Juan de Villareal

Brief Biography

Juan de Villareal was a native of Agudo (Ciudad Real province) and son of Rodrigo de Villarreal and Beatriz Alonso. He arrived in New Spain in 1530 and served with Cortés on the Cardón and Isla de California expeditions of 1532. He was present at the 1540 muster as the alférez of Gutiérrez de la Caballería's company. When Juan reached Cíbola, he was sent back to Mexico with messages for Viceroy Mendoza and was caught up in the Mixtón War. He married the natural daughter of fellow expeditionary, Hernandarias de Saavedra. Juan lived out his life in western Mexico.

Gender
Male
Date of Birth
ca. 1509
AGE-1540
31
Age Set
25-35
Country of Origin
Spain
Place of Birth (City/Town)
Agudo
Date of Death
before 10/1553
Place of Birth (modern province/state/region)
Ciudad Real
Died on the Expedition?
No
Last Known Location
Agualulco and Cocula, Jalisco (Mexico)
Position on Expedition
Alférez
Post Expedition Occupation
Corregidor
Encomendero
Residence After Expedition
Colima and Michoacán (Mexico)
Married
Yes
Name of Spouse
doña Leonor Saavedra
Name of Children
Fernando de Saavedra
Ability to sign name
Yes
Relatives
father:Rodrigo de Villarreal; mother: Beatriz Alonso; brother-Pedro de Villareal; father-in-law Hernandarias de Saavedra;
References-Documentary

1530-1540:

Millares Carlo y Montecón, Indice y extractos, II:1837-1838 [fols. 24r – 25r: July 31, 1536, Acknowledgement of 80-pesos debt by Juan de Villareal, estante en México, to a Diego Núñez, vecino de México; and poder general granted by Juan de Villareal to his brother Pedro de Villareal [on the muster Villareal is separated from the two Diego Núñez by 11 and 13 pages); II:2109 (fols. 264r y v): December 12, 1536, Poder traspaso granted by Vítores de Miranda to Alonso García for collection of a 20-peso debt from Juan de Villareal, México; II:2231 (fols. 514v – 515r): March 14, 1537, Poder general granted by Juan de Villareal, estante en México, to Juan de Ortega; II:2389 (fols. 649v – 650r): August 27, 1537, Poder general granted by Juan de Villareal, vecino de México, to Antonio de Almaraz]

?AGGEC, Juan de la Torre, Registro 1 [p.6-7:1537, creditor of Cortés];

Romero de Solís, Andariegos  [1536, Mexico City, signator for a debt by his brother Pedro; 1540, departed with expedition as alférez, returned after 1 month, went to Guadalajara, alcalde];

AGGEC, Juan de la Torre, Registro 3 [p. 55-56: 1538, Abril 30; Francisco de Mendoza, estante in Colima gives poder to Juan de Villareal, who is absent, to collect money; witness: Pero Gómez, Juan Fernández de Eslava];

?Fernández Sotelo, La Primigenia Audiencia Nueva Galicia [p.290: "Fe de las encomiendas", 27 March 1538, cédula, firmada del Licenciado de la Torre, refrendada de Juan de Villareal, escribano, p.285; cédula firmada de Luis Salido, deposito en Toribio de Bolanos el pueblo of Taltenango, segun y como los tenia encomendado Juan de Villareal y Diego Hernández, en Guadalajara, 18 Aug. 1538]

?AGI, Justicia, 337A [1537, witness says a Villaroel mistreated Indians, fol. 67v] [he never mentions this connection, and was part of the arrest of Guzmán-very iffy];

?Razo Zaragoza, 4 Cronicas de la Conquista de Nueva Galicia [#III, p.115: Villaroel was maestre de campo]

1540-1550:

1540, Feb: Muster in Flint & Flint, Documents, Document 12 [6 horses, corselet, sallet, beaver, chainmail jacket, native arms, alférez Gutiérrez de la Caballería's company]

