About Henry Minot
Lived 1859 – 1890 (aged 31). Henry Minot was a naturalist and ornithologist.
Henry Davis Minot ( ; August 18, 1859 – November 14, 1890) was a Massachusetts ornithologist and railroad executive.
Born at his family's estate, Woodbourne in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, Minot was the fourth of five sons of William and Katherine Maria (Sedgwick) Minot.
He attended Harvard College in 1876, where he was friends with classmate Theodore Roosevelt, who, like Minot, was interested in ornithology. 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 to Minnesota. 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 to Lake Superior. He was also involved in a variety of other commercial enterprises, including steamships and streetcars in Superior, Wisconsin.
The city of Minot, North Dakota (and indirectly, nearby Minot Air Force Base) was named after him, and a park in Massachusetts was dedicated in his honor.
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Important facts
People in Henry Minot's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Henry Minot's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Henry Minot?
American naturalist (1859–1890)
When was Henry Minot born?
Henry Minot was born on 18 August 1859 in Jamaica Plain.
When did Henry Minot die?
Henry Minot died on 14 November 1890 in Pennsylvania.
What was Henry Minot's occupation?
Henry Minot was a naturalist and ornithologist.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Henry Minot. https://biography.guide/henry-minot/
MLA: "Henry Minot." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/henry-minot/.
Chicago: "Henry Minot." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/henry-minot/.
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