Juan Carlos de Bonilla was born in 1508. He was approximately thirty-two years old when he went on the Expedition. He arrived in New Spain along with Juan de Burgos in 1520 and immediately served with the royal treasurer, Alonso de Estrada, in the conquest of Chiapas. Two years later he served in the conquest of Pánuco. Historical records indicate that in 1541 Juan Carlos de Bonilla was a lieutenant corregidor in Xalapa, Cintla, and Acatlan, and in 1546, he held the same position for Tobalilpa. In 1561, Bonilla was an estanciero in Guatepeque. At some point he married Ana de Torres. Juan Carlos claimed much later in his life that he had participated in the Expedition.
1540-1550
AGI, Justicia, 258, pieza 1, “Visita hecha al Virrey, 1544” [fol. 749v: first named lieutenant corregidor 15 July 1541, renewed 16 Sept. 1541, renewed 20 Oct.1542, renewed 2 Nov. 1543, 100 pesos salary];
AGN, Instituciones Coloniales, GD72, Real Audiencia, Mercedes, vol.1, esp.428, 1542 [fol.201:informe de los esclavos de Antonia Hernández, persona que recibe-Juan Carlos de Bonilla, Xalapa; image 417, fol.205r-v: Mendoza grant; teniente de corregidor in Xalapa and its parts that Juan de Moscoco, in name of his wife, Antonia Hernández, the first wife of Bartolomé de Perales; me a hecho relacion que en los pueblos donde soys teniente de corregidor y en los a ellos comercanos estan ciertos esclavas suyas naturales de esta tierra en poder de los caciques e prencipales e yndios e que ahora el quiere ynviar por ellos e me pedio os mandase que los hiziesedes parescer ante vos e los esclavos e esclavas que con esta en servicio de la dicha muger se los entragasedes a la persona quel el por ellos enviase e por my vysto mande dar este mandamiento en la dicha razon por el qual vos mando ? e os ynformays e sepays que como? poder estan los dichos esclavos de la dicha Antonia Hernández e los que hallaredes los hizays traer ante vos e ansy traydos los que con esta cedula son esclavos e de la dicha Antonia Hernández [fol.205v] a su costa sin se los entragar los envyeys ante my o a esta real audiencia para que vista se prover lo que convenga e sea justicia Hecho en Mexico 10 Nov. 1542...];
AGN, Instituciones Coloniales, GD61, Inquisición, Vol. 1, exp. 427, 1542 [image 417: Juan Carlos de Bonilla, teniente de corregidor in the pueblos of Xalapa, 15 Nov. 1542]
AGI, Justicia, 258, pieza 1,“Visita hecha al Virrey, 1544” [fol. 789v:Tabalilpa, 2 Jan. 1546, teniente corregidor, Juan Carlos de Bonilla, 120 peso salary];
1550-1560
APSM, “Bautismos de Españoles, 1536-1746” [II: fol.6v: 8 Oct 1552 Juan Carlos and his wife padrinos for daughter of Diego Pérez]; APSM, “Bautismos de Españoles,1536-1746” [II: fol. 8v 14 Nov 1552 Juan Carlos de Bonilla and his wife Ana de Torres padrinos for daughter of Hernando Díaz];
Catálogo, Resumen e Índices, 2677, AA81 [fol.156-156v: Mexico, 16 Junio 1558, Poder General, Juan Carlos de Bonilla, vecino, otorga poder general a Juan de Segovia, escribano de Su Majestad, ausente. Firmó. Testigos: Pedro García, Hernando del Campo y Alonso de Trujillo, escribano público];
AGI, Contaduría, 663B, [payments to corregidores y tenientes de corregidor: to Juan Carlos Bonilla, as teniente de corregidor of the pueblo of Tavalilpa, 56 pesos for the second third of his first year of service ending in June 1553, and the same amount for the last third of his first year, and again the same amount in February 1554, and the same abount for the second third of his second year ending in June 1554, paid 168 pesos for his third year of service ending in November 1555, and paid 40 pesos for the first third of his fourth year ofservice ending in July 1556, paid 72 pesos for comutación de comida and for the seond third of his fourth year of service ending in November 1556];
