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Note: Obituary from Interlaken Review, 2/14/1919: "Our respected townsman Abram Voorhees Minor was found dead in his chair this morning. He had been suffering from heart trouble for some time and lately unable to lie down, being obliged to sleep in his chair. He was as usual when visited by members of the family several times during the night, in fact was up and around the house at 1:30. Mr. Minor was born in Alleghany county 3/4/1844, but this village has been his home for half a century, and he was well and favorably known for his sturdy, upright character. He leaves a wife, one daughter, Besse, and 3 sons, Halsey P. Minor of this village, Henry and Morris Minor of Binghampton, and one sister, Mrs. S. C. Brown of Angelica. Funeral will be held on Monday. The house will be open to friends from one to two o'clock. The funeral will be in private at three o'clock. Burial in Lake View."
Photo discovered 1/2001 shows that his house is on route 96 in Interlaken, NY, next door to the Reformed Church. Not sure of the number, but his big white barn is still out back.
"'Vote,' as he was called, was a very large man for that day, standing six feet seven inches. He was rejected from the Union Army during the Civil War because there were no uniforms large enough for him. Family recalled that he once held his brother Henry's daughter, Jane sitting in one enormous hand." - Thomas Minor Descendants pp.429-30 [Jane is dau of his son Henry, not his brother]
"Henry was also taken prisoner and sent to Libby prison of Richmond, Va. where his health was severely impaired, but at the end of the war his brothers, P.W. and A.V., went there and brought him home.
After the war, P.W. and A.V. stayed with the band they had played with in the army which [../missing a line on this photocopy...] Circus. While the circus was travelling through Southern Indiana, there were so many floods on the Wabash River that the bridges were constantly being washed out. This prevented the circus from filling so many engagements that they were forced to disband. At this time, they were in Covington, Indiana where any settlers, largely German, were taking up lands. P.W. and A.V. believed it a good place to settle, so P.W. went east to raise some capital. A.V., at this time, re-enlisted in the army and became guard on a wagon supply train for Custer at the Little Big Horn, where Custer and his entire for were [?] the following year.
"The following spring, Abram and P.W. and Jim Benjamin (the band coronetist) opened and operated a general store in Covington, Ind. It was here in Covington that P.W.'s son Frank was born 1867." - unsigned letter, from Linda Rosenberg
"Peter W. and Abram V., the two youngest, enlisted together. Too young for military service, they were never sent farther than the training camp at Elmira, where they played in a band of which Jas. Gordon was Leader and [??] a [?], which was used for drill and parade purposes.
His brother "Henry 2nd was in Libby prison when the war ended. Father [A.V.] and P.W. went there and brought him home - in a wretched condition. Father and P.W. enlisted at the same time. Father was 19 in a band of which Jas. Gordon was leader, Jim Benjamin of Aunt Dell's family was the coronetist, they were never beyond Elmira as were left there for parade and drill purposes. After the war this band became attached to Stow Bros. circus, which busted up in Covington Ind. where Frank Minor was born later. Floods on the Wabash River washed out so many bridges, that they got behind their billing, after they busted Father and P.W. believed it was a good opportunity to settle there, as settlers, largely German, were taking up lands. P.W. came back East to borrow money and did. Father reenlisted in the army, as guard on wagon supply train for Custer at the Little Big Horn. The following spring, Father and P.W. and Jim Benjamin opened and operated a general for several years. They returned back East, they formed a band and sang in the Roman Catholic Church in Covington." - HP Minor letter 8/7/1957
"First what instrument did they play. P.W. the coronet and father the tuba or bass.
"I believe they left Covington, Ind. for homesickness, particularly on Aunt Dell's - Mrs. PW - account, as her parents lived in Interlaken, and Joe Gordon - and his wife Nell Church Gordon, were forming a minstrel show of Jas. & Nell Gordon and Jim Benjamin and father, which existed for several summer season, they had two horses and wagons, Jim and father were the advance agents who drove to the next town and rented a hall, billed the town with hand-bills for a show, Joe and Nell with a democrat [?] wagon with a Melodeon, a small organ, followed in the PM, and they put on a concert for one night stand. P.W. was in Interlaken, and had opened a general store at the South end of Interlaken, father joined him there later. P.W. and Aunt Dell lived with her parents, Samelia [?] Benjamin on Orchard St. Interlaken, and father slept in the store. I remember the bed, seen it in later days, a large white box - containing the mattress and covers, two drawers underneath for clothing, and a cover, hinged to cover it for a counter in day time, that store burned in ---.
