One of the greatest contributors to the first Oxford English Dictionary was also one of its most unusual. In 1879, Oxford University asked Prof. James Murray to edit what would become the most ambitious dictionary in the history of the English language. It aimed to include every English word, providing not only definitions but also the history of each word and quotations illustrating its usage.
This monumental task led Dr. Murray to recruit volunteers from Britain, the United States, and the British colonies to scour all English-language publications. Among the hundreds who responded was William Chester Minor, an American surgeon and Civil War veteran living in England. He provided his address as "Broadmoor, Crowthorne, Berkshire," 50 miles from Oxford.
Minor became one of the project's most valued contributors over 17 years, tirelessly sending words and quotations to Murray. Yet, he remained a mystery, consistently declining invitations to visit Oxford. In 1897, Murray decided to travel to Crowthorne. Upon arrival, he discovered Minor confined in a book-filled cell at the Broadmoor Asylum for the Criminally Insane.
The two men forged a friendship based on their shared love of words. Minor continued his work, submitting over 10,000 entries in 20 years. Murray visited him regularly, often walking with him on the asylum grounds.
In 1910, Minor returned to America, transferred to an asylum in his homeland. Murray was at the pier to bid farewell to his remarkable friend. Minor died in 1920, seven years before the first edition of the Oxford English Dictionary was completed. The final 12 volumes defined 414,825 words, thousands of which came from this scholarly and dedicated asylum inmate.