in a religious ceremony officiated by Father Vicente Balanguer sometime between 5:00 AM to 6:00 AM, the day of his execution (designated at 7:00 AM). Despite the claims by the priest and Josephine herself, some sectors were disputing this have occurred because no records were found later regarding the marriage (See Jose Rizal's retraction controversy).
forces in Cavite
province
where she helped by taking care of the sick and wounded in the battlefield and boosting their morale, to helping operate reloading jigs for Mauser
cartridges
at the Imus arsenal
under revolutionary General Pantaleón García. Imus
was under threat of recapture so Bracken, making her way through thicket and mud, moved with the operation to Maragondon
, the Cavite mountain redoubt
. She witnessed the Tejeros Convention
on March 22, 1897 prior to returning to Manila
. She was later summoned by the Spanish Governor-General
, who threatened her with torture and imprisonment if she did not leave the Islands. Owing however to her adoptive father's American
citizenship, she could not be forcibly deported, but Bracken voluntarily returned to Hong Kong upon the advice of the American consul in Manila.
mestizo
, who represented his father's tabacalera
company in Hong Kong. A daughter, Dolores, was born to the couple on April 17, 1900. Bracken died of tuberculosis on March 15, 1902, in Hong Kong and was interred at the Happy Valley Cemetery in that country.
Common-law marriage
Common-law marriage, sometimes called sui juris marriage, informal marriage or marriage by habit and repute, is a form of interpersonal status that is legally recognized in limited jurisdictions as a marriage even though no legally recognized marriage ceremony is performed or civil marriage...
of Philippine national hero Jose Rizal
José Rizal
José Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda , was a Filipino polymath, patriot and the most prominent advocate for reform in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial era. He is regarded as the foremost Filipino patriot and is listed as one of the national heroes of the Philippines by...
during his exile in Dapitan in the province
Provinces of the Philippines
The Provinces of the Philippines are the primary political and administrative divisions of the Philippines. There are 80 provinces at present, further subdivided into component cities and municipalities. The National Capital Region, as well as independent cities, are autonomous from any provincial...
of Zamboanga del Norte
Zamboanga del Norte
Zamboanga del Norte or simply known as ZANORTE is a province of the Philippines located in the Zamboanga Peninsula region in Mindanao. Its capital is Dipolog City and the province borders Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga Sibugay to the south and Misamis Occidental to the east...
in southern Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, till his execution on December 30, 1896 in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
. In the early hours on the day of his execution, the couple was married. But even as attested by Josephine herself and the officiating priest, some are disputing the marriage because no records were found regarding the union, discounting the unusual events of that day.
Early life
Bracken was born in Hong Kong's Victoria BarracksVictoria Barracks, Hong Kong
The Victoria Barracks were a barracks in the Admiralty district of Central on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. The barracks were constructed between the 1840s and 1874, and situated within the area bounded by Cotton Tree Drive, Kennedy Road and Queensway, Hong Kong. The Barracks with Murray Barracks,...
on August 9, 1876 to Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
parents James Bracken, a corporal in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, and Elizabeth Jane McBride, who were married on May 3, 1868 in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. After her mother died shortly after childbirth, her father gave her up for adoption
Adoption
Adoption is a process whereby a person assumes the parenting for another and, in so doing, permanently transfers all rights and responsibilities from the original parent or parents...
. She was taken in by a blind American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
George Taufer, a fairly well-to-do engineer of the pumping plant of the Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
Fire Department, and his wife.
Relationship with Rizal
Bracken later recommended that her blind adoptive father see Rizal, who was a respected ophthalmologist and had practiced in Hong Kong. By this time, he was a political exileExile
Exile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
in Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte
Zamboanga del Norte
Zamboanga del Norte or simply known as ZANORTE is a province of the Philippines located in the Zamboanga Peninsula region in Mindanao. Its capital is Dipolog City and the province borders Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga Sibugay to the south and Misamis Occidental to the east...
in southern Philippines. Taufer's condition was beyond Rizal's help, but the physician fell in love with Bracken. They applied for marriage but, because of his writings and political stance the local priest Father Obach, only agreed the ceremony if Rizal could get a permission from the Bishop of Cebu
Cebu City
The City of Cebu is the capital city of Cebu and is the second largest city in the Philippines, the second most significant metropolitan centre in the Philippines and known as the oldest settlement established by the Spaniards in the country.The city is located on the eastern shore of Cebu and was...
