[Part 4 of 5]
The Historian
IT WAS in 1948, after he had been appointed manager of the estate of his father, Don Pepe (who had died on 31 January 1947), that he discovered a cache of documents kept hidden by his father and grandfather (Don Mariano Vicente Henson). His desire to share these documents with his fellow Fili [page 25] pinos, particularly his kabalen, prompted him to pursue a new career in the relatively unchartered and neglected field of local history.
In pursuit of his new career, between 1961 and 1966, Don Mariano traveled extensively and undertook diligent research at various libraries in Barcelona, Bilbao, Madrid, Seville, San Sebastian (Guipuzcoa), and Valladolid; Mexico City; Rome; Paris; Athens; Washington, DC, and Los Angeles California; Singapore; Bombay, Calcutta, and New Delhi; Baghdad; Colombo; and Beirut. In his native land, he did research at the Universities of Santo Tomas and of the Philippines, MalacaƱang Palace, Beyer Collection, Bureau of Public Libraries, National Archives, and Bureau of Records Management.
Through his research he was able to, among others, disprove the myth that Rajah Soliman III was slain in the Battle of Bangkusay on 24 May 1571. Nowhere in the books and documents he read in five libraries in Spain and elsewhere did he find any mention of this incident. According to his findings, Soliman III was still alive in 1575, as evidenced by a document that mentions Fr. Jeronimo Marin, OSA, asking Lacandola and Soliman not to rebel with their followers against the Spaniards upon the invasion of Limahong.
In May 1970, the 73- year old "grand old man" of Pampanga, on the occasion of Don Monico R. Mercado Day, was awarded a diploma as "Outstanding Historian" by the Katipunan Talasulat Kapampangan (Association of Pampango Writers). In December of the same year he was awarded a diploma by the Philippine Historical Association for his dissertation on the will of Fernando Malang Balagtas, descendent of the pre-Spanish rulers and founders of ancient towns in Central Luzon. The following year, he was awarded a special bronze plaque for his golden jubilee as Pharmacist by Fr. Leonardo Legaspi, OP, Rector of the University of Santo Tomas, on the occasion of the its Pharmacy and Medicine Centennial.
The public servant
Although his father and grandfather had served the public, their kabalen, as town mayors, Don Mariano, it seems, never aspired for public office. However, in 1951, due to his stature as one of the more respected and honorable citizens of Angeles, he was appointed Acting Mayor and Vice-Mayor by Pampanga Governor Jose B. Lingad in the absence of these elected officials. He served in this capacity from 10 October to 5 November. In 1970 he again served his town mates as an anonymous typhoon forecaster for typhoons Sening and Yoling. By obtaining the hourly barometer pressure readings and prevailing directional winds from the Weather Bureau along Padre Faura St., with the assistance of Dr. Lauro S.Gomez, a well- known dentist of Angeles, he was able to warn the barrios in advance when the typhoons were to hit.
The much-married man
Don Mariano was 26 years old on 9 February 1924 when he married the 21- year-old Concepcion Luciano y Magdangal of the founding family of Magalang, the Lucianos. Their marriage begot six children, five of whom reached maturity, namely: Ramses+, Ermelo+, Orencio, and Celina.
The first Mrs. Henson died in 1935, and four years later, on 9 February 1939, Don Mariano remarried at the age of 41. His second wife, Felicidad Tumang y Pineda, 26 years of age, also belonged to the founding family of Magalang. Their marriage produced four daughters, namely: Isolda, Benilda, Nieves and Patricia.
On 16 July 1972, one year after the death of his second wife, he married Felisa Laochengco y Magdangal, also of Magalang and a relative of the first Mrs. Henson. He did not survive his third wife, however, for he died on 5 July 1975, after spending the entire previous day at the Fourth of July, "Open House" at the Clark Air Force Base. The third Mrs. Henson outlived him by more than 26 years.