AGI, Contaduría, 664 [Juan Carlos de Bonilla, lieutenant of Tabalilpa, 56+ pesos, 11 July 1557-11 Nov. 1557];
AGI, Contaduría, 664, 1558 [Payments to alcaldes mayores, corregidores y tenientes: Juan Carlos de Bonilla, lieutenant corregidor of Tovalilpa/Tavachepa, 56+ pesos, 11 Nov 1557-11 Mar 1558; 56+ pesos, 11 Mar 1558-11 July 1558];
AGI, Contaduría, 664, 1558 [Misc. grants: Juan Carlos de Bonilla, 80 pesos, 12 April 1557 for 1 year, for his many years of service];
AGI, Contaduría, 664, 1559 [Payments to alcaldes mayores, corregidores y tenientes: Juan Carlos de Bonilla, lieutenant corregidor of Tavalilpa, 112+ pesos, 23 July 1558-23 Mar 1559; and, 40 pesos, 23 Mar 1559-23 Nov 1559];
AGI, Contaduría, Legajo 664, 1559 [Misc. payments: Juan Carlos de Bonilla, 80 pesos, 17 May 1558-17 May 1559];
1560-1570
AGI, Contaduría, 664, 1560 [Payments to alcaldes mayores, corregidores y tenientes: Juan Carlos de Bonilla, lieutenant corregidor of Tavalilpa, 50 pesos, 9 Apr 1559-9 Aug 1559; and 50 pesos, 9 Aug 1559-9 Dec. 1559; and, 50 pesos, 9 Dec 1559-9 Dec 1560];
AGI, Mexico, 206, N.21 [Álvaro Ruíz, 1560, witness-Juan Carlos de Bonilla, vecino of Mexico City, 50 +/-, resides with Viceroy Velasco, signed-no signature on copy];
AGN, Instituciones Coloniales, GD72, Real Audiencia, Mercedes, vol.5-6, primera parte, exp.s/n, 1561 [fols. 235v – 236r:February 1561, grant of an estancia de ganado menor en términos del pueblo de Guatepeque on the road to Malinalco to Juan Carlos de Bonilla, vecino of México];
Valderrama, Cartas, #32, p.239 [1563: Velasco paid him 630 pesos de oro comun from Su Majestad's cashbox, even though he already had tenientazgos with a good salary; serves the Velasco; enjoys a salary from teniente and a salary en quitas at one time];
AGI, Contaduría, 667A [tributos, 1563: Juan Carlos de Bonilla buys 5 cargas de cacao and one carga de naguas from Cuçamaluaba en Veracruz for 55 pesos];
Valderrama, Cartas, #30, p.223 [1551-1563: criado of Viceroy Velasco (el viejo), given an estancia de ganado mayor and 1/2 caballería de tierra]; Valderrama, Cartas, #29, p.220 [1564: criado of Viceroy Velasco (el viejo), in charge of the sedan chair, given by Velasco a teniente worth 150 pesos, enjoying at the same time help from the cost in releases [ayuda de costa en quitas];
Valderrama, Cartas, #28, p.217 [1564: criado of Viceroy Velasco (el viejo), responsible for the sedan chair, corregidor by Velasco];
AGI, Contaduría, 667A [las penas applied to the estrados del audiencia real, 1564: fee of 18 pesos paid by a Juan Navarro for service of an indio salinero named Francisco Vázquez, and the same amount for another salinero named Pablo Moysen, and 20 pesos for a cestero, Diego Tlaolote “con hierros a los pies,” to begin in July 1564 in Mexico City, and 10 pesos for the service of Pedro Tuchil, indio, quecoxeçacate, “Cargan se le mas otros çinquenta pessos del dicho oro de minas que en el dicho dia se metieron en la dicha caxa del servicio de miguel coatl yndio candelero natural del barrio de tepetetlan por el dicho tiempo por la mitad de çient pessos de minas en que se remato en la dicha almoneda en Juan Carlos de Bonilla aplicados en la manera que dicho es como paresçe por el dicho libro,” Bonilla pays another 52 pesos for the service of Francisco de San Lázaro, indio, tequitlato, natural de San Pablo, plus 23 pesos more for the service of Miguel Suchil, indio, panadero];
