William Chester Minor

William Chester Minor (June 22, 1834 – March 26, 1920), also known as W. C. Minor, was an American army surgeon and one of the largest contributors to the Oxford English Dictionary.

Early life

Minor was born in Ceylon, present-day Sri Lanka, to American parents from New England. His parents were missionaries from the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. He attended Yale University, where he received a medical degree in 1863.

Military service

During the American Civil War, Minor served as a surgeon in the Union Army. He was present at the Battle of the Wilderness in May 1864, which was a significant and traumatic event in his life.

Post-war life

After the war, Minor was sent to a government hospital in New Haven, Connecticut, where he was diagnosed with delusional paranoia. He was released and moved to London, where he was later committed to the Broadmoor Asylum for the criminally insane.

Contribution to the Oxford English Dictionary

While at Broadmoor, Minor began contributing to the Oxford English Dictionary. He submitted quotations from his extensive personal library, and his contributions were so significant that he was one of the project's most effective volunteers.

Death and legacy

Minor died in 1920. His story was popularized in the book The Surgeon of Crowthorne by Simon Winchester, which was later adapted into the film The Professor and the Madman.

William Chester Minor Resources
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