. Either the Bishop did not write him back or Rizal was not able to mail the letter because of the sudden departure of Mr. Taufner who was initially opposed to the union. Mr. Taufner finally listened to reason, and Josephine accompanied her father to Manila on his way back home.
Before heading back to Dapitan to live with Rizal, she introduced herself to members of his family in Manila. His mother suggested a civil marriage
Civil marriage
Civil marriage is marriage performed by a government official and not a religious organization.-History:Every country maintaining a population registry of its residents keeps track of marital status, and most countries believe that it is their responsibility to register married couples. Most...
who believed it as a lesser sacrament but free from hypocrisy
Hypocrisy
Hypocrisy is the state of pretending to have virtues, moral or religious beliefs, principles, etc., that one does not actually have. Hypocrisy involves the deception of others and is thus a kind of lie....
, and would be less sinful to Rizal's conscience, than making any sort of political retraction. Nevertheless, Bracken and Rizal, whom she affectionately called "Joe", lived together in Barangay
Barangay
A barangay is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district or ward...
Talisay in Dapitan. The couple had a child who was born prematurely, Francísco Rizal y Bracken, who died after only a few hours.
The evening before his execution on December 30, 1896 on charges of treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
, rebellion
Rebellion
Rebellion, uprising or insurrection, is a refusal of obedience or order. It may, therefore, be seen as encompassing a range of behaviors aimed at destroying or replacing an established authority such as a government or a head of state...
and sedition
Sedition
In law, sedition is overt conduct, such as speech and organization, that is deemed by the legal authority to tend toward insurrection against the established order. Sedition often includes subversion of a constitution and incitement of discontent to lawful authority. Sedition may include any...
by the Spanish colonial government, the Catholic Church
Roman Catholicism in the Philippines
The Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, in full communion with the Pope.With 73.8 million members in 2005, it is the predominant religion, making the Philippines the third largest "Catholic" nation in the world after Brazil and Mexico, as well as one...
claimed that Rizal returned to his Catholic faith and was married to Bracken in a religious ceremony officiated by Father Vicente Balanguer sometime between 5:00 AM to 6:00 AM, the day of his execution (designated at 7:00 AM). Despite the claims by the priest and Josephine herself, some sectors were disputing this have occurred because no records were found later regarding the marriage (See Jose Rizal's retraction controversy).
After Rizal's death
Bracken promptly joined the revolutionaryPhilippine Revolution
The Philippine Revolution , called the "Tagalog War" by the Spanish, was an armed military conflict between the people of the Philippines and the Spanish colonial authorities which resulted in the secession of the Philippine Islands from the Spanish Empire.The Philippine Revolution began in August...
forces in Cavite
Cavite
Cavite is a province of the Philippines located on the southern shores of Manila Bay in the CALABARZON region in Luzon, just 30 kilometers south of Manila. Cavite is surrounded by Laguna to the east, Metro Manila to the northeast, and Batangas to the south...
province
Provinces of the Philippines
The Provinces of the Philippines are the primary political and administrative divisions of the Philippines. There are 80 provinces at present, further subdivided into component cities and municipalities. The National Capital Region, as well as independent cities, are autonomous from any provincial...
where she helped by taking care of the sick and wounded in the battlefield and boosting their morale, to helping operate reloading jigs for Mauser
Mauser
Mauser was a German arms manufacturer of a line of bolt-action rifles and pistols from the 1870s to 1995. Mauser designs were built for the German armed forces...
cartridges
Cartridge (firearms)
A cartridge, also called a round, packages the bullet, gunpowder and primer into a single metallic case precisely made to fit the firing chamber of a firearm. The primer is a small charge of impact-sensitive chemical that may be located at the center of the case head or at its rim . Electrically...
