The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-04-09
HOY. A, L. MINER.

The Hon. Merritt Clark of Poultney
has interested himself in securing tn,
publication of the following sketch, il
first appearing in the Journal of thai
town. Wegive it place as of interest tC
many of our Bennington county readers
At the request of friends we publish q
concise sketch of the life of the Hon. A,
l.. Miner of Manchester, Vt, who from
some cause did not receive proper recog
milton at the hands of the compilers OF
the History of Bennington county. Mr.
Miner was for many years leading law
yer. not only in Bennington county, but
in the State of Vermont Having lin
tied personal acquaintance with him.and
knowing that his name deserves to be
perpetuated in history we cheerfully pub
lish this sketch, which will be read with
interest by his large number of friends
throughout the State.-ED.
Altman Lewis Miner, ex-mcmbcr of
Congress, of Manchester, Vermont, was
born September %, 1904, in Middletown,
Vermont. The descent of this branch
of the Miner family from remote his
tOric origin has been distinctly traced.
Its earliest known ancestor was ESQUIRE
Bullman, who furnished Edward Ill,
King of England with hundred men
for the repulse of invasion. For the re-
quittal of this OppOrtune service, the
grateful monarch granted him several
mines, of whose proceeds he was greatly
enriched. His surname was subse-
quently changed to that of Miner. One
of his descendants, Thomas Miner, who
inherited the ancestral spirit and enter
tNrtgn taI 30, -.
with Winthrop, i'll the year 1850. Thos.
Miner was the father of fourteen child
rem, from whOm-so far as we know-all
the Miners of New England are de-
sccnded. The eldest son of this patri-
archal family was known as Deacon
John, wac the first town clerk of Stam-
ford, and also first town clerk of Wood,
bury, Connecticut, and was no less than
thirty times member of the colonial
legislature, whose sessions were then
held twice every year. lie was man of
uncommon literary ability, and trans
lated the Bible into the local Indian Ian
guage. His second son, Thomas, was
the father of Deacon Samuel Miner,
whose only son, named Deacon Gideon,
was the father of Deacon Gideon Miner,
Jr. The latter was born in Woodbury.,
Conn, on the 10th day of March, hi (;
removed with his fathers family to what
was then primeval wilderness at Rut-
land, Vermont, in l779; and afterwards
in 1882, again migrated with his family
to Middletown, vt. On the 9th of De.
cember, 1893, lie married Rachel Dawson
by whom he became the father of IL
children. Gideon Miner, Jr, like all
his American fOrefathers save one, was
deacon of the Congregational church,
holding that Office from 170S to 1884. In
the latter year he removed to Ohio,
where he was ordained an elder in the
Presbyterian church. As conductor of
choral music he was singularly eminent
In 1895 he was chosen chOristcr of the
Congregational church of MiddletOwn,
and frem that epoch, until the day of his
deceasc in 1854. rarely failed to lead the
singing in some church. What was still
more remarkable was that his voice re-
tanned its youthful sweetness Utmost to
the lust. Deacon Gideon was a farmer
by occupation, and was also the incum-
bent of many municipal offices.
Altman L., son of Gideon Miner, Jr.,
and of Rachel DAWSON, his wife. received
his preliminary education in the COM
mon schools of his native town, and was
prepared for collegiate matricuhtion in
the Castleton academy, but never com
pleted regular college cirriculum. En-
tering upon the study of law in the Of
flee of Mallory & Warner at Poultney he
continued it in that of b. +. LangdOn of
Castleton, and completed preparation
for professional practice under the tut
tiOn of Royce IL Hodges of Rutland. Ad-
mitted to the bar in 1882, he soon after
ward established himself in Wallngford
There he remained three years, after
which he removed to Manchester, which
has since been his permanent home. As
lawyer, Mr.. Miner speedily acquired an
unusual degree of popularity and was
retained in many important cases. In
the heightened space of thirty-One years
intervening between 1871 and 1872, there
was less than half dozen jury cases
brought before the court at Manchester,
in which he was not employed on one
side or the other. Nor were his forensic
abilities appreciated only in the neigh
bOrhood OF his own residence. lin 1869
thei e were forty-eight litigated cases set
Tor trial by the jury at the June term of
court, and in each one of them he was
employed as counsel. Not one of the
parties in all of the cases lived in the
town of Manchester.) The latter fact
is accurate index of the peaceable char
acter of the inhabitants, and is no less
striking indication of their non-litigiOus
tendencies. In the exposition of moot
cause before jury, Mr.. Miner particu-
larly excellcd. His own personal char
acteristics as a manly and excellent citi-
zen; his thorough command Of all the
facts and relations of the case, his tell
ing presentation of its salient points, his
cloQuence born of conviction and feeling
and the cogency and cOnclusiveness of
his logic, all cOnspired to elevate him to
the front rank of forensic ad coates, and
TO make him one of the most effective
jury lawyers in the State.
In public official life Mr. Miner has
been deservedly prominent. Many of
the positions held by him have been en-
trusted by the free suffrage of his fellow
citizens, and many have been received
by appointment from the Governor of
the Commonwealth. His public service
in 1896 and terminated in
1868. We give a partial summary. lie
was two years clerk of the legislature
of Vermont, and twelve years member
Of the House and Senate, during which
period he was eight years chairman OF
the judiciary committee and the statutes
of the State were subject to two revis-
ions. He was a member Of the thirty
second congress, and declined rc-nomi-
nation. He was Register Of the Probate
of Manchester District eight years, dur
ing which four different judges were in
cumbents. He was States Attorney for
Bennington county five years. While in
Jiice the last term. he was called to
prosecute four alleged murdercrs, two of
whom were convicted. lie was Justice
Df the peace more than forty years, and
attorney of the Manchester bank twenty
years. His manifold eruditiOn received
lue recognition by the honorary degree
lf A. NJ. in MiddleJury college in 1886.
Altman l.. Miner was married in Oc-
,ober, 1882, TO Fannie Adams Bcman OF
N. Y, by whom lie became
he father Of five children. She died in
S52. In March, 1853, he married Susan
J. Roberts OF Manchester, who presented
lin with three children. Five out of the
light children are still living. Willie
l., his youngest daughter, is the wife of
1. NJ. Wing, a successful business man
It Glen's Falls, n. Y.
SUPPLEMENTARY.
The foregoing sketch of Mr.. Miner
vas written previous to his death, which
occurred July l9th, 1856. IL embraces
lates, names and leading events of his
ife. 1t is valuable as a county and State
listory-is authentic land furnishes out
ines of his public services and accomp-
ishments as forensic advocate. IL
Justly gives him high rank.
In early years Mr.. Miner received re-