  BY LEMUEL SHATTUCK, ESQ. Explanation of the Plan in preparing the Memoir. In the following Memoir the numbers inserted in the parentheses on the left, are the numbers of the paragraphs, each, generally, containing a notice of one entire family. The Roman numbers immediately after indicate the generation of the family, including the first person named. The descendants are doubly numbered—first in consecutive order, and secondly by each family separately. The figures in brackets after the name refer back to these numbers of the descendants, indicating the family and connections to which the individual belongs. The numbers inserted in the parentheses on the right, against the name of a child, show the subsequent paragraph where a notice of the family of such child may be found. It is impossible to present a memoir of this kind, which shall be entirely free from error, perfect and complete. In existing families, births, marriages, and deaths, are constantly occurring, and in more ancient ones new facts are often discovered. Such facts it is desirable to have entered; and such a plan as would allow their insertion without re-writing the memoir will be preferred. By leaving some space in the original entries, the plan admits of correction, amplification, and extension, without marring its simplicity and beauty. MEMOIR.(1) All by the name of Minot in America are supposed to have descended from George Minot, whose posterity forms the subject of this Memoir. There was a Thomas Minot, probably a brother, who was a proprietor of Barbadoes in 1638, but I can neither trace his history, nor ascertain that he left posterity. None of the name could be found in the New York or Philadelphia Directories for 1846. The family are all descended from Thomas Minot, Esq., Secretary to the Abbot of Walden, England, by whom he was advanced to great possessions. FIRST GENERATION.(2) I. Elder George Minot was the son of Thomas Minot, Esq., of Saffron-Walden, Essex, England, and was b. Aug. 4, 1594. He was among the first Pilgrim emigrants to Massachusetts, and the first settlers of Dorchester. His place of residence was near Neponset Bridge, and he owned the land which has been known as "Squantum." He was made a freeman in 1634, and represented the town in 1635 and 1636. He was a ruling elder in the church thirty years, and d. Dec. 24, 1671, in the 78th year of his age. He left a will, which is recorded in the Suffolk Records, Vol. VII. p. 189. The inventory of his estate amounted to £277. 7. 7. "His death," say the records, "was much lamented by the town, whose weal he sought and liberties defended." He was a cotemporary with Elder Humphrey; and it is said the following lines were once to be found on a gravestone in the ancient burying-ground in Dorchester:— Here lie the bodies of Unite Humphrey and Shining Minot, Such names as these, they never die not. Mr. Minot's wife, Martha, d. in Dorchester, Dec. 23, 1657, a. 60. He left the following children;
SECOND GENERATION.(3) II. Capt. John Minot [2—1] was m. by Governor Dudley to Lydia Butler of Dorchester, May 19, 1647. She d. Jan. 24, 1667, at the birth of her sixth child. He m. a second time Mary Biggs of Boston, widow of John Biggs who d. in 1666, and the daughter of John Dasset. He d. in Dorchester, Aug. 12, 1669, a. 43. She d. about 1677. They both left wills. His is recorded in Suffolk Records, Vol. VI. p. 39, and hers, Vol. VI. p. 262. His estate was prized at £978. 5. An anecdote in relation to John Minot is found in Dwight's Travels, Vol. III. p. 125, and in Hutchinson's Hist. Mass. Vol. I. p. 288. He left the following children;
(4) II. James Minot [3—2] d. in Dorchester, March 30, 1676, a. 48. He left no will. His estate was prized at £555. 18. 6. He m. 1st, Dec. 9, 1653, Hannah Stoughton, dau. of Col. Israel Stoughton, and sister of the Hon. Wm. Stoughton, Lieut. Gov. of Massachusetts. She was b. April, 1637, admitted to the church, 1662, and d. March 12, 1670, a. 33. He m. 2nd, Hephzibah Corlet, sister of Arnis Corlet, May 21, 1673, in Cambridge. After Mr. Minot's death, she m. Daniel Champney, June 4, 1684. Mr. Minot had the following children;
(5) II. Stephen Minot [4—3] d. in Dorchester, Feb. 16, 1671, a. 40, intestate, leaving an estate of £651. 4. 7. He m. Truccrosse Davenport, Nov. 10, 1654. She d. Aug. 3, 1692, a. 58. They had
(6) II. Samuel Minot [5—4] d. in Dorchester, Dec. 18, 1690. He m. Hannah Howard, June 23, 1670. They had two children;