at the Imus arsenal
Arsenal
An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, issued to authorized users, or any combination of those...
under revolutionary General Pantaleón García. Imus
Imus, Cavite
The Municipality of Imus is a first-class municipality in the province of Cavite, Philippines, and it is the officially designated capital of Cavite...
was under threat of recapture so Bracken, making her way through thicket and mud, moved with the operation to Maragondon
Maragondon, Cavite
The Municipality of Maragondon is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Cavite, Philippines. Maragondon is 54 kilometers away from Manila going southeast. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 33,604 people...
, the Cavite mountain redoubt
Redoubt
A redoubt is a fort or fort system usually consisting of an enclosed defensive emplacement outside a larger fort, usually relying on earthworks, though others are constructed of stone or brick. It is meant to protect soldiers outside the main defensive line and can be a permanent structure or a...
. She witnessed the Tejeros Convention
Tejeros Convention
The Tejeros Convention was the meeting held between the Magdiwang and Magdalo factions of the Katipunan at San Francisco de Malabon, Cavite on March 22, 1897...
on March 22, 1897 prior to returning to Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
. She was later summoned by the Spanish Governor-General
Governor-General of the Philippines
The Governor-General of the Philippines was the title of the government executive during the colonial period of the Philippines, governed mainly by Spain and the United States, and briefly by Great Britain, from 1565 to 1935....
, who threatened her with torture and imprisonment if she did not leave the Islands. Owing however to her adoptive father's American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
citizenship, she could not be forcibly deported, but Bracken voluntarily returned to Hong Kong upon the advice of the American consul in Manila.
Later life
Upon returning to Hong Kong, she returned to her father's house. After his death, she married Vicente Abád, a CebuanoCebuano people
The Cebuano people , are a Visayan ethnic group in Cebu and form the second largest cultural-linguistic group in the Philippines.-History:...
mestizo
Filipino mestizo
Filipino mestizo is a term used in the Philippines to describe people of mixed Filipino and foreign ancestry. The word mestizo is of Spanish origin, and was originally used in the Americas to only describe people of mixed European and Native American ancestry.- History :Spanish periodThe Spanish...
, who represented his father's tabacalera
Tobacco industry
The tobacco industry comprises those persons and companies engaged in the growth, preparation for sale, shipment, advertisement, and distribution of tobacco and tobacco-related products. It is a global industry; tobacco can grow in any warm, moist environment, which means it can be farmed on all...
company in Hong Kong. A daughter, Dolores, was born to the couple on April 17, 1900. Bracken died of tuberculosis on March 15, 1902, in Hong Kong and was interred at the Happy Valley Cemetery in that country.
Film
- Amanda Page played Josephine Bracken in Rizal sa DapitanRizal sa DapitanRizal sa Dapitan , is a 1997 film adaptation of life of the Filipino national hero Dr. Jose Rizal, starring Albert Martinez as Jose Rizal and Amanda Page as Josephine Bracken, the screenplay is by Pete Lacaba.-Plot:...
(1997). - Chin Chin GutierrezChin Chin GutierrezMaria Carminia Lourdes Cynthia Arnaldo Gutierrez , better known as Chin Chin Gutierrez, is a Filipino actress and environmentalist.-Early life:...
portrayed Josephine in José RizalJosé Rizal (film)José Rizal is a 1998 award-winning Filipino film biopic directed by Marilou Diaz-Abaya.It was GMA Films' entry to the 1998 Metro Manila Film Festival. It is touted as one of the biggest films ever made in the history of Philippine cinema with a record-breaking P80-million budget despite the fact...
(1998) - Lara Fabregas, played Josephine Bracken in Bayaning 3rd WorldBayaning 3rd WorldBayaning 3rd World is a 1999 Filipino film directed by Mike de Leon that examines the heroism of Philippine national hero Jose Rizal, particularly on his supposed retraction of his writings against the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines during the Spanish colonization period in the...
(1999)