AGI, Contaduría, 667A [lo que recibio de tributos de los pueblos que estaban en la real corona, 1565: Juan Carlos Bonilla delivers, in the name of the Indians of Totolapan, 1,840 pesos “en quenta de 3,123 pesos];
AGI, Justicia, 170, N.1, Pieza 1 [Lawsuit between Luis de Velasco and his father-in-law, Martin de Ircio and his own wife sobre an amount of money; 1565, witness: Juan Carlos de Bonilla, vecino, has known Ircio and María for over 25 years, 50+, signed-no signature on copy];
Catálogo, Resumen e Índices [1567, Luisa de Aguilar -mujer de Martín de Vergara- vecina, otorga poder general a Martín de Vergara, su marido, y a Juan de Salazar, procurador de la Real Audiencia. Luisa de Aguilar no firmó, Martín de Vergara firmó. Testigos: Juan Carlos de Bonilla, Pedro de Benavides y Diego de Tarifa, vecinos y estantes];
AGI, Contaduría, 664, 1560 [Misc. payments: Juan Carlos de Bonilla, 50 pesos, quitas, for going on orders of the viceroy to Vera Cruz several times; and, 100 pesos, sustenance, 7 June 1559-7 June 1560]
AGI, Contaduría, 663A, [Mexico City, March 1569, an accounting of condenaciones resulting from procesos, from a residencia of Juan Carlos de Bonilla, as teniente de corregidor for the pueblo of Marinalco, in June 1568, 30 pesos];
1570-1580
AGI, Patronato, 77, N.1, R.2 [Rui López de Villalobos - this is the son of Rui López de Villalobos, captain general and Juana Yrcio; fol.17: Feb. 1572, Mexico, Juan Carlos de Bonilla, witness, vecino of Mexico, age-55+, doesn't know how to write; fol.22: Rodrigo de Barrionuevo, vecino, knew his father for 37 years because they came together from Spain, 50, he saw Villalobos on the road from Michoacán to embark on his trip to Islas Ponienete, signed, no signature on copy; fol.44: 1530 Probanza by Martin de Ircio, brother to Pedro, Juan de Morales, vecino y conquistador of Nueva España, was present at the conquest of Mexico, was on the capitanía of Pedro de Ircio, doesn't know how to write, no age given; fol.76: 1582, Mexico City, Juan Carlos de Bonilla, vecino, 70+, saw Villalobos get married to Ircio, was in Acapulco when Villalobos left because he was the Lieutenant de guerra mayor in the port, signed, no signature on copy];
AGI, Patronato, 73, N.2, R.11 [1574, Mexico, doña Guiomar Vázques de Escobar, daughter of Juan de Burgos, who came in 1520; witness: Juan Carlos de Bonilla, vecino, more than 65 (<1509), he knows because he came in Juan de Burgos's ship, which came to the aid of Cortés [1520]; knows Juan de Burgos went to the conquest of the provincía of Jalisco as alguacil mayor, signed, no signature on copy; witness: Gonzalo Hernández de Mosquera, conqueror, more than 70, signed, no signature on copy];
AGI, Contaduría, 679 [salaries: Juan Carlos de Bonilla, teniente de alcalde mayor for Malinalco, is paid 33 pesos for the first third of his fifth year of service in the post, from October 1577 to March 1578, and he is paid the same amount for the second third of his fifth year of service, and again the same amount for the last third, running through February 1579]
1580-1590
AGN, Instituciones Coloniales, GD51, Gobierno Virreinal, General de Parte, Vol.2, exp.997, 1580 [19 Dec 1580: viceroy to don Alonso Ramírez de Arellano that by royal provision Juan Carlos de Bonilla, lugarteniente en el dicho partido (not mentioned) made a report that Ramírez de Arellano was not fulfilling his duties and was usurping the office of the teniente; his office is to be respected and he should take his further complaints directly to the viceroy];
