Rodrigo Ortiz Vélez

Biography

Rodrigo Ortiz Vélez was the first alcalde of San Germán in its modern location. He was the son of Juan Lorenzo Vélez and Elvira Ortiz and born about 1540 in Almendralejo. He arrived in Puerto Rico around 1562 part of a Spanish fleet searching for El Dorado. He was accompanied by his brother, Juan Ortiz Vélez. He married Constanza Sánchez Ortiz y González de la Renta, the daughter of Miguel Sánchez Ortiz and Ana González de la Renta, in 1563 in Villa de Santa María de Guadianilla (near modern day Guayanilla). Rodrigo served as Alférez de la gente de a caballo in Guadianilla where on the beaches he defended the island from a French attack. In 1565, Rodrigo held his ground for more than 20 days and nights not allowing the French to land. In 1567, a native uprising destroyed the town of Guadianilla. The town was burned, horses were killed, Rodrigo's son was captured by natives before being killed, and Rodrigo's home was burned and looted.

In response to the constant attacks from the French and natives, the Spanish crown ordered that the population of Santa María de Guadianilla to move to the new Villa de San Germán en las Lomas de Santa Marta. Here Rodrigo became Alcalde Ordinario of the new settlement and continued to operate as a military officer with a promotion to Capitán. He defended against the French another time in 1576 in Guadianilla.

Rodrigo died in either 1607 or 1608. In 1612, Rodrigo's son Juan Lorenzo Vélez arrived in his father's hometown of Almendralejo in the name of his mother, Constanza Ortiz, and made a declaration of sale of goods. In 1620, Constanza Ortiz gave her final will and testament stating she was the widow of Rodrigo Ortiz Vélez.

Rodrigo Ortiz Vélez is the ancestor of the Ortiz de la Renta family through his daughter Isabel González de la Renta, the Vélez del Rosario through his son Francisco Vélez, and the Rodríguez Borrero through his daughter Juana Martín Vélez.

Descendants

  1. A son who was killed by natives in 1567

  2. Juan Lorenzo Vélez

  3. Francisco Vélez

  4. Juana Martín Vélez married Antonio Rodríguez Borrero

    1. Regidor y Alcalde Juan Ortiz Vélez Borrero married Leonor Ortega

      1. Capitán y Alcalde Juan Ortiz Vélez Borrero

  5. Isabel González de la Renta married Alonso González de la Renta

    1. Alonso​ Ortiz de la Renta married María de Montalvo

      1. Alonso Ortiz de la Renta y Montalvo married Constanza de Torres Quiñones

        1. José Ortiz de la Renta y Torres Quiñones married Clara de Vivera​

          1. Félix Ortiz de la Renta y Vivera married (1) Petronila de Rivera (2) Petronila Nazario de Figueroa

            1. José Ortiz de la Renta​ y Nazario de Figueroa married María Cayetana de Irizarry y Pabón Dávila

              1. Juan Manuel Ortiz de la Renta e Irizarry​ married María José de la Seda y López de Victoria

                1. Juan de la Paz Ortiz de la Renta y ​de la Seda married Juana Celedonia de Lugo y Olanda

                  1. Juan Cancio Ortiz Lugo married (1) Josefa Feliu Torres (2) Matilde Romeu Marti​

      2. María Ortiz de la Renta y Montalvo married German Martín de Quiñones

      3. Adrián Ortiz de la Renta y Montalvo married Graciana Rodríguez

      4. Teniente de Capitán Juan Ortiz de la Renta y Montalvo married (1) Petronila de Montlavo (2) Juana de Torres y Figueroa

