The Minott Genealogy
Town of Schuyler
Herkimer County, NY
Contributed by BetteJo Caldwell
The Minott Genealogy
Ilion Citizen, Friday, April 8, 1909
Thomas Minott, father of W.V. Minott and Mrs. F.K. Pierce was born April 4, 1804 just one hundred years ago today.
Two years ago there was a genealogy of the Minotts of seventeen generations forwarded to us from Boston, Mass., extending back to Thomas Minott of Saffron Walden, Essex, England, who was born about 1350. The genealogy which contained five hundred names was complied by Joseph Grafton Minott of Back Bay Station, Boston, Mass. Attested records where adhered to mere traditions were vigorously excluded. A portion of the genealogy was prepared by the late Lemuel Shattuck Esq. and appeared in Volume 1, Nos. 2 and 3 [April and July 1847] of the New England Historical and Genealogical Register in which four or five of the early generations are not mentioned.
We quote from the genealogy: "Having for some time past collected particulars as came to my notice in regard to the Minott family [at first without any thought of publication] and having gathered much valuable information in England during the summer of 1896, I now offer some results of my investigations to the different branches of the family trusting they may prove of interest." Two hundred copies of the genealogy of seventeen generations compiled by Joseph Grafton Minott were privately printed in 1897. The copy sent us in 1902 is marked No. 196. He gives credit for material and advice first to Walter Kendall Watkins Esq. who had great knowledge of genealogy. He also was indebted to the Lord Bishop of Ely [Lord Alwyne Compton]; to the Rt. Hon. Lord Braybrooke of Audley End; to George William Marshall Esq. "Rouge Croix," College of Arms, London; to Rev. Edward Seymour Leverson Randolph, B.A., Vicar of Great Chesterford, Essex and Others.
From the genealogy, I have adhered to the more usual form of spelling the "Minot" to avoid confusion, although several branches of the family spell it Minott. In some of the old documents in England it is spelled Mynot, in fact, in one or two cases a member of the family spelled his name all three ways in one document. There are quaint epitaphs on two gravestones erected to the memory of Capt. James Minott [b.1653 - d.1735] and his wife Rebecca Minott [b.1666 - d. 1734] now standing in the hill burying ground in Concord, Mass. Minott is found in Dorchester early church records. Joseph Albert Minott who was one of the founders of the Goodyear Rubber company had a large family, they resided in South Orange, N.J. They spell the name Minott as do nearly all of the descendants of Haywood Minott who settled in Schuyler, Herkimer county, N.Y., 1797.
The Minot coat of arms- "In the Vincent manuscript in the College of Arms, London can be seen the arms of "Thomas Mynot" Esq. of Saffron, Walden, secretary to the Abbott of Walden. These arms as shown in the frontispiece of the Genealogy have been used by his descendants down to the present time." The Genealogy No. 196 sent to us had a great blue seal stamped with the Minott coat of arms.
The name of Minott is frequently found in the early records of England. In 1307 John Minott was granted a Capital Manse in Coventry. In 1316 we find Michael Minott of London, in 1329 Laurence Minott [the poet], in 1337 Adam Mynot and his followers besieged the Abbey of St. Edmunds, in 1363 Thomas Minot archbishop of Dublin [who died in London 1385]. Those of the name seem to have belonged to one family who lived in a bend of country comprising the counties of Suffolk, Cambridge, Essex, Warwick and Gloucester.
Thomas Mynot of Saffron Walden, Essex, England, the earliest of the name from whom the American family can prove direct descent, was a man of education and wealth, he married the daughter of Thomas de Hasilden, Esq. of Little Chesterford. This de Hasilden [born 1322, died 1401] was a member of parliament and a soldier and had large possessions. By his wife Joan, a daughter of Sir Thomas de Burg [of the Earl of Kent's family] he had two children, a son Richard, also a member of parliament and a daughter who married the aforesaid Thomas Minot [1.] Thomas Minot [1] by his wife [daughter of Thomas de Hasilden] had two sons. Richard sometime steward to the Abbott of Walden and John [2] whose wife's name cannot be ascertained.
In the "survey of the Manors of the Abbey of Walden" [1399] in the possession of the Right Honorable Lord Braybrooke at Audley End, there is an account of the lands held by Thomas Mynot and his sons John and Richard. The lands were situated in Springwell about two and one half miles from Saffron Walden on the Cambridge road near where the Parishes of Saffron Walden and Little Chesterford now meet. John [2] son of Thomas, left his property to his son William [3] who by his wife [name unknown] had one son. John [4] in his will probated Jan 7, 1560 left his house and land to his wife, Ellen for the space of four years and bequeathed the remainder of his property to his five children viz: John [6] the elder, John the younger, Anne, Katherine and Margaret, leaving the larger portion to his sons. He appoints his brother William Mynot and William Freeman executors of his will. In the Parish Register of Little Chesterford is recorded the burial of Robert Minott [5] Dec. 14, 1559 and in the same register Feb. 7, 1595 is recorded the burial of his wife Ellen. John Minot [6] the elder by his wife Anne had five children, all baptized in the Parish church Saffron Walden. Margaret baptized Sept. 5,1585, Mary baptized May 5, 1588, John baptized March 29, 1590, George [7] baptized Nov. 20, 1592, William Baptized 1596.
