John Miner Sr (bef. 1635 - 1719)

Born before 30 Aug 1635 in Charlestown, Middlesex, Massachusetts

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth (Booth) Miner — married 14 Oct 1658 in Stratford, Fairfield County, Connecticut

Descendants

Died 17 Sep 1719 after age 84 in Woodbury, Fairfield, Connecticut

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Biography

John Miner, son of Thomas and Grace (Palmer) Miner, was baptized Aug 30, 1635 at Charlestown, Massachusetts.^[1]

John married Elizabeth Booth, 19 Oct 1658, at Stratford, Connecticut.^[2][3]

John Miner died 17 Sep 1719 in Woodbury, Linchfield, Connecticut, USA ^[4][5]

from History of Ancient Woodbury, Connecticut... By William Cothren^[6]:

"First among the settlers, men of note in Woodbury, and foremost in all difficult undertakings, was John Minor, an interpreter to the Indians, a justice of the quorum among the magistrates, a captain in the militia, and a deacon in the church. He was also a surveyor, a necessary and important character in a new country. All the Indian deeds in this region were executed before him, from his being able to act as interpreter. He was town-clerk of Stratford for ten years from 1666, with the exception of a year, and held the same office in Woodbury for thirty years from its beginning. he was also, for twenty years, almost always a member of the General Court, held an influential position there, and was frequently appointed on committees for the composing of serious differences and the solving of difficult questions. Early in life he acquired a good knowledge of the Indian dialects, and conversed in them with ease and fluency. In consequence of this, the rulers of the Colony wished to prepare him for a preacher of the gospel to the Indians. In accordance with which desire, the General Court, Sept. 14th, 1654, expressed by positive action,

"Whereas, Notwithstanding former provision made for the conveyance of the knowledge of God to the Natives amongst us, little hath hitherto beene attended through want of an able Interpreter, this Courte being earnestly desirous to promote and further what lyes in them a worke of that nature, wherein the glory of God & the euerlasting welfare of those poore, lost, naked sonnes of Adam is so deeply concerned, doe order that Thomas Mynor, of Pequott shall bee wrott unto this Courte & desired that hee would forthwith send his sonne John Mynor to Hartford, where this Courte will provide for his maintenance & schooling, to the end hee may bee for the present assistant to such elder, elders or others, as this Courte shall appoint, to interprett the things of God to ye as hee shall bee directed and in the meane time fitt himselfe to be instrumentall that way as God shall fitt & incline him thereunto for the future."(1 - Trumball's Col. Rec., 265.))"

Upon the 23d of Sept., 1654, the subject was brought before the Commssioners of the United Colonies, and they enacted,

"Vpon a motion made to ye Commissioners by Capt Cullick from the Generall Courte of Connecticott, to take into yr consideration ye instruction of ye Indians in theire Jurisdiction, in ye knowledge of God, and their desire yt John Minor might be entertained as an interpreter, to communicate to ye said Indians those instructions weh shall be delivered my Mr Stone, Mr Newton, or any other allowed by the Courte, and allso yt ye said Minor may be further instructed and fitted by Mr Stone to bee ameete instrument to carry on the worke of propagating ye Gospel to ye Indians, ye Commissioners conceiving ye said propositions to be much conducing to ye propogating yt hopeful work, doe desire ye Magistrates of Connecticott to take care yt ye said Minor bee entertained at Mr Stones, or some other meet place, and they shall order yt due allowance bee made for his dyet and education out of the Corporation Stock."(2 - Rec. U. Colonies.)

Under this action, both John Minor and John, son of Thomas Stanton, were received and kept at school and college for two or three years. Minor lived with Mr. Stone for some time after, and acted as interpreter for him when he preached to the Indians. But he did not follow out the plan of his patrons. What induced him to turn his attention to other affairs, does not appear. he became, however, an honorable and useful citizen, turning his knowledge of the Indian tongue and his education to good account. He died at an advanced age, and was buried in the south-west part of the ancient burying ground, but no stone remains to mark the spot - naught save a numerous posterity sleeping around him."