AGI, México, 1064, L.1\1, “Informes” [fol.172v] = Boyd-Bowman, Indice geobiográfico, II:3536 [other ref] = Icaza, Diccionario, #548 [native of Agudo of the orden of Calatrava; son of Rodrigo de Villarreal and Beatriz Alonso; 17 years in Nueva España; always had his armas and horse; went with Vázquez de Coronado to Cíbola; took 1000 pesos of ganado to feed the expedition; was alférez on the expedition; from Cíbola he returned to Nueva España by the order of Vázquez de Coronado to bring a report of the suçedido to Vuestra Alteza Illustrisima; when the uprising began in Jalisco, Juan was in Guadalajara; es tuvo despachando el armada que fue a la espeçiria; is married];

AGI, Justicia, 266, Quaderno 4 [Probanza de don Antonio de Mendoza sobre los cargos que le fueron fechos por el senor Licenciado Francisco Tello de Sandoval, 26 Jan 1547, witness #25, vecino of Mexico City, native of Agudo, located in the Orden de Calatrava, more than 35; (signature scanned);  Question 16: he took horses from those vecinos who had Indians and could not go and gave them to others who did go on the jornadas; Question 17: a la guerra que se hizo para Cíbola este testigo sabe todo lo contenido en esta pregunta como en ella se contenido por que lo vido ser e pasar como la pregunta lo dize en la ciudad de Compostela e que por dar como dio a todo e sus cavallos fue necesario que de una estancia de este testigo se lleva este rraegas (esten regas) yeguas en que vinyesen pajes e criados del dicho visorrey por a belles quitado sus cavallos que llevaban parada e los otros que yban a la dicha jornada; Question 22: talks about caballos and carretas; Question 75: no answer; Question 122: in the port of La Navidad; Question 123: resided in the comarca of the port; Question 136: was a vecino of Guadalajara; Question 153: in Yaçitlan?; Question 158: este testigo enjurada la xara con el dicho Cristóbal de Onate le envio el dicho Cristóbal de Onate y el cabildo de la dicha villa a este testigo a que fuese allanor? al dicho adelantado por que tenia nueva que los enemigos venian sobre la dicha villa e ansy fue dos noches sin dormir e asta que hallo al adelantado en los pueblos de Avalos un dia a medio dia el qual luego sin detenerse mando tocar alarma y luego ser armo de una brozas e que valgo en un caballo el qual solo con este testigo salio e mando a la jente que le siguesen e toda se fuese tras del con don Luis de Castilla e Diego Lopes de Çuniga e ansy se hizo prometiendo ello de no dormir hasta ver se sobre Guadalajara por que como onbre que tenia espiriençia por las ynsiryas? que via creya que ansy los de guerra como los de paz andavan todo la viva quien venie? por que en los de paz conosçia mucha tibieza e que esto yba platornido por el camino con este testigo; Question 161: was involved in the pacification; Question 169: se fue a quitar con el dicho Cristóbal de Oñate; Question 161: was present; Question 165: was present in the pueblos of Avalos when Licenciado Maldonado brought help; Question 199: lo sabe dixo que por que este testigo fue en la dicho viaje e jornada; knows a bit about the Mixtón War];

Amaya Topete, Bioteca de Occidente [p. 17-18: Atotonilco: Un sitio de ganado mayor dado por Francisco Vázquez Coronado, el 4 de abril de 1540, a Juan de Villareal. Hubo otro sitio, mercedado al mismo por el virrey Mendoza, no sabemos la fecha, entre Atotonilco y el pueblo de Ahualulco, en un arroyo]

Leal, Fundadores, p.11 [Listed in the Padrón de Tetlán, 1541, Originario de Agudo. same father and mother. to Cíbola como alférez. Took 2,000 pesos worth of ganado. Sent back to México with letter for the viceroy; did not return to the expedition. Se estableció en Guadalajara con su mujer];

?Tello, Libro Segundo  [p.351/509: alcalde in Guadalajara 1543];

