John Minter

It APPEARS that John Minter (Hail) had several unusual occurrences in his life. 1. He changed his last name from Hail to Minter. When? Why? Could it have been so that he would not be labeled a

    bigamist by fathering children with Mary while still being legally married to Jane Elizabeth?

2. He deserted his first and older wife (Jane Elizabeth Haskell) for the live-in maid (Mary Bates) who already had 2

    children (Ellen Louise and Annie) by an unknown father...or perhaps John? It appears that he adopted them.

3. He then fathered multiple children with Mary Bates while still legally married to Jane Elizabeth.

4. It appears that after the death of his first wife, Jane Elizabeth, he immediately married Mary in 1882.

5. Where did the name Minter originate?