O « ,«' -^-y J* ,' ^ \ '.^^ :> v. ■7' -^.^n^ t- \ "^ .0^ ,-!:'°- ^%.-- * C^' ^^ 0^ I .^-^ ~o "^ w ,* V • \: -V .V A^ '>. °o O « ^ o.^ " • » * -0 ^*^ ,./°-. ^■ .^^ f A HISTORY OF THE MO ULT O N FAMILY A RECORD of the DESCENDENTS OF JAMES MOULTON OF SALEM AND WENHAM MASSACHUSETTS From 1629 to 1905 /.36 Published by W. P. MouLTON AND Children Stuart, Iowa, 1905 \ 0^ 4\ \ «v Compiled by Eben Hobson MoultoNj late of Beverly and Henry A. Moulton, of Wenham Massachusetts. EDITOR'S NOTE The general history of the Moulton Family, by Augustus F. Moulton, and the coat of arms, we copy from the Maine Historical and Genealogical Rec.rd, published by S. M. Watson, Portland, Maine, 1888. ,.|H ..jB»i.. r-T — v, r- - , ,n irB| ' 'f '^ The Moulton Coat of Arms I^SS.^I QS/I§^7i 5s7rtK/q qOS oS7AoOHK7iS^ IMPMhims iM'^ THE MOULTON FAMILY HE Moultons of this country are of English origin. We find the name in the various forms — Multon, Muleton, Mokon, Moleton, Moulson and Moul- ton. The similiarlty l:)v;conies apparent in the pro- nunciation of Multon with the long vowel sound, i. e. Moolteri. The family is probably of Norman descent. The earliest ot the name of whom record is found was Thomas Multon, or D; Multon, stated in the Domesday Book made by order of the Norman Will- iam in 1086 to have been put in possession of an estate called "Galeshore. " Later another Thomas Multon, or Moulton, of mixed Norman and Saxon descent, a resident of Gillesland in Cumberland, called also in French De Vaux, was an attendant of Richard 1 in his crusading wars and appears prominentlv in Scott's tale of the Talisman.-!' The name of still an- other Thomas appears on the Magna Charta granted by King John in 121 5. In 1290 Roger was warden of St. Julian's Hospital in Southhampshire. The claim of descent from these early families, though traditional, receives support from the general similiarity of the Multon coats of arms with that of the Moultons given *See The Talisman Chapter VI and Scott's note to same. -I — T HE M O U L T O N FAMILY here.* Whatever the original Moultons may have been, the lapse of five centuries which blended Norman, Saxon Dane, and Briton into a common nationality, made them Englishmen, and the family in the seventeenth century seem to have been composed largely of husbandmen with a decided sprinkling of those who followed the sea. It is a fact, as Disraeli once told the House of Lords in caustic language, that the descendents of the old families are now to be found, with but few exceptions, among the commoners. Robert Moulton was in the Royal Navy in 1636, and he and his sons, James and Robert Jr., still held commands under Parliament after the death of Charles I. No less than five captains by the name of Moulton appear on the register of the navy at about that time. The name is common in the counties Lincoln, York- shire, Gloucestershire, Kent, Devonshire, Norfolk and London. In these counties Puritanism had its strong- hold and the emigrant Moultons were evidently of that faith. They came to America with the great *The Moulton coat of arms here given is a fac simile of that in possession of Henry W. Moulton, Esq., of Newburyport, Mass. This he copied from an ancient parchment owned by a descendent of Thomas Moulton, the emigrant, living in York, Maine, and which has been handed down in the family. The motto is not legible. It accords exactly with a description given in Burke's General Armory, viz. "Moulton (Gloucestershire, Kent, London and Yorkshire, granted 1571). Ar. three bars gu. between three bars sa. three, two, two and one. Crest: on a pellet a falcon rising ar. " The arms of Thomas Multon as given by Burke are: " Moulton or Multon (Baron of Gillesand temp. Edw. I) ar. three bars gu. a label of five points az." THE MQULTO N FAMILY emigration during the rime of Charles I prior to the meeting of the Long Parliament. In those years more than twenty thousand Englishmen, oppressed for con- science sake, left their homes and came to the New- England wilderness. These emigrants, says Green in his History of the English People, " were not like the earlier colonists of the south, broken men, adventur- ers" •"■or simply poor men* ••"The bulk were God-fearing farmers from Lincolnshire and the eastern counties. They desired ♦ only the best ' as sharers in their enterprise. " The earliest settlers of the name in this country so far as can be learned were: I. Thomas, of Jamestown, Virginia, 1624-5. His name appears in the list of settlers made at that time, was then twenty-five years old, probably not married. It is not known that any descendents re- main. II. Robert, of Salem, Mass., 1629. Master Ship- wright. Had grant of 200 acres of land from Salem. He lived in Charlestown, at one time, where the navy yard now is and had a house there. The place was called Moulton's Point. It was on this point that the British landed when they crossed from Boston to fight the battle of Bunker Hill. He filled various offices of trust and responsibility and died in 1635. His will is at the Clerk of Courts' office in Salem. Des- cendents in Lynn, Peabody, Western Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York and the West, also in Paris, France. Francis D. Moulton, Beechers " Mutual Friend" was of this family. John T. Moulton, Esq., of Lynn, a scholarly gentleman and member of the —3— T H E M O L' L T () N F A M I L Y New England Historical and Genealogical Society and of the Essex Institute of Salem, to whom I am much indebted for information about the earliest families, is also a descendant. III. James, of Salem, Mass., 1637, finally of Wenham, Mass. Freeman in 1637-S. The descen- dants of James remain in Beverly and Wenham. Some went to Conn, at an early day and to Rhode Island, IV. Thomas, of Charlestowii, Mass., 1630. Had descendants for three or four generations and then the name seemed to die out. V. Thomas, of Newbury, Mass., then Hampton, N. H., 1638, finally of York, Me. Most of the York County Moultons are his descendants. VI. John, of Newbury, Mass., then Hampton, N. H., 1638. Has descendants in Porter, Standish, Deering and elsewhere in Maine. VII. William, of Newbury, Mass., finally of Hampton, N. H., 1639. Descendants numerous in N. H., Mass. and Me. The Moultons of Scarborough and Parsonsfield, Me. are mostly of this branch. "That the family has not been wholly wanting in members ot social and political influence and not limit- ed as to numbers is evident from the fact that there are five parishes and two or more townships in England, one village in Lawrence Co., Ala., one post office in La- vaca Co., Te.vas, one in Shelby Co., III., one village or post office in Gonzales Co., Texas, one in Appa- noosa Co., Iowa, one in Mo. and one township in An- glaize Co. , O. , called Moulton, one post office in Mad- ison Co. , 111. , and one in N. H. called Moultonville and one township in N. H. called Moultonborough. " THE MOULTON FAMILY Early Settlers in Massachusetts -p OBERT MOULTON was sent over in the fleet -*-^ with Higginson to Salem in 1629, by the Home Company, with orders to commence ship building. There were seven other ship building carpenters in the fleet and during the first season they built three shallops on Salem Neck. (Found in History of Salem.) Moulton had charge of the work. He soon removed to Charlestown where he was made freeman in 1631. He was one of the first selectmen of that town and was representative to the first General Court in 16^4. He came back to Salem in 1637 and in that vear was disarmed because he was a friend of Wheelwright, who was a father-in-law to Anne Hutchingson. <' Moulton did a large business, not only in ship carpentering, but also in exporting ship timber, for which purpose he cut off all the timber on Salem Neck pasture (Upham) and G 1755- (Pro. record 33, i to 9.) He signed a paper in 1720 requesting Rev. Ward to accept the call of the Wenham Church. Children: 1. Jonathan, born January 29, 1736. 2. John, all that is known of John is that he settled the estate of John Second, Sarah, born January 5, 1732, married Bert Hvinall, of Topsfield, December 8, 1750. Hannah, born April 27, 1735. Joined the church January 10, 1762. 