Esther Moulton Whittredge



The Moultons are an early Maine family. This report concerns the Moulton ancestry of our paternal grandmother, Esther Moulton (Whittredge) Smith (1886-1970). An article, "The English Background of Some Early Settlers of Hampton, New Hampshire from Ormesby St. Margaret, Norfolk," by William Haslet Jones in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register traces an English branch of the Moulton family back to Thomas Moulton (perhaps the son of Robert Moulton of Ormesby) who was born at Ormesby or Scratby, Norfolk, probably about 1535, and was buried at Hemsby, Norfolk, England on September 20, 1587. He married Joanna Green. A son of Thomas and Joanna (Green) Moulton was Robert Moulton. This Robert Moulton was born, probably at Scratby, Norfolk about 1570 and was buried at Hemsby on October 11, 1633. He married Mary Smith. A child (one of nine) of Robert and Mary (Smith) Moulton was Thomas Moulton,:who emigrated to America:[Thomas Moulton] was baptized at Ormesby [Norfolk, England], 16 June 1608, a twin, and died at York Maine, between 1699, when he was mentioned in a deed, and 1703. He married, by 1638, Martha _______, who died, probably at York, between 1703 and 1711. … Austin relates that Thomas was in Newbury, Massachusetts, in 1637, and made a freeman there 31 March 1638. He was a grantee of Hampton, New Hampshire, 6 September 1638 and was listed as a married man among the settlers there “the first Summer,” in 1639. He was chosen selectman of Hampton for four year terms in 1644 and 1652. In 1650 his Hampton property adjoined that of Edmund Johnson, but had been sold to Timothy Dalton by 1658, and a Hampton deed of 1663 calls him “late of Hampton.” He moved to York, Maine, about 1654, and was deeded land there by John Allcocke 22 March 1655; he sold this property to Alexander Maxwell 20 January 1657 (Noyes, Libby and Davis, Gen. Dict., 500). On 5 June 1684 Thomas and Martha deeded all their real and personal estate to their sons Joseph and Jeremiah, with reservations for their life support (ibid.)..Given that there is some uncertainty about the relationship of Thomas and Martha (_______) Moulton to our ancestral tree, it is important to list their children, from the same source:i. Thomas Moulton. Baptized November 24, 1639 at Hampton, N.H. Probably died young.ii. Daniel Moulton. Baptized February 13, 1641/2, at Hampton. Married Hannah (? Woodis). He died before June 22, 1671 when his inventory was taken.iii. Hannah Moulton. Born June 19, 1645. Married Samuel Tilton. She died April 11, 1720.iv. Abigail Moulton. Born circa 1649. Married Henry Simpson.v. Mary Moulton. Born at Hampton January 25, 1651/2. Married (1) Mainwaring Hilton and (2) Samuel Bragdon.vi. Joseph Moulton. Our presumed ancestor. Born circa 1653. Married _______ Littlefield, daughter of Francis Littlefield. He died in 1692. “He and some of their children were captured in an Indian attack in which his was wife was probably killed. He d. in captivity; his inventory was taken 12 Oct. 1692 (Noyes, Libby and Davis, Gen. Dict. 499).”vii. Jeremiah Moulton. Born circa 1656. Married (1) Mary Young and (2) Alice (Chadbourne) Donnell. He died December 26, 1731. The reason the family of Thomas and Martha Moulton are of such interest is because of their son Joseph who appears to have been the father of our ancestor Jeremiah Moulton (ca. 1688-1765) of York, Maine. Here is what is said about Joseph Moulton in the Genealogical and Family History of the State of Maine. (The facts differ somewhat from the article in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, which should be considered the more authoritative source.)Joseph, probably the youngest child of Thomas and Martha Moulton, was probably born in York, about 1660, as he took the oath of allegiance in 1681. But little is known about him, as he was killed at an early age by the Indians. He may have been murdered in the massacre of York, June 25, 1692, but something in the records indicates that he was taken away a captive and may have perished in the wilderness, perhaps of torture. The facts in this matter are unlikely to be discovered. He was a member of the grand jury and was a most promising citizen. The records of York deeds show the inventory of his estate taken in part October 12, 1692, and a part August 29, 1693. His life was dearly paid for