José Ignacio Quintón del Rosario is a Puerto Rican composer and musician. (Caguas, 1881 – Coamo, 1925) His family moved to Coamo when he was only two years old. He began his musical studies at a young age; his first teacher was his father, the Frenchman Don Juan Bautista Quintón y Luzón, a composer and organist with excellent knowledge of instrumentation and music theory, and a graduate of the Paris Conservatory of Music. Later, he studied with the noted Catalan pianist and composer Ernesto del Castillo.
Early Years
At the age of nine, he gave his first concert, and at eleven, he accompanied the famous Cuban violinist Brindis de Salas. Quintón, with complete confidence in himself from those first triumphs, is genuinely in love with his art. He devoted his efforts to studying and cultivating music in its varied forms. He even directed school and municipal bands and gave lessons in piano, violin, and other instruments.
Already in 1917, when they barely knew each other in Puerto Rico, he played pieces by Debussy, Ravel, Schoenberg, and other composers, of which he acquired extensive information through numerous musical magazines, which he read in English. A language that he patiently learned on his own. The sole purpose of being able to benefit intellectually from such readings.
Musical Contributions
Quinton was a prolific composer. Even in his first dances (which he wrote when he was still a teenager), such as “Confia,” “Mi Estrella,” “Amor Imposible,” and others, he noticed the desire to innovate that he experienced throughout his career. In addition to dance, he cultivated other genres and won numerous awards in local competitions. “Quartet for stringed instruments,” “Variations on a Hummel theme,” “Overture,” and “Triumphal March” are some of his award-winning works. He also wrote waltzes, marches, nocturnes, religious music, and several masses, the most notable being a “Requiem Mass” in posthumous tribute to the Puerto Rican composer Ángel Mislán.
He excelled as a pianist, both for his refined technique and for his interpretative gifts; he was very skilled with the left hand and the use of the pedal, as well as a great reader, able to read and transport at first sight, without hesitation, any piano piece, no matter how complicated its structure.
As far as Puerto Rican dance is concerned, Quintón, as in Tavárez and Morel, prevailed in a deep concern to make this a concert piece, and he did not omit any effort to bring to reality that purpose. His series of “Concert Dances” is remarkable, in which he showed off his musical knowledge and skills. However, his most popular and recognized dance was “El coquí,” a dance of simple melody and harmonic progression. In it, maestro Quintón used an obstinate theme of octaves that imitated the singing of this batracio that has become a symbol of Puerto Rico.
- Source: El Coqui, performed by Luciano Quiñones (YouTube Video)
- Translated into English, see source below.
Genealogy
Ancestors of José Ignacio Quintin del Rosario
Generation 1
1. José Ignacio Quintón del Rosario, son of Juan Bautista Quintón y Luson and Rita Filomena del Rosario y Serrano, was born on February 1, 1881, in Caguas, Puerto Rico. He died on December 19, 1925, in Coamo, Puerto Rico.
He and Virginia Ramona Negrón Negrón had a daughter, María Luisa Quintón Negrón, born in Coamo. José Ignacio and Virginia were not married.
Virginia was born on June 1, 1870, in Coamo to Don Cándido Negrón and María Reyes Negrón. Born outside marriage, she was subsequently legitimized when her parents married on May 11, 1878. The record describes her mother as mestiza or parda libre. View her parents’ marriage record.
Research note: The marriage record gives Cándido’s age as 49 and María Reyes’s as 73. If María Reyes’s reported age were accurate, she would have been approximately 65 when Virginia was born in 1870. This apparent discrepancy warrants further investigation, and her recorded age should be treated with caution.
2. Juan Bautista Quintón y Luson, son of Juan Quintin and María Ynés Luson, was born about 1846 in Angers, Maine-et-Loire, Pays de la Loire, France. He died on September 23, 1915, in Coamo, Puerto Rico.
On June 3, 1876, he married Rita Filomena del Rosario y Serrano, daughter of Eugenio del Rosario and María Fermina Serrano Cortés, in Caguas, Puerto Rico.
Source: Caguas marriage register, Book 10, image 90, folio 285 verso.
3. Rita Filomena del Rosario Y Serrano, daughter of Eugenio del Rosario and María Fermina Serrano Cortés was born about 1854 in Caguas, Puerto Rico. She died on 13 Dec 1924 in Coamo, Puerto Rico. Rita Filomena del Rosario Y Serrano and Juan Bautista Quintin Y Luson had the following
Children of Juan Bautista Quintón y Luson and Rita Filomena del Rosario y Serrano
i. María Inocencia Quintón y del Rosario was born on December 28, 1875, in Caguas, Puerto Rico.
ii. Juan Antonio Quintón y del Rosario was born on July 9, 1878, in Caguas, Puerto Rico.