AGI, Justicia, 339, N.1, R.1 [1544, witness:Villareal, vecino de Guadalajara, about 35 years old, is de oficio and de parte witness; Villareal gave a cadenilla de oro con un joyel de oro (valued at about 20 pesos de minas) to Vázquez de Coronado’s daughter (doña Isabel)] [had known Vázquez de Coronado since 1536 or 37] [Villareal, key witness, could sign his name (no signature on copy) [heard it said on the jornada de Cíbola that Vázquez de Coronado's horse was given to him by Oñate; doesn't know that Vázquez de Coronado was absent 2.5 years to Tierra Nueva]

AGN, Instituciones Coloniales, GD72, Real Audiencia, Mercedes, vol.2, exp. 273, 1543 [fol. 104r: In June 1543, Juan de Villareal is reported to be the encomendero of the pueblo de Tequila, many Indians from which have migrated to the pueblos de Ávalos and Ayacatlan and Lavelulco in response to the heavy labor of the Mixtón war]

?AGI, Contaduría, 662 [account taken of Juan de Villareal, corregidor que fue del pueblo de Aquila (Motines, COL), for the period from May 1544 through  March 1545; his salary was supposed to be 200 pesos, but the tribute did not cover it]

?AGGEC, Juan de la Torre, Registro 3 [p.14-16: 1547 June 26, regarding the will of Juan Barragán, deceased; the albacea, Juan de Oliveros, cura and vicario, Colima, gives Hernando de Alvarado a poder to collect from Juan de Villarreal, vecino of Mexico, money owed the deceased]

1550-1560:

AGGEC, Juan de la Torre, Registro 3 [p.27-29: 1550 Agosto 10; Juan de Villarreal, estante in the estancia of Buena Vista, outskirts of Cocula, obispado of Mechuacan, gives a poder (signature same as AGI, Justicia, 266, Quaderno 4 [Pedro de Moxica]);

AGGEC, Juan de la Torre, Registro 3 [p. 91-92: [1550 Dec. 19; Juan de Villareal, estante on the Estancia of Buena Vista, belonging to García Pilo, gives poder to Pilo to collect 1300 pesos de oro de minas from Luis Ramírez de Vargas];

AGGEC, Caja 1, carpeta 5, documento 131, p. 31-32 = AGGEC, Juan de la Torre, Registro 4, p. 103-05 [June 6, 1551, Içatlan: recovery of a debt; Rodrigo de Barrionuevo is corregidor and alcalde mayor of Içatlan; Juan de Villareal and his brother Pedro de Villarael; don Pedro de Tovar, estante en Içatlan, is a witness, as is a Francisco Temiño];

Amaya Topete, Bioteca de Occidente [p. 27: Buenavista: En 1551 mercedó en México el virrey don Luis de Velasco, a Juan de Villareal, corregidor de Ameca, una estancia "de nombre de Buenvista"...en la jurisdicción de Ameca];

AGGEC, Juan de la Torre, Registro 5 [p. 90-91: October 29, 1553, minas de Guachinango,  a doña Leonor Saavedra, widow of a Juan de Villareal, has a son Fernando de Saavedra; Leonor signs on page 91];

