Juan Griego (abt. 1566 - after 1631) Pascuala Bernal (1583 - before 1626)            Juan Griego and Pascuala Bernal were the parents of our ancestors Juan Griego II, Isabel Bernal, and Juana Bernal. We are descended from them in three ways through these three children.  We know this from the Surname Index of New Mexico and from the book Origins of New Mexico Families, by Fray Angélico Chávez.            Almost certainly Juan Griego was born by a different name.  In one record his birthplace is given as Candia on the island of Crete in Greece, and as Negroponte, on the island of Euboea in another record.  It is probable that he was born at Negroponte and later lived in Candia. In Candia he was a contemporary and a fellow townsman of Domenico Theotocopuli, know by his Italo-Spanish nickname, “El Greco,” the famous painter.  A search of the history of Crete and Greece during this period might show why both El Greco and Juan Griego left Crete to reside in Spain. “Griego” means “Greek man” in Spanish. Juan Griego was in Juan de Oñate’s 1597 muster list as a son of Lázaro Griego.  Since Griego was not Juan’s birth surname, it was not his father’s either.  The father’s first name probably was Lazarus.  Juan’s birth took place about 1566 if the age he gave at the time of his muster was accurate. He was described as 32 years old, of good stature, gray-bearded, with a big scar on the forehead. It is unlikely that Juan came directly to New Spain to enlist.  He probably enlisted in Spain and came to New Spain as part of a troop before joining Juan de Oñate’s 1598 expedition to found a colony in New Mexico. He had married the Indian Pascuala Bernal in New Spain [Mexico] before embarking on the journey to New Mexico. A reading of the history of Oñate’s expedition would give many details of the life of Juan and Pascuala. Juan was listed on the muster list as having thirteen horses. The Griegos were not of high station in New Mexico.  Not only was Juan a foreigner, but he was married to an Indian as well, both likely to lower his status.  Perhaps it was for this reason that he volunteered to testify in the Inquisition trial of one of the colony’s most eminent members, Francisco Gómez Robledo, our uncle, for practicing Judaism in secret. There had been gossip that the Gómez Robledos were Jews. The more ignorant New Mexicans began to “see” signs that it was true. Gómez Robledo was acquitted after undergoing a lengthy trial and having his possessions confiscated. Pascuala was dead by 1626, but Juan was still alive in 1631, holding the military rank of alférez [lieutenant].  He was then about sixty-five years old. Earlier he had been a captain. [p.220, Kiva, Cross, and Crown, by John L. Kessell] It is interesting that Francisco Estevan Quintana, his wife María de Guadalupe Luján, and their son-in-law, Miguel Serrano, are all descended from Juan Griego and Pascuala Bernal.   CHILDREN OF JUAN GRIEGO AND PASCUALA BERNAL   [1]        Juan Griego II, our ancestor, was born in San Gabriel, Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, about 1605.  He married Juana de la Cruz, our ancestor, about 1625.  He died before 1680.  See their biographies elsewhere in this work. [2]        Isabel Bernal, our ancestor, was born in San Gabriel, about 1603.  She married our ancestor, Sebastián Rodríguez, about 1618. See their biographies elsewhere in this work. [3]        Juana Bernal, our ancestor, was born in San Gabriel about 1600.  She married our ancestor, Diego de Moraga, about 1615.  See their biographies elsewhere in this work. [4]        Lázaro Griego was named for his grandfather.  He was born about 1608 in San Gabriel. He died after 1642. [5]        Agustín Griego was born about 1612 in Santa Fe. He married Francisca Montoya. [6]        María Bernal Griego was born in San Gabriel about 1602.  She married Juan Gómez Barragán. Juan arrived in New Mexico about 1615.  They married about 1616.  In 1626 Juan was accused by the Inquisition of speaking Hebrew, thus of practicing Judaism.  He died the following year in prison.  It is unknown if his case had come to trial yet. [7]        Catalina Griego was born about 1610 in Santa Fe.  She was quite a notorious woman.  Her two husbands were Juan Durán [de la Cruz] and Hernán Martín Serrano II.  She was accused of being a madam, prostituting two of her daughters and another woman. [8]        Francisco Bernal was born about 1598, about the time his parents were on the road to New Mexico with Oñate. He was married to Bernadina Morán, who was twenty years old in 1631.   Submitted by Donald Rivara, June 23, 2009. Copyright © Genealogy Trails All Rights Reserved with Full Rights Reserved for Original Contributor