Hernando Martín Bermejo was born around 1515 in Fuente del Arco (Badajoz province) to Gonzalo García and Isabel González. Hernando received his license for New Spain in September 1535 along with his cousin, Juan Martín Bermejo, Juan Morillo, and Pero Martín Cano. The last two individuals may also all be related to one another. By 1539 Hernando was the personal secretary to Vázquez de Coronado while he was governor of Nueva Galicia. Hernando was present during the 1540 muster as a member of Vázquez de Coronado's company and listed simply as Hernando Bermejo. During the Expedition and a couple of years after Hernando continued in that same role. It then appears that Hernando moved on to Guatemala.
1530-1540:
AGI, Pasajeros, L.2, E.2201 (September 24,1535) [Hernán Martín Bermejo, hijo de Gonzalo García y Isabel González, vecinos de Fuente del Arco, a Nueva España, September 24, 1535 [his cousin, Juan Martín Bermejo is entry 2211 on same day (this may be him since his cousin is on the expedition under the name Juan Martín de la Fuente del Arco]; most of those with the viceroy registered in June) = Boyd-Bowman, Indice geobiográfico, II:1151]
AGI, Patronato, 21, N.2, R.4 [Witness for statements made by Vázquez de Coronado, Hernando Bermejo, estante in Mexico City, ref. in Documentos Ineditos, p.375]
Fernández Sotelo, La Primigenia Audiencia Nueva Galicia [p.291: "Fe de las encomiendas", cédula firmada de Vázquez de Coronado, governador, refrendada de Hernando Bermejo, dada en la provincia de Guadalajara, 10 March 1541, por la cual deposito en el dicho Juan de Zaldivar los senores e naturales del pueblo de Yztlan con sus subjetos e la estancia de Tanguesgueto que habian vacado por la muerte de Miguel de Deba con el dicho cargo, p.286; cédula firmada de Vázquez de Coronado, refrendada de Hernando Bermejo, dada 16 Sept. 1539, deposito al Toribio de Bolanos el pueblo de Taltenango; p.290; cédula firmada de Vázquez de Coronado, governador, refrendada de Francisco Bermejo, dada en Aguacatlan, 12 July 1539, deposito en Bracamontes]
1540-1550:
1540, Feb.: Muster in Flint & Flint, Documents, Document 12 [4 horses, native arms, an elk hide jacket, company of Vázquez de Coronado]
Amaya Topete, Jesús, Bioteca de Occidente [p. 24: Fernando Bermexo: Secretario del capitán general Francisco Vázquez Coronado...Firmó en nombre de su señor el 4 de abril de 1540, mientras caminaba hacia el Norte, la merced a Juan Villareal y Francisco Pilo, de los sitios para ganado mayor en "Totonilco" y Ahualulco];
“Disposal of the Juan Jiménez Estate,” in Flint & Flint, Documents, Document 27 [1542, Bermejo served as escribano for documents relating to testament of Jiménez; he was in Vázquez de Coronado’s real]
AGI, Justicia, 267 [witness Domingo Martín: scribe]
?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 [probably]; 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; (founders in absentia)];
Tello, Libro Segundo [pp. 379, 510, 515-516: Feb. 6, 1543, vecino of Guadalajara, cabildo will send him to negotiate with His Majesty];
AGI, Justicia, 339, N.1, R.3 [re: pueblo of Tepic, Sept. 1544: Hernando de Bermejo signed for Vázquez de Coronado's cédula to Francisco de Godoy];
AGI, Justicia, 339, N.1, R.1 [August 1544, Residencia que el licenciado Lorenzo de Tejada, oidor de la Audiencia Real de Nueva España, tomo a Francisco Vázquez de Coronado, Governador que fue de la Nueva Galicia, y a su teniente] [witness: Ledesma-that Hernando Bermejo was Vázquez de Coronado's secretary in Guadalajara]
1550-1560:
AGI, Justicia, 336, N.1 [1552, Juan Bermejo witness, says Hernando Bermejo was his secretary, but not now]
?AGI, Indiferente General, 425, L.23 [fol.389r: April 11, 1559, licencia a Hernando Vermejo para pasar a Indias 2 esclavos y 2 esclavas negros]
1560-1570:
?AGI, Patronato, 65, N.2, R.4 [1563, Santiago, Baltasar Guerra, vecino of Ciudad Real, Chiapas and Juan Guerra, his son; witness: Hernando Bermejo, vecino, has known Baltasar for 20 years (1543), more than 40 years old (<1523), signed (no signature on copy)];
AGI, Patronato, 64, R.1 [December 7, 1564: méritos y servicios, Juan de Aguilar] [one of the witnesses in Santiago de Guatemala (images 21-23: licenciado Hernando Bermejo] [associated with Juan de León, formerly Mendoza’s secretary] [Bermejo has known Aguilar in the Indies, since early 1539 in Mexico City and Nueva Galiçia, 20 years ago in Santiago] [Bermejo a vecino of Santiago is 46 years old in 1561];
?AGN, Instituciones Coloniales, GD61, Inquisición, vol.43, exp.29, 1566 [fol.385: contra Fernando Bermejo por desocupaciónde la casa ocupaba (signed)]
1570-1580:
AGI, Patronato, 68, N.1, R.5 [1577, March, San Salvador, Gaspar Pérez de Costillas, son-in-law of Manuel Hernández, conquistador, wife is Ana de Reynoso, Manuel is deceased, wife of Manuel is María de Reynosa, first conqueror of these provincias; witness: Hernando Bermejo, vecino, has known Gaspar for about 7 years, more than 50 (<1527), signed (no signature on copy)]