?Enciso Contreras, Testamentos [p.415-440: reference- AGI, Contratación, 220B, R.39, Will of Francisco Pilo, 6 Nov. 1550, Agualulco, corregimiento of Izatlán, native of Aranda de Duero, son of García Pilo and Juana de la Torre; Debts: Juan de Villareal, 4000 pesos de minas; Pedro Hernández Calvo, 144 pesos de minas; owes for a black sailor that his brother bought from Luis del Castillo; owes various amounts to Cristóbal de Oñate; Juan de Zaldívar, 202 pesos, 2 tomines; the Portuguese, Juan Fernández, who died in Colima, whose albacea was Fernando Gallego, 70+ pesos for having served at sea; Francisco Calderón, deceased, 34 marcos and 1 ounce of silver to his heirs; Juan Gallegos?, deceased, find out if he owes him something; don Antonio de Mendoza, 2000 pesos de tepuzque; IOUs: Juan de Villareal owes 3300 pesos de oro de minas; Luis Ramírez de Vargas owes 1300 pesos de minas, de resto de una obligacion con poder [que suena a Juan de Villareal hasta la obligacion] y traspaso; Luis Ramírez de Vargas del primero ano que tuvo el arrendamiento de Izatlán, 400+ pesos de tepuzque; hasn't received any of the 2nd year of tributes from the arrendamiento of Izatlán; witnesses: Juan de Villareal, estante in Agualulco; Hernando Gómez de la Peña, escribano de su majestad and notario publico in the corte authenticates the will; 28 Dec. 1552; will of García Pilo: mines of Zacatecas, 28 Feb. 1560; albacea-Ortuño de Arteaga, second husband of his mother; 1000 ducats to María Ortuño, daughter of Miguel de Villarreal from Aranda de Duero for being a criado of María Pilo, his daughter and Juana de la Torre, his niece; he has ciertas cuentas por averiguar which he had with Juan de Villareal, his brother Francisco and himself; Villareal is deceased; cuentas se prosigan ante el alcalde mayor in the mines of Guachinango; doña Leonor de Sayavedra, wife of Villareal; Francisco Calderón, native of Salamanca heirs still owed money from his brother's will]

?AGI, Contratación, 206, N.2, R.5 [Mines of Pachuca, April 1558, regarding the death of Domingo López de Arcayo, inventory: un concierto que tiene hecho con Francisco Vázquez en las minas de Tlalpuxagua; otra donacion de Francisco de Tórres en Santa Clara y San Bernabe de 30 varas; otra donacion que le hizo Juan de Villarreal y Francisco Ruíz de 10 varas de mina; una compra de unos puercos de Juan Martin; conocimiento de Rodrigo Álvarez, herrador sobre 10 pesos de minas que el dicho le debe; carta de pago de Juan Rodríguez, zapatero; conocimiento contra Juan López de 40+ pesos; conocimiento de Miguel Sánchez de 4 quintales de fruta; 2conciertos para tomar minas con Francisco de Tórres y Juan García; poder y traspaso de Francisco de Tórres; Mines of Pachuca, June 1558, una carta de obligacion contra Francisco Rodríguez, el diestro de 80 pesos que se los debe al Domingo López, executed the document in Pachuca in Feb. 1557];

?Hillerkuss, Documentalia  [Villareal, Juan de, "El amojonamiento entre los obispados de la Nueva Galicia y Michoacán (1551)": witness on 3 March 1551, in Etzatlan, p. 61; Pedro de Villarreal, also a witness, 2 March 1551, [possibly the brother of captain Juan de Villareal, corregidor in 1550 of Ameca, where he had various mercedes de tierra (Amaya Topete, 1983, 606-607), p, 60, n40]

1560-1570:

?AGI, Contaduría, 667A [tributos, 1563: Bernaldino del Castillo pays 600 pesos on behalf of Juan de Villareal, corregidor que fue de los pueblos de Ucareo, Çinapecora y Araro (MICH)];

?AGI, Contaduría, 667A [lo que recibio de tributos de los pueblos que estaban en la real corona, 1565: Bernaldino del Castillo pays 399 pesos on behalf of a Juan de Villareal, corregidor que fue de los pueblos de Ucareo, Zinapecora, and Araro];

?AGI, Contratación, 202B, N.13 [Will of Andrés Bailón, Tasco, 1564; bequest to his natural daughter María López who is married to Juan Pérez, curtidor, 400 pesos; Diego Hernández, is 1 albacea; his universal heirs are his parents; owes  Juan de Villaruel (Villareal?) mayordomo of don Luis de Castilla 73 pesos (good bet that he is the mayordomo because Castilla also came to Nueva España in 1530); owes Pero Hernández Calvor (Calvo?), merchant and vecino of Mexico 35 pesos; witnesses: padre García Rodríguez, Francisco de Castro]

1580-1590:

