Francisco López de Osornio Merlo

Francisco López de Osornio Merlo (1681-17?) was an South American military captain and landowner.

Biography
Born September 7, 1681 in Buenos Aires, he was the son of Spanish Francisco López Osornio and Tomasa Merlo de la Mota- porteña. Francisco López married September 11, 1701 in Buenos Aires to María Gamiz de las Cuevas Álvarez Lasarte, and they had nine children: Domingo, Lorenzo, María, Tomasa, Juana, Justa, Faustina, Clemente and Pascual.

Francisco López de Osornio was Captain of a militia. These militias were engaged in protecting livestock and town from attacks by Indians. He, along with his brothers, inherited large acres of land, and they were one of the most powerful families in the 18th century during the Viceroyalty of Peru and the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata.