Lorenzo Álvarez

Brief Biography: 
Lorenzo Álvarez was born sometime around 1515 and was about twenty-five years old when he went on the Coronado Expedition. He was present at the 1540 muster as an unassigned horseman with several pieces of armor. There are several individuals with the same name in the documentary record, but the record offers no clear indication if any of them went on the Expedition, other than the man resident in the mines near Culiacán.
Gender: 
Male
Title (Y/N): 
No
Date of Birth: 
ca. 1515
AGE-1540: 
25
Age Set: 
15-25
Last Known Location: 
mines of Nuestra Señora de Buena Esperanza (near Culiacán)
Position on Expedition: 
Horseman
Within Viceroy Mendoza's Sphere: 
Yes
Post Expedition Occupation: 
Miner
Residence After Expedition: 
Culiacán, Mexico
Ability to sign name: 
Yes
References-Documentary: 

1540-1550

AGI, Justicia, 258, pieza 1, “Relacion de los salarios” [fol.801r: Jan. 1540, a lorenço alvarez...Jan. 30, 1540...c pesos]

1540, Feb: Muster in Flint & Flint, Documents, Document 12 [2 horses, native arms, elkhide jacket, several pieces of head armor]

AGI, Patronato, 216, N.2, “Proceso de Nuño de Chávez” [información de parte, Francisco Vázquez de Coronado, 1545, Álvarez, witness, Álvarez about 30 years old, estante in las minas de Nuestra Señora de Buena Esperanza-probably near Culiacán; Tiguex at war by time Álvarez arrived, fortified in a pueblo “que estaba en un alto” = Pueblo del Cerco; Indian at Pueblo del Cerco, Juan Alemán; Vázquez de Coronado banned excessive card playing, concubinage, and blasphemy, and ordered that no one take Indians from the tierra nueva; he also proclaimed many requerimientos to the Indians, Spaniards forced to wage war; in Tiguex, some Spaniards sick, many horses died, corn sold for very high prices; Álvarez: 250 leagues of plains, Totonquates: a hot spring; Cíbola, 3-4 stories; could sign his name-no signature; knew López de Cárdenas had a helmet and a beaver (he seems to have arrived at Tiguex after the war started; could he have been on assignment elsewhere?)]

1560-1570

?Catálogo, Resumen e Índices, 3876, AA20 [fol.589, Mexico 12 Jan. 1564, Poder general, Lorenzo Álvarez, vecino, otorga poder general a Pedro de Mora, procurador de causas. No firmó. Testigos: Cristóbal Pérez, Juan de la Cueva y Juan de Santa María, vecinos y estantes];

?Catálogo, Resumen e Índices, 3072, AA83 [fol.545: Mexico 14 Nov. 1560, Poder general, Lorenzo Álvarez, carretero, vecino, otorga poder general a Cristóbal de Trujillo, vecino. No firmó. Testigos: Melchor de Contreras, Francisco Sánchez y Juan Alonso, vecinos y estantes]

?AGI, Contratación, 207, N.2\1, “Bienes de Pedro Cabello Montañez” [Santiago-Jan 1569- will of Pedro Cabello Montañez: debe Lorenzo Álvarez, estante in Santiago 11 tostones e medio]

?Garmendia Leal, Fundadores, p.82 83 [Feb. 1569, villa de Santa María de los Lagos, the cabildo appoints a Juan López, vecino of the villa, as escribano del cabildo; then a Lorenzo Álvarez, vecino of the villa, pide de testigos a...; source: UC, Berkeley, Bancroft, M-M 1826];

1570-1580

?Catálogo, Resumen e Índices, 5036, AA77 [fol. 268, Mexico 16 July 1573, Poder, Juan Núñez de San Miguel, vecino, otorga poder general a Alonso de Medina, procurador de causas, vecino. Y para que lo pueda sustituir en una persona o más. Firmó. Testigos: Alonso de Alcohola, Lorenzo Álvarez y Alonso Bernal, vecinos]

?AGI, Contratación, 475, N.2, R.28 [Bienes de Fernando de Cárdenas, Guadalajara, 1580; begins in 1576 in la villa de Santa María de los Lagos, where Cárdenas died four years before; goes on in Zacatecas in 1572; during the almoneda in Los Lagos in 1572, a Juan López buys 3 paños; a Francisco Gutiérrez, carretero, buys a tool bag; a Lorenzo Álvarez buys a brazier];

?AHJ, AIP, Tierras y Aguas, Coleccion Primera, Libro 2, No.18, 1565 y 1694 1696 [fol. 1r (110r): 26 Jan. 1577; Gerónimo de Orozco, Dr. Orozco [not him, this is the judge] del consejo de su majestad y governador y capitan general of Nueva Galicia, presidente of the royal Audiencia and Chancillería; makes a grant to Lorenzo Álvarez, vecino of the Villa de Santa María de los Lagos of 2 caballerías de tierra que estan en unas lomas acaueçadas de tierras del dicho Lorenzo Álvarez; 4 year grant];

after 1590:

?Palomino y Cañedo, Protocolos de Rodrigo Hernández Cordero, Appendix I:#13 [II. fols. 21r-v:12 Dec 1607, Pagaré de Agustina de Viera, viuda muger que fué de Lorenzo Álvarez e yo Juan Álvares, su hijo a Juan de Burgos, vecino de la Villa de los Lagos por 382 pesos y tomines de oro comun que se los debía el difunto Lorenco. Con la fecha de arriba en la Estancia de Atotonilco, jurisdición del Partido de Teoqualtiche... Testigos Álvaro Carrillo y Francisco y Pedro Pérez, estantes en la dicha estancia]

Other Info:

Piferrer, Nobiliario, 4:180-182, #1812 [descendants of royal blood of León y Asturias; line begins with infante don Ordoño and infanta doña Cristina; founded in the concejo of Navia, Asturias; Nuño Álvarez de Anaya flourished in 900, was conde and rico-home, second only to the prince or infante; spread throughout Spain, Portugal and America; in order to distinguish all the lines an additional last name is usually added];

Piferrer, Nobiliario, 4:17, #1573 [noble family in Sevilla; escudo first of gold and a tree with a wolf at the foot of the trunk; second jaquelado of silver and gules]