5. Josiah, born October 31, 1739. FIFTH GENERATION Jonathan Moulton, son of John Second, was born January 29, 1736-7 and married May 21, 1760. He resided on the farm cleared by the first James, Billy Moulton. He married Mary Tarbox; born March 12, I 738, daughter of Deacon Samuel Tarbox of Wenham. He served as a sergeant in the Revol- utionary war in Captain John Dodge's company, in a regiment commanded by Colonel Jacob Gerish. The warrant was dated June 2, 1778. He was a portly light complexioned man; "an excelent man but no driver" — John Conant. "A very clever man and a great joker." "A very even tempered man." — Han- nah Friend and Betsey Hood. Said Dr. Dudley Dodge — 10 — THE MOULTON FAMILY "I knew your grandfather well and a nice man he was too. He was a farmer and skipper of a fisherman. (?) I knew his sons John, Jonathan, Billy and the rest, seven of them." Children: 1. Thomas, drowned in Salem harbor by the upsetting of a pleasure boat, aged 19 years. 2. John, born December 31, 1762. 3. Jonathan, born 1765. 4. Tarbox, born 1767. 5. Samuel. 6. Daniel. 7. Billy, born in 1775. Children of Deacon Samuel Tarbox : 1. Mary, born March 12, 1738, married Jonathan Moulton. 2. Rebecca, born September 20, 1739, niarried Josiah Moulton. 3. Anna, born March 4, 1742, married Daniel Conant . 4. Eunice, born 1744, married George Ray- mond. 5. Susannah, married Samuel Raymond. 7. Lydia, born 1753, married Richard Hood. 8. Robert Cue, born 1746 (From History of the Tarbox Family.) SIXTH GENERATION Captain John Moulton was the second son of Jonathan, born December 31, 1762; married Miss Davison, of Wenham, June, 1785. She died March 27, 1788, leaving one son, John, born January 11, 1788, in Beverly. This son died at Kingston, Jamaica — II — THE M PULTON FAMILY of yellow fever September, 1801, while acting as cabin boy for his father. Captain John's second wife was Mrs. Sally Springer a cousin to his first wife, born 1761. Her maiden name was Sally Weber. She had previously married a Captain William Springer, an Englishman. She had one daughter, Sally, "Widow Oliver". Children by second marriage: 1. William Springer, born October 23, 1796. 2. Charles, born July 16, 1799, died October 6, 1805. His second wife died April 25, 1806, aged 45. Mary Bailey, his third wife, was born in Rowlev, September 15, 1775- They were married July 22, 1808. Children by third marriage: 1. Augustus, born May 31, 1809. 2. Charles, born July 3. 18 ti. 3. John, born May 9, 1813, di:d January 16, 1814. 4. John, born September 26, 1814, died Aug- ust 23, 181 5. 5. Mary, born August 3, 1816, died February 4. 1817. 6. Eben Hobson, born February 14, 181 8. Captain John died of dysentery September 24, 1824. Sketch of Life of Captain John Moulton. When a lad he joined a party of boys who were skating on Wenham pond. Several fires were kindled and late in the evening a cat let loose by a boy, ran directly toward one of the fires and all of the boys gave chase. As the first person came near the fire. THE MQULTON FAMILY the weakened ice gave way and that one was drowned. The second in pursuit, John Moalton, turned as the water flowed round his feet and escaped. He never skated afterwards. When under fourteen years of age, though full grown, he was allowed to serve in the Revolutionary Army as a substitute for his father, who had been drafted soon after his discharge from a term of voluntary ser- vice and whose family and business had suffered from his absence from home. The young man served nine months on Long Island and the Jerseys. A part of the time he was under Washington. He was in the engagements on Long Island and at Brandywine. He suffered much from cold and hunger. Afterwards he shipped with the noted privateer. Captain Hugh Hill, as cabin boy. On the first day out the Captain explained to him the names and uses of some parts of the rigging, but finding on the second day the boy had forgotten some things he had told him, he gave him a sound flogging ending with the remark; "there d ye, see if you will forget what the halyards are again." He did not forget. At the close ot the war he continued to go to sea; once he was wrecked on Cape Cod, loosing everything but the clothes he stood in. Another time the ship in which he was returning from Europe foundered and the crew, taking to the boat, lived fourteen days on an allowance of two dates and a little water apiece per day. Learning navigation in the forecastle he rapidly rose to be a master marine. In that capacity he visited the principal places in the southern states and the West — »3 — T H E MOULTON FAMILY Indies; also Bristol, Havre, Bilboa, Lisbon, Oports and