Los Sobrevivientes de La Florida


 Rangel, Rodrigo. This name has survived the ages because,
as secretary to de Soto, he kept a diary of the expedition, later used
by the well-known royal chronicler, Gonzalo Fernandez de
Oviedo. On May 13, 1539, Rangel recorded the will made by de
Soto in Havana and, on December 6, 1543, he witnessed, in Santo
Domingo, the intent of Isabel de Bobadilla to make an inventory of
assets left by her deceased husband.109 Rangel was a witness in the
probanza made by Gonzalo Mendez de Sotomayor in the city of
Mexico in 1560. From this document we know that Rangel was
born before 1510 and that he had known Mendez's family for a
long time since they lived in Extremadura where Rangel was born.
He declared that he went from Spain to Florida in the de Soto
armada and explored this land for several years. Rangel proceeded
from Florida to New Spain with the other survivors and from
there, to Santo Domingo to visit the widow Bobadilla. Later, he
returned to Mexico where he settled and where he was at the time
of this deposition.110 Rodrigo Rangel was a son of Diego Rangel
and Elvira Ortiz from Almendralejo, SR-321. He is listed simply
as Rangel by Hernandez de Biedma, Smith-294.

 Raya, Alonso de. Son of Juan de Raya and Catalina Cazorla,
citizens of Ubeda, SR-291. Survivor from Ubeda, Smith-296.

 Redondo, Francisco. In the probanza of Sebastian Villegas,
 made in New Spain in 1569, Redondo testified that he knew this
 companion of de Soto not only in Cuba but also during the Florida
 expedition, where he suffered many hardships and hunger. He
 added that he was born before 1508, and declined to sign his
 declaration because he could not write.11 Francisco was the son of
 Juan Redondo and Isabel Carmona, citizens of Medellin, SR-301.
 He is listed as a survivor from the Florida experience, Smith-295.

 Reinoso, Francisco de. As a witness in Juan de Afiasco's
 probanza made in Puebla de los Angeles, Mexico in 1544, he
 declared he had known Afiasco since 1537. Reinoso added that he
 was born in 1511. He went from Sevilla to Florida in de Soto's
 armada and saw Afiasco with three or four horses and several
 slaves. He was in Florida a long time and witnessed some of the


47