AGI, Patronato, 77, N.1, R.13\1 [1582, 10 March, Guadalajara, doña Leonor de Saavedra, widow; married 1st-Juan de Villareal, then 2)don Lorenzo de Cárdenas; father was Hernando Arias de Savedra; uncle was conde del Castellar; her father was a caballero hidalgo who served the Rey de Romanos-Don Fernando, in the wars in Germany and other places; he came 50 years ago(1532) to serve with Cortés in the jornada del Cardon; then on Cíbola jornada where he remained as justicia mayor in Culiacán; served as alcalde mayores in Puebla and Oaxaca and other places; her husband Juan de Villareal was alférez on the Cíbola jornada and then served in the rebellion of the reyno (Mixtón) and on the frontera de Yçatlan; Juan served as factor and proveedor for those who went to the Islas del Poniente; granted Teguila, but escheated; at the time of his death they had had a son; her second husband went to Florida for 5 years; at the time of Lorenzo's death she also had a daughter with him; witness Antonio de Aguayo states he served in Pueblos de Avalos; witness Antonio del Rincon states Hernando was alcalde mayor in the mines of Tasco, she married Villareal 28 years ago, Cárdenas went to Florida with Gov. Soto, she has 2 sons and 1 daughter; witness Alonso Martín, 80 years old, Hernando was alcalde mayor of Çapotlan and Mula, Juan helped Luis de Castilla pacify Jalisco and arrest Guzmán; witness Juan Ruíz, herrador, vecino, knows Villareal very well, age 50+, saw Hernando serve on the Cíbola entrada, saw Villareal served on the Cíbola entrada as alférez of the Gov, she has grown sons and an eligible daughter, could sign];

Other info: Amaya Topete, Bioteca de Occidente [p. 184: Juan de Villareal: Caballero de la orden de Calatrava (this is not correct, Agudo is part of the Calatrava Order, not Juan). Native of Agudo, hijo de Rodrigo de Villareal y de Beatriz Alonso; in México July 31, 1536 "En febrero de 1540 partió de Compostela con Francisco Vázquez Coronado a la conquista de Cíbola con el grado de alférez" given a grant with Francisco Pilo en route to Cíbola "Villareal no volvió al lado de Vázquez Coronado sino que se incorporó a la amagada Guadalajara;" was among the founders of the fourth Guadalajara, February 12, 1542; was named to go on the voyage of Villalobos, but he did not go for unknown reasons; he was alcalde mayor de Guadalajara in 1543, along with Diego de Colio; 1550, was corregidor de Ameca; the next year he distributed lands there; he was married, but his wife's name is unknown; p.195: Zapoltlán Pueblo indio al norte del volcán de Colima...en 1533...llegó fray Juan de Padilla derroncando ídolos y levantando templos, encomendero was Juan de Zaldívar, who received it from his uncle Juan de Oñate; this is where Pedro de Alvarado was when Juan de Villareal reached him with a request for help from Guadalajara]; vecino and experienced man, dispatched by Oñate to the pueblo of Tzapotlán to ask Pedro de Alvarado to aid in fighting the uprising];

?Enciso Contreras, Taxco en el siglo XVI  [pp. 169-81: transcription of AGI, Contratación, 471, N.5, R.1, "deja y nombra por albacea al padre García Rodríguez, clérigo" "le debe Joan de Villaroel, por un conocimiento y de fenecimiento de cuentas, cuatrocientos y diez y seis pesos y seis tomines y seis granos de oro común" García Rodríguez is one of the parties to a succession of sales of a mule; "debo a Diego Hernández herrador [vecino de estas minas] lo que dijere en su conciencia, de alquiler de la casa en que vivo" "débeme Joan de Villaroel, trescientos y sesenta pesos en reales" (no signatures)]; Martínez Arzanz y Veloa, Historia de Potosi [a Captain Juan Villaroel in Peru with Pizarros]

Relatives: ?AHAG, Justicia, Provisorato, 1562-1616, Caja 1 [Guadalajara, 3 Feb. 1612; Juan Martinez de Lunar in the name of Juan de Villareal] [a descendant?]