Ahiman L. Miner Papers
Scope and Content Note
The Ahiman L. Miner Papers consist of correspondence, legal documents, legal record books, and financial miscellany. The bulk of the papers fall between 1830 and 1850 and relate largely to Miner's law practice. Three volumes contain law records and financial information along with stories presumably written by Miner. There are a few good political letters of the 1830's and 1840's from such noted Vermont Whigs as Solomon Foot, William Slade and Ezekiel P. Walton. The collection also contains some business papers of the Manchester general store of Cone and Burton between 1860 and 1895, a few pieces pertaining to the Dellwood Cemetery and a small number of local Congregational Church manuscripts, scattered throughout the half-century between 1830 and 1880. Finally, there is some correspondence of 1830-1850 between the Burton and Sargent families.
The collection has been arranged chronologically.
Dates
- 1800-1897
Creator
- Miner, Ahiman L. (Person)
Access:
Collection is open for research.
Publication Rights:
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Curator of Manuscripts.
Biographical Note
Lawyer and U.S. Representative, Ahiman Lewis Miner was born on September 23, 1804, the son of Congregational Deacon Gideon Miner and Rachel (Davison) Miner. After working as a young man on his father's farm, Ahiman studied law in Poultney and Rutland, gaining admittance to the bar in 1832. He practiced for three years in Wallingford, then moved to Manchester in 1835. He was awarded an honorary degree from Middlebury College in 1837.
In addition to his private law practice, Miner held a variety of legislative and judicial positions in the region: Manchester representative in the Vermont House, 1838-1839, 1846, 1853, 1861, 1865-1868; State Senator, 1840; clerk of the Vermont House, 1836-1838; State's Attorney for Bennington County, 1843-1844, 1863-1866; and seven-time register of probate, followed by three years as judge of probate, 1846-1849. The capstone of Miner's political career came in 1851, when he ran successfully as the Whig candidate for Congress from Vermont's southern district. He did not seek a second term. Records suggest a partnership with John W. Beebe, forming Miner and Beebe in about 1872. In 1877, he formed the partnership of Miller and Fenn in Manchester, Vermont.
Miner was married twice and had 10 children, though 3 died in infancy. A great deal of genealogical information is available via the Thomas Minor Society (see Bibliography).
Ahiman L. Miner died on July 19, 1886 at the age of 81. One tribute in the newspaper noted that "there have been few men in Vermont of longer, more active and more honorable public service...he was shrewd, witty, level headed and able in the advocacy of whatever cause he espoused... [he] has gone to his grave with an untarnished reputation and left behind the memory of a well spent life" (Rutland Daily Herald, July 20, 1886, page 2).
Note that some sources have confused this Ahiman Lewis Miner with his cousin Ahiman Miner (1798-1799) of Connecticut whose parents were Samuel (1767-1818) and Elizabeth (Buckingham) Miner (1769-1833). Ahiman's father Gideon Miner was the younger brother of this Samuel Miner.
Extent
.4 Linear Feet (1 box)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The Ahiman L. Miner Papers consist of one box of correspondence, legal documents, legal records books and financial miscellany.
Physical Location
Library Research Annex; contact uvmsc@uvm.edu for access.
Bibliography
Ullery, Jacob G. "Miner, Ahiman L." in Men of Vermont. Brattleboro, Vermont, 1894
- Title
- Guide to the Ahiman L. Miner Papers
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- .
- Date
- 2002
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- English
Repository Details
Part of the University of Vermont Libraries, Special Collections Repository
Silver Special Collections Library
48 University Place, Room B201
Burlington Vermont 05405 U.S.A. US
(802) 656-2138
(802) 656-4038 (Fax)
uvmsc@uvm.edu
