Notes |
- Came to Boston about 1630.
THOMAS OF CHARLESTOWN AND STONINGTON, By John Augustus MINER
1981
Thomas MINOR was born at Chew Magna, Somersett County, England, on
23 April 1608. He embarked for the Colonies aboard the Lyon's Whelp,
sailing from Gravesend, England on 25 April 1629, and arrived at Salem,
Massachusetts in the middle of July 1629.
Very shortly after his arrival in Salem (then called Pequot Harbor),
there was a serious outbreak of Typhus, and Thomas moved on to Watertown.
His stay there was brief also; from Watertown, Thomas moved on to
Charlestown where in 1632 he became a founder of the First Church, his
name appearing 34th on the roll. Two years later he was granted four
acres of land at the line of Newtown (now Cambridge), and by 1637 owned a
10 acre plot.
On 4 March 1633/34, Thomas was made a freeman, and on 23 April 1634
he married Grace PALMER, daughter of Walter PALMER of Charlestown. Two
years later in 1636 the young couple moved once again settling in
Hingham, Massachusetts, where they remained until 1645. Thomas' first
child, John, was baptized in 1635 before they moved to Hingham. During
their years in Hingham, their sons Clement, Thomas, Ephraim and Joseph
were born.
In 1645 Thomas joined John WINTHROP Jr's colony of Massachusetts Puritans
in the settlement of New London, Connecticut. In 1649 Thomas was
appointed "Military Sargeant in the towne of Pequett" with power to call
forth and train the male inhabitants. In 1650 Thomas MINOR and Jonathan
BREWSTER were made the first deputies to the General Court (the
Legislature) from Pequot (now New London).
During the years that Thomas lived in New London, his son Manassah and
his daughters Ann and Mary were born. Manassah was the first white male
child born in New London, Connecticut.
In 1652 Thomas moved to Pawcatuck, now Stonington, Connecticut, became a
cofounder of the town with three associates; William CHESEBROUGH, Thomas
STANTON, and his father-in-law Walter PALMER. On the grounds of
Wequetequock Cemetery there is a monument honoring these four men.
In Stonington
Thomas built a house on land granted to him, which he later relinquished
to Walter PALMER, there having been some confusion during which time the
same land was also granted to someone else who sold it to Mr. PALMER.
Thomas then bought some land situated on Quiambaug Cove from Cary LATHAM
about 1653. In his dairy, Thomas tells of his building of his house at
Quiambaug. His first published month, November 1653, and the following
month, December of the same year, indicate very clearly his life in
Stonington. During the following months, one can follow the building of
his home: "I had 9 peeces to hew", "I made an end of hewing of timber",
"goodman redfild was making our backe for our Chimbloy and wensday the
22nd our backe of our Chimbly was ended goodman Redfild has 22 s and 6 d
for doing the stone walle", "I had newly raised my roofe of my house".
In Stonington
Thomas served as deputy to the Connecticut General Court in May and
October, 1665; October, 1667; October, 1670; October, 1672; May, 1677;
May and October, 1679; May, 1680; and October, 1689. He was appointed
Chief Military Officer of the Mystic Trainband in July, 1685. During
King Philip's war Thomas served as a Lieutenant and was referred to that
title in February and in April of 1676. In August, 1676, he was called
Captain, although in later years he usually is mentioned as Lieutenant.
By Colonial appointment in May of 1649, Thomas MINOR
served as Magistrate or Justice, in the town of New London, and in the
town of Stonington in October, 1664, and in May of 1665. He also held
various other positions of trust and honor. In his diary one can read:
"This 24th of Aprill, 1669, I Thomas MONOR am by my accounts sixtie one
yeares ould I was by the towne & this yeare chosen to be a select man the
Townes Treasurer The Townes Recorder The Brander of horses by the
generale Courte Recorded the head officer of the Traine band by the same
Courte one of the ffoure that have the charge of the milishcia of the
whole Countie and Chossen and sworne Commissinor and one to assist in
keeping the Countie Courte".
In May, 1666, Thomas received a Colonial grant of 100 acres of land and
in October, 1667, 50 acres more; such grants were made to those who had
performed distinguished public service. His last two children, Samuel
and Hannah, were born 4 March 1652 and 15 September 1655, respectively.
Thomas died in
Stonington, Connecticut on 23 October 1690. He is buried in Wequetequock
Cemetery, his grave covered by a "wolfstone", consisting of a large
granite slab which it is said he selected for the purpose from his own
field. On one side of the stone an inscription reads: "Here lyeth the
body of Lieutenant Thomas MINOR, aged 83 years. Departed 1690". His
wife, Grace, died 31 December 1690 and is buried beside Thomas, the
opposite side of the stone being inscribed for her.
Of his ten children, Thomas had descendants from sons John, Clement,
Ephraim, Joseph, and Manassah and from his daughter Hannah. His other
children, Thomas, Ann, Mary and Samuel all died young without issue.
THOMAS MINOR
(A brief sketch)
Thomas Minor was born in 1608 in Chew Magna, Somersett County, England. Thomas migrated to the newly founded English Colonies in America in 1629. He married Grace Palmer, daughter of Walter Palmer, in 1634 and after living for brief periods in Salem, Rehoboth and Hingham, Mass. and New London, Conn., he settled in Stonington, Conn. and is recognized as a co-founder of the town along with Walter Palmer, William Chesebrough and Thomas Stanton.
Thomas and Grace had ten children of whom six lived to have descendants. These children were John, Clement, Ephraim, Joseph, Manassah and Hannah.
Thomas and Grace died in 1690 and are buried in Wequetequock cemetery in Stonington [5, 6]
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