Juan Bautista Chapa was an explorer and historian on the frontier of Mexico. He was born near Genoa, Italy in 1627 and as young man made his way to Monterrey, Nuevo Leon. He was part of the expedition with Alonso de Leon to search for french man René Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle in Texas. He was married to doña Beatris de Olivares. He died in 1695.
