Melchior Pérez [de la Torre]

Brief Biography

Melchior Pérez [de la Torre] was a native of Villa de la Torre (in the modern province of Badajoz) and the son of licenciado Diego de la Torre and Catalina Mexía. He arrived in New Spain in 1529 and the following year was an encomendero. Prior to the departure of the Expedition he was living in Guadalajara. He was present at the 1540 muster as a member of Vázquez de Coronado's company. Upon his return from Tierra Nueva Melchior again took up residence in Guadalajara. As time passed he moved on to Colima. In addition to being an encomendero he held several governmental posts and was a slave trader.

Gender
Male
Title (Y/N)
No
Date of Birth
1513
AGE-1540
27
Age Set
25-35
Country of Origin
Spain
Place of Birth (City/Town)
Villa de la Torre
Date of Death
1576
Place of Birth (modern province/state/region)
Badajoz
Death Details Known?
Yes
Died on the Expedition?
No
Last Known Location
Colima, Mexico
Position on Expedition
Aposentador
Alguacil
Horseman
Within Viceroy Mendoza's Sphere
Yes
Pre-Expedition Occupation
Encomendero
Post Expedition Occupation
Alcalde Ordinario
Corregidor
Encomendero
Regidor
Residence After Expedition
Guadalajara, Colima (Mexico)
Married
Yes
Name of Spouse
1) Francisca Xérez, india, d.>1544?; 2)María Álvarez, d.1556; 3)1558-Ana Martel
Name of Children
Catalina Mexía; Isabel Mejía; Mari Álvarez; Diego Mejía de la Torre; Geronimo de Mejía de la Torre
Ability to sign name
Yes
Relatives
father-in-law of Pedro de Ledesma; father-licenciado Diego de la Torre; mother-Catalina Mexía; brother-fray Diego Pérez de la Torre; sister-Isabel Pérez; sister-Maria Álvarez
References-Documentary

1540-1550:

1540, Feb: Muster in Flint & Flint, Documents, Document 12 [4 horses, chainmail jacket, elk hide jacket, native arms, Vázquez de Coronado's company]

“Disposal of the Juan Jiménez Estate,” in Flint & Flint, Documents, Document 27 [Coafor, March 18, 1542, Pérez serves as witness]  

Garmendia Leal, Fundadores [p.9: Listed in the Padrón de Tetlán, 1541];

Chávez Hayhoe, Guadalajara en el siglo XVI [p.113-15: the 63 founders of the fourth Guadalajara (1542) included an Andrés del Campo de Mendoza, portugués; a Juan de Contreras, montañés; a Diego Hernández, andaluz; an Hernando Martín, andaluz; a Juan Muñoz, andaluz; Melchor Pérez de la Torre, extremeño; Juan de Saldívar, vizcaíno; Pedro Sánchez Mejía, andaluz: Pedro Sánchez, andaluz; a Juan de Villareal, vizcaíno]; 

González-Leal, Relación Secreta  [p. 72-73: Vecinos de Guadalajara: includes Melchior Pérez, Antón Pérez de Buscavida, Hernando de Alvarado [Margen: falleció], a Juan de Sandoval, a Miguel Hernández de Bonilla; p. 78-81: Xalisco: Melchor Pérez; p. 88-90: Pobladores vecinos de Guadalajara que tiene indios: Melchior Pérez, hijo del licenciado de la Torre, ha servido en lo que se ha ofrecido, es casado con mujer de la tierra, dió en casamiento con una hija suya el pueblo de Cuyopustlán y parte de otros hijos que le quedaron, tiene otras dos hijas por casar, followed by Pedro de Ledesma, yerno de Melchior Pérez, ha servido en lo que se ha ofrecido, tiene el pueblo de Cuyupustlán, que hubo en casamiento (same as Biblioteca del Escorial, Codíce &-II-7, Document #LXXIX)];

