page_title: Juan Albano Pereira Márquez
section_title: Relationship with Ambrose and Bernardo O'Higgins
hierarchical_section_title: Juan Albano Pereira Márquez / Biography / Relationship with Ambrose and Bernardo O'Higgins
caption_attribution_description: English: Baptism certificate of Bernardo O'Higgins, registered in Talca, 1788. Español: Partida de bautismo de Bernardo O'Higgins, registrado en Talca en 1788.
context_page_description: Juan Albano Pereira Márquez was a Portuguese merchant and the godfather and tutor of Bernardo O'Higgins. He is the ancestor of one of the most important Chilean colonial families.
context_section_description: Juan Albano Pereira Márquez was living in Talca when he had to close his shop in  Santiago. This store was located next to that of Ambrose O'Higgins, Irish merchant, whom he would have a close friendship with for the rest of his life. O'Higgins entrusted him with the care of his son. The boy  Bernardo arrived at this Albano Cruz family in November of 1782 at 4 years old. This mission was entrusted to Domingo Tirarpegui, who without anyone noticing, his left Chillán with the child.
  He arrived at Talca, handed it to Albano with a letter he from Ambrosio O'Higgins, in which he asked him to have his son, take care of him and give him a Christian education. 
  The priest Pedro Pablo de la Carrera and Dávila wered consult to Juan Albano Pereira, about the doubts he deserved about whether or not child Bernardo would be baptized;  who grew up in his house. To save them and make clear his legal status and fulfill Ambrose O'Higgins assignment, which in the letter he recommended:
  So that at any time you can see that he is my son
  He was baptized in the parish church on January 20 of 1783 and inscribed in the parish book as the son of Ambrose O'Higgins. His godparents were Juan Albano Pereira and his wife.
  In April of 1787, he stayed at Albano's house, Juan Martínez de Rozas, his old friend. Possessing the trust of the chairman Ambrose O'Higgins, and feeling already old Albano, he was  introduced by Dr. Rozas a boy who was raised in his house, so that there were witnesses about his identity and told him:
  This boy is named Bernardo, he is a natural son of the Governor and Intendant of Concepción Ambrose O'Higgins and he himself he has given me as his natural son to raise him and keep him at home. I am already an old man - the good Portuguese added - and so is your father and I want you to know and understand so that at all times I can bear witness to this truth.
  The following year, in April of 1788, Pereira Márquez received Ambrose O'Higgins, who was traveling from  Concepción to Santiago to assume his position as  Governor of the Kingdom of Chile, this was the only encounter with his son  Bernardo.
  Talca corregidor, he was the chilote Juan Antonio de Salcedo y Carrillo, who made preparations for his reception:
  The best house in the city was destined to receive of you. Preparations of all kinds for a sumptuous banquet, fireworks, etc., etc. In sum, the desire to show off, together with the interest of remaining in command, made our corregidor somewhat thorough in his preparations, which as a result of other antecedents of a more serious genre, we had prevented the new Chairman to unfavorably accept gifts from our corregidor. The simplicity of their ways was in opposition to the luxury that flattery and flattery had introduced in such cases whose consequences were as ultimately suffered by the peoples.
  All the inhabitants of San Agustín de Talca, went out to receive it. Don Juan Albano was not among them.
  The Governor's Carriage, followed by a retinue of neighbors, stopped before the Portuguese house. The entire Albano Cruz family was waiting for him at the door, among them the child Bernardo.
  He descended gravely, stunned by the weight of the years, he showed no signs of affection, he did not break his usual gravity »when he saw his son. After the protocol greetings, he was accompanied by his former friend Albano, he went to his farm, the place chosen for his stay in the city
  Ambrose O'Higgins was one of those men who, when dominated by great emotions, he is torn from them, showing great indifference or with a gesture that his puts them in evidence of their emotionality.
  Both alone in the farm of Lircay, they have talked between Albano and O'Higgins, about their memories, mainly talking about their dialogues about little Bernardo. There Ambrose O'Higgins speak the state of his child education. The child Bernardo had learned to read, write and recite sentences. The father of O'Higgins to expressed to Albano his wishes that he be transferred to Chillán and returned to his mother's family to continue his education at his side.
  The next day
caption: Baptism Act of Bernardo O'Higgins.
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