Agueda Esteban was born on February 5, 1868 in Binondo, Manila. Her parents, Ambrosio Esteban of Ligaw, Camarines Sur and Francisca dela Cruz of Cainta, Rizal decided to live in Binondo after their marriage.
Agueda's first teacher was know only with the alias Maestrang Bulag, a vendor of ikmo leaves and tobacco. Her parents wanted her to continue her studies despite their social standing. She was placed under the care of Doņa Vicenta Reyes de Roxas. She enrolled Agueda in a girls' school in Binondo where she excelled and earned the admiration of her teachers, parents and benefactor.
Agueda was first married to Mariano Barroga, a Katipunero, who was later made lieutenant colonel of the Revolutionary army. From Cavite where her husband was assigned, she would travel to Manila to buy materials needed to make gunpowder and ammunition. They already had three children when the revolution began. When the Republic was established in Tejeros under the Magdalo Council, she made a living by selling meat at the plaza of Naic, the former capital of the Republic.
During the Filipino-American War, Agueda was entrusted to carry all the secret documents of the Revolutionary movement and messenger to General Artemio Ricarte. On July 1, 1900, Agueda together with her husband known only as Barroga and General Ricarte were imprisoned. Her husband was deported to Guam and Agueda was left to take care of their four children. She eventually had to entrust her three elder children in Hospicio de San Jose. She sold jewelries as a means of livelihood until her husband returned. When Barroga died, Agueda was pregnant with their fifth child. On May 1911, after years of continued communication with General Ricarte, she married him. Their struggle against the Americans continued.