AGI, México, 217, N.33, R1 [1584; witness for Francisca de Estrada; more than 75 years old];
AGI, Patronato, 78A, N.1, R.4 [fol. 12r: 10 Sept.1584; witness for Francisca de Estrada; more than 75 years old; he was one of the persons who went with Estrada to Chiapas];
AGI, Patronato, 67, R.7 [Mar 1584: Mexico, Baltasar de Obregón, mentions that don Luis de Castilla, Diego de Ibarra Valdenegro and Carlos de Bonilla, are sick and can't testify; 1540, Mexico, probanza copy of Diego de Baeça; Sept 1583, Mexico, witness: Geronimo de Mercado Sotomayor, alcalde ordinario of Mexico City, more than 60 (<1523), it has been more than 50 years since he came to Mexico City (<1533), signed, no signature; \5, image 29: 20 March, 1584, witness: Juan Carlos de Bonilla, more than 70 (<1514), present at the conquest of Pánuco, he didn't sign because "no tener vista"];
AGI, Patronato, 78A, N.1, R.2 [1584, Mexico, Bernardino del Castillo, son of Bernaldino del Castillo and grandson of Francisco de Orduña; witness: Geronimo Mercado Sotomayor, vecino, alcalde ordinario, 65 years old more or less, his wife is doña Catalina de Polanco, granddaughter of Francisco de Orduña and doña Isabel de Ledesma, came in 1533?, couldn't answer about the Jalisco uprising because he was in Cibola, signed, no signature; very next witness: Juan Carlos de Bonilla, vecino and poblador antiguo, more than 70, came to New Spain in 1529, heard about Castillo in Guatemala where he (Bonilla) had gone to serve the king when Castillo was visitador and governor, witness went on the jornada to California with Cortés and Bernaldino del Castillo; Question 6 regarding Jalisco War: dixo que este testigo se hallo en servicio de su magestad y con el dicho vissorrey don Antonio de Mendoza en el reyno y provincía de la Nueva Galicia en la ocassion y guerra que esta pregunta dize y de dara sobre la conquista y pacification del dicho reyno quando se alçaron enpeñolaron y rebelaron los yndios del como la pregunta refiere lo qual fue negocio y ocassion de mucho riesgo trabajo y peligro para toda esta tierra y assi convino yr como fue en persona a ello el dicho visorey y como cosa de tanta calidad y ynportancia y que este testigo como persona que se hallo presente en ello, sabe y vido que el dicho Bernaldino del Castillo servio a su magestad...; Augustin Guerrero, mayordomo of Mendoza; he couldn't sign because "con falta de vista por ser tan viejo y enfermo"; Diego del Castillo was his brother (Bernaldino's)];
AGI, Patronato, 78B, N.1, R.11 [Probanza of Juan Cordero, 1584, witness- Juan Carlos de Bonilla, vecino, conquistador of Nueva España, more than 75 (<1509), when news came that Cortés had discovered Nueva España, Juan de Vargas embarked in his own ship with horses, arms, supplies along with Bonilla, Juan Cordero was born in Nueva España a few days before his father died, saw Juan Cordero embark for Florida, couldn't sign because he hand trembles and his eyesight is poor];
AGI, Patronato, 78A, N.1, R.6 [méritos y servicios de Jorge Báez, Jan. 7, 1585] [witness Bonilla, vecino de México, 70+ years old] [Bonilla: lo qual sabe este testigo porque entonces fue a la dicha jornada de Cíbola con el dicho Coronado] [came to Nueva España with Captain Juan de Burgos 58 years ago] [knew Báez's wife Luisa and their children, Ana and María] [couldn't sign his name because of his bad sight and age]