Biblioteca del Escorial, Codíce &-II-7, Document #LXXVIII [no date, late 1540s] [pobladores sin yndios: Melchor Pérez-Guadalajara; Xalisco: Melchor Pérez followed immediately by Pedro de Ledesma];  

AGI, Justicia, 339, N.2 [residencia tomada por licenciado Lorenzo de Tejada a Diego de Colio, alcalde ordinario de Guadalajara, September 1544] [Melchior Pérez given power of attorney by Colio; also serves as witness both de oficio and de parte; vecino de Guadalajara, about 30 years old, amigo de Diego Colio; could sign his name-no signature on copy);

AGI, Justicia, 339, N.1, R.3 [información relativa a ciertos pueblos de indios que se pusieron en cabeza del rey, fall 1544] [witness concerning pueblos of Nuño de Guzmán: Melchior Pérez, vecino de Guadalajara];

AGI, Justicia, 267, N.3 [1544, Pérez, vecino de Guadalajara, was de oficio witness] [evidently could sign his name, though the standard statement is omitted] [witness Juan de Contreras: a Pérez, soldier, strangled Turco] [went w/Alvarado];

AGI, México, 1064, L.1\1, “Informes” [fol.248r:he is in twice; in this entry says he came back from Cíbola in debt];

AGI, México, 1064, L.1\1, “Informes” [fol.237r] = Boyd-Bowman, Indice geobiográfico, II:1861 [La Torre (Badajoz)] [to México, 1529 or 1531] [married, 1532] [Torremejía south of Mérida] = Icaza, Diccionario, #1059 = Icaza, Diccionario, #1144 [vecino of Guadalajara; native of villa de la Torre, which is in the condado of Feria; son of licenciado de la Torre, juez de residençia in Nueva Galicia, and Catalina Mexía; 18 years in Nueva España; married 15 years; has 3 daughters, one ready for marriage; went to the Tierra Nueva of Cíbola where he spent more than 2000 castellanos; casa poblada] [Icaza, Diccionario, #1209 says Almendral is also in the Condado de Feria];

AGI, Justicia, 339, N.1, R.1 [witness: 1544-45, residencia tomada por el licenciado Lorenzo de Tejada a Francisco Vázquez de Coronado, gobernador de Nueva Galicia] [Pérez, witness de oficio] [Pérez tells of gifts received by Vázquez de Coronado, and free indias sent to Beatriz] [Pérez is de oficio witness, could sign his name-no signature on copy) [no mention of Cíbola]

1550-1560:

Papeles de Nueva España, “Suma de visitas” [p.95:Melchior Pérez-Cuyupustlan, en Nueva Galicia. Este pueblo tiene 78 casas y en ellas 666 personas. Dan de tributo cada 2 meses 25 pesos y 3 jarrillos de miel y 4 panes de sal y cada 5 dias 10 gallinas y 40 huevos y fruta; siembranle 5 cargas de maiz y dan 4 indios de servicio en Guadalajara; esta de la ciudad 2 leguas y media, tiene 1.5 de termino, es tierra templada y sana];

AGI, Patronato, 181, R.14\7 [Guadalajara, July 1550, witnesses: Pero Sánchez, vecino, of Guadalajara, married and has reached his majority and vecino for 9 or 10 years, has seen the prices of items go up; signed, no signature; Melchior Pérez: vecino of Guadalajara, e pasado en ella de mas de 15 años a esta parte, knows prices are up, including in the mines of Zacatecas, signs (no signature)];