"I will get you the date later. I can find a record of same.
"Then they moved to the building on the N.E. corner of Mechanic and Main St. I believe you have a picture of that building if not, I have.
"They had sold shoes at the store that burned, so at the new location they started the manufacture of mens shoes, mens boots, knee highs, pegged with wooded pegs. I remember many of them, with small knee pieces of red morroco, the fancier ones were known as kip [?] boots and the heavier ones as cowhide - with a pebbled grain, and what were known as stitch down shoes, in which the sole was larger than the shoe which extended outward and had several rows of stitches some were laced, but many had small buckles, as some heavy artics [arctics?] do at present, after they moved from this building I can remember burning bags and bags of wooden shoe pegs, both plain and waxed.
"Father was the salesman, and traveled with a horse and wagon on weekly trips, and P.W. was superintendent of factory. I believe you have a picture of this building with the workmen outside if not - I have.
"P.W. lived in the house just south of the factory, where father lived later. At that time father and mother lived in the Parshall home.
"Later at a date I can obtain for you
"They moved to Auburn, where Bess was born on North St., Auburn, where Walter Ogden, a native of Auburn, was taken in as a partner, I presume to furnish more capital, as his father had left him some property and cash, later they moved back to Interlaken or Farmer in the empty skating rink on Cayuga St. Ogden moved here with them, later as Mrs. Ogden, who is still alive, had property left here. Ogden sold his interest to a Mr. Hamilton, I do not remember his given name, But I can obtain it from Mrs. Ogden. Father dropped out of the business, when they moved back from Auburn, and conducted a grocery store where the old shoe factory had been. They started making ladies shoes, in the old factory on corner of Main and Mechanic St., and increased it at Auburn. I do not know the date they moved to Springville but believe you have sons of some of the old employees who can give it to you. Fanny Minor could if you can contact her. There are several old articles the local History club possesses that will give me the date of the fire, and maybe date of moves to Auburn. I have tried to get some of that information here, but so many reply "before my time" that I realize I am one of the oldest relics left in Interlaken." - HP Minor letter 9/8/1957
"[We drove] down to Friendship where P.W. and father on corescating (?) years, worked and done chores for their board, and attended the Friendship Academy of Music, both were good enough musicians they could write music." - HP Minor letter 10/13/1957
I found a drawing of the Friendship Academy in the Illustrated History of Allegany Co., NY 1806-1879, p. 288. It is on the 1869 atlas of Friendship to the right of the Baptist Church, on Main St. between Mill & Water Sts. See PW 1860 Census. [#1 I think they went to Baxter Academy of Music, which is different and is on Baxter St. #2 I now have PW on the census living at home in 1860, see his brother Henry. Perhaps he was visiting or they marked him down anyway, not knowing whether to count him - but they didn't count AV]
Between the Lakes by Maurice Patterson 1976 p.126: "The Minor Shoe Company
"Peter W Minor and Abram Voorhees Minor were brothers whose grand parents settled in South Seneca County during the early 1800's. They began manufacturing shoes on a small scale where the post office is now located [across from 96B]. After a fire burned them out, they moved to the store now owned by Howard Thompson, corner of Main and Cayuga Streets.
"More production was needed so they built a large two story building at the site of the present Egan's Mobil Station [Main & Mechanic]. Business boomed. The business was moved to Batavia to get more labor. AV Minor went into the feed and grain business, which his son, HP Minor, turned into the HP Minor Hardware."
There's more about the continuing history of the shoe factory.
ibid p.94, from an essay by Alice Bassette in 1873: "William Smith [about 1822]...built the store now occupied by the Messrs. Minor." The 1874 Seneca County atlas has PW Minor in 3 buildings on the corner of Main & Mechanic. The Main & Cayuga building is merely labeled "Store"
ibid p.95: "Avery was in business on the 'Minor' corner from 1843 until 1859." The 1859 Farmerville map shows "JB Avery's Store" on the corner of Main and Cayuga.
ibid p.95: "In 1828 [Lockwood Hinman] removed to the store opposite the Exchange Hotel [corner of West Ave (96B) & Main, burned 1880 per p.100]. [He] retired from business in 1867 and was succeeded by JD Rose, who was followed by Peter W. Minor, who, after his stock was burned, removed to his present [1873] location." There is a photo on p.92 of "Lockwood Hinman grocery and warehouse ~1865, site of present [1976] post office, burned ~1870." By 1976 the post office was opposite 96B.
ibid p.178 by Nelle D. Bradley, 1952: "[I'll] tell of the building that originally stood on that site [of the current post office], facing up Lodi Street.
