The Survivors of the De Soto Expedition


 Suarez de Figueroa, Gomez. Though not mentioned by
Hemandez de Biedma nor Solar and Ruijula, his name is
contributed by chronicler Garcilaso de la Vega. Garcilaso wrote
that after the survivors were able to reach Panuco and the city of
Mexico, Gomez Suarez returned to the house and estate of his
father, Vasco Porcallo de Figueroa.132

 Suarez, Juan. Son of Pedro de Santa Maria and Juana Suarez,
citizens of Caceres, SR-277. He is listed as a friend of Luis Bravo
who also survived the Florida expedition, Smith-293.

 Suarez de Maruelas, Hernan. After surviving Florida,
Suarez became so well known in Mexico that his son-in-law,
Pedro Perez de Zamora, used him as a reference when requesting a
royal favor in 1582. Attached to this document there is a probanza
made by Suarez in Mexico in 1572. There he requested witnesses
to testify if they knew him, including his father and mother,
Hernan Suarez de Maruelas and Ines de Valgrande, citizens of
Villanueva de la Serena in the kingdom of Castilla. Also, whether
the witnesses knew that in 1537 he had gone to Florida with
Hemando de Soto, a venture which lasted five years and ended in
New Spain. In this viceroyalty he served well in the pacification of
the natives of Oaxaca. In 1552, Suarez took part in some military
actions in Yucatan and Golfo Dulce, in the latter as Lieutenant
-Governor. While imprisoned in Honduras, up to 80 of his men
rebelled and took the Royal Treasury. Finally, in 1553, he returned
to Mexico, where he was well received by Viceroy Velasco, who
provided for him. In 1554, after other services in New Spain and to
the Audiencia of Confines, he married Ursula de Grijalva,
daughter of one of the conquerors of Mexico, Sebastian de
Grijalva. It should be noted that this document contains interesting
descriptions of some of the actions that took place in Florida
during the de Soto expedition, especially around Mobila, Chicasa
and Tascalusa133. Suarez was listed by his second last name as the
son of Hernando Mazuelas and Ines de Valgrando, citizens of
Villanueva de la Serena, SR-302. There is a Mazuelas in the list of
survivors of Hernandez de Biedma, who may be the same person,
Smith-294.


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