Gautier Benítez was born in Caguas, Puerto Rico to Rodulfo Gautier and the renowned Puerto Rican poet, Alejandrina Benitez de Gautier. His great - aunt, Maria Bibiana Benitez, was also a renowned Puerto Rican poet. Therefore, it was only natural for Gautier Benítez to be in constant contact with the world of literature and to develop a love for poetry at an early age. He was mostly influenced by the exponents of the Romantic poetry of the 19th century.

Gautier Benítez's father wanted him to take up a military career. In 1865, he was sent to military school in San Juan. When he graduated, he went to Madrid, Spain, where he continued his military education.

When Gautier Benítez returned to Puerto Rico from Spain, he found a job in the provincial government office. According to his military records, which can be found in the military archive of Segovia, between September 26 and November 8 of 1868, Gautier Benítez fought against the members of the "Revolution Committee of Puerto Rico" involved in "El Grito de Lares", a short lived independence revolt against Spanish rule in Puerto Rico.

In 1873 he joined the Liberal Reformist Party. Gautier Benítez became a principal force behind the creation of the Ateneo Puertorriqueño. In 1878 he became the co-founder, along with his friend Manuel de Elzabura, of the Puerto Rican Review. That same year he wrote his first poem A Puerto Rico (To Puerto Rico), which was highly acclaimed by his contemporaries as one of his greatest works. A Puerto Rico also received an award from the Ateneo.

In 1879, Gautier Benítez's mother, Alejandrina, died and he also became terminally ill with tuberculosis. He then retired to his house where he would live until his last days. José Gautier Benítez died in San Juan, at 32 years of age. He was laid to rest in Santa Maria Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery in Old San Juan.

Even though he wrote less than a hundred poems, his works were considered better in quality than the works of other Puerto Rican poets of the time. Gautier Benítez's verses, titled Poemas (Poems) were published posthumously in 1880.
Among his works are: A Puerto Rico (Ausencia) (To Puerto Rico (Absence)), A Puerto Rico (Regreso) (To Puerto Rico (Return)) and the following: Americana, El Manzanillo, Romance, Oriental, Zoraida, Un Sueño, Los Ojos De T., Como Tu Quieras, Deber De Amar, Ella y Yo, El Poeta, Las Aves De Paso, INSOMNIO, La Nave, La Barca, Enfermo, Un Encargo A Mis Amigos.