Baguio Connections 115: Odd Bits (conclusion)
TO CONTINUE about once Governor-Gen eral of the Philippines Francis Burton Harrison, of Harrison roads in both Baguio and Manila... perhaps elsewhere, too...
This week, more of the man. From the website philippinediaryproject.com, of Harrison:
“… resided in Scotland 1921-1934; appointed adviser to the president of the Philippine Commonwealth in November 1935 and served for ten months; in May 1942 was again appointed to the same position; United States Commissioner of Claims in the civil service of the United States Army in Manila from November 1946 to February 1947; served as an adviser to the first four presidents of the Philippine Republic after their independence in 1946; resided in Spain for six years, returning to Califon, Hunterdon County, N.J., in August 1957; died in Flemington, N.J., November 21, 1957; interment in Manila Cemetery, Manila, Philippines.
Harrison’s will included that he be buried in Manila, and his grave is in Manila North Cemetery.
During his lifetime, Harrison is recorded to have been married six times, the last to Maria Teresa Larrucea.
Of Harrison’s last wife, Wikipedia has it that she was “a young Basque woman, was born in Amorebieta (Bizkaia, Spain) and outlived Harrison.” And here lies a Baguio Connection.
This writer was in grade school with a Pilar “Nena” Larrucea (now Claravall), and upon seeing that odd bit about Maria Teresa Larrucea the other week, proceeded to message Nena to
ask if the last wife of Harrison was her antecedent somewhere along the way. Nena’s answer: “She was my dad’s sister.” Talk about odd bits.
Nena proceeded to verify the birthplace of her thus paternal aunt as Amorebieta, Spain and still another odd bit that I suggested she write about. But that other thing is still on the burner, so to speak. Stay tuned.
Nena and I were in grade school together at the Maryknoll Convent School of the 1960s. She landed on our corridors as a transferee from St Theresa’s if I remember correctly, and joined our class for the fourth grade and up. She has lived in the US since 2006, and in her words, “just visits from time to time.”
When we grew up (hah!) Nena married Del Claravall, the best mayor Baguio never had, sadly. Their eldest daughter is married to a son of this writer’s cousins Oscar and Emy Hamada, which, we joked, finally formalized a family tie between Del’s family and ours.
I know, just such odd bits.