Melchior Pérez’s Petition for Preferment in Flint & Flint, Documents, Document 32 [January 30, 1551; probanza: Melchior Pérez’s Petition for Preferment] [to Nueva España, 1529] [vecino of Guadalajara] [Pérez’s son-in-law, Pedro de Ledesma; father, licenciado de la Torre] [witnesses: Francisco de Olivares, Andrés de Villanueva, Diego de Colio, Francisco or Juan Galleaso, Hernán Flores, Pedro de Ledesma] [spent more than 3,000 pesos de minas on expedition]  [took 1,000 hogs and sheep; 7 horses; none came back] [took 2 negros ladinos; ran away] [indebted for 500+ pesos upon his return] [served as alguacil mayor and aposentador for expedition] [1551, corregidor; wife, children, grandchildren; 7 years since Tejada came and lowered salaries--eight-fold increase in prices since then, chickens, corn, mantas, wheat, rams; 7 years since mother died; 3 brothers, 2 sisters] [father: licenciado de la Torre] [Melchior and Francisco Olivares to Nueva Galicia with Luis de Castilla] [Pérez spent more than 4,000 castellanos on the expedition; took livestock, horses, black slaves] [returned in debt for 500 pesos] [received no subsistence pay on expedition] [Pérez holds no Indians in encomienda, except [that there] is a corregimiento in this ciudad which the lords oidores are conceding to me in His Majesty’s name in this Nuevo Reino, [which pays] a salary of about a hundred and thirty pesos de oro que corre]

AGI, Justicia, 336, N.1 [witness: testimony concerning certain pueblos, Compostela, spring 1552] [Pérez, vecino de Compostela, has known Vázquez de Coronado for about 15 years, about 40 years old, is de parte witness in Compostela] [could sign his name (no signature)]

Aizpuru, Indices y catálog, Diego de Isla, escribano, #1333, “herencia”, 1553 1333: regarding will of Alonso Sánchez, Melchior Pérez is a witness to son's statement]

AGGEC, Caja 1, carpeta 5, doc. 119, pp 25-26 [Juan de la Torre, Reg. 4, pp 73-75] [April 10, 1553, Colima: Melchor Pérez, estante en Colima, is a witness];

AHMC, Caja A3, exp.8 ["Cargos que hace Hernando de Gamboa, alcalde ordinario a Pero Sánchez y Juan Preciado curadores de los menores hijos y herederos de Juan de Aguilar. Descargos de Pero Sánchez", July 7, 1559, Pero Sánchez, curador of the minor children and heirs of Juan de Aguilar; descargo que da el dicho Pero Sánchez; "Item da por descargo un mandamiento del señor Hernando de Gamboa, alcalde ordinario, de 52 pesos de oro comun que parece se pagaron a García Rodríguez por Pedro de Solorzano, menor."; exp.8, fol. 1-4; fol.1r-charge (debit) to Pero Sánchez of 10 pesos, 4 tomines for 2 potros sold to Rodrigo de Meneses; credit is given for a letter [probably a note] against Melchior Pérez; credit given for a letter for service from Juan Rodríguez for 3 months in the estancia e saca de yeguas, 12 pesos; credit- Melchior Pérez and Ana Martel had a balance due; fol. 4v-debit to Melchior Pérez and Ana Martel for a note of 370 pesos executed 19 June 1558; another note from them for 250 pesos; another for 18 pesos];

1560-1570:

AHMC, Caja A3, exp.11 [Oct. 28, 1562, Melchor Pérez, vecino of Colima, has 11 parts of a huerta de cacao in the outskirts of Xicotlan with Juan Fernández Ladrillero, who has 9 parts; bought at public auction from the heirs of Juan de Aguilar, fol. 1-9];

AHMC, Caja A3, exp.13 [June 29, 1562, don Alonso, governor of Xicotlan; Melchor Pérez sent to Xicoltan to investigate the death of Pedro Simon, natural/indio of the pueblo, fol. 1-5];

AHMC, Caja A3, exp.14 [May 30, 1562; witness Melchor Pérez, vecino of Colima, fol. 1-6];

AHMC, Caja A4, exp.7 [Jan 3, 1564, "Melchor Pérez protesta la elección del Cabildo"; Melchor Pérez (signed), says that he rightfully should be the alcalde ordinario, because he received more votes than Diego de Velasco; denys that Juan de Preciado is his son-in-law, fol. 1-3];

