About Juan Fresco
~The Origins of New México Families, pg. 30
Settlers of 17th Century New Mexico 1601-1680.
El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro brought wagon trains of good to trade as well as new settlers into New Mexico. The Spanish government kept strict control over travelers coming into and leaving New Mexico. Very few family groups arrived in New Mexico in this period. Mainly single men were the new settlers. They married the daughter and granddaughters of the earlier settlers. In parenthesis is the earliest known year for which those families that can still be found in New Mexico appear in New Mexico records, with place of origin if known.
Juan Fresco was born Flanders, Belgium about 1570. Juan died AFT 1626 Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Juan became the father of Juan Fresqui Santa Fe, New Mexico, about 1626. JUAN FRESCO first came to New Mexico about the year 1617 with two other Flemish men. They were residents of Mexico City on a tour of mineral exploration. They went back to New Spain for mining equipment; on their return to Santa Fe, the people destroyed their equipment out of envy and resentment. This return of Juan Fresco, of Frescos, took place in 1625, in the wagon-train that brought, Fray Alonso Benavidez. Juan deposed at this time that he was Flemish, fifty-five years old, and a miner by trade. His signature appears to spell out the name "Frishz." Having stayed and married in New Mexico, his son was Juan Fresqui.
By the end of the following century this family name was further hispanicized into "Fresquez."
On 10 October 1661, Alfיrez Juan Fresco (ONMF: 30), "vecino de la jurisdiciףn de Rio Arriba", gave his age as 36, indicating he was born circa 1625.
From "Beyond Origins of New mexico Families,a web site by Jose Antonio Esquibel:
In testimony given on 29 October 1661 by Juבn Lujבn, el viejo, he declared that the father of Juan Fresqui (ONMF: 30) was "flamenco" (Flemish) and that Fresqui’s mother was "blanca" (white). This testimony refuted the accusation made Gov. don Diego Lףpez Mendizבbal that Fresqui was a son of "una mulata esclava." In the same month, Francisco de Anaya Almazבn testified that Juan Fresco (referring to Juan Fresqui) was "espaסol, bien soldado."