Juan Fioz was born between 1514 and 1518 in Worms, Germany. He was perhaps the only German to join the Expedition. Prior to the Expedition he was a trumpeter and a member of Viceroy Mendoza's personal guard. Juan was present at the 1540 muster as a trumpeter. After the completion of the Expedition he returned to Mexico City as a trumpeter and participated in fellow expeditionary Luna y Arellano's expedition to La Florida in 1559. The documentary record still finds Juan in Mexico City in the 1580s.
1530-1540:
AGI, Justicia, 276, N. 2 [fol.373v: witness in México in August 1539 is Juan de Fioz, trumpeter, was a prisoner in the jail in México City, about 25 years old, can sign his name];
AGI, Justicia, 259, pieza 2 [4 Sept. 1537, fol. 49r-49v, lists Fioz as member of Mendoza’s personal guard] [also January 2, 1538 fol. 49v-50r as halberdier (spelled Pioz), 13 June 1538, fol. 50v (spelled Pioz), 6 Sept 1538, fol. 51r-51v (spelled Rios), 4 Jan 1539, fol. 51v-52r (spelled Fioz), 10 May 1539, fol. 52v (spelled Fioz), 19 Sept 1539, fol. 53r (spelled Fioz), 4 Sept 1544, fol. 61v (spelled Pioz), 9 May 1545, fol. 62v-63r (spelled Pioz)]
1540-1550:
1540,Feb: Muster in Flint & Flint, Documents, Document 12 [trumpeter, 1 horse, corselet, elk hide jacket, native arms]
AGI, Justicia, 1021, N.2, pieza 5, “Probanza de don García López de Cárdenas” [witness, México, end of 1547 and early 1548 (por parte)] [Fios, estante in México, native of Vormes en Alemania, about 30 years old; as other witnesses have said, he says that López consulted with the general, captains, and religious before engaging in battle] [could sign his name (no signature on copy)];
AGI, Justicia, 1021, N. 2, pieza 6, “Probanza del fiscal Villalobos” [México, January 10, 1547] [Fios (native of Vormes en Alemania, estante in México, more than 25 years old] [could sign his name]
1550-1560:
“APSM, Bautismos de Españoles, 1536-1746” [II :fol. 17v: 21 June 1553 Pero González and Mari González baptize Juan with Fioz, trumpeter and Isabel de Rebolledo (doesn't say this is Fioz's wife) as padrino];
AGI, Contaduría, 664, 1557 [Juan de Fioz, lieutenant corregidor of Teutalco y Çenteupa, 1 Jan-10 June 1557, 40 pesos];
AGI, Contaduría 664, 1558 [Payments to alcaldes mayores, corregidores y tenientes: Juan de Fioz, lieutenant corregidor of Teutalco Çenteupa, 40 pesos, 25 Oct 1557-25 Feb 1558; 40 pesos, 25 Feb 1558-25 June 1558; 40 pesos, 25 June 1558-25 Oct 1558];
AGI, Contaduría, 664, 1559 [Payments to alcaldes mayores, corregidores y tenientes: Juan de Fioz, lieutenant corregidor of Teutalco and Centeupa, 120 pesos, 29 Feb 1559-29 Feb 1560]
AGI, Contaduría, 664, 1559 [Payments to those who went to Florida with Luna: Juan de Fioz, the chief trumpeter, 100 pesos, soldado on horseback, was married];
AGI, Contaduría, 664, 1559 [monies spent on explorations: 2 Dec. 6 pesos for the sardmas? for the trumpets for Juan de Fioz]
1560-1570:
Valderrama, Cartas, #29, p.220 [1564, criado of Viceroy Luis de Velasco I, trumpeter who plays with Indian trumpeters in the viceroy's house, given a teniente by Velasco I worth 100 pesos];
AGI, Patronato, 74, N.1, R.11 [witness, Fioz, vecino of ciudad de México] [about 55 yrs. old] [Fioz served as chief trumpeter; served in same position on expedition to La Florida] [Fioz could sign his name];
Enciso Contreras, Taxco [p. 191-200 = AGI, México, 214, N.24\1 [(no signatures of any witness); García is asking for a prebenda or canongia; a witness says Velasco gave him a corregimiento; speaks the Mexican language well witness: 9 Feb 1579 Gabriel López, vecino in los altos de Tacuba; known García since 1538; knows he was living in the house of Rodrigo de Albornoz, contador; saw García serve in Cíbola and suffer; after returning García became a clerigo in the Tasco mines; age-59+, signed and his rubric (no signature on copy); witness: 11 March 1579, Mexico City, Miguel de Fuenterrabia, vecino; known García for more than 35 years, age-55+, signed (no signature on copy); witness: 13 March 1579, Mexico City, Hernán Páez, vecino, saw him serve in Cíbola, García returned broken and in debt, became a clerigo, serving both the Spanish and Indians of the mines of Tasco, age-57+, signed and rubric (not present in copy); witness: 13 March 1579, Mexico City, Juan de Fioz, vecino, known García for 40 years, returned roto y desnudos y destroçados y gastados de todo, Mendoza gave him a corregimiento, because he was good with the native language he was ordained and made a clerigo, age-60+, signed (no signature on copy); witness: 13 March 1579, don Rodrigo Maldonado, vecino, is sick at home and can't appear, so the next day they sent the scribe to his houses (las casas de la morada); known García 39 years, that he worked in the contaduría for Albornoz; 36 or 37 years ago he saw García go to Cíbola, age-60+, signed it (no signature on copy)];
AGI, Patronato, 78A, N.1, R.6 [witness, Fioz, (image 19), resident in México, 65+ years old] [fue por trompeta del campo; could sign his name (no signature on copy)]
Other Info:
AGI, México, 281, “Relación de los vecinos de Compostela” [no date: those that have encomiendas-Juan Fioz, flamenco viejo (an elderly person from Flanders), married with children, por su gran pobreca; Martin Sánchez, hombre mayor, enfermo, soltero y no tiene casa en esta ciudad, resides in the pueblo where he has his encomienda; Hernando de la Peña, familiar of Dr. Morones, escribano of the real audiencia; Alonso López, hombre of 70 years, supports a wife and many children in an estancia near his encomienda]