        1. Martín​ Ortiz de la Renta y Montalvo married Ana Sánchez de Cádiz

        2. Juana Ortiz de la Renta y Montalvo

        3. Margarita Ortiz de la Renta y Montalvo married Francisco Antonio Jusino

        4. Diego Ortiz de la Renta y Montalvo

        5. Clara Ortiz de la Renta y Montalvo married Manuel de Jesus Pacheco de Matos

        6. María Ortiz de la Renta y Montalvo married Sargento Mayor Domingo Rodríguez de la Seda

        7. Nicolás Ortiz de la Renta y Montalvo married Margarita Cintrón

          1. Maria​ Ortiz de la Renta y Cintrón

          2. Dominga Ortiz de la Renta y Cintrón

          3. Mauricio Ortiz de la Renta y Cintrón

          4. Micaela Ortiz de la Renta y Cintrón married Manuel Negrón y Lugo

          5. Cayetano Ortiz de la Renta y Cintrón

          6. Tomasa Ortiz de la Renta y Cintrón married Juan de Rivera

          7. Rosa Ortiz de la Renta y Cintrón

          8. Raimunda Ortiz de la Renta y Cintrón

          9. Manuel Felipe Ortiz de la Renta y Cintrón married Petrona Nazario de Figueroa

            1. Vicente Ortiz de la Renta y Nazario de Figueroa married Juana Manuela Ortiz de la Renta y Vélez del Rosario

              1. Felipa de Jesús Ortiz de la Renta y Ortiz de la Renta

              2. Ramona Valentina Ortiz de la Renta y Ortiz de la Renta

              3. María de la O Ortiz de la Renta y Ortiz de la Renta

              4. María Juliana Ortiz de la Renta y Ortiz de la Renta

          10. Tomás Ortiz de la Renta y Cintrón married María de la Concepción Vélez del Rosario

            1. Juana Ortiz de la Renta y Vélez del Rosario

            2. María de los Angeles Ortiz de la Renta y Vélez del Rosario

            3. Juan Francisco Ortiz de la Renta y Vélez del Rosario

            4. Juana Manuela Ortiz de la Renta y Vélez del Rosario married Vicente Ortiz de la Renta y Nazario de Figueroa

            5. Juan Victor Ortiz de la Renta y Vélez del Rosario married Gregoria de Almodóvar y Rodríguez

              1. María Francisca​ Ortiz de la Renta y Almodóvar married Lucas Gallardo y Gonzalez

              2. María del Pilar Ortiz de la Renta y Almodóvar married Juan Ramon Ortiz de la Renta y Lugo

              3. Tomás José Ortiz de la Renta y Almodóvar

              4. Juan Francisco Ortiz de la Renta y Almodóvar

              5. Leonarda Ortiz de la Renta y Almodóvar married Pedro Cordero

            6. Marcos Ortiz de la Renta y Vélez del Rosario

          11. Bernardino Ortiz de la Renta​

            1. Atanasio Ortiz de la Renta married María Rita Torres​ y Jusino

              1. José Loreto​ Ortiz de la Renta y Torres

              2. Eduardo Ortiz de la Renta y Torres

              3. Ignacio Ortiz de la Renta y Torres

              4. Josefa Ortiz de la Renta y Torres

              5. Carmen Ortiz de la Renta y Torres

              6. María Nemesia Ortiz de la Renta y Torres

        8. Matías Ortiz de la Renta y Montalvo

        9. Juana Josefa Ortiz de la Renta y Montalvo married Diego Rodríguez de la Seda

        10. Juana Bautista Ortiz de la Renta y Torres de Figueroa married Luis Rodríguez de la Seda y Rodríguez

        11. Juan Alexos Ortiz de la Renta y Torres de Figueroa

        12. Juana Ortiz de la Renta y Torres de Figueroa

        13. Antonia Ortiz de la Renta y Torres de Figueroa married Juan Collazo

        14. Petronila Ortiz de la Renta y Torres de Figueroa married Gaspar de Torres y Figueroa y Rivera

    2. Juan Ortiz de la Renta married Juana de Matos Maldonado

    3. Diego José Ortiz de la Renta

    4. Cristobal Ortiz de la Renta married Maria de Villanueva

Timeline

  • 1540 - Born in Alemandralejo.

  • c. 1562 - Arrives in Puerto Rico with his brother.

  • c. 1563 - Married Constanza Sánchez Ortiz

  • 1577 - Probanza de Rodrigo Ortiz Vélez

  • 1596 - Juicio de Residencia

  • 1607-1608 - Dies in Puerto Rico

Sources

  • Hereditas, Vol. 20, N. 2, 2019; Rodrigo Ortiz Vélez. Una Revaluacion Genealogica by Ricardo Vélez Acevedo

  • Lluch Mora, Francisco; Catologo de Inscripciones Demografico Sacramentales y de orta Indole del Linaje Puertorriqueño Ortiz de la Renta

  • Lluch Mora, Francisco; Fundacion de la Villa de San German en las Lomas de Santa Marta