Romero de Solis, Andariegos [n1. Melchor Pérez's first marriage to María Álvarez produced 3 daughters; Catalina Mexía de la Torre [not María's daughter] married Pedro de Ledesma];

AHMC, Caja A4, exp.9 [July 24, 1564 "Juan de la Torre reclama de los bienes de Juan de Aztiguieta, difunto, cantidad de pesos"; Melchor Pérez, witness to the finding, no signature, fol. 1-11];

AHMC, Caja A4, exp.15 [Dec. 4, 1564, "Tutela en Alvaro de Grijalba de los menores hijos de Lázaro del Valle"; Melchor Pérez, alcalde ordinario, fol. 19-25];

?AGI, Contaduría, 667A [lo que recibio de tributos de los pueblos que estaban en la real corona, 1565: Melchior Pérez pays 810 pesos en nombre de los corregidores e tenientes de los pueblos de los Çapotecas, Melchior Pérez also pays 305 pesos on behalf of Juan Gómez Altamirano];

AGGEC, Juan de la Torre, Registro 3, p. 17-19 [1565 Sept. 11; Melchor Pérez, vecino of Colima, renting houses to Pedro Martínez, with the stipulation that he can stay there with his family at Easter];

AHMC, Caja A5, exp.4 [Dec. 29, 1565; Juan Fernández Ladrillero pide que Francisco Toscano le de hipotecas sanas y abonadas de una huerta de cacao que le vendio en terminos de Xicotlan; the huerta was bought from Melchor Pérez; witness: Juan Pérez, fol. 1-7];

AHMC, Caja A5, exp.5 [March 14, 1565; "Juan de Iniesta y Melchor Pérez (signature), procuradores del Cabildo de la Villa de Colima, presentan cargos contra el alcalde mayor y su teniente, ante la Real Audiencia de Mexico", witness-Juan Fernández, fol. 1-14];

AHMC, Caja A5, exp.5 [April 30, 1565; "Baltasar de Alcalá, en nombre de Pedro Davila Quiñones, pide al alcalde Hernando de Gamboa tomar información decomo Melchor Pérez y Juan de Iniesta no tenian poder del Cabildo para solicitar lo que pidieron ante la real Audiencia de Mexico", fol. 18-19; June 5, 1565; "Melchor Pérez y Juan de Iniesta, procuradores de la villa de Colima, piden ante la justicia y regimiento de ella, que se haga informaciónsobre ciertos incidentes surgidos entre ellos y el alcalde mayor Davila Quiñones", fol. 15-17];

AHMC, Caja A4, exp.13 [Nov. 14, 1565; "Juan Fernández Ladrillero acusa a Melchor Pérez de haber asesinado a un negro"; Pérez se ausenta y va della por la muerte de un negro que mato dentro en su casa;  a daughter, doña María and Ana Martel (his wife at the time?) testified, fol. 1-5; signature of Juan Hernández; Ladrillero couldn't get justice served];

AHMC, Caja A9, exp. 16, doc. 317, pp 128-131: March 4, 1566, Colima: inventario de María Ruíz de Manjaraz, once the widow of Bartolomé Garrido; María died 24 days before this date; she and Garrido has also had at least two sons; reference is made to the wife of a Francisco Martín, mestizo; August 22, 1566, one of the appraisers of the huerta is Melchor Pérez, vecino de Colima;

AGI, Patronato, 60, N.5, R.4 [witness: méritos y servicios, Juan de Zaldívar, 1566] [Pérez, vecino of Colima, age 53] [has known Zaldívar for 30+ years; went to Cíbola in Zaldívar’s company] [sent soldado with Zaldívar against Tecoxquiness];

