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Robert Moulton (say 1616–1665), son of Robert Moulton and Alice Unknown

Abigail Goad (bp. 1619–1666)


Robert Moulton was born say 1616. He died between 5 September and 3 October 1665. He married Abigail Goad by 1644.

Abigail, the daughter of John and Abigail (Downing) Goad of London, was baptized on 19 September 1619 in St. Helen's Bishopgate, London. [1] She died between 5 February 1665/6 and 27 March 1666.

Robert Moulton, Jr. asked for a farm in Salem on 29 (11) 1637, presumably when he turned 21. He was granted 40 acres on 24 (12) 1637. [2, 64, 67]

Abigail Goad's English Ancestry

From an article by Myrtle Stevens Hyde, who provides the details. [1]

George Downing was born say 1525. He died before 1564, when his will was proved. At the time he wrote his will, he lived in Beccles, co. Suffolk and had a wife named Cicely.

Children of George Downing:

i. Barnaby Downing was born say 1548. He was probably buried on 5 December 1616 in St. Stephen's Walbrooke, London. He probably married Amy Smith on 15 April 1583 in Badwell Ash, Suffolk.

ii. John Downing was born say 1548.

iv. George Downing was born say 1552.
iii. Margaret Downing was born say 1550. v. William Downing was born say 1554.

George Downing was born say 1552, possibly in Beccles. He was buried in 1610/1 on St. Lawrence, Ipswich. His unnamed wife was buried on 21 December 1610 in St. Lawrence.

George attended Cambridge University. He received his B. A. in 1573–4 from Queens' College and his M.A. from Corpus Christi in 1577. He was master of the Ipswich Grammar School.

Children of George Downing:

i. Susanna Downing was baptized on 20 November 1578 at St. Nicholas, Ipswich. She was buried on 22 January 1634/5 at St. Helen's Bishopgate. She married first William Carter on 2 August 1612 in All Hallows Honey Lane, London. She married second Francis Kirby. He later married Elizabeth ___.

ii. Joshua Downing was born say 1580. He died between 5 January and 22 March 1629/30. He married Grace Edisbury.

Joshua was a commissioner of the Navy and a justice of the peace in Kent.

iii. Elnathan Downing was born say 1583. He was buried on 9 February 1609/10 at St. Lawrence.

iv. Emanuel Downing was baptized on 12 August 1585 at St. Lawrence. He married first Anne Ware. Anne, the daughter of Sir James and Mary (Bryden) Ware of Dublin, died on 16 or 17 October 1621. Emanuel married second Lucy Winthrop, the sister of Governor John Winthrop.

Emanuel was a "noteworthy" inhabitant of Salem. He was the father of Sir George Downing.

v. Nathaniel Downing was baptized on 8 October 1587 at St. Mary at Tower, Ipswich. He died between 7 and 14 May 1616. He married Margaret Selyne on 6 May 1613 at St. Dionis Blackchurch London. Margaret was the daughter of Dr. Daniel Selyne of London.

vi. Joseph Downing was born say 1589. He married first Jane Rose. He probably had a second wife.

Joseph attended Cambridge University. He received his B.A. from Trinity in 1610/1 and his M.A. from Queens' in 1614. He was rector of St. Stephens, Ipswich in 1626 and Layer Marney, Essex in 1628–1646.

vii. Naomi Downing was born say 1590. She married John Osborn. John, clothier of Ipswich, died between 4 July and 24 August 1626.

viii. Abigail Downing was born say 1592. She married first John Goade . She married second John Hill.

ix. Benjamin Downing was baptized on 1 January 1593/4 at St. Lawrence. He apparently died young.

x. Anne Downing was baptized on 12 May 1595 at St. Lawrence. She apparently died young.

Abigail Downing was born say 1592. She died after March 1635/6. She married first John Goad on 20 February 1614/5 at St. Lawrence. She married second John Hill on 29 December 1625 at St. Helen's Bishopgate.

Children of John Goad and Abigail Downing, all baptized at St. Helen's Bishopgate:

i. John Goad was baptized on 21 February 1615/6.

ii. Thomas Goad was baptized on 27 December 1617.

Thomas traveled to New England and then to Spain before 1635/6. An 8 March 1635/6 letter from Lucy (Winthrop) Downing tells of a report from her brother Hill of his less-than-desirable behavior in New England.

iii. Abigail Goad was baptized on 19 September 1619.

iv. Elizabeth Goad was baptized on 25 November 1621.

Abigail's mother, Abigail Downing, was a younger sister of Emanuel Downing, whose second wife Lucy Winthrop was a sister of Governor John Winthrop. [3] She was the first cousin of Sir George Downing, First Baronet, for whom Downing Street in London is named. [1]

Lucy Downing wrote from Salem about 20 January 1640/1, "My maid Abigail is suddenly to be married to Robert Moulton of this town: and I hope it prove a blessinge of comfort to her, for the [Moulton] parents and sonne are people of a religious peacable life, and provident in their estates." On the same date, Emmanuel Downing wrote to John Winthrop, " I have provided a verie good match for my neice, Nab Goad; he is old Moulton his only sonne a member of our church of 4 or 500 pounds estate. [3]

Robert joined the Salem church on 10 May 1640; Abigail joined on 7/8 September 1640. [3]

On 7 July 1644 the town ordered that each Lord's day, two men should check on those who did not attend worship. Robert Moulton, Sr. was assigned to the fifth week and Robert, Jr. to to the sixth. [2, 131]

Robert was the main beneficiary of his father's 20 February 1654/5 will.

