THE LYON'S WHELPS DESCENDANTS OF THOMAS MINER 1608 - 1900 John A. Miner ~iner ~.!J. 1339 FOREWORD This book will be valuable to all Miners, whether they spell their name Miner or Minor; whether their names are included or not. If not here, and they are members of the family, early ancestors can be found with diligence and, frankly, plain hard work. As the completion of the book neared, people still asked about it, and if they belonged to the family, and were their names included. Many such requests were answered and their lines definitely connected. In other cases the queries came too late and the time for securing the informa­ tion needed so short that we, regrettably, had to disappoint these people. However, in order to give them at least a base from which to oper­ ate, I have included many such lines as previously drawn through the Sidney H. Miner manuscript and others. It is left in their hands to develop further. Our name is spelled MINER or MINOR. In most cases this is from choice as determined by early ancestors. In others, it is what has descended to them from the past. This may be somewhat of a moot point, but it was a question which caused Thomas to "write home about." The answer he received makes it clear that the "miner" form is correct. In any event, the only reason I did not print the name as each line or branch is accustomed, is because of the obvious confusion which would result, and my proofreading would be interminable. I sincerely wish it could have been otherwise. Macauley put the matter of "ancestor hunting" into sharp perspec- tive: "A people which takes no pride in noble achievements of remote ancestors, will never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote descendants." People in remote times have said much to us and if we have heard them at all, we have heard but dimly. A remote ancestor of mine, writing to his parents from the horror of the Civil War, made an observation which so many of us can echo today. In essence, our own "war" -- "the times" -- are really not much different when one thinks about it. Amos Luther Miner, writing in February 1863, said: "I often think of the wishes I used to wish when I was a little boy at home. When I have heard you and mother and old Jack Willson talking about the War of 1812. I used to wish that the United States would get in a fight so that I could have a chance to participate in it. Little did I think then that I should or that the war would be between ourselves. Now I wish not only but I hope and pray that this may shortly close ... " PREFACE "Thomas Miner was a prominent example of those men, who with their families, came to this country and fulfilled the purpose of time in creating in the new world a people of illimitable resources, jealous of personal rights, with brawny arms and fertile brain and with the unconquerable perseverance so characteristic of the pioneer settlers who attacked the forces of nature's wilderness that a nation might be built for the world to respect. 11 So noted the men who were responsible for the reprinting of Thomas' Diary, an important early history of his community covering the period from 1653 to 1684. Not unlike others covering the life of Thomas, they note that "Thomas came from Somersett County, Eng­ land, on the good ship Arbella, which landed at Salem, Massachusetts, the 14th day of June, 1630." Though there have been no records available anywhere to lend cre­ dence to these "facts'~ it can only be assumed that the many references Thomas made in his diary to the personal relationship he had with John Winthrop, Jr., led everyone to what must have been an obvious conclu­ sion. Over the years I, too, have conveniently "followed the leader." 11 1 Then came Banks' The Planters of The Commonwealth ~ a compila­ tion of the ships which carried passengers to the New World in those early days. The page in Banks' book which details this story is repro­ duced elsewhere in this book. In brief, he notes the following: 11 Lyon's Whelp, John Gibbs master. Sailed from Gravesend April 25, 1629, 'with about forty planters out of the Countyes of Dorset and Somerset', and arrived at Salem in the middle of July. She brought 1 6 fishermen from Dorchester'. 