1. iii. José Ignacio Quintón del Rosario was born on February 1, 1881, in Caguas, Puerto Rico, and baptized on August 15, 1881. He died on December 19, 1925, in Coamo, Puerto Rico. His death appears in the Coamo death register for 1923–1933, entry 348, folio 318. View his baptismal record.
José Ignacio and Virginia Negrón Negrón, whose surname also appears in these research notes as possibly Reyes, had a daughter outside marriage. Virginia was born on June 1, 1870, in Coamo. View Virginia’s birth record.
Their daughter, María Luisa Quintón Negrón, was born on December 2, 1894, in Coamo, Puerto Rico. View María Luisa’s birth record.
iv. María Fausta Quintón y del Rosario was born on October 3, 1883, in Caguas, Puerto Rico. On December 26, 1918, she married Felipe Olivieri y Rivera in Ponce, Puerto Rico. He was born about 1890.
v. Luis Rafael Tito Quintón y del Rosario was born on January 4, 1888, in Caguas, Puerto Rico.
vi. Ramón Quintón y Rosario was born on November 29, 1889, in Caguas, Puerto Rico. He died on September 15, 1934, in Coamo, Puerto Rico. On January 4, 1921, he married María Dolores Cartagena Negrón in Coamo. She was born in Barros, Puerto Rico, and died in Coamo.
Generation 3
4. Juan Quintón was born about 1820 in France, where he also died. He married María Ynés Luson.
5. María Ynés Luson was born about 1820 in Angers, Maine-et-Loire, Pays de la Loire, France.
Juan Quintón and María Ynés Luson had the following child:
2. i. Juan Bautista Quintón y Luson was born about 1846 in Angers, Maine-et-Loire, Pays de la Loire, France. He died on September 23, 1915, in Coamo, Puerto Rico. On June 3, 1876, he married Rita Filomena del Rosario y Serrano, daughter of Eugenio del Rosario and María Fermina Serrano Cortés, in Caguas, Puerto Rico. She was born about 1854 in Caguas and died on December 13, 1924, in Coamo.
Source: Caguas marriage register, Book 10, image 90, folio 285 verso.
6. Eugenio del Rosario, son of Luis del Rosario and Juana Guadalupe (name uncertain), was born about 1830 in Caguas, Puerto Rico. In 1849, he married María Fermina Serrano Cortés, daughter of José María Serrano Ortiz and María del Carmen Cortés Cortés, in Caguas.
Source: Caguas marriage register, Book 8, Whites, image 286, entry 59, folio 21 verso. The record is damaged.
7. María Fermina Serrano Cortés, daughter of José María Serrano Ortiz and María del Carmen Cortés Cortés, was born about 1828 in Caguas, Puerto Rico. She died there on December 12, 1858.
Source: Caguas burial register, Book 13, 1854–1861, image 982, entry 1869, folio 291 (HL).
Eugenio del Rosario and María Fermina Serrano Cortés had the following child:
3. i. Rita Filomena del Rosario y Serrano was born about 1854 in Caguas, Puerto Rico. She died on December 13, 1924, in Coamo, Puerto Rico. On June 3, 1876, she married Juan Bautista Quintón y Luson, son of Juan Quintón and María Ynés Luson, in Caguas. He was born about 1846 in Angers, Maine-et-Loire, Pays de la Loire, France, and died on September 23, 1915, in Coamo.
Source: Caguas marriage register, Book 10, image 90, folio 285 verso.
Generation 4
12. Luis del Rosario was born about 1810 in Caguas, Puerto Rico. He married Juana Guadalupe, whose surname remains uncertain.
Research note: I have been unable to decipher Juana’s surname in the marriage record. I will update this section if further research clarifies the name.
13. Juana Guadalupe (surname uncertain) was born about 1810 in Caguas, Puerto Rico.
Luis del Rosario and Juana Guadalupe had the following child:
6. i. Eugenio del Rosario was born about 1830 in Caguas, Puerto Rico. In 1849, he married María Fermina Serrano Cortés, daughter of José María Serrano Ortiz and María del Carmen Cortés Cortés, in Caguas. She was born about 1828 in Caguas and died there on December 12, 1858.
Sources:
- Caguas marriage register, Book 8, Whites, image 286, entry 59, folio 21 verso. The record is damaged.
- Caguas burial register, Book 13, 1854–1861, image 982, entry 1869, folio 291 (HL).
14. José María Serrano Ortiz, son of Pedro Serrano and Francisca Ortiz, was born about 1790 in Caguas, Puerto Rico. On January 10, 1816, he married María del Carmen Cortés Cortés, daughter of Pedro Cortés Guzmán and Juana Cortés Martínez, in Caguas.