This brings the Genealogy down to George Minot [7] the emigrant who came to America 1630 to join the Dorchester party in Massachusetts. He and a few of his descendants will be written of later.
George Minot the Emigrant.
Ilion Citizen, Friday, April 15,1904
April 11- Mrs. F.K. Pierce nee Martha Minott received calls and congratulations on her birthday, April 7, 1904. She was born at "Outlook" the Thomas Minott homestead April 7, 1834.
George Minott who was in the 7th generation, the second son of John, the elder, emigrated to New England to join the Dorchester Company which sailed from Plymouth March 20, 1630 reaching Dorchester May 30, 1630 old style. [the name of the vessel he came in is believed to have been the "Mary and John."] He became a freeman of the colony 1 April, 1634. His position in Dorchester was one of prominence as on the 28 Oct., 1634 he was one of ten men chosen to order the affairs of the Dorchester plantations and the spring of 1636 he was one of the deputies to the general court to order the affairs of the colony of Massachusetts Bay.
His connection with the church was also a prominent one his name being third among the seven who signed the covenant on the 23rd of August 1636 and he died after many years service a ruling elder, 24 December,1671 in his 79th year; his godly character being expressed on the gravestone by the following lines: "Here lie the bodies of Unite Humphrey and Shining Minot such names as these they never die not."
His position as a landholder and a man of means doubtless tended to fix his position in church and state. The evidence of his wealth is shown in the acquisition of land at an early date, when the majority of the settlers were not supplied with a great amount of money.
It is known also that he acted as attorney for Robert Barrington and his son Thomas and tradition includes the Earl of Warwick among his patrons. On the shore of the Neponset river, near the old Minot farm lies imbedded the frame of the barque "Warwick," a vessel used in early New England ventures.
George Minot by his wife Martha born 1597 who died 23 Dec 1657 had five sons the first four born in England and baptised at the Parish church, Saffron Walden; George baptized 11 July 1624, buried 20 May 1626. The Dorchester church record on its fly-leaf gives the birthdays of the others. John b. 2 Apr 1626 - d. 12 Aug 1669; James b. 31 Dec 1628 - d. 30 Mar 1676; Stephen 1631 - 1672; Samuel 1635 - 1690. Stephen's and Samuel's descendants drop out after the second generation. The numerous other descendants in the genealogy are all traced back to John and James, sons of George Minot, the emigrant.
There is an interesting bit of history given of John Minot [8] second son of George Minot the emigrant. He married 19 May 1647, Lydia daughter of Nicholas and Joyce Butler of Dorchester and Martha's Vineyard. She died 25 Jan 1667. There is a whole page given in fine type to anelegr (????) which she is lamented. "The Virtuous and Religious, Mrs. Lydia Minot, the wife of John Minot of Dorchester" which is in marked contrast to John Minot's record. John Minot was not made freeman until 1665; this delay being due to his persistence in refraining from membership in the church which was the qualification for a freeman. This law was repealed by the general court 1664.
In 1660 a controversy arose regarding the pages of the church record book devoted to arguments on the matter. Under date 27, 7mo., 1657, "same dye Martha Minott p'sented by her father - though he was noe memb according to our church order: but a Corruptio Creepinge in as an harbenger to old England Practice viz. to make all members: [weh God p'vent in mercye]." [It is hoped that the poor little thing was baptised though it is not so stated.]
John Minot [8] died 12 Aug 1669, aged 43 years. His children by his wife Lydia were John, James, Martha, Stephen, Samuel. In his will he gives the eldest son John [9] one hundred pounds above the other children who all shared alike. James the second son then 16 to be kept at learning. Stephen the 7 to be placed at a trade and Samuel then 4 years old to be brought up as a husbandman. This seems a strange will at this day.
The genealogy is not a history of the Minot family but the four sons of John Minot [8] have each a family record and we learn what became of them.
John Minot [9] the oldest son [1648-1690] married Elizabeth Buck 1670, five sons and one daughter were born to them. He served in King Philip's war. He lived and died in Dorchester; his gravestone still stands in the old burial-ground. Through his first born son John [10] his line is continued through the genealogy down to the 17th generation. The other sons drop out to swell the lost tribes.
Capt. James Minot [9] the second son [1653-1735] married Rebecca daughter of Capt. Timothy Wheeler, of Concord. He graduated at Harvard college and afterward studied physic and divinity. He preached and became an eminent physician, was justice, was captain in the militia and a representative to the general court. The gravestones erected to his memory and that of his wife with their quaint epitaphs extolling their virtues are now standing in the hill burying ground in Concord.
Martha the only daughter of John [8] and Lydia Minot from the family record "Martha [1657-1678] she was engaged to be married and in her will directed that at her funeral her betrothed husband, Jr. be all over mourning and follow next after me."
