from Bloomfield, Chaplin and Fairfield

A History and Genealogy of Northeastern Nelson County, Kentucky

The Minor family’s first settlement was in Westmoreland County, Virginia, from which the branch in question moved to Loudoun County, Virginia.  There has been some dispute regarding the wives in the first generations, so it will be left to the researcher to establish the female ancestors in this family.  John Minor and wife Ellinor and their son Nicholas died in Westmoreland County.  Nicholas’ son, Nicholas was the one who moved up the Potomac to Loudoun County, where he died in 1782 (Will Book B, p. 431), having founded and developed the town of Leesburg.  Given the first name Spence among succeeding generations, either this Nicholas or his father must have married into the Westmoreland County family of Patrick Spence.  (Patrick Spence’s 1739 will mentions son-in-law Nicholas Minor.)  Nicholas had a son John whose son Nicholas married Elizabeth Brewer and settled in the Plum Run area between Bloomfield and Fairfield and left descendants.  (It may be that the Hansfords, Gists and Cokendolphers are among them.  It has not yet been proved that Charles Hansford’s wife was a Minor.)  John’s brother Spence Minor, who died in about 1794 in Loudoun County, married Mary Stark, daughter of William Stark and Susannah Trammell.  Mary came to Nelson County and left a will there, which was written and proved in 1801 (Nelson County Will Book A, p. 600).

Mary and Spence Minor’s son Spence, Jr., left the largest number of Minor descendants around Bloomfield.  Spence Minor, born 22 Nov 1788, died 23 Jul 1857, married (1) 01 Sep 1816, Nelson County, Mary Guthrie, born 23 Jul 1796, died, 06 Sep 1834, daughter of General Adam Guthrie and Hannah Polk.  He married (2) Mary Brook Knight sometime after 1834.  He and his first wife are buried in the Bloomfield Baptist Church Cemetery.  A number of their descendants still live in Bloomfield and Bardstown.  Those below who predeceased Spence are not mentioned in his will and are placed as his children because of the location of their graves in Bloomfield.

1. William Minor, b. 03 Sep 1817, d. 001 Sep 1854, buried Bloomfield Baptist Church.  Said to have fought in the Mexican War.
2. A. Guthrie Minor, b. 29 Aug 1819, d. 02 Oct 1852, buried Bloomfield Baptist Church.
3. Nannie Minor, b. 23 Jul 1824, d. 20 Nov 1898, buried Bloomfield Baptist Church, m. (1) 31 Dec 1840, Godfrey Pope, son of William Pope, Jr., and Cynthia Sturgess.  (This is the Pope family from which George Washington is descended.)  Nannie m. (2) 29 Sep 1857, Nelson County, Archibald Cameron Wilson, b. 30 Apr 1815, d. 09 Aug 1880, son of Isaac Wilson and Jannet Sutherland.  He is also buried at Bloomfield Baptist Church.  He had m. (1) Margaret Lucas, who d. 24 Jul 1856.
4. Edmond Guthrie Minor, b. ca. 1827, Nelson County, d. 1903, m. Molly Wagley of Adair County, Kentucky.  They lived for a time in Jefferson County, Kentucky, but moved to California in 1869 for four years and finally resided again in Jefferson County, where he died.
5. Eliza Minor, b. 09 Jan 1822, d. 25 Feb 1839, buried Bloomfield Baptist Church.
6. James S. Minor, b. 26 Apr 1829, d. 18 Nov 1830, buried Bloomfield Baptist Church.
7. Mary S. Minor, b. 23 Sep 1831, d. 26 Sep 1884, m. 30 Jun 1851, Nelson County, Dr. Joshua Gore, b. 28 Dec 1824, Shelbyville, Kentucky, d. 06 Nov 1868, buried Bloomfield Baptist Church.
8. Mary B. Minor, b. ca. 1842, m. 01 Aug 1861, Nelson County, James G. Stephens, son of Amelia Stone (daughter of James Stone and Mary Minor) and Daniel Stephens.

Nicholas Minor, son of John Minor and Elizabeth Elzey, and a cousin of Spence Minor, Jr., above, b. 19 or 29 Apr 1763, d. 13 Mar 1814, Nelson County, m. Elizabeth Brewer, daughter of Henry Brewer of Loudoun County, Virginia, b. 1765, d. 17 May 1852, age 86, both buried Wilkinson Cemetery, near Bloomfield, Kentucky.  The records on this family are not yet complete and much of this line must be verified.  Nicholas lived in Kentucky on the lands patented to his father John by Virginia on 25 Aug 1788.

1. John Minor, b. 1785, said to have m. Fanny Sanford in Henry County, Kentucky, and to have lived in Henderson, Kentucky.
2. Elizabeth Minor, m. 16 Jun 1812, Nelson County, John Stone, son of John Stone and Millianne Hammond.
3. Dr. Henry Lee Minor, said to have m. Elizabeth E. Kenny, who d. 15 May 1850, and is buried in Old Taylorsville Cemetery, Spencer County, Kentucky.  He d. before 02 Jan 1843, Spencer County, naming wife Elizabeth Elliott.
4. Fanny Minor, b. 01 Mar 1795, d. Nov 1838, m. 09 May 1813, Nelson County, Thomas Stone, b. 02 Oct 1787, d. Apr 1831, both buried on Eli Brown farm, Bloomfield, Kentucky.
5. Malinda Minor m. 12 Jun 1821, Nelson County, John R. Davis.
6. Elinor Minor m. 04 Nov 1823, Nelson County, James R. E. Goodlett.
7. Lucretia Minor m. 23 Dec 1825, Nelson County, Charles D. Bourne.
8. Lavinia Minor m. 01 Mar 181, Nelson County, Jonathan Gore.
9. Benjamin Franklin Minor m. (bond) 27 Feb 1836, Nelson County, Catherine Glasscock, daughter of Micajah Glasscock.
10. William Minor, said to have m. Ann Faril.
11. Elzey Minor, not found, said to have been unmarried.
12. James Minor, said to have died in infancy.