Francisco de Ovando was present at the 1540 muster as an unassigned horseman, but at one point in the Expedition he was named as a captain and maestre de campo. His name is uncommon in the documentary record for this period so it is highly likely that he was the Francisco de Ovando de Saavedra of the Pasajero record. If correct, then he was a native of Cáceres (Cáceres province) and the son of Diego de Ovando and Beatriz de Cháves. The license for this individual was for Santo Domingo in 1535, but it was not unusual for people to continue on to New Spain. Francisco died in battle at Moho and his death was vividly described by Castañeda de Nájera in his later report.
1530-1540:
?Rojo Vegas, Guía de Mercaderes [p. 51: (entry # 687), 1532, Francisco de Ovando, Cáceres, sells all the wool from his flocks for 320 maravedís la arroba, 7.846-476; and (entry # 692), 1536, Francisco Ovando, Cáceres, sells all the wool from his flocks to the same buyer as above, 7.847-583]
?AGI, Pasajeros, L.2, E.495 = Boyd-Bowman, Indice geobiográfico, II:2774 [April 3, 1535 [Francisco de Ovando de Saavedra, hijo de Diego de Ovando y de Beatriz de Cháves, vecinos de Cáceres, a Santo Domingo]
?AGI, Justicia, 258, pieza 1, “Relación de los salarios” [fol. 800v: November 1539, a nyculas [not francisco] de oVando...Nov. 4, 1539...cxL pesos (this really might be an error for Francisco-makes sense)]
1540-1550:
1540, Feb: Muster in Flint & Flint, Documents, Document 12 [5 horses, [chainmail] vest, head armor, native arms]
AGI, Patronato, 216, R.2 [proceso de Núño de Chávez, 1566] [from Cíbola Vázquez de Coronado enVio Por oTra banda Al caPitan Francisco De oVando];
Tello, Libro Segundo [p.423:killed at Tiguex?];
Castañeda in Flint & Flint, Documents, Document 28 [captain, maestre de campo while Cárdenas was on reconnaissance, died in Tiguex-this means he was in the advance guard];
AGI, Justicia, 267 [witness Vázquez de Coronado: killed at Noha/Moha]
Relatives?: ?AGI, México, 22 [1590, Alcaldes Mayores: Gonzalo de Ovando de Guzmán, son of conquistador, Yanquitlan];
?AHN, Military Orders, Alcántara, exp. 298 [Expediente de pruebas de Francisco de Ovando (son, grandson?), natural de Alcántara, para el ingreso como religioso de la Orden de Alcántara. Año 1615, not digitized; microfilm (Roll 987): los abuelos maternos: el doctor Francisco de Ovando, fiscal que fue de Navarra, and doña Francisca de Villalobos, su muger]