Residence: Tumacácori

Race or Tribe:  Español

Notes:  Born in Hervas, Spain, in northern Extremadura, Padre Zúñiga  entered the Franciscan Order at the recollect convent of Santa María de Gracía in 1761.  He crossed the Atlantic with 37 other recruits in the Mission of 1769.  After only a few months at the College of Querétaro, he and several others left for Sonora to reinforce the overworked friars in the field.  Padre Zúñiga was sent to Tumacácori to take over from Gil de Bernabe who went to Aconchi to be cured of his ailments in the hot springs.  Zúñiga arrived at Tumacácori ahead of the summer rains in 1771.  He later left to relieve Padre Diego Martín García at San Ignacio where he served until 1780.  Broken in health he returned to Querétaro and then Spain.  In 1782 he petitioned the King to grant him the privileges of "predicador general" but his bid was denied because he had not served the required 14 years in the missions.