Family

John and Elizabeth had the following known children (all but the youngest were born in Stratford):^[7]

1. John, b Sep 9, 1659; d Mar 13, 1731; m Sarah Rose
2. Thomas, b May 29, 1662; d June 15, 1722; m Hannah Curtis
3. Hannah, b Aug 2, 1664; d before May 1683
4. Elizabeth, b Jan 16, 1667/8; d Dec 19, 1749; m Dea. Zechariah Walker of Woodbury
5. Grace, b Sept 20, 1670; d Apr 16, 1753; m Samuel Grant of Windsor Apr 11, 1688
6. Joseph, b Mar 4, 1672/3; d Oct 30, 1774 in his 102nd year; m Susanna Root Jul 12, 1710
7. Ephraim, b Oct 24, 1675; d Sept 16, 1762; m Rebecca Curtis Aug 21, 1701
8. Sarah, b June 19, 1678; m Stephen Curtis Nov 2, 1699
9. Abigail, b Feb 6, 1680/1; m (1) John Treadwell of Fairfield Feb 8, 1699; m (2) Lieut Richard Miles of New Haven Nov 22, 1721
10. Joanna, bp July 1683; d May 24, 1741; m Ens. William Gaylord of New Milford Feb 12, 1706/7

Probate

His will is dated 17 August 1719 and proved on 11 February 1719/20 at Fairfield. His date of death, 16 September 1719 is recorded in the heading of his inventory which was taken on 11 November 1719.^[8]

Notes

Note: Deputy for Stratford 1676, and for Woodbury, 1683-87, 1689, 1692, 1695-98, 1703, 1705, 1707-10; Captain, 1684 (no information as to captain of what); commissioner [Justice] 1679-87; 1689-97, Justice 1698-1719.

Note: Common Ancestor with Ulysses S. Grant

Note: p. 31 Ancestors of American Presidents.

Note: Booth Family, 1952, p 2-3

Sources

1. ↑ Selleck, page 5
2. ↑ Selleck, page 5
3. ↑ Source: #S190 Page: pg 511
4. ↑ Selleck, page 5
5. ↑ Roberts, p55
6. ↑ Cothren, William, History of Ancient Woodbury, Connecticut: From the First Indian Deed in 1659 ... Including the Present Towns of Washington, Southbury, Bethlem, Roxbury, and a Part of Oxford and Middlebury, Volume 1, Bronson Brothers, Bethlehem (Conn.), 1854: Available on GoogleBooks[1]
7. ↑ Selleck, pages 5-6
8. ↑ “Probate Records, v. 6-8, 1717-1750”, database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G92K-TKBX : 14 April 2021), , FHL microfilm 007627301, image 62-63, Fairfield, Fairfield, Connecticut, Vol 6, 1721-1750, Page 71-72

See also:

• Roberts, Gary Boyd, Ancestors of American Presidents, Published in Cooperation with the New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Massachusetts. Preliminary Edition by Carl Boyer, 3rd, Santa Clarita, California 1989. Also the 2009 edition. Footnote abbreviation: Roberts
• S190: Torrey, Clarence Almon. Torrey’s New England Marriages Prior to 1700 (Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc. Baltimore, 1985), pg 236
• Selleck, Lillian. One Branch of the Miner Family (D. L. Jacobus in New Haven, Connecticut, 1928) Page 5
• http://tmsociety.org/thomas/john/aqwg01.htm#401
• Minor, Thomas. Diary Of Thomas Minor, Stonington Connecticut, 1653 to 1684 (The Day Publishing Co., Conn., 1899) Page 31: Thursday, October 21, 1658 "John Minor was married at Stratford."

• Wheeler, Richard Anson. History of the Town of Stonington, County of New London, Connecticut, p. 466, no. 12: https://archive.org/stream/historyoftownofs00whee_1#page/n488/mode/1up

• Find A Grave: Memorial #129232212
• Barnes, Leon M., Barnes' Mortality Record of The Town of Woodbury (Leon M. Barnes, Woodbury, Connecticut, 1898) Page 9. Deaths:

• 1719, September 17, Capt. John Minor, Esq. 85