AHMC, Caja A5, exp.6 [Jan. 1, 1566; "Melchor Pérez no acepta ser regidor y pide se anule la eleccióndel alcalde ordinario Juan Fernández Ladrillero"; "...yo tengo requerido a vm mandase revocar la elecciónque hoy dia de ano nuevo se ha hecho, por ser hecha contra derecho e contra lo proveido y mandado por su majestad, que ninguna persona que fuere regidor o alcalde no lo pueda ser siguiente ano lo uno ni lo otro."  "A mi noticia es venido como hoy dia de ano nuevo se ha hecho elección dealcaldes y regidores la cual dicha elecciónesta hecha contra derecho y contra lo proveido y mandado por la real audiencia desta ns que es que ningun regidor pueda que dar por alcalde ni regidor" al siguiente ano, fol. 3-5 (Pérez wrote and signed his own document)];

AHMC, Caja A5, exp.13 [May 28, 1567; Remate de tributos de Tecpan y Petlazoneca; "El alcalde mayor Sánchez de Figueroa mando vender y rematar 36 fanegas de sal del tributo de los pueblos de Tecquepa y Petlazoneca del corregimiento de Melchor Pérez, fol. 4; still corregidor in June 1568, 163, fol. 25; May 14, 1568, Melchor Pérez, witness, fol. 1-22, fol. 23; June 15, 1568; Remate de tributos de Tecpa y Petlazoneca;  Melchor Pérez, corregidor of Tecpa and Petlazoneca; 18 mantas for 2 years of tribute - 9 mantas each year; each worth 3 pesos, 2 tomines, fol. 25];

AHMC, Caja A5, exp.15 [Jan. 1568, "Denuncia de los criadores de ganado contra Andrés de Segura y Juan Fernández Ladrillero"];

AHMC, Caja A9, exp. 16, doc. 318, pp 131-132: January 5, 1568, Colima: pregón de bienes de María Ruíz de Monjaraz, the huerta borders one owned jointly by Melchor Pérez and Juan Fernández Ladrillero];

AHMC, Caja A6, exp.8 [July 5, 1569; Obligación depago que otorga Bartolomé de Vilches en favor de Juan de Arrue; witness: Cristóbal Pérez, estante; witness: Melchor Pérez, fol. 3-7];

AHMC, Caja A7, exp.8 [Jan. 16, 1573;  Alonso Lorenzo por si y a nombre de Elvira Lorenzo su madre y de su hermano Lazaro del Valle contra Diego Moran por razon de cincuenta brazas de tierra en el valle de Caxitlan que les tiene usurpadas; Lazaro del Valle was the father, who died in 1558; Diego Moran and Lazaro del Valle were cuñados; Diego de Velasco, 50+ years old is witness; Luis de Barahona, witness, 30 years old, vecino of the provincia de Avalos; witness claims that Barahona is a mestizo; witness: García Rodríguez, 35+; Melchor Pérez, alcalde, April 15, 1569; witness: Pedro Caballero; Juan de Estrada, interpreter, criado of Antonio Carrillo, Zapotitlan; Juan López, came to the land in dispute, fol. 1-178];

AHMC, Caja A6, exp.9 [August 8, 1569; Juan de Salinas (signed); Melchor Pérez, alcalde ordinario, fol. 9-10; July 30, 1573; witness:  Melchor Pérez, fol. 21-28];

AHMC, Caja A9, exp. 16, doc. 320, pp 133-134: October 10, 1569, Colima: Melchor Pérez is alcalde ordinario de Colima, his signature is on this document; fol.65r-65v-request for partition of María Ruíz de Monjaraz's property; Melchior Pérez signature; copy];

1570-1580:

AHMC, Caja A6, exp.10 [Sept. 2, 1570; "Melchor Pérez responde a una demanda de Cristóbal de Solorzano sobre ciertas cosas que tenia de su padre", 1 fol.];

AHMC, Caja A6, exp.16 [Jan 11, 1570; witness: Juan de Salinas; will of Beatriz López de Ayala;  witness: Melchor Pérez, fol. 1-21];