Robert Moulton, Sr. of Salem made his will on 5 September 1665; it was proved on 28 (9) 1665. He made his wife his executor. He left his son Robert and his daughter Abigail each five pounds. He left his son Samuel his land in Reading on the Ipswich River, amounting to 120 or more acres. He left his daughter Hannah 20 pounds worth of cattle, to be given to her when she married. He left his younger sons John and Joseph his dwelling house with its land and appurtenances after the death of their mother and they were to pay his two younger daughters, Miriam and Mary, each twenty pounds. Inventory was taken on 3 (8) 1665 at the request of the widow. It included a farm and housing worth 120 pounds and 120 acres in Reading worth ten pounds. The total was £294-10 less debts of £20-12. [4]

The widow Abigail Moulton of Salem made her will on 5 (12) 1665; it was proved on 27 March 1666. She made her son Robert her executor and left him her two best oxen with their tackling, her other tools, a mare colt, and her bed and its furniture. She left her son Samuel two three-year-old steers. She left her sons John and Joseph each a "Greate Book." She ave her daughters Abigail and Miriam each a fine sheet, her daughter Hannah her best bed and its furniture, and her daughter Mary a "last sheete" and a pair of "pillobers." The rest of her linen was to be divided between Abigail and Hannah. The remainder of her estate was to be divided between her son Samuel and her daughters Abigail, Miriam, and Mary. Inventory was taken on 22 (1) 1665[!] and amounted to £246-16-00 less debts of £28-03-04. [4]

Children of Robert Moulton and Abigail Good:

i. Abigail Moulton was baptized on 22 (3) 1642 in Salem. [5] She died after 5 September 1665. [3] She married Benjamin Bellflower on 3 February 1658 in Reading. [3] He died on 24 February 1660/1 in Salem. [3]

ii. Robert Moulton was baptized on 23 (4) 1644 in Salem. He married Mary Cook.

iii. Hannah Moulton was born say 1646. [3] She died on 20 March 1673 in Salem. [3] She married Thomas Flint on 22 May 1666 in Salem. [5] Thomas, the son of Thomas and Ann Flint, was born in 1645. [3]

iv. Samuel Moulton died between 5 February 1665/6 and 30 June 1668.

Administration on the estate of Samuel Moulton that was left to him by his father was granted on 30 June 1668. The administrators valued the estate at 20 pounds with debts of 4 pounds and eight shillings. the 24 (9) 1668 court ordered that his 120 acres be sold so that his estate could be divided amongst his brothers and sisters. [4]

v. John Moulton was born on 25 April 1654/5 in Salem. [3][5] He died before 25 Jay 1741 in Marblehead. [3] He married Elizabeth, the daughter of Giles Cory, on 16 September 1684 in Marblehead. [5]

vi. Joseph Moulton was born on 3 January 1656/7 in Salem. [5] He was living in 1708. [3]

Joseph was a mariner. [3]

vii. Miriam Moulton was born on __ January 1658/[9?] in Salem. [5] She died before 20 February 1688/9. [3] She married Joseph Batchelder on 8 (8) 1677 in Salem. [5] Joseph, the son of John and Mary (Herrick) Batchelder, was born on 8 My 1653 in Salem. [3] He died, probably lost at sea, about 1681. [3] She married second "in the fall of 1682" Freeborn Balch. [3] Freeborn, the son of Benjamin and Sarah (Gardner) Balch, was born on 10 August 1659 or 9 August 1660 in Wenham. [3] He died on 12 June 1729 in Wenham. [3] He married second Mallis ___ on 20 February 1688/9 in Beverly. [3] He married third Elizabeth Fairfield on 30 April 1690. [3]

viii. Mary Moulton was born on 15 June 1661 in Salem. [5] She married William Lord, Jr. on 7 April 1680 in Salem. [5] William, the son of William and Jane (Grey) Lord, was born on 27 February 1656/7 in Salem. [3] He died before 15 May 1694 in Salem. [3] He married second Dorothy Beale on 10 August 1693. [3] She married second Jeremiah Neale on 31 October 1717 in Salem. [3]

References:

1. Myrtle Stevens Hyde, "A Study of the Downing Family in England, with Connections in Early New England," The American Genealogist 74 (1999): 161–74, 299–308.

2. Martha O. Howes and Sydney Perley, Town Records of Salem, Massachusetts (Salem, Essex Institute, 1868).

3. Alicia Crane Williams, "Early New England Families, 1641–1700," database with images, AmericanAncestors.org > Robert Moulton, Jr.

4. "Essex County, MA: Early Probate Records, 1635–1681," database with images, AmericanAncestors.org, vol. 2: 20 (Robert), 27 (Abigail), 132 (Samuel).

5. Vital Records of Salem, Massachusetts: To the End of the Year 1849vol. 1vol. 2vol. 3vol. 4vol. 5vol. 6. (Salem: Essex Institute, 1916, 1918, 1924, 1925), vol. 2: 80, 89–90 (Moulton births); vol. 4: 103–5 (Moulton marriages).


03-May-2023