manv of the Spanish, French and Italian ports ot the Mediterranean Sea. Before the passage of the embargo act, while on a voyage from the West Indies to Europe, he was cap- tured by a vessel commanded by a Frenchman and bearing the French flag. He was carried into Havana where the ship and cargo were confiscated. He owned one-fourth of the ship and one-third of the cargo. All was lost . After giving up a seafaring life he engaged in agri- cultural pursuits, «'but while the merchant vessels of the Northeast were rotting at the wharfs", it was difficult for the most experienced to dig a living from a Wenham farm. His success in an almost untried business was not marked. He lost one thousand dol- lars bv the failure of his brother Tarbox. He did not succeed in getting a pension for his service in the army, because the only man he could find who was in his company did not remember him. He failed to get recompence for his losses at Havana under the Spanish claim, because the Commissioners decided that the nationality of the ship that captured him was deter- mined by the flag she bore. His last days were embittered by these losses and dissapointments and also by poverty and failing health. He died with dysen- tery September lo, 1824. Personal appearance. He was five feet nine inches tall. Temperament, nervo-sanguine. Hair and beard at sixty-two, white. Aunt Grant, whose husband's first wife was a sister to John Moulton's first wife, said; "when he was a young man his hair was as red as a —14— THE MOUJ. TON FAMIL Y beet and his face was as red as his hair." His fore- head was high; eyes large and blue and deep set; nose, large; figure, spare and rather stooping; gait, rolling and long strided. Though not a handsome man his general expression was calm, thoughtful, and kindly. Acquirements. Though he had but few educational advantages, he was, in his own neighborhood, an authority in all matters relating to legal and business forms and usuages. From extensive reading of history and books of travel, as well as from his own wander- ings, he had learned much of ' the world and its inhabitants. He was one of the most active proprie- tors of the Wenham Library and among the library books, he enjoyed Addison, Swift and Sterns best. He could read French readily and had some know- ledge of Spanish and Portugees. He excelled in figures. Aunt Grant said; "when he lived in Isaac Woodberry's house (R. N. Lee's) he taught a private school in Lower Beverly to instruct young men in arithmetic, geometry, navig-ation and surveying. "When chosen a member of the board of selectmen and assessors in Wenham, he usually did all the figur- ing and when not chosen he usually m.ade the taxes for those that were."— Mary Moulton. Isaac Babson said; "I never knew anybody that could rekon in his head as quickly as Cousin John," their grandmothers were sisters, "he did'nt have to rekon he could guess near enough. Once he came into the brickyard where I was at work and Uncle Francis asked him to guess how many bricks there were in the kiln, he walked to the end of the kiln, stood a moment, and I'll be darned if he did'nt guess the number to a brick." "He was —15 — THE MOULTON FAMILY a Federalist in politics and in relig-ion, though nomin- aly orthodox, his views were liberal." — Anna Potter. "He used tobacco freely but in eating and drinking he was very temperate." — Mary Moulton. "In his younger days he was very quick tempered, but in after life he so far overcame this fault, that it was considered almost impossible to provoke him to anger." — Hannah Moulton, his brother's widow. "1 sailed with Captain Moulton two voyages as cook and he was the best man that I ever sailed with. He could' nt have treated me any better if I had been a white man." — Robert Arnold, of Beverly, a negro. William S. Moulton, son of Captain John Moul- ton, was born October 13, 1796. Married Mary Ann Porter, daughter of Colonel Paul Porter, of Wenham, August 13, 1819. Died February. 1880. Marv Ann Porter, born January, 1799, Died April, 1880. Children: 1. William Porter, born October 8, 1820, died December 25, 1835, from inflammation of the bowels. 2. Charles Volney, born in Lynn, September 12, 1822, died at Boxford, November 20, 1891. 