AHMC, Caja A6, exp.17 [Feb. 17, 1570; "Testamentaria de Andrés de Segura"; Francisco Díaz, escribano de su magestadand notario publico; witness: Alonso Hernández, vecino and estante; witness: Melchor Pérez; witness: Garci Rodríguez, fol.1-50; Jan. 8, 1571, "Recuento de casas de cacao y cabezas de ganado en la huerta de Zapotlan, de Elvira Ruíz de Monjaraz"; witness: Melchor Pérez exp.17, fol. 53-58];

AHMC, Caja A7, exp.14 [June 16, 1573, "Diversos acreedores de Pedro de Arévalo, difunto, hacen ejecución de sus bienes que son rematados en pública almoneda en Alonso Carrillo de Guzmán"; Diversos acreedores de Pedro de Arévalo, difunto..."; owes Melchor Pérez 120 pesos for 4 loads of cacao; widow of Garci Rodríguez, Isabel Gómez; witness: Pedro Caballero; Diego de Contreras involved in claims against the estate; Francisco Gómez [not ours]; Hernán González witness to Miguel de Candia having received money from Pedro de Arevalo ; a Juan López, vecino of Colima, 30 years old [not ours]; witness: Juan Rodríguez, fol. 1-87];

AHMC, Caja A7, exp.12 [Sept. 27, 1573, "Juan Dominguez arriero protesta porque le han embargado a petición de Miguel de Candia ocho costales do cacao que llevaba a México para Polonia de Gamboa"; witness says that Miguel de Candia can't read or write; García Rodríguez, deceased; García is Miguel's suegro; El 9 de sept. el alcalde mayor dio orden de dar traslado de este escrito a Miguel de Candia.  Este, por su parte, el 14 de Sept volvia a insistir pidiendo a Polonia de Gamboa "recaudos bastantes sobre que yo pague a la sobredicha cuatrocientos y tantos pesos por Garci Rodríguez mi suegro ya difunto como su albacea;" witness: Alonso González, vecino of Colima; "Candia respondio que estaba de acuerdo en que el cacao fuera depositado en otra persona, sugiriendo que fuera nombrado para el efecto Melchor Pérez, a quien tenia por persona abonada", fol. 1-16];

AHMC, Caja A9, exp. 16, doc. 311, pp 116-123: April 23, 1579, Colima: legal case, May 11, 1574,  a María Ruíz de Manjaraz was the wife of Bartolomé Garrido; after his death she married Pero Ruíz de Vilches; Garrido evidently owned one half of the huerta de cacao de Zapotlanejo (also called Santiago and Mazatlan), which included a slave named Antón; according to AHMC, Caja A9, exp. 16, doc. 336 the huerta of Mazatlan borders one owned by Melchor Pérez and Ana Martel, su mujer];

AHMC, Caja A7, exp.23 [Oct. 31, 1574; June 25, 1575, Melchor Pérez, witness; witness: Juan Ruíz, fol. 1-5];

1580-1590:

AHMC, Caja A11, exp. 5, doc. 392, pp 255-261: January 14, 1582, Colima: Melchor Pérez is dead; August 17, 1556: will of doña María Álvarez, wife of Melchor Pérez, vecino de Guadalajara; she brought no dowry to the marriage; their children were Catalina Mejía [not daughter of María Álvarez] (wife of Pedro de Ledesma) and Isabel Mejía (wife of Alonso de la Vera), and Mari Álvarez (doncella); Pérez and Álvarez gave as dowry to their daughter Catalina "el pueblo de Cuyupustlan y estancia de Cacalutlan que es en la jurisdicción de [Guadalajara];" Francisco de Olivares, vecino de Guadalajara, is a witness; January 22, 1582, interrogatorio, Pérez and Álverez owned 20 black slaves while they were married and cuadrillas of them were rented out in the mines of Xocotlan and Guazacatlan; they were personas ricas, about 27 or 28 years ago; their estate was more than 20,000 pesos; Pérez failed to execute his wife's will ("no cumpliría como no cumplió el testamento"); it has been about six years since Pérez died in Colima (saliendo de su casa, cayó de su estado en la calle); padre Bernaldino de Ledesma, presbytero (32 years old in 1582), is the son of Pedro de Ledesma and Catalina Mejía; Bernaldino has heard about Pérez from such people as Francisco Hernández Frexenal; Pérez had come to Colima 25 years ago; Pérez was "tan interesado y amigo de dineros que, por guardarselos, no cumplió el dicho testamento;" Pérez remarried to Ana Martel in Colima; Ledesma is also dead at this point; during the time Pérez lived in Colima he was trading in black slaves, bringing them from the Ciudad de México and selling them to mines in Zacatecas and Guachinango; served many times as alcalde ordinario and regidor]

