Antônio was born on July 27, 1803, as the son of Francisco Fernandes Lima and Isabel Francisca do Amor Divino.

He enlisted in 1819 in the 23rd Line Infantry Regiment before being transferred to the 4th Cavalry Corps of the National Guard.

Despite being warned about the invasion, Lima didn't expect the Paraguayan forces to arrive as quickly as the Press were reporting them to move at and only sent a meager 2,000 to defend the barracks which resulted in the Paraguayans capturing and looting the village.

[1] On July 30, 1866, Lima requested to continue his permit on his business house at São Borja along with his third wife, Maria Eulalia.

He spent his final years in the religious neighborhoods of Nossa Senhora da Conceição and Divino Espírito Santo at Itaqui and donated $500,000 for the construction of a new church before his death in 1875.