Other Info:
Logic for age: 3 entries place his birth before 1509, if it is 1508 then his statement in 1574 that he is older than 65 meshes with being 66 and in 1584 he says he is older than 75 (being 76) and in 1560 says about 50 (he would be 52); in 1565 says more than 50 (he would be 57); he has several statement in 1584 and 1585 saying both older than 70 and older than 75 (older than 75 is closer to the truth); the only radical departure is his statement in 1572 that he is older than 55 when he was 64;
Hillerkuss, Diccionario Biográfico, vol.1 [says for sure he is from Guadalupe; Diego Alonso and Ines de Bonilla, his parents; says 1524 or 25; pacifier and conqueror Zapotecas, Mixes, Chontales, Tepetotutlas; married about 1538; teniente de corregidor of Xalapa, Cintla and Acatlan in Guerrero between 1541-1545; same position in Tabalipa 1546-on; vecino of San Ildefonso de los Zapotecas; encomendero of Amaltepec in the Mixteca, around 1548; lost other encomiendas in 1534; witness in 1584 in Mexico City for Alonso Estrada and his yerno, Alonso de Avalos Saavedra, el viejo; 75 in 1584, p.173 (has conflated 2 men- Juan de Bonilla and Juan Carlos de Bonilla)]
Relatives:
grandson?: Catálogo, Resumen e Índices [México, 7 enero 1572, El doctor Damián Sedeño, catedrático de Prima de leyes en la Universidad de México y abogado de la Real Audiencia de México, vecino, se obliga a pagar la dote -habiendo efecto el matrimonio- a Juan Carlos de Bonilla, vecino de México, natural de la isla de Lanzarote, que es en las Canarias -hijo legítimo de Pedro de Bonilla y de Inés Hernández Palurda, difuntos, vecinos que fueron de la isla de Lanzarote-, por cuanto está concertado se case con Ana del Rincón -hija legítima de Francisco del Rincón y de María de Zayas, su mujer, difuntos, vecinos que fueron de la ciudad de Écija en Castilla. Y porque Ana del Rincón está en casa del doctor Damián Sedeño, en compañía de Guiomar de Baeza, suegra de éste y porque al tiempo que se trató el matrimonio, el doctor Damián Sedeño quedó en darle en dote lo contenido en una memoria que está en poder de Juan Carlos Bonilla, firmada por ambos y por Antonio Alonso, el presente escribano, y porque se ha de tasar por 2 personas: una, por parte del doctor Damián Sedeño; y la otra, por la de Juan Carlos Bonilla, el doctor Damián Sedeño -habiendo efecto el matrimonio- se obliga a pagar y entregar a Juan Carlos Bonilla las preseas, ropas, ajuar y menaje tasados en la memoria sin que falte cosa alguna. Juan Carlos Bonilla, recibida la dote, se obliga a otorgar carta de dote y a dar en arras, 1,000 ducados de buena moneda de Castilla de a 11 reales y 1 maravedí cada ducado. Juan Carlos de Bonilla renuncia a los términos que el derecho permite, una vez disuelto el matrimonio, para devolver las dotes y se obliga a entregarle cuando se le pida en reales y no en otra moneda. El doctor Damián Sedeño y Juan Carlos Bonilla firmaron. Testigos: Sebastián de Velasco, Pedro de Baeza, Martín de la Vega y Andrés de Morales, vecinos; signaturescanned] (Because our Juan Carlos was too old to see and sign his name in 1568, and yet this Juan Carlos signed his dowry agreement. Could it be a grandson with the namesake making Pedro de Bonilla the son of Juan Carlos and still possibly from Lanzarote?-probably not this either because Juan Carlos and his wife were in Mexico);
AGI, Contaduría, 679 [in April 1578 a Pedro de Bonilla (son?) pays quintos on 48 marcos de plata]