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Robert Moulton (1675–1756), son of Robert Moulton and Mary Cook
Hannah Groves (bp. 1676–aft. 1755), daughter of Nicholas Groves and Hannah Sallows
Robert, the son of Robert and Mary (Cook) Moulton, was born on 3 September 1675 in Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts. [1] He died on 25 August 1756 in Brimfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts. [2] He died between 22 January 1755 and 28 February 1756. He married Hannah Groves on 11 April 1698 in Salem. [1]
Hannah, the daughter of Nicholas and Hannah Groves, was baptized on 10 September 1676 in Beverly, Essex County. [3] She died after 22 January 1755.
Sometime about 1705, Robert and Hannah moved from Salem to Windham County, Connecticut. They later moved to Brimfield, probably some time in the 1720s. [4]
Robert was the moderator of the first town meeting in Brimfield in 1731 and he was chosen town clerk and selectman. [4, 31] He was chosen the representative for Brimfield on 24 May 1731. [4, 288]
Robert Moulton, yeoman of Brimfield, made his will on 22 January 1755; probate was on 28 February 1756. [5]
I will and bequeath to my well beloved wife Hannah Moulton all my household goods, to be at her use and disposal entirely and solely. I give and bequeath to my well beloved son Freeborn Moulton, whom I make and ordain my executor of this my last will and testament sixty acres of my home lot, beginning at the east end of the lot extending westward the breadth of the lot til the sixty acres be completed. Exclusive of the land given by deed to him the executor, his heirs and assigns, freely to be disposed and enjoyed of, and forever after the decease of my well beloved wife, and the said executor is to provide for Hannah my wife a good comfortable dwelling house or room on the said lot, and also provide and bring into said house, yearly, and every year during her natural life thirteen bushels of Indian corn, and five bushels of rye, and half the cider that the orchards now standing upon said lot produces with a sufficient quantity of winter apples. And keep two milch cows for the said benefit of the said Hannah. He is also to provide a good horse for her to ride on whenever she pleases, and provide good, and sufficient firewood fit for the fire at her door. Moreover, my executor is to provide one bushel of wheat yearly, and if occasion require, he is to provide a doctor, and a nurse for her, and also provide what meat she hall have occasion for, and he is to take good care of the said Hannah in every circumstance and condition of life.
I give to my well beloved sons, Ebenezer, Samuel, and John five shillings lawful money each, the reason why I give them no more is because I have given them lands, as will appear reference being had to their deeds. I [blotted] two granddaughters Elizabeth and Abigail Moulton, daughters of Robert Moulton, deceased, five shillings lawful money each. The reason why I give them no more is because I have given to their father his share or portion in money. I will and bequeath to my grandson Joseph Moulton son to Freeborn Moulton four acres and sixteen rods of land in the New Meadows so called. I give unto my two grandsons Robert Durkee and Robert Perry five acres of land each in my Division Lands, which is in the Sixth Division lot. I will and bequeath to my well beloved daughters viz. Hannah Fuller, Mary Needham, Lois Durkee, Lydia Merrick, and Mehitable Perry all my other land and all the remainder of my estate ...
Children of Robert Moulton and Hannah Groves:
i. Hannah Moulton was born on 1 August 169_ [1699?] in Salem. She died on 12 June 1782 in Hampton, Windham County, Connecticut. She married Stephen Fuller.
Hannah's and Abigail's birth records call them the daughters of Robert Moulton, Jr. and Hannah (Groves).
ii. Robert Moulton was born on 18 December 1700 in Salem. [1] He died between 16 March 1740/1 and 12 May 1741. He married Elizabeth Baker of Marlborough on 14 December 1733 in Marlborough. [2] She married second Enoch Hide on 22 April 1742 in Brimfield. [2]
Robert Moulton, Jr., weaver of Brimfield, made his will on 16 March 1740/1; it was proved on 12 May 1741. He mentioned his wife Elizabeth. Elizabeth, the widow of Robert, swore to his inventory on 10 October 1741. It amounted to £1,516-18-00 and included a "Negro man" valued at 130 pounds. [5]
iii. Mary ("Molly") Moulton was born on 30 September 1702 in Salem. [1] She died on 20 August 1791. [6] She married Anthony Needham on 10 June 1722. [6] Anthony, the son of Anthony and Mary (Swinerton) Needham and grandson of Anthony and Ann (Potter) Needham and Job and Ruth (Symonds) Swinerton, was born on 23 November 1696 in Salem and died on 2 July 1763 in South Brimfield (now Wales). [6] Anthony and Molly are buried in the Wales Cemetery #1 in Wales, Hampden County. [6]
Anthony and Molly are said to have been the first European settlers of South Brimfield. [6]
iv. Abigail Moulton was born on 13 March 170_ [1704?] in Salem. [1] She was baptized in 1707 in Salem. [1]
v. Lois Moulton was born on 3 April 1706 in Windham. [7] She was baptized on 28 September 1707 in Salem. [1] She died on 15 May 1784. [6] She married Stephen Durkee. [8] Stephen was the son of John Durkee and his wife Elizabeth Parsons. [8] He was born on l9 June 1706 in Gloucester and died on 18 April 1769. [6] Stephen and Lois are buried in the South Cemetery in Hampton, Windham County, Connecticut. [6]
vi. Lydia Moulton was born on 13 January 1708 in Windham. [7] She was baptized on 4 April 1708 in Salem. [1] She married first Thomas King on 4 August 1726 in Brimfield. [2] He died on 3 August 1738 in Brimfield. [2, 302] She married second ___ Merrick
vii. Ebenezer Moulton was born on 25 December 1709 in Windham. [7] He died in 1783. [9] He married first Abigail, the widow of John Bound. [9] She died on 11 November 1735 in Brimfield. [2] He married second Eunice Hall of Sutton on 6 April 1739 in Sutton. [2]
Ebenezer lived in Brimfield and South Brimfield. [9]
Several families left Brimfield for South Brimfield (later Wales) because they were Baptists and disagreed with the established church. The leader of the group was Ebenezer and it included Robert Moulton and Anthony Needles. [4, 134]
viii. Mehitable Moulton was born on 24 March 1712 in Windham. [7] She married ___ Perry. She married John Perry on 26 October 1732 in Brimfield. [2]
ix. Samuel Moulton (twin) was born on 15 June 1714 in Windham. [7] He married Mary Haynes on 30 January 1739/40 in Brimfield.