Other Info: AGI, Contratación, 197, N.21, R.19 [1546, Pánuco, "Relación de los pesos de oro que el Dr. Castañeda enbio cobrado de Pánuco bienes de Francisco de Villegas y otros difuntos;" document is prepared in the ciudad de México; Antonio de Villadiego, vecino of Pánuco reported in 1546 in Mexico City, that Dr. Castañeda asked him to deliver gold, money and letters concerning the bienes difuntos in Pánuco that the Dr. had collected from doña Catalina de Mexía, widow of Francisco Barron [nothing in AGI search], now wife of Pedro de Trejo; this is the report Mexía gave him; in Santiago de los Valles, 20 Abril 1546, reported by Gonzalo Bernaldo; on 20 Abril Mexía is ordered to deliver whatever gold, money and letters she has regarding the bienes de difuntos of Francisco de Villegas, Juan Rodríguez, and anyone else; the juez de residencia informs Tello de Sandoval that there are many cases of bienes de difuntos from Santiago and the provincia; 28 May 1545 Tello de Sandoval demands that those handling these bienes report in person to him in Mexico City; 22 June 1545, Santistevan, del puerto de la provincia de Pánuco, it was publicly proclaimed that information regarding the bienes de difuntos will be collected and any frauds or negligence corrected; 1 Oct 1545, that Mexía, as wife of Francisco Barron and vecina of Santistevan must produce info and pay 1000 pesos that belong to the estate of Francisco Villegas, in Compostela and Santisteban; Mexía reports she is doing the best she can, since she is only the wife, and that her husband also dealt with Tonala and Jalisco; all the items in a chest she delivers, the cofre es de flandes de dos palmos mas o menos; items seem to pertain to Villegas, Francisco Guillén, francés (whose albacea was Juan Rodríguez who is evidently dead), but also IOUs, wills and cartas de pago; gold de Jalisco; she reports also bienes from Francisco Guillén Frances; her late husband was the albacea for Francisco Guillén and delivers an inventory of Guillén's effects; has an inventory taken in Compostela; among her late husband's papers she has 2 conocimientos against Cristóbal de Oñate; un mandamiento de Francisco Vázquez Coronado contra Francisco de Villegas de contia de 200+ pesos de oro apedimiento de Francisco Pilo acesonario de Pedro de Sosa; carta de pago de Hernando Bermejo- 7 tomines; una carta from Juan Pastor; mandamiento contra Melchior Díaz; there are 2 inventories of goods of Francisco de Villegas: one in Santistevan (more pages) and the other in Compostela; a poder from Diego Rodríguez to a Pero Martín; 2 conocimientos from Juan Pérez; carta de pago from Miguel Sánchez; conocimiento from Juan Gallego, escribano; carta de pago from Lope de Samaniego [therefore have to be before early 1540]; carta de pago from Juan Gallegos; conocimiento contra Francisco Cornejo con un poder; 2 cartas de pago and a poder from an Alonso Martín; quenta de Francisco Cornejo; desembargo y mando de Cristóbal de Oñate; poder from Juan Rodríguez para el frances [probably meaning Guillén]; from Juan Rodríguez 2 petitions, a letter; another letter from Juan Ruíz; conocimiento from Pedro de Najara; carta from Francisco Pilo; a conocimiento from Maese Miguel; an embargo by Francisco Vázquez de Coronado against the goods of Francisco de Villegas; the delivery was witnessed and signed by Juan de Gallegos in Santisteban; 11 Feb 1547 Mexía's husband makes a probanza in Mexico City regarding the bienes de difuntos of Francisco de Villegas, Francisco Guillén, frances and Juan Rodríguez, all deceased and her deceased 1st husband; Barron lived in Santiago de los Valles; witnesses included: Francisco de Godoy, 30+, native of Ubeda, vecino of Mexico City, saw Barron collect the bienes of Guillén in Nueva Galicia, signed-no signature; February 1547 statement of Pedro de Trexo, current husband of Catalina Mexía"por razón de las costas e gastos e menoscabos de la hacienda del dicho Francisco Barrón que por su ausencia hubo y por su salario que de derecho le viene se retuvieron en ???? poder dozientos pesos de oro que corre para ayuda a lo dicho aunque es mucho mas lo que gasto e perdio en la dicha jornada [to travel from México to Nueva Galicia]" he presents an interrogatorio in which the first question asks if the witnesses are aware that Francisco Barrón collected bienes de difuntos in Nueva Galicia (Guadalajara y Compostela); he resided in Santiago de los Valles (Oxitipán) "que esta desta ciudad [México] ochenta leguas and "partió y fue con [los recaudos y escrituras] a la dicha Nueva Galicia;" he spent more than six months there collecting bienes; Francisco Guillén had gone to Nueva Galicia to collect bienes, but "estar la tierra alzada y de guerra...murió el dicho Francisco Guillén y dexo por su albacea a Francisco Barrón;"];
Piferrer, Nobiliario, 3:105, #1279 [Martín: escudo of gules and un castillo almenado and aclarado de los mismo]