3. Henry, born in Wes:brook, Maine, Septem- ber 21, 1824. Master marine and farmer. Married Lydia Spiller of Boxford, where he now lives. 4. Nathan Harris, born in Westbrook. Maine, Dijcember 20, 1826. Married Abbie Davis of Dover, New Hampshire, March, 27, 18^1. She was born in Strathford, New Hampshire. He died of consumption in 1854. He was a mason, shoemaker and cloth dresser. At one time he was in busi- ness with his father in Charlestown. — 16— THE MOULTON FAMILY 5. Paul Porter, born at Westbrook, November, 1828. Died in infancy. 6. George Otis, born at Lynn, January 27, I 83 I . Married Cynthia Becker, of Dover, New Hampshire, February 14, 1857. He is an engineer and resides in Danvers. 7. Lucy Cetena, born in Wenham, August 9, 1834 or '35. Died there of consumption 1864. 8. William Porter, born in Wenham, Decem- ber 16, 1837. Married Rebecca S. Dudley, of Wenham, September 6, 1862, who died in Stuart, April 4, 1897. Editor of Stuart Herald, Stuart, Iowa. 9. Albert, born June 19, 1840. Children of Nathan Harris Moulton : 1. Henry A., born February 15, 1852. 2. Loretto Isabel, born February 25, 1854, married A. D. Trout 1885. Children of William Porter Moulton: 1. Nettie Louise, born in Stuart, Iowa, August 3, 187 I. Married Albert C. Griffin Sep- tember 2, 1902. 2. Benjamin Crofoot, born in Stuart, Iowa, December 8, 1873. 3. Ruth Adelaide, born in Stuart, Iowa, Jan- uary 19, 1875. 4. Myron Dudley, born in Stuart, Iowa, May 31, 1878. Married Anna Conger April 5, I902. Mr. William S. Moulton, of Lynn, Massachusetts, and Miss Mary Ann Porter, of Wenham, entered — 17— THE MOULTON FAMILY their names and intention of marriage with me 'August 7, 1 8 19, and were posted as the law directs the 8th. of the same month. Gave a certificate nth., same month. — ^John Dodge, Town Clerk. Charles Moulton, son of Captain John Moulton, married Matilda Lummas 1834, she died 1837 or' 38. Children: 1. Charles Lummas, born June 8, 1835, mar- ried Catherine Phillbrook, June 8, 1857. 2. Alonzo Grafton, born September 23, 1836, drowned off Baker's Island August 22, 1857 Married second time, Abbie Cole, who was born 1 8 19, died December 12, 1847. They had one child, John Francis, born February 3, 1841. He married Lucy O. Giles, December 15, 1859. Married third time, Ann Cole, November 1848. She was born October 4, 1821, died May 31, 1871. Children: 1. Albert, born July 30, 1850, died October TO, 1850. 2. Abbie Ann, born May 13, 1852. 3. Matilda, born August 24, 1854, died Oc- tober 10, 1854. 4. Matilda Lummas, born June 13, 1856, died October 3, 1857. 5. Henry Cole, born May i, i860. 6. Mary Elizabeth, born September 26, 1863, died October 11, 1863. Hervey Moulton, son of Charles Moulton, married Ida M. Jenness October 6, 1897. —18— THE MOULTON FAMILY Children of Charles Lummas Moulton: 1. Alonzo G., born April i, 1859, married Grace E. Bradley. 2. Alice L., born August 17, 1861, died Sep- tember 16, 1885. 3. Lewis E., born May 11, 1863. Children of Alonzo G. Moulton: 1. Lulu E. born July i, 1884. 2. Charles F., born May 25, 1888. 3. Alice L,, born July 15, 1890. 4. Maud C, born November 21, 1892. Children of John Francis Moulton: 1. Frank F., born March, 21, i860, married Anna McHall September 24, 1903. 2. Nellie A., born March 24, 1862, married Fred B. Walker July 2, 1884. 3. Fanny A., born October 27, 1865, married Sheldon Thompson January n, 1888. They have one child, Sheldon Thompson, born January 13, 1890. Augustus Moulton, son of Captain John Moul- ton, was born May 31^ 1809; married Julia Ann Pressy, of Amesbury, December 25, 1841. She was born in 18 12 and died March, 1877 at the Bos- ton City Hospital, after an operation for cancer. Children: 1. Julia Ellen, born October, 1842, married George W. Taylor. 2. Henry Percy, born November, 1854, died December 5, 1904. Married Hattie Stock- er in 1876. 3. John Augustus, born November, 1846, married Maria Wallis October, 187 1 —19— THE M P ULTON FAMILY Children of Henry Percy Moulton: 1. Edith Foster, born 1877. 2. Susie Pressy, born 1878. 3. Henry Phillip, born 1S79. 4. John Richard, born 1881. Children of John Augustus Moulton: 1. Henry Augustus, born 1872, married Annie J. Caldwell, 1893. 2. Mary Lizzie, born 1874, married Winslow P. Goldsmith 1895. One child, Harold Moulton. born 1896. 