Source: Caguas marriage register, Book 3, image 653. Additional reference from the research notes: “80,5 273.”
15. María del Carmen Cortés Cortés, daughter of Pedro Cortés Guzmán and Juana Cortés Martínez, was born about 1790 in Caguas, Puerto Rico.
José María Serrano Ortiz and María del Carmen Cortés Cortés had the following child:
7. i. María Fermina Serrano Cortés was born about 1828 in Caguas, Puerto Rico. She died there on December 12, 1858. In 1849, she married Eugenio del Rosario, son of Luis del Rosario and Juana Guadalupe (surname uncertain), in Caguas. He was born about 1830 in Caguas.
Sources:
Caguas marriage register, Book 8, Whites, image 286, entry 59, folio 21 verso. The record is damaged.
Caguas burial register, Book 13, 1854–1861, image 982, entry 1869, folio 291 (HL).
Generation 5
28. Pedro Serrano was born about 1760 in Puerto Rico. He married Francisca Ortiz.
29. Francisca Ortiz married Pedro Serrano.
Pedro Serrano and Francisca Ortiz had the following child:
14. i. José María Serrano Ortiz was born about 1790 in Caguas, Puerto Rico. On January 10, 1816, he married María del Carmen Cortés Cortés, daughter of Pedro Cortés Guzmán and Juana Cortés Martínez, in Caguas. She was born about 1790 in Caguas.
Source: Caguas marriage register, Book 3, image 653. Additional reference from the research notes: “80,5 273.”
30. Pedro Cortés Guzmán, son of Cristóbal Cortés and Antonia Guzmán, was born about 1760 in Manatí, Puerto Rico. He married Juana Cortés Martínez.
31. Juana Cortés Martínez, daughter of Lázaro Cortés and Isabel Martínez, was born about 1760 in Manatí, Puerto Rico.
Pedro Cortés Guzmán and Juana Cortés Martínez had the following child:
15. i. María del Carmen Cortés Cortés was born about 1790 in Caguas, Puerto Rico. On January 10, 1816, she married José María Serrano Ortiz, son of Pedro Serrano and Francisca Ortiz, in Caguas. He was born about 1790 in Caguas.
Source: Caguas marriage register, Book 3, image 653. Additional reference from the research notes: “80,5 273.”
Generation 6
60. Cristóbal Cortés was born about 1740. He married Antonia Guzmán. His father is provisionally listed in my research notes as “Padre Cortés.”
61. Antonia Guzmán was born about 1740.
Cristóbal Cortés and Antonia Guzmán had the following child:
30. i. Pedro Cortés Guzmán was born about 1760 in Manatí, Puerto Rico. On March 25, 1788, he married Juana Cortés Martínez in Caguas, Puerto Rico. She was born about 1760 in Manatí.
Source — Caguas marriage register, Book 2 (1774–1804), entry 126, folio 126.
Research note — The marriage entry refers to a dispensation for consanguinity in the second degree. In my transcription, the entry appears to describe Pedro as Juana’s tío carnal (uncle by blood) and to list the bride’s father as a witness. I had previously interpreted the relationship as one between first cousins. Because that interpretation differs from the apparent wording of the entry, I consider the exact relationship between Pedro and Juana, and the proposed sibling relationship between Cristóbal and Lázaro, unresolved pending a review of the full dispensation.
62. Lázaro Cortés was born about 1740 in Manatí, Puerto Rico. He married Isabel Martínez. His father is provisionally listed in my research notes as “Padre Cortés.”
63. Isabel Martínez was born about 1740 in Manatí, Puerto Rico.
Lázaro Cortés and Isabel Martínez had the following child:
31. i. Juana Cortés Martínez was born about 1760 in Manatí, Puerto Rico. On March 25, 1788, she married Pedro Cortés Guzmán, son of Cristóbal Cortés and Antonia Guzmán, in Caguas, Puerto Rico. He was born about 1760 in Manatí.
Source — Caguas marriage register, Book 2 (1774–1804), entry 126, folio 126.
This genealogical research was conducted by Hijos de Coamo Puerto Rico (HijosdeCoamoPR). If you use or share any of these findings, please credit HijosdeCoamoPR and link to this article.
Source
- Fernández, Tomás and Tamaro, Elena. “Biography of José Ignacio Quintón”. In Biographies and Lives. The online biographical encyclopedia [Internet]. Barcelona, Spain, 2004.
- Church Records Index for Caguas and Coamo click here
- FamilySearch
- Ancestry
- YouTube
- Teresa de Castro LLombart (Transcription of Book 2 of Marriages, Caguas)
- Photo of home and Grave, courtesy of “El Hogar de la Danza Puertorriquña”
- https://ladanza.com/quinton.htm#english
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