Other info: ?AGNEP, Notaría 4, Caja 1, Carpeta 1.4 [Juan de Vedoya and Francisco Ruíz de Herrera, 1564, 16 August 1564, Graviel de Mansylla, estante in Puebla gives his poder to Diego Cortés, Miguel de Acosta and Heronimo Pérez, vecinos of Puebla, to collect on his debtors: Luis Ramírez de Vargas, vecino of Mexico, 50+ pesos como cesionero que soy de Juan de Herrera; Alonso González, herrero, vecino of Atlisco, 77+ pesos de oro común; Melchior Pérez, Hernando Aragones and Diego Hernándes de Cordova owe 2008 pesos por una carta de justicia; Gerónimo de Uruena, mercader and vecino of Puebla 3058 pesos de oro comun for una escripta de obligacion];

Romero de Solís, Andariegos  [vecino of Guadalajara, 1536-1556, moneylender and slave seller especially to the mines in Guaxacatlan and Xocotlan; 1556 first wife died; went to Colima after 1556; married Ana Martel and had Diego Mexía de la Torre; 1561, sold a huerta of cacao in Xicotlan; 1564, sued Juan Fernández Ladrillero for damages to his sheep by Ladrillero's dog; 1565, Dec. 3, was guarantor for Alonso Sánchez de Figueroa, doc. 184; offices held: alcalde ordinario, procurador, regidor, corregidor of Tecpa and Petlazoneca; died 1576];

Amaya Topete, Bioteca de Occidente [p.132: Melchor Pérez de la Torre: Native of Tórres, condado de Feria; llegó a Nueva España en 1536 con su padre...Melchor casó con Francisca Jerez, y procrearon tres hijas] [at least, Catalina];

Sevilla del Rio, Felipe, Breve estudio [p. 53: "[Melchor Pérez] fue uno de los pocos vecinos de Colima que tuvieron licencia para vender esclavos, probablemente adquirida cuando él era aún joven, en Guadalajara."  "los jóvenes y sanos [negros] (hombres y mujeres) llegaban a valer hasta quinientos pesos de oro común"];

Gerhard, North Frontier [p.133: Cuyupuztlan was held from the 1530s by Melchor Pérez, a son of Licenciado Pérez de la Torre.  Toward 1550 this encomienda was given in dowry to Pérez’s daughter, Catalina Mejía, who had married Pedro de Ledesma.  The latter was encomendero in 1570, but in 1583-1592 Catalina Mejía was listed]; Flint, Great Cruelties [p.207: vecino of Compostela, Mexico City, Colima];

Méndez Venegas, Emigrantes a América, #1348 [Extremadura, son of Diego Pérez de la Torre, brother of Isabel Pérez, Mexico City, 1536];

