Quiñones was born into a wealthy family of landowners in San Germán, Puerto Rico, and at a young age developed his lifelong love for literature and journalism.

[1] In 1865, the Spanish Crown requested from the municipalities of Puerto Rico recommendations for new laws and Quiñones was elected representative for San Germán.

Together with Segundo Ruiz Belvis and José Julián Acosta, he demanded the abolition of slavery in Puerto Rico and also protested over the injustices practiced by the governor General Romualdo Palacio González in the island.

[1] When Quiñones returned to the island, he joined the Puerto Rican Liberal Reformist Party and in 1871 was elected as representative in front of the Spanish Courts.

[1] On 13 September 1908, Quiñones died in San Germán and a private mourning the following day on the house floor was attended by Muñoz, José de Diego, Rosendo Matienzo Cintrón, R. Arrillaga, José R. Laurrauri, Pedro F. Colberg, Carlos H. Blondet, and V. Trelles Oliva; a public funeral was held at 7 P.M.[2] Among his most important written works of literature are Artículos (1887) and Apuntes para la Historia de Puerto Rico (1888).