Col. Stephen Minot [9] the third son [1662-1732] married Mercy Clark 1686. He settled in Boston, was a merchant and a member of Brattle street church, was colonel of the militia, a justice and prominent in town affairs, being one of a committee to draw up a charter of incorporation for the town of Boston 1708. He was a select man for a number of years. He had eight sons and four daughters. His line is continued in his three oldest sons; Stephen, John, George.
Samuel Minot [9] born 1665 married Hannah Jones of Concord. Their son Jonathan, b.1693 is all that is recorded. In his father's will he was to be a husbandman.
There are many military men in the genealogy, [in several instances there is a copy of their commission] among them Capt. George Minot, a Revolutionary soldier and his negro servant Caesar Minot served in the same company. There are also many graduates of Harvard University marked H.U. Among them Prof. Charles Sedgewick Minot of the Harvard medical school. There are several line illustrations which will be noticed and the family record [1-2] of Joseph Grafton Minot which represents the 17th generation.
More About Minot
Ilion Citizen, Friday, May 27, 1904
The illustrations in the Minot Genealogy- The Minot Coat of Arms shown in the frontispiece of the book and used by the Minot's, down to the present time, can be seen in the College of Arms, London.
There are two fine illustrations of the Parish Church at Saffron Walled, Essex, England, where the early generations of the Minot's were baptised [a second of the baptisms is found in the parish register] one of the exterior and one of the interior of the church, from photographs taken 1896.
"Audley End Mansion" Essex, England near the site of which stood the Abbey of Walden, is an imposing looking structure with a lake or moat near in which the mansion and swan on the shore are reflected. "Audley End" is in possession of Right honorable Lord Broy Brooke. I takes its name from Thomas, Lord Audley, [1488-1514] an English chancellor, he was made Lord chancellor by Henry VIII 1533. When the conflated church lands were parceled out Lord Audley got Christ's church in London with all its real estate, together with the great abbey of Walden, in Essex, which he made into a residence for himself. Thomas Mynot is mentioned as secretary to the abbey of Walden.
The last illustration is "The Minot Cradle" brought from Saffron Walden, England, by George Minot, the emigrant. There is a flax spinning wheel near. George Minot and wife, Martha, in velvet and laces are bending fondly over the cradle which Hollis the cutest looking baby with wide open eyes. It is evidently a copy of a painting from Orcutt's "Good Old Dorchester."
There are two Minott's mentioned in the Cyclopedia who have place in the genealogy.
First: George Minot [13] 1817-58, born in Massachusetts: read law in the office of Rufas Choate, had a large practice in Boston, reported decisions of the circuit court, edited in association with Richard Peters, Jr., eight volumes of U.S. Statutes at Large, was sole editor of that work 18__ -18; edited 9 volumes English Admiralty Reports. His line from George Minot, [1] the emigrant, was through John and Capt. James and became extinct in the fourteenth generation.
Second: George Richards Minott [12] 1758-1802, born in Boston, educated at Harvard and called to the bar. From 1781-1791 was clerk of the Massachussetts House of Representatives. 1792 appointed judge of probate of Suffolk county, 1792 was made chief justice of the court of common pleas, and from 1800 until his death he was judge of the municipal court of Boston. He published a history of Shays Rebellion and a history of the Massachussetts Bar, two vols., 1798-1803. His lines through Co. (?), Stephen, the son of John and Lydia Minot. He was the great grandfather of Charles Sedgwick Minot, M.D. [5] of Harvard medical college who is the author of learned medical works and frequently quoted.
No. 2, The last family record in the book is of Joseph Grafton Minot, [6] of 301 Berkely street Back Bay district, Boston, who compiled the Minot genealogy of seventeen generations, seven in England and ten in America, [printed 1897] was the son of Charles Henry [15] and Maria Josephine Grafton Minott, U.S.A., who was surveyor of the Port of Boston.
Joseph Grafton Minot, [16] born 13 January, 1858, married June 10, 1890. Hanora Elizabeth Temple, [March 13, 1868] daughter of Thomas Lindall Winthrop, of Boston, and Charlotte Ann, daughter of the Rev. John Brecks Atkinson, M.A., rector of Kinston, Isle of Wight, England. Their son, Joseph Winthrop Minot, [17] was born October 17, 1892. In a foot note is given his decent.
Joseph Grafton Winthrop Minot, [17] being the eleventh in descent from George Minot, the emigrant, through the oldest surviving son in each generation. On his mother's side he is tenth in descent from Gov. John Winthrop, Sr. through Gov. John Winthrop, Jr., down. The records in his line from George Minot, the emigrant, are most complete; dates of birth, marriage and death are given and in nearly every instance dates of birth and death of the wife. [and often her genealogy is given in a foot note.] His record; Joseph Grafton Winthrop Minot [17], Joseph Grafton,[16], Charles [15], John [14], George [13], John [12], George [11], John [10], John [9], John [8], George, the emigrant [7], John the elder [6], Robert [5], John [4], William [3,] John [2], Thomas Mynot [1].
Nearly every one that has been mentioned as having place in the Minot genealogy were descended from John [8], the second son of George Minot, the emigrant. [the oldest son, George, died young in England.] There is a line from James, the third son, in which the descendants of Haywood Minott, of Schuyler, are interested.