The Minor Family of Somerset

Name Prefix:<NPFX> Major
Stedman.ged, Provided by John B Lisle.
From Savage's dictionary
Humprey, Dorchester 1636, came perhaps from Preston in Lancashir
e where the name continues as late as 1780; was freem. 2 May 163
8, ar.co. the same year and it captain 1650. often selectman an
d rep nine years from 1638, but not in successive years and an A
ssistant, chos. ann. 1654 to his deathand in 1656, succeeded Se
dgwick as Major Gen. He died 16 Sep 1661, says theinscriptio
n print in Alden's Ept. and as that was MonDay, and prob. refer
sto the cause of his death, thrown from his horse, on return fr
om kilitary rev. on Boston common by riding over a cow, I prefe
r to say 17 Sept (a. one o'clock. A.M. acc. the MS of John Hull'
s Diary). Capt Johnson in Wonderwork Provid. of Zion's Saviour
; gives him good character; and Hubbard excites our fears, tha
t everybody did not value him so highly when he remarks that b
y some"the manner of his eath was noted as judgement" Of wha
t sin this judgementwas thus noted, we may hardly venture to gu
ess, tho. when mortals direct thebolts of eternal justice, thei
r aim is commonly unanimous. Strange, it seemsto me, is the in
definiteness of our knowledge of so prominent a man; for even th
e name of his wife is not seen. Yet ten or eleven children ar
e known at least by name, and one or more there may have been o
f names; one ormore born in England, one or more of unk
nown sex, if we are compelled to guess by their names; and one o
r more died before the f. Of s. the oldest was Jonathan; of d
s Cathearine (sometimes called Elizabeth), but which of the tw
o both b in Eng was elder is uncertain. Other children were Res
t, bapt 26 May 1639; Increase 2 Jan 1642, Thankful, 28 Apr 1644
; Hope, 30 Aug 1646, H.C. 1665, bef. ment. Mary who must not b
e the same as Margaret, whose dates of b.or baptism are equall
y indiscovered. Watching bapt 24 Aug 1651; Patience, 2Apr 1654
; and Consider. Great perseverance was needed to learn that Ca
tharine m 1650 Timothy Mather; Margaret m 30 Dec 1659 James Tro
wbride and d 17june 1672; Rest m 15 Mar 1661 Obadia Swift; Tha
nkful m 2 Apr 1665, Thomas Bird Jr. Mary m 9 apr 1667 Joseph W
eeks and Patience m Isaac Humphrey.