How the adventurous Italian Schiapapría family became Nuevo León's 'Chapas'

When Pánfilo Narváez and Álvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca landed on Texas soil in 1528, they paved the way for other explorers. One such adventurer, conqueror and historian was an Italian named Juan Bautista Chapa (1631-1695), and Italian whose original surname was "Schiapapría" or "Chiapapría." He later changed it to "Chapa," perhaps so people in the New World could pronounce it better.

He was born to Bartolomé Schiapapría and Bastestina Badi in la Villa de Arbisola, in Genoa, Italy. He had two brothers, Nicolás and Franco. Nicolás became a religious brother in Spain, and Franco passed away early in life, leaving Juan Bautista the sole heir to his parents’ land. This he donated to an uncle named Juan Schiapapría, and then set sail for New Spain. He arrived in Monterrey during the last few weeks in the year 1650.

Many other Italians had arrived in the "Nuevo Reino de León" during those early years of conquest and colonization, and we have evidence of such names and surnames as Cavassos, Cavassoni (Cavazos); Juseppe Cantú (Cantú); Treminio (Treviño). These and other Italians became prominent players in the affairs of Nuevo León during the 17^th Century.

After Juan Bautista Chapa arrived in the Kingdom of Nuevo León, he served as secretary to the cabildo (city) of Cadereyta, Nuevo León. He also served as secretary to Capt. Alonso de León, who later became known as the Explorer of Texas. He also served under de León in various skirmishes against the Indians of the area, and in de León’s attempt to oust the French from Texas in 1686.

Upon his arrival in Nuevo León, he was granted land to build his home and raise cattle. In the year 1653, he married Doña Beatriz Treviño de Olivares, daughter of the prominent and wealthy Juan de Olivares, an eminent Nuevo León soldier, miner and property owner who resided in what is now known as the Villa de Marín.

Juan Bautista Chapa traveled in high places within the politics of the times in Nuevo León. He served various governors and other distinguished administrators, was secretary to Gov. Don Martín de Zavala, Lt. Governor Don Roque V. de Buitrago, and Gov. Don León de Alza, all of which gave him access and allowed him to participate in many areas of government businesses. He also was administrator of the estate of Gov. Don Nicolás de Azcárraga, with whom he enjoyed an excellent friendship.

In 1686, the Viceroy Marqués de la Laguna organized one of several expeditions into Texas in which Chapa served as secretary to Captain Alonso de León, with whom he had developed a strong friendship during his years in Cadereyta. Capt. de León later was named governor and captain of Coahuila, and we know that Chapa followed him as his personal secretary. Chapa also participated in the second and third expeditions into Texas, and in one of his chronicles he admits to having reached the river they called Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe. He also chronicled that he participated in the discovery of the Bahía de Espíritu Santo.