Francisco Estevan Quintana
The saga of the Quintana family is a history lesson in itself. After the Cortez conquest of Mexico, expeditions to the north began in 1540 led by Francisco Vasquez de Coronado. In 1598 permission to establish a colony, in the area that is now New Mexico, was granted to Don Juan de Onate. The first colony was in San Gabriel (San Juan Pueblo). The Pueblo Indians revolted against the Spanish and they were expelled. It wasn’t until 1693 that Don Diego de Vargas retook Santa Fe. Among the earliest settlers were Miguel Quintana and his bride to be, Gertrudis Moreno de Trujillo. They settled in Santa Cruz (near Los Alamos). Their Grandson, Gregorio Anselmo Quintana, moved to Abiquiu.
Abiquiu in earlier times had been established as an outpost along with several other towns to protect the province. It was constantly under attack by warring nomadic tribes who apparently felt that the land should have been theirs. Gregorio had a son, Francisco Estevan Quintana, born 1801 in Abiquiu. Estevan married Maria Dolores de Luna of Abiquiu in 1823. They had a son Jose Maria in 1824. It is believed Maria Dolores died giving birth to Jose.