THIRD GENERATION.(7) III. John Minot [6—1] d. Jan. 26, 1690. His will is recorded in the Suffolk Records, Vol. VII. p. 64. His estate was prized at £680. 17. He m. Elisabeth Brick, March 11, 1670, who d. April 6, 1690. They both d. in Dorchester of the small-pox. Their children were
(8) III. James Minot, Esq., [7—2] was b. Sept. 14, 1653, and graduated at H. C. in 1675. He studied divinity and physic. He kept the grammar-school in Dorchester in 1679, but soon after removed to Concord, where he was employed as a teacher and physician. In 1685, he was hired to preach in Stow, "for 12. 6 per day, one half cash and one half Indian corn;" and again in 1686 for "what older towns had given their ministers—£13 for 13 sabbaths." In 1692 he had another application to preach there, which he declined. Relinquishing the profession soon after, he was appointed Justice of the Peace in 1692, and a Captain of the militia, then offices of much distinction. He represented the town several years in General Court, was much employed in various public trusts, and distinguished himself for his talents and excellent character. He d. Sept. 20, 1735, a. 83. He m. Rebecca, dau. of Capt. Timothy Wheeler, the founder of the ministerial fund in Concord, and inherited the homestead of his father-in-law, near the residence of the Hon. Daniel Shattuck, where he d. She d. Sept. 23, 1734, a. 68. The following are the epitaphs on the gravestones erected to their memories, now standing in the "Hill Burying-Ground," in Concord. Here is interred the remains of James Minott, Esq., A. M. an Excelling Grammarian, Enriched with the Gift of Prayer and Preaching, a Commanding Officer, a Physician of Great Value, a Great Lover of Peace as well as of Justice, and which was His greatest Glory, a Gent'n of distinguished Virtue and Goodness, happy in a Virtuous Posterity, and living Religiously, Died Comfortably, Sept. 20, 1735, Æt. 83. Here is interred the body of Mrs Rebecca Minott ye virtuous Consort of James Minott Esq. (and daughter of Capt. Timothy Wheeler) She was a person of Serious piety and abounding charity, of great usefulness in Her Day, and a pattern of Patience and holy Submission under a long Confinement, and resigned Her Soul with Joy in her Redeemer Sept 23, 1734 aged 68. The following were children of James Minot, Esq.;
In the above family, two sisters married two brothers by the name of Barrett; two other sisters married brothers by the name of Adams; a brother and a sister married a brother and sister by the name of Lane, and two were born the same day and married the same day. There are few parents who have so great reason to be "happy in a virtuous posterity," as had these. One son was a minister, another was a deacon, and eight of the grandchildren were deacons or married to deacons; several were clergymen or married to clergymen. Very many of the great-grandchildren sustained the same offices, or were otherwise distinguished in military, civil, or religious life. A large proportion of those who arrived at mature age professed religion; and the succeeding and numerous families were among the most respected, useful, and influential in the towns in which they lived. Very many distinguished men descended from them; among whom were Rev. Stephen and Hon. Timothy Farrar of New Ipswich, N. H., Roger Minot Sherman, of Fairfield, Ct., and several eminent physicians by the name of Adams; and Hon. Roger Sherman, and several other distinguished men of New Haven married descendants. (9) III. Stephen Minot [9—4] d. in Sudbury street, Boston. He left a will, recorded in Suffolk Records, Vol. XXXI. p. 82. He was a merchant and member of Brattle Street Church; married Mary Clark, dau. of Capt. Christopher Clark, Dec. 1, 1686. They had the following children;
(10) III. Samuel Minot [10—5] m. Hannah Jones of Concord. He d. young, and his only son Jonathan Minot was in Concord, in 1707, being then 14 years old, when he chose his uncle John Minot of Dorchester his guardian. (11) III. James Minot [15—4] lived in Concord, where he m. Rebecca Jones, Feb. 9, 1688. She was the dau. of John Jones. He d. leaving one son, and she m. for her second husband Capt. Joseph Bulkeley, March 9, 1696, by whom she had several children. She d. July 12, 1712, a. 50. Two of her children, Rebecca and Dorothy, mentioned below, were by Capt. Bulkeley, her second husband, and are therefore not numbered with the Minot Family, not being descendants. That there may be no misunderstanding, their surname is inserted.