"I had never known that it existed until recently when Myron Bassette showed a very good picture of it. It appears to have been a good-size store with a connecting warehouse extending toward the south. It probably was owned by Lockwood Hinman, for the 1876 Centennial tells that Mr. Hinman moved his business there in 1828, and it was there, I learned, that our long-time merchant, A. C. Peterson, took his first lessons in store-keeping.
"After the Civil War, A.V. Minor and his brother, P.W. Minor, returning from service in the war, started a general store in that building. This store and their stock burned and the Minors started again in the back of the old building that has been for many years, H.P. Minor's Hardware Store. This time, theirs was a shoe business, which their descendants have carried on in other localities, developing it into the successful and widely known concern that is the Minor Shoe Co., of Batavia."
This article is about the Big Fire of 1880, and she clearly states that a different building was there by then, the new residence of C.Q. Bergen (which did not burn), and that the fire that destroyed the Minor store was earlier.
ibid p.181: 2/17/1891 AV was appointed to the committee to raise funds for the fire department
Per HPM above, AVM was enlisted in the army supply train for Little Bighorn, which was June 1876, before returning home. Per https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Little_Bighorn, "They were accompanied by teamsters and packers with 150 wagons and a large contingent of pack mules that reinforced Custer. Companies C, D, and I of the 6th U.S. Infantry, moved along the Yellowstone River from Fort Buford on the Missouri River to set up a supply depot and joined Terry on May 29 at the mouth of the Powder River." I can't find a roster for this. The 1874 Seneca County Atlas shows an empty plot on that spot opposite 96B, so it probably burned at least 2 years before Little Bighorn, meaning AV couldn't have worked and slept there per HPM. Also AV was married in Farmer in 1874. The 1870 census has him living with (and presumably working for) his brother PW. The Little Bighorn story isn't looking good.
"Saga of a Country Store," by Wheeler A. Bassett, Interlaken Historical Society Newsletter 4/1977 reprint from 1939, is about the store on the corner of Main & Cayuga: "PW Minor, who had been doing business in the old Hinman store, burned out about 1873. He then formed a partnership with his brother, AV Minor, on the 'Minor Corner.' In the back of the store they began the manufacture of shoes, and thus was born the great shoe industry of PW Minor & Son.
"The firm was at first PW & AV Minor, then... Minor Bros., Minor Bros & Ogden, Minor & Ogden, Minor & Hamilton, PW Minor, and for the last 30 years, PW Minor & Son.
"After Minor Bros. came [into business in that store] the following about in the order named with approximate dates:
LaTouretis & Miller 1875-7
Lee Acker 1877-80
PR Shaffer, jewelry, 1881
Nunnold Bros & HC Blodgett, clothiers 1889
Ann Eliza Stout, milliner 1889-91
AV Minor 1891-1903
HP Minor 1903 to date
...
"One day in talking with Mr. AV Minor about old days, [John B Avery, previous owner] called attention to his shoulder. 'Do you notice,' he said, 'that my right shoulder is about two inches lower than my left? I attribute that to carrying so many bags of grain upstairs. People would bring their grain in small bags to barter for goods--rather than use the hoist for a bag or two, I would carry them up on my shoulders.'
...
Mentions that the porch was removed a few years earlier by a truck that took the corner too sharply.
The 1874 atlas has PW at Main & Mechanic, and other text here indicates PW built it; the fact that it says only "store" at Cayuga St might indicate it was vacant. So perhaps the brothers were in the Cayuga St store only very shortly 1873-1874. Perhaps by the time the south store burned in 1873, they already knew they wanted to manufacture shoes (some text indicates they began there), and so began construction at Mechanic immediately while temporarily occupying Cayuga St.
I have a e-photo from IHS labeled "Burroughs Grocery, corner of Main & Mechanic" - perhaps this was what the inside of the shoe factory looked like later.
Between the Lakes p.154 has the Mechanic St. building used as an American Legion post in 1919.
There is no listing for PW or AV in the 1867 Gazeteer and business directory of Seneca County.