3. Albert Lawrence, born 1878, married Louise Bannister 1900. One child, Jennie Louise born 1 90 1. Eben Hobson Moulton, youngest son of Captain John Moulton, born February 14, 18 18, married Irene Conant, April 13, 1847, ^'^° ^^^ born July 14, 1825. He died November 19, 1894. Children: 1. Lorenzo Gordon, born February 7, 1848, married Annie Maria Palmer January i, 1874 One child Lillie Bell, born ]\Iarch 5, 1876; studied law, admitted to the bar 1903. 2. Mary Ellen, born April zr^, 1849. 3. Charles Standley, born February 19, 1851, died August 16, 1853. 4. Sarah Francis, born March 5, 1853, mar- ried George Peabody Stiles, of Salem, Feb- ruary 4, 1884. He died April 25, 1890. 5. Walter Standley, born August 21, 1861, married Lizzie L, Proctor, of Lynn. He died September 9, 1894. 6. Arthur Augustus, born August 3, 1863, married Caddie Dewey, of Salt Lake City, June 20, 1888. 7. Roger Conant, born August 7, 1867, died August 12, 1867. — 20 — THE M O U L T O N F A M 1 I, Y Children of Sarah Francis Stiles: 1. Irene Grey, born March 28, 1886. 2. Arthur D., born January 4, 1888. Children of Arthur Augustus Moulton: 1. Arthur Conant, born July 9, 1890. 2, Walter Stanley, born September, 1893. Jonathan Moulton, of Beverly^ a sailor, ship- master and grocer, married Hannah Wyatt, of Danvers. He died in 1808, aged 4-^. She died in 1859, ^g^d 91 years, 10 months and 15 days. They had one child, Polly, who married Captain Thomas Vincent, of Beverly; both died in Lynn. Children of Polly Vincent: 1 . Captain Jesse. 2. Jonathan, born 1800, died 1875: married Nancy Troak. 3. Lucy, born i 8 i 5 . 4. George, born 1817. Thomas, Frederick and Henry were drown- ed at sea. Elias and another Thomas died at sea. George and Lucy ("Nugent) still live in Lynn. Children of Jonathan Vincent: 1. John, born i 832. 2. Elizabeth (Perkins), born 1834. 3. Frederick, married Adams;' died in Salem by falling through a window. He was over eighty years old. Children of Frederick Vincent: 1. Alice L. , book-keeper. 2. Augustus H., teacher. 3. D. Warren, reporter. Col. — 21 — T HE MOULTON FAMILY Elizabeth, married Samuel Ober, of Wenham, in 1803. He was killed by lightning. Children: 1. ]alh, married Pinkham, of Salem. 2. Emily, married Kilham, lives in Beverly. 3. Samuel. 4. Oliver, killed in the Rebellion. Tarbox Moulton, of Wenham and Beverly was a master marine and mei chant. Married Sally Wallis in 1805, he being thirty-eight and she eighteen. He failed in business and vas so crushed in spirit that he never recovered and iied of consumption in 1825, aged fifty-eight years. His wife died in 1836, aged forty-nine years. Children: 1. Henry, born August 10, 1806. Harness maker; went to New York. 2. Sally, born June 20, 1808. Married in Lynn. 3. Elizabeth Wallis, born 18 10, married Ed- mund Coffin. 4. Mary A., born 1812, married John Tarbox. She and all her children are dead. 5. Charles, born 18 15; carpenter. Died in California. 6. Joshua, born September 5, 18 17; photo- grapher in Salem. 7. " George, born 1820; stairbuilder, Boston. 8. Hannah, born 1822, married Bier, of Wor- cester, Massachusetts. 9. Abby, born 1824, died 1847. Samuel Moulton, removed to Lyman, Maine, when a young man. Married Jerusha Dodge, of Beverly. He was a carpenter and farmer; was tall, 21 — THE M O U L T O N FAMILY red-faced and possessed considerable energy. He was a Methodist, the only one of seven brothers that belonged to the church. Children: 1. Jefferson, farmer and sheriff of York County, Maine. 2. Jerusha; dead. 3. Polly. 4. Charles, school teacher and farmer. Daniel Moulton, lived on the old James Moulton homestead and took care of his mother. At her death he produced some legal document that gave him pos- session of the farm. His brothers, believing their mother had been unduly influenced, were indignant and he moved to Amherst, New Hampshire. He sold the farm to Colonel Paul Porter. He married first, Naomi Dodge, of Wenham and afterwards an- other wife in New Hampshire. In all he had twelve children, one of them was «'Our Mutual Friend," Frank Moulton, of Brooklyn, New York. Billy Moulton was a shoemaker, seaman and ship- master. He was large in size, florid in complexion, genial in disposition, an inveterate reader and tobacco chewer. He married Mary Lunt, of Newburyport and lived in Wenham, Beverly, Hamilton, Boston and Vermont. He died in Vermont at the residence of his daughter, Harriott, aged over eighty years . Children: 1. Thomas, born in Beverly, November 1798 He was a mason. Died in Boston. 