11 Last on the passenger list is "Thomas Minor, 22, of Chew Magna, County Somerset. -- Charlestown." Having, then, 11 discovered 11 the name of the ship which brought Thomas to these shores, I have chosen to highlight that fact by titling this book 11 THE LYON'S WHELPS". In using the plural form, I honor a 11 lion of a man11 and five of his sons. Thomas had to have been a man of more than average strength and determination to have endured the hardship of the Indian Wars in 1675 and 1676 when he was sixty-eight years old -- and to have continued the farm work into his seventy-sixty year. In the life of this man we have a prominent example of those men, who with their families, came to this country and fulfilled the purpose of time. These were our ancestors -- The Lyon's Whelps. J.A.M. Acton, Massachusetts October, 1970 iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Those who have developed material in the past ease the path for those who follow. To those earlier researchers, many of whom are now gone, I express deep appreciation. I acknowledge with gratitude the helpful efforts of the many Miners across the country who provided so much of the material which made this book possible. What might well have been an impossible burden of proofreading and indexing was made palatable through the untiring efforts of many, many friends and my immediate family. To be a "golf widow" is one thing; to lose a husband and father for months on end to a manuscript is something again. To my wife, Evelyn, and to my children, David and Candace, I express deepest thanks for their considerable assis­ tance but more, for their patience and gracious understanding. DEDICATION This book is dedicated to my late wife, Evelyn Payne Miner, whose untiring efforts and counsel made this publication possible. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page THE ENGLISH BEGINNINGS 3 THOMAS OF CHARLESTOWN AND STONINGTON 7 Descendants of John 15 Descendants of Clement 71 Descendants of Ephraim 185 Descendants of Joseph 241 Descendants of Manassah 255 APPENDIX 297 Lyon's Whelp Passenger List 301 Cary Latham Deed to Thomas Miner 302 Excerpts from Thomas Miner's Diary 303 Thomas Miner's Last Will and Testament 307 Thomas' Listing of His Grandchildren 307 Excerpts from Manassah's Diary 309 Last Will and Testament of Manassah Miner 312 Last Will and Testament of Christopher Miner 314 Return of Estate of Christopher 315 Deed of Christopher and Wife to Joseph Holt 316 Clement Miner Deed to Moses Warren, Jr. 317 Jason Lee's Deed from Clement Miner 317 Freeman's List Showing Name of Thomas Miner 318 Charlestown "Order" of 1634 319 Essay on Thomas Miner 320 The Miner's Personally 325 The Indian Wars 328 Excerpts from Clement S. Miner, Sr. 's Account Book 332 Mitchell Letter to W. H. Miner 333 Biography of W. H. Miner 334 BIBLIOGRAPHY 337 INDEX 339 vii THE ENGLISH BEGINNINGS "MYNOR, MINOR OR MINER" 3 THE ENGLISH BEGINNINGS -- "MYNOR, MINOR OR MINER" Thomas Miner, the pioneer of this name in America, asked a genealogical question not very much unlike those asked by his descend­ ants ten generations later. His main concern, however, was simple and on the face of it, uncomplicated--the correct spelling of his name. The question was a good one, as those of us who have read copies of early family deeds will agree. The name was variously spelled- - MYNOR, MINOR, MINER. For example, in April, 1654, Thomas pur­ chased a piece of land from a Cary Latham. The deed of transfer spells his name - MYNOR. Other deeds spell it - MINOR, or MINER. Six years before Thomas' death, this question became a matter for some discussion in the family. So far as Thomas was concerned, the answer could only come from "home." So in the year 1684, Thomas sent a letter to his place of birth, Chew Magna, requesting information as to the correct spelling of his surname and a copy of his coat of arms. More will be said later regarding Thomas. However, the material he received in response to his inquiry furnishes us with the only avail - able information as to the English beginnings of the family. The manu­ script, supplying the answer to Thomas' questions, on deposit today in the library of the Connecticut Historical Society, reads as follows: "Edward the Third going to make warre against the French, took a progress through Somersett; and coming to Mendippi Calles Minerarij, Mindippe Hills in Somersett, where lived one Henry Miner, his name being taken both a denominatione loci et ab officio, who with all carefullness and loyalltie hav­ ing convened his domesticall and meniall servants, armed with battle axes, proffered himself and them to his master's service; making up a compleat hundred. Wherefore he had his coat armorial Gules (signifying Minius, red, another demonstration of the original surname) a Fesse (id est, singulum militare, because obtained by valour) betwixt three plates argent, another demonstration of the arms; for there could be no plates without mines.