1835 Samuel Minor

Samuel Minor 1835–1863
BIRTH 9 JUN 1835 • Uniontown, Fayette Co., PA
DEATH 3 AUG 1863 • Humboldt Co., CA
3rd great-uncle of writer

SPOUSE:

None known

PARENTS:

Samuel Minor 1800–1878, married
Louisa Keller 1806–1848

CHILDREN:

None known

SIBLINGS:

Eliza Douglas Minor 1826–1902
Louisa Minor 1827–1879
Daniel Keller Minor 1829–
Isaac Minor 1830–1915
Sarah Ann Minor 1833–1856
Samuel Minor 1835–1863
Rachel Minor 1839–1870
David Wilson Minor 1839–1920
William Hazlett Minor Sr 1843–1893
Theodore Henry Minor 1845–1932

FACTS and EVIDENCE:

Ancestry.com page:  https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/69705632/person/34215558475/facts

1850 US Census: Name: Samuel Minor
Age: 15. Birth Year: abt 1835. Birthplace: Pennsylvania
Home in 1850: Union, Fayette, Pennsylvania, USA.  Gender: Male
Household Members:
Name Age
Samuel Minor 49
Louisa Minor 23
Daniel R Minor 22
Isaac Minor 19
Sarah Ann Minor 17
Samuel Minor 15
Rachel Minor 13
David W Minor 11
William H Minor 6
H F Minor 4
Henry Farnell 35
Catharine Farnell 30
Alice Jane 7
Laura Anne 5
Frances E Anne 2
Everet Anne 9

We know that Samuel was in Arcata, unmarried and working for his brother, Isaac, on or before the year of 1863 due to the account of his death told below and also from the date of his death as engraved on his tombstone in the Greenwood Cemetery, Arcata.

The following account of Samuel’s death was written by Andrew Genzoli and Wallace Martin and appears in their article, “A Frontier Remembers,” contained in the “Redwood Pioneer” published in 1968 by Schooner Features, Eureka. It is assumed that this account
was taken from its original source which was probably an Arcata or Eureka newspaper published in or close to August, 1863. It is recorded as follows:

“The autumn of 1863 was a bloody season for the settlers of the new Humboldt country. In one instance, with summer dwindling away, one of Arcata’s best known young citizens was shot and killed only a few hundred yards from thePlaza. The tragic event was demoralizing
to the pioneer settlement. Fear had come home where it was least expected.

“Samuel Minor and his brother, Isaac, were logging in the redwoods, a few hundred yards southeast of Arcata, and about 200 yards from the Phillips’ home on Monday morning, August 1, 1863.

Later Isaac returned to Arcata on business, planning to return to work in the afternoon.
“About 11 o’clock, Wesley Sumption, who drove team, had left with his third log, when he heard Samuel call. Thinking Samuel had cut his foot, or in some way injured himself, he ran back to find him bleeding profusely.

“Samuel had been shot with a ball which entered his back, passed through one lung and out. Three Indians had then rushed upon him, one of them drawing an arrow over his bow, sending it through Samuel’s prostrate body. Another Indian took Samuel’s axe and struck him a powerful blow on the back of the neck, leaving him for dead.

“Sumption saw the Indians when he ran back, and found the patch of the bullet still burning near where the wounded man lay. Minor was removed to the home of his brother, where he lingered in agony until seven the next morning. It is told that he was perfectly conscious up to the moment of his death, and aware that he had but a few hours to live. He stated all the circumstances connected with the murder, and was confident that he  recognized one of the diggers as a Redwood Indian. When Samuel Minor died (Aug. 3, 1863) he was 26 years of age.”

Family records prove that Samuel was born in 1835, thus the age at his death was 28 rather than 26 as stated above. He was buried in Arcata’s Greenwood Cemetery about 100 yards to the right of Isaac Minor’s Mausoleum. The grave is covered with a large, flat  marker.