AGI, Indiferente General, 201, N.1 [1672-1674; 1606, Diego Flores de la Torre, Guadalajara = Flint & Flint, Documents, Document 32 [encomendero of Juchipila; Hernán Flores, his brother; children of Diego Flores and doña Angela de Velasco, grandsons of Hernán Flores, the conqueror and his wife María Álvarez (daughter of Licenciado de la Torre); Pedro de Ledesma, is cousin to Diego and Hernan; Estevan Ginovés, 60 years old, as witness; Diego Pérez Álvarez de la Torre, 2nd Governor of Nueva Galicia, native of Almendral; Diego Flores de la Torre, cura, son of Hernán Flores de la Torre and Ana de Sandi, grandson of Alferez Hernán Flores and Isabel de la Torre, greatgrandson of Licenciado Diego Pérez de la Torre, governor; Governor Diego Pérez de la Torre, Melchor Pérez  (his son), Gerónimo de Mejia de la Torre (his grandson); Hernán Flores de la Torre married Isabel de la Torre (daughter of Governor Diego Pérez de la Torre); the cura's greatgrandfather Hernán Flores married one of Melchor Pérez's sisters];

?Aizpuru, Indices y catálog, Santillán, escribano, #2551, “carta de información,” 2551, 1577];

?Aizpuru, Indices y catálog, Diego de Isla, escribano, #1553 [witness: herencia of Alonso Sánchez]

3rd wife: AHMC, Caja A11, exp. 11, documento 398 [pp. 271-277: January 15, 1583: September 1582, Ana Martel, widow of Melchor Pérez, is a witness, states that she is more than 50 years old, she could not sign her name]

daughter: AGI, México, 1064, L.1\1, “Informes” [fol.154v] = Icaza, Diccionario, #460 [Catalina Mexía; legitimate daughter of Melchior Pérez and Francisca Xerez; encomienda thanks to Vázquez de Coronado, the pueblo of Coyupustlán in Guadalajara (definitely his daughter)] Fernández Sotelo, La Primigenia Audiencia Nueva Galicia [p.290: "Fe de las encomiendas", cédula firmada de Vázquez de Coronado, refrendada de Baltasar de Mendoza, dada en Guadalajara, 23 June 1544, deposito en Catalina Mejia, hija de Melchor Pérez, pueblo of Coyopustlan, por dejaciónque hizo del el Melchor Pérez, con que pusiese una persona que sirviese a su magestadcon armas y cavallo]

brother: Tello, Libro Segundo [p.64: el Padre fray Diego Pérez de la Torre; primer guardián of Zapotitlán; son of Licenciado Diego Pérez de la Torre (Governor of Nueva Galicia); brought to found the first convent in Guadalajara, in Tetlán, by his father; was with frayles Antonio de Segovia and Juan de Padilla; was guardián at Tlaxomulco (1566 or 67) and in Tzapotitlán]

father: Méndez Venegas, Emigrantes a América, #1375 [Extremadura, his father Diego Pérez de la Torre, relative of Hernán Cortés, died in Tetla in 1538 after a fall from a horse during an Indian revolt]; AGI, Guadalajara, 5, R.1, N.4 [November 24, 1537, carta del licenciado Diego de la Torre, juez de residencia de Nuño de Guzmán; says he left from San Lucar "dia de santiago con mi muger e hijos" in 1536]

Relatives: Catálogo, Resumen e Índices [1578?, Juan Yáñez, vecino de la villa de San Miguel, en la provincia de los Chichimecas, estante en México, vende al señor Leonardo de Cervantes Casaús, vecino, todas las haciendas que posee en las provincias de Jilotepeque y los Chichimecas y en los llanos y términos de la villa de San Miguel y de Santa Catalina, que son: [list of properties] - Otro sitio de ganado menor en términos de San Miguel, cerca de la villa, en donde dicen Cuizillo, con casas y corrales, la cual compró a Francisco Pérez -que linda con la ciénega que llaman Miguel Sánchez, que ahora es de los herederos de Melchor Pérez; y por la otra, con la estancia que dicen de la villa... Firmaron. Testigos: El bachiller Pedro González de Prado, Domingo Beltrán y Antonio Adorno, vecinos y estantes]

?Porras Muñoz, El Gobierno de la Ciudad de México [p.444:  Alonso, Luis, and Juan de la Torre were cousins of Alonso de Estrada (were they related to Diego Pérez de la Torre and thus to Melchior?, don't know); their parents were Antonio de la Torre and Inéz de Cabrera]