(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;

2—1 John,b. April 2, 1626,m. Lydia Butler, May 19, 1647. (3)
3—2 James,b. Dec. 31, 1628,m. Hannah Stoughton, Dec. 9, 1653. (4)
4—3 Stephen,b. May 2, 1631,m. Trucrosse Davenport, Nov. 10, 1654. (5)
5—4 Samuel,b. Dec. 18, 1635,m. Hannah Howard, June 23, 1670. (6)

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;

6—1 John,b. Jan. 22, 1647,m. Elisabeth Brick, March 11, 1670. (7)
7—2 James,b. Sept. 14, 1653,m. Rebecca Wheeler.(8)
8—3 Martha,b. Sept. 22, 1657,d. single, Nov. 23, 1678, a. 21. She wasengaged to be married, but d. unmarried, leaving a will, in whichshe directed that at her funeral her betrothed husband, "JohnMorgan Jr. be all over mourning, and follow next after me."
9—4 Stephen,b. Aug. 10, 1662,m. Mary Clark, Dec. 1, 1686. (9)
10—5 Samuel,b. July 3, 1665,m. Hannah Jones of Concord. (10)
11—6 An infant,d. in infancy.