About 1725 Jonathan Minot of Westford, (then part of Chelmsford,) and Joseph Hubbard sold to Thomas Jones of Concord, "the whole of the right of their mother, Rebecca Bulkeley, deceased in Acton, allowed to the heirs of her father John Jones, and to Dorothy Hunt, deceased, the former wife of Samuel Hunt, one of the heirs of Rebecca Bulkeley." Joseph Hubbard was the ancestor of most of the name in Concord. FOURTH GENERATION.(12) IV. John Minot [26—1] m. Mary Baker of Dorchester, where he lived as a farmer. She d. Feb. 18, 1717. He m. for his 2nd wife Hannah Endecott, Nov. 14, 1717, and d. soon after. His wife administered on the estate, prized at £1221. He had the following children all by his first wife;
(13) IV. Capt. Joseph Barrett, son of Dea. Humphrey Barrett, and a grandson of Humphrey Barrett, who came from England to Concord ab. 1640, b. in Concord, Jan. 31, 1678, m. Rebecca Minot [31—1] Dec. 27, 1701. He was a farmer and lived where Abel B. Haywood now [1847] lives. He d. April 4, 1736, a. 58. She d. June 23, 1738, a. 53. Their children were
(14) IV. Capt. Benjamin Barrett, brother of the preceding, b. May 7, 1681, m. Lydia Minot [32—2] Jan. 3, 1705. He was a farmer, and lived in Concord, where James Barrett now (1847) lives, and where he d. of the pleurisy fever, Oct. 28, 1728, a. 47. His widow m. Samuel Stow. Mr. Barrett had the following children;
(15) IV. Rev. Timothy Minot [34—4] gr. H. C. 1718, m. 1. Mary Brooks, who d. Feb. 15, 1760, a. 61, and "her name," says the record of her death, "is like precious ointment." His 2nd wife was widow Beulah Brown of Sudbury, who d. April 13, 1786, a. 92. He d. Nov. 30, 1778, a. 86. A biographical notice of this distinguished man is given in Shattuck's History of Concord, p. 244. He gr. H. C. 1718. His children were
(16) IV. Hon. James Minot [35—5] d. in Concord, Feb. 6, 1759, a. 64. He m. 1. Martha Lane of Billerica, Nov. 14, 1716. She d. Jan. 18, 1735, a. 40. He m. 2. Elisabeth Merrick of Brookfield, in 1736. She d. Jan. 26, 1746. He m. a third wife, but her name is not recorded. The following epitaph is copied from his gravestone in the "Hill Burying-Ground," in Concord; and tradition awards to him all the praise it pays to his distinguished character. He held a military commission thirty years. Here lye the remains of Col. James Minott Esqr. who departed this life Feb. 6, 1759 in the 65th year of his age. He was of Honl. Descent, early improved & advanced in Civil and Military Affairs. Divers years Represented this Town at the General Court was a Justice of the Peace, and one of the Hon. His Majesties Council for many years, which Offices he Sustained until his death. In all which Stations and relations of life he behaved as the Christian, the Patriot, and the benevolent friend, and as he merrited so he was much loved and honored in his life and Lamented at his death. Memento mori. The following were the children of Hon. James Minot, the first three by his first, and the last two by his second wife;
(17) IV. Capt. Daniel Adams lived in the south part of Lincoln, then within the limits of Concord, on the road from Waltham to Stow, where he d. Feb. 9, 1780, a. 90. He was the son of Joseph, and grandson of John Adams, one of the eight sons of Henry of Quincy. He m. Elisabeth Minot, [36—6] April 23, 1715. She d. Nov. 12, 1764, a. 67. They had the following children;
These individuals had 69 children, averaging eight and five eighths each. (18) IV. John Adams, a brother of the above, lived near the centre of Lincoln, where he d. Oct. 25, 1725, a. 28. He was buried in "Hurd Burying-Ground" in Concord. He married Love Minot, [38—8] sister to his brother's wife. They had two children.
(19) IV. Capt. Samuel Dakin was b. in Concord and lived in Sudbury. He went as commander of a military company, commissioned by Governor Pownall, and was slain in a battle with the French and Indians at Half Way Brook, near Lake George, July 20, 1758. He m. Mercy Minot, [39—9] Dec. 13, 1732. Their children were
(20) IV. Dea. Samuel Minot [40—10] was a deacon in the Concord church, where he d. March 17, 1766. He m. 1. Sarah Prescott of Westford, March 7, 1732, who d. in childbirth, March 22, 1737, a. 24, having had three children. He m. 2. Dorcas Prescott, sister of his first wife, in 1738. She d. June 16, 1803, a. 91. They had the following children; (21) IV. Stephen Minot [42—2] lived in Boston. He m. for his first wife Sarah, eldest daughter of Col. Francis Wainwright. They lived together ten months, when she d., Oct. 21, 1711, in childbirth, leaving one child, Stephen. He m. for his second wife, Mary, daughter of Capt. John Brown of Marblehead, Jan. 1, 1713. They had the following children;
(22) IV. Jonathan Minot [54—1] lived in Westford, where he d. He m. Elisabeth Stratton of Concord, Jan. 26, 1714, by whom he had children.
(To be continued.) |
|