x. Susanna Moulton (twin) was born on 15 June 1714 in Windham. [7] She died there on 8 October 1714. [7]
xi. Joseph Moulton was born on 24 August 1716 in Windham. [7] Joseph, the son of Robert and Hannah, died on 13 September 1735 in Brimfield. [2]
xii. Captain Freeborn Moulton was born on 3 April 1717 [!] in Windham. [7] He died on 9 June 1792. [6] He married Rebecca Walker of Union on 23 June 1737 in Brimfield. [2] Rebecca was born on 17 April 1717 in Ashford, Windham County and died on 5 December 1802. [6] Freeborn and Rebecca are buried in the Monson Cemetery in Hampden County. [6]
His recorded birth is too close to those of his twin siblings.
xiii. John Moulton was born on 1 February 1720/[1?] in Brimfield or 5 February 1720/1 in Windham. [2][7] He died in 1790/1. [9] He married Ruth Bound on 20 May 1742 in Brimfield. [2] He married second Dorothy ___. [9]
John lived in Brimfield and South Brimfield. [9]
References:
1. Vital Records of Salem, Massachusetts: To the End of the Year 1849, vol. 1, vol. 2, vol. 3, vol. 4, vol. 5, vol. 6. (Salem: Essex Institute, 1916, 1918, 1924, 1925), vol. 2: 80, 89–90 (Moulton births); vol. 4: 103–5 (Moulton marriages).
2. Vital Records of Brimfield, Massachusetts: To the Year 1850 (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1931), 104–5 (births); 222–3 (marriages); 311 (deaths).
3. Vital Records of Beverly, Massachusetts: To the End of the Year 1849, 2 vols. (Topsfield: Topsfield Historical Society, 1906, 1907). vol. 1: 195.
4. Charles M. Hyde, Historical Celebration of the Town of Brimfield (Springfield: Clark W. Bryan, 1897).
5. "Hampshire County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1660–1889," database with images, AmericanAncestors.org > Hampshire Box 103 > 11 (Robert, Jr.), 12 (Robert, Sr.)
6. FindaGrave, database and images (accessed 9 February 2023), memorial pages for:
Anthony Needham IV (23 Nov 1696–2 Jun 1763), Memorial ID 40060124 and Mary “Molly” Moulton Needham (29 Sep 1702–20 Aug 1791), Memorial ID 40060576, citing Wales Cemetery #1, Wales, Hampden County, Massachusetts; Maintained by Nancy Stearns (contributor 48540447).7. "Connecticut: Vital Records (The Barbour Collection), 1630–1870," online database, AmericanAncestors.org > Windham, p. 180Stephen Durkee (9 Jun 1706–18 Apr 1769), Memorial ID 80741682, citing South Cemetery, Hampton, Windham County, Connecticut; Maintained by Rene Saenz-Tanner (contributor 47055328).
Louise Moulton Durkee (3 Apr 1706–15 May 1784), Memorial ID 80741529, citing South Cemetery; Maintained by John Beckstein (contributor 46939506).
CPT Freeborn Moulton (3 Apr 1717–9 Jun 1792), Memorial ID 31512915 and Rebekah Walker Moulton (17 Apr 1717–5 Dec 1802), Memorial ID 31513066, citing Moulton Hill Cemetery, Monson, Hampden County; Maintained by Martha (contributor 46625468).
8. "Ahnentafel of George Ludlow Ritchie," Essex Geneaologist 32 (2012): 131–7.
9. Henry William Moulton and Claribel Moulton, Moulton Annals (Chicago: Edward A. Claypool, 1906), 66–69.
10-Feb-2023