Born as Estevan Enrique "Steve" Bellán on October 1, 1849 in Havana, Cuba, he was sent, along with his brother, to New York City in 1866 to study at St. John's College, known today as Fordham University, which was common among Cuba's wealthy Catholic families [REF].
After graduating in 1868, at the age of 18, he joined the Union of Morrisania, a member of the NABBP that was based in New York City, in the area know known as The Bronx [REF].