don Jose(ph), an Indian from the Valley of Mexico

don Jose(ph) is my 13th great grandfather and the father of Catalina Villanueva who along with her husband Juan Lopez Olguin Villasana and their family came north out of  Nueva Espana (today's Mexico) with don Juan de Onate in 1598. They were part of the folks identified in the history books as the "loyal colonists". They toughed it out and stayed in New Mexico when others went back after suffering many hardships in New Mexico in the early years of the colony.

don Jose(ph) would be lost to history had not his daughter, Catalina Villanueva, name him as her father when signing up to come north with the don Juan de Onate expedition to colonize New Mexico in 1598. She did not mention who her mother was for some reason, but a good guess is her last name was Villanueva. She did mention that her father, don Jose, was an Indian from the valley of Mexico. Then, that meant he was from the valley where Mexico City is today.

don Jose(ph) was most likely from a tribe identified as the "Tlascala". Tlascalans had assisted Hernan Cortes in the conquest of Mexico City and as such were closely associated and allied with the Spanish.

Sort of interesting to think on his life, an ancestor from so long ago. Almost lost to history.