2. Catharine, born in Beverly, July 1800, died 1803. —23 — THE MOULTQN FAMILY 3. Charlotte, born in Wenham, married Mc- Allister of Boston. Died there in 1879; left one son. 4. Harriot, married McAllister's brother and moved to V. L. 5. Elizabeth, married Blanchard and went to Ohio. 6. Louessa, married Kimball, a jeweler of Boston. 7. Samuel, born 18 17 or '19. He was born in Wenham but at an early age removed to Hamilton where he was distinguished for scholarly traits. The school committee advised his father to take him out of school, not for any fault, but because in study he was in advance of his teacher. He served about three years in Boston to learn the harnessmakers trade, but having trouble with his employer, he left to seek his fortunes in the far west. When heard from he was teaching school in Kansas; he married there. Studying between schools, he was admitted to the bar and soon afterwards was practicing in Vardalia, Illinois. He has been a member of the Legislature, Judge in the State's Courts and has served in Congress three terms. As the dates of the death of John Moulton's first wife and of his marriage to his second are unknown, it would be doubtful whether the first or second woman was the mother of his children, were it not that tradi- tion settled the doubt in favor of his first wife; at least in the case of Jonathan. It is known that Captain |ohn Monlton and Billy Moulton both claimed to have Kilham blood in their veins; that Dr. Daniel Kilham —24— THE M PULTON FAMILY when he visited Captain John, usually called him Cousin and that Dr. Kilham prior to 1824 gave Cap- tain John a paper containing the geneology of the Moukon and Kilham families, showing their connec- tion by marriage and the relationship between the two parties. This paper is lost but Billy Moulton, Mary Baily Moulton and William S. Moulton agree sub- stantially in making these statements. JosiAH Moulton married Rebecca Tarbox, a sister to his brother Jonathan's wife. She marked the date of her birth, 1739, on a sampler which is now in possession of Henry A. Moulton. of Wenham. Josiah v.'as shot just outside of Salem Harbor during the Revolutionary War, in an engagement between a letter of marque, on which he served, and a British frigate. A ball struck a jackknife in his pea-jacket pocket and drove that into his side. He died as he was landed on the wharf in Salem. (Traditional.^ He left two daughters, Mary and Rebecca. Mary married Colonel Paul Porter. Rebecca married Dea- con Nathaniel Kimball, both of Wenham. Mary was born 1775. Josiah was a blacksmith. William Moulton, third son of the second James, was born in Wenham. His first wife, Mary, died March 3, 1694. He was married the second time to Jane Conant, daughter of Excise of Beverly, July 4, 1695. She was baptised in the First Church, June 20, 1675. They went to Windham, Connecticut with their father Excise but they afterwards came back to Ipswich, where he died 1763. Children: I. William, born at Windham 1696; died same year. —25— THE MO ULTON FAMILY 2. William, born at Windham November, 1697; husbandman. 3. James, born at Windham July, 1700; shoe- maker. 4. Daniel, born at Ipswich January, 1703. Had two children, Sarah and Elizabeth. 5. Sarah, born at Ipswich January, 1705; mar- ried Jonathan Clinton. 6. Caleb, born at Ipswich, 1709; cooper. 7. Lucy, born at Ipswich, 17 12. 8. Nathaniel, born at Ipswich, 17 16, died in 1735. Mary, the widow of the above William's brother Jonathan, died October 22, 1728. Samuel Moulton, second son of the first James, went to Wenham with his father; married Sarah , November 30, 1665, He, with four others, were drafted t'roni Wenham to service in the expedition against the Narragansetts in Rhode Island. He mar- ried the second time, Mrs. Elizabeth Glover, only daughter of Edward Norris, Clerk of Salem, in i698. He lived in Rehoboth. Mary Moulton, daughter of the first James, mar- ried James Friend, of Wenham, son of John Friend, the first of that name in town December iz, 1662, Ebenezer Moulton was expelled from the church in