Town of Covert Assessment Roll Index 1855-1895: (name, lot#, acres, year) lot 41 is west side of Main St, lot 42 is east side note that this index only includes 1855, 1865, 1875, 1885, 1890, 1895, since it is meant to complement useful censuses
Minor Peter W 41 1/4 1875 (btw 1865 & 1875, PW bought 1/4 acre on west side of street, probably @@ Mechanic)
Minor Peter W 42 1885 (by 1885 the Mechanic St property was not his, but he owned property on the east side)
Minor Mary E Mrs 42 1 1885
Minor Mary E Mrs 42 1/4 1885 (Mary had an acre and a quarter in two lots on the east side in 1885. I wonder if the money came from her father so the deeds were in her name. Or it was just property from her father, hence the shrinking acreage of his assessments. I believe AV was working with his brother on Mechanic St at this time. Maybe it's a typo and this was lot 41, Mechanic St., as below.)
Minn [sic] AV Mrs 41 1/4 1890 (5 years later, only a little lot on the west side now - PW's factory?)
Minor AV Cottage 1890 (the cottage shows up for the first time, which makes sense since we think it was built the year after the last assessment.)
Minor AV 42 1 1890 (Maybe this is the lot Mary owned in 1885? Or maybe the 1 acre stock farm he sold in 1893?)
Minor AV 41 1/4 1895 (?? I clearly need to look at land records)
Minor AV Cottage 1895
Minor AV Mrs 41 1895
Minor AV Store 42 1/4 1895 (This corresponds with starting up the store in 1891 per text above)
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Interlaken Review:
sometime in 1887-1892, recurring ad: Trumansburg dentist R.B. Hill opens branch office above AV Minor store Thursdays from May to October.
12/15/1888: "Dr. A. R. Hill has his office over A. V. Minor' store."
3/23/1889: "AV Minor has leased Mrs. A. Coryell's land."
10/18/1892: "JB Wheeler now has his office over AV Minor's store."
11/19/1892: " Chas Leonard has bought AV Minor's stock farm (1 acre) north of the schoolhouse."
7/1/1893: "A.V. Minor and family are occupying Willowdale." Similar 7/22/1904. Not including all, nor any visits to other places or other people visiting them.
7/29/1893: "AV Minor is building an addition to his store."
3/3/1894: "For Sale! House and lot, located 3 miles NW of Farmer, house in good repair. Cellar and well and 60 choice apple trees and plenty of other fruit; 2 acres of land. Inquire of A.V. Minor, Farmer, NY."
1/11/1896: AV elected director of Seneca Canning Co. for the year.
12/13/1896: "George C. Torbert has sold the Universalist lot to A. V. Minor, who will build a dwelling thereon."
6/12/1897: "Carpenters began the woodwork on AV Minor's house yesterday."
3/4/1899: "Store to rent, corner of Main & Mechanic Sts. Inquire of AV Minor's."
some time 1899-1902: "Having purchased C. V. Slaght's store, on account of room and money will close out certain lines very cheap for cash. Come and see our bargains on Stoves, Tin and Granite Ware, Mittens, Panta^Overalls, Shirts, Suspenders, etei." Big bargains in groceries. Don't ask us to charge these goods, we have got to have the money. You will find Mr. Slaght with us, and hope his many friends will call on him. A, V. MINOR'S, Farmer, N. Y"
3/31/1900: refers to the "Minor building" as being on Main & Mechanic.
4/7/1900: refers to building formerly occupied by AV Minor on Main St.
1/22/1904: "Chas. VanLiew has secured the rooms over A. V. Minor's store"
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Cuba [NY] Patriot:
1899-08-10: "There was quite a gathering at Mr. C. Wyckoff Minor's on Thursday last, Aug. 3d, the occasion of his 70th birthday, about 100 people being present, including members of the G.A.R. and W.R.C. of Pelfast Post, also a number from Cuba, also his brother, Mr. [A.]V. Minor and wife of Farmer Village and Mr. Earl Minor of Batavia. It was a complete surprise to Mr. Minor. He was presented with a beautiful reclining chair, after which all partook of a sumptuous dinner, and then passed a very pleasant afternoon with music and singing. All went home feeling well paid for coming, and wishing such gatherings might come oftener."
SEE MORE at my: https://tinakogenealogy.wordpress.com/families/minor/
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John V. Kellogg interview by Helen Burr, recollecting his early experiences in Sunday School in 1902 & 1903:
"Among choir members... Mr. Abram V. Minor was known to continue on--solo singing any or all hymn verses omitted by the choir by common consent. When and if it pleased Mr. Minor to continue, he sang on, unaccompanied by the organist, and not joined by the other members. He was a robust man, reputed able to lift a 400-pound keg of molasses into a wagon, effortlessly, so no one ever ventured to contest Mr. Minor's particular idiosyncrasy."
-History of the Interlaken Reformed Church, 1980
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