Henry Davis Minot (August 18, 1859 – November 14, 1890) was a
ornithologist
Ornithology is a branch of zoology that concerns the "methodological study and consequent knowledge of birds with all that relates to them." Several aspects of ornithology differ from related disciplines, due partly to the high visibility and th ...
and railroad executive.
Henry was born at his family's estate, Woodbourne in
Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. He was the fourth of five sons born to William and Katherine Maria (Sedgwick) Minot.
He attended
Harvard College
Harvard College is the undergraduate college of Harvard University, an Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636, Harvard College is the original school of Harvard University, the oldest institution of higher lea ...
in 1876, where he was friends with classmate
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...
, who, like Minot, was interested in
ornithology
Ornithology is a branch of zoology that concerns the "methodological study and consequent knowledge of birds with all that relates to them." Several aspects of ornithology differ from related disciplines, due partly to the high visibility and th ...
. In 1877, he published ''The Land Birds and Game Birds of New England'' at the age of seventeen. He left Harvard during his sophomore year.
After leaving Harvard he became involved in railroad investments. He traveled extensively and reported on various railroad systems, from
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
to
Minnesota
Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
. He become associated with James J. Hill, and at one point, he was the director of the
Great Northern Railway. In 1887, he became the president of a new railroad line which connected
Manitoba
Manitoba ( ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population o ...
to
Lake Superior
Lake Superior in central North America is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface areaThe Caspian Sea is the largest lake, but is saline, not freshwater. and the third-largest by volume, holding 10% of the world's surface fresh wa ...
. He was also involved in a variety of other commercial enterprises, including steamships and streetcars in
Superior, Wisconsin
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.
He died in a train crash in
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
, near
New Florence, on November 14, 1890.
The city of
Minot, North Dakota was named after him, and a park in Massachusetts was dedicated in his honor.
References
External links
Henry Davis Minot papers
American naturalists
1859 births
1890 deaths
American ornithologists
Harvard College alumni
{{1850s-US-business-bio-stub
19th-century American businesspeople
People from Jamaica Plain
American railroad executives