Gregor Johann Mendel, the ‘father of genetics’, was born in July of 1822, in Heizendorf, Austria. He was born to Anton and Rosine Mendel, who were peasants. He was the second of their three children. Early on, Gregor was educated in reading, writing, math, science, natural history, horticulture, and beekeeping. Then, in 1843, Gregor studied at the St. Thomas Monastery of the Augustinian Order in Brünn. He was ordained into the priesthood in 1847. He was a priest up until about 1851, when he went to the University of Vienna to train to be a teacher. While at the university he began the research that he is known for today.