by the Indians in later years, as his youngest son [Jeremiah Moulton] was among their most implacable pursuers. … No record can be found of his marriage, but the probate records settle beyond doubt the names of his four sons. They were: John, Joseph, Daniel and Jeremiah.It is stated in the Genealogical and Family History of the State of Maine that Capt. later Col. Jeremiah Moulton (ca. 1688-1765) was the youngest son of Joseph. He is the first of the Moultons about whom the facts are well known. Jeremiah Moulton was born about 1688 in York, Maine. He died on July 20, 1765 in York. His wife was Hannah (______), maiden name unknown. The Genealogical and Family History of the State of Maine contains the following on Jeremiah Moulton:Colonel Jeremiah, youngest son of Joseph Moulton, was born about 1688 in York, and was one of the most eminent citizens of that town and of the entire eastern providence, occupying many positions of public trust and high responsibility. His public career began at a comparatively early age and ended with his death. He was a famous scout and Indian fighter, possessed considerable military ability and was ever ready to serve the colony and the king. He was also of eminently judicial temperament and served his times well in many civil capacities. He was born in anxious times and narrowly escaped his father’s fate when York was destroyed by the Indians. He was taken captive and with other young children and some elderly women was soon released. He was brought up by his uncle, Jeremiah Moulton, and the latter’s account is on record, showing the charge of 29 pounds 15 shillings “To bringing up Jeremiah, The Son of the Said Deceased, in meat, Drink, Clothing etc. till he was Seven Years old; to witt four year & 1 Quarter.” In 1772 [sic; read, 1722] Jeremiah Moulton was a sergeant on scout duty and before the close of the year was promoted to lieutenant. He was in the first expedition at the capture of Norridgwock in January, 1722, and one of four captains to lead the second expedition against that place, which they captured and destroyed August 12, 1724. On this occasion the able and much hated French Jesuit priest, Sebastian Ralo, was slain with many of his Indian followers. This victory was regarded as of the greatest importance since the death of King Philip, and was celebrated with great rejoicing. Shortly after the Lovewell fight at Fryeburg, in 1725, Captain Moulton went on scout to the battlefield and returned to Falmouth on June 15 of that year. He was subsequently colonel of the third Massachusetts regiment and was third in command of the expedition led by General Pepperell against Louisburg, which capitulated to the colonial forces June 17, 1745. He was colonel of the first York county regiment of militia in 1757. From 1735 to 1751 he was continuously councillor, and represented York at the general court for several terms. He was also county treasurer and was appointed judge of the court of common pleas of York county, December 15, 1732. He continuously held this position until his death and also filled the office of judge of probate from December 20, 1745, a period of twenty years. He was appointed justice of the peace in 1724, 1728 and 1731 and colonel in 1734; he was also register of deeds, and his first signature in that capacity bears the date of April 5, 1734, and the last April 8, 1741. He was town clerk from 1732 to 1744, was also constable and often selectman. He was treasurer and clerk of the first parish of York, holding the latter office until March 26, 1745, and resigning the former two years later. Besides the various military titles above mentioned, he appears in the records as ensign and major and had the civic titles of “Esquire” and “Honorable.”"As a military commander, he was prudent, skillful, and brave; as a man, unassuming in disposition and manners, of sound judgment, and of uncommon excellence of character. Though ‘never a restless aspirant for office,' few men of his time `had a greater share of public confidence, or were called to fill so many places of official trust or responsibility.' Having become an extensive landowner, he was interested in the early settlement of the town of Sanford, Maine, and helped build the mills known as Moulton's Mills.” Capt. Jeremiah Moulton, Jr. (1713/14-1777) the oldest son of Jeremiah (ca. 1688-1765) and Hannah (______) Moulton, is the next in line of our Moulton ancestors. He was born on January 17, 1713/14 in York, Maine. He married Hannah Sayward, daughter of John, Jr. and Mary (Bane) Sayward. He died on July 16, 1777 in York. Hannah (Sayward) Moulton died on December 3, 1757 in York. Jeremiah Moulton, Jr. (1713/14-1777) received successive appointments as justice of the peace in 1761, 1765, and 1771, evidently reappointments, the term being four years. He appears on a list of men of the Blue Troop of Horse in York county in 1757 and was commissioned lieutenant colonel in the York county militia on March 10, 1762. Jeremiah, Jr. (1713/14-1777), of York, took, up settlers' lots numbers nine, twenty-one and twenty-two in Sanford, November 18, 1742. At the time of his death, in 1777, he owned 235 acres of land in Sanford and half of Chadbourn's saw-mill, valued in all at one hundred pounds, ten shillings.Jeremiah, Jr. and Hannah (Sayward) Moulton had four sons: Jotham, Thomas, Jeremiah, and Joel. It is from Joel Moulton that we are descended. Joel Moulton was born on April 9, 1751 in York, Maine. He married Eunice Tripe, the daughter of Robert and Mary (Fernald?) Tripe, on October 12, 1772 in York. Joel moved to Sanford, Maine, where our line of Moulton ancestors took root, in around 1770-74. He was town clerk from 1774-79 and from 1781-96; treasurer from 1776-77 and 1779-80; selectman 1777-79 and 1784-90. Joel Moulton died in Sanford on March 8, 1833. His wife, Eunice (Tripe) Moulton, died in Sanford on April 13, 1837. Joel and his wife Eunice were buried in the Moulton cemetery in Sanford.Joel (1751-1833) and Eunice (Tripe) Moulton were the parents of Capt. Jeremiah Moulton, Jr.,-who was born December 9, 1786 in Sanford, Maine. Jeremiah, Jr. was married twice. He married Patty Harmon of York, Maine shortly after January 13, 1810 when marriage banns were published, and married Hannah Swett, daughter of the celebrated Parson Moses Swett of Sanford, on June 22, 1817 in Sanford. Patty (Harmon) Moulton died in Sanford in October 1811. She is buried in the Moulton Cemetery in Sanford. Hannah (Swett) Moulton died February 24, 1848 in Sanford. We are descended from Jeremiah Moulton, Jr. and his first wife, Patty (Harmon). Jeremiah Moulton, Jr. served in the militia for eight years, rising to the rank of Captain. About 1810, he established a tannery in Sanford and carried on the business for nearly fifty years. He is listed as a “shoemaker” in the 1850 U.S. census. Capt. Jeremiah, Jr. seems to have become a Baptist. He died in Sanford in May 1860. He is buried in the Moulton Cemetery in Sanford with his first wife Patty.Jeremiah, Jr. Moulton (1786-1860) had three children by his first wife, Patty (Harmon), and eleven by his second wife, Hannah (Swett). The only child of his first marriage about which there seems to be definite information is William B. Mouton (1811-1894). William was born on October 6, 1811 in Sanford. He made his way to Massachusetts at a young age and on April 17, 1834 was married to Sarah Neal Chase in Dorchester, Mass. William B. and Sarah (Neal (Chase) Moulton had eleven children. Their youngest child was Camelia Anna Moulton, born on March 21, 1858 in Dorchester. Camelia Anna Moulton, who married James Flint Whittredge, was our great-grandmother and the mother of our grandmother Esther.Bibliographic Note: Published information on the Moulton family of Maine is scarce. I drew on various sources from which I was able to piece together information: Moulton Family, by Kenneth Austin (undated typescript, New England Historic Genealogical Society; Old Greenwich, Conn.; date-stamped June 13, 1945);"The English Background of Some Early Settlers of Hampton, New Hampshire from Ormesby St. Margaret, Norfolk," by William Haslet Jones, The New England Historical and Genealogical Register:, pp. 313-329 (October 1987); The History of Sanford, Maine, 1661-1900, by Edwin Emery; compiled, edited, and arranged by his son William Morrell Emery (Fall River, Mass., 1901); Genealogical and Family History of the State of Maine, edited by George Thomas Little (4 vols.; New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1909); Early Families of Sanford-Springvale, Maine, by Frederick R. Boyle (Portsmouth, N.H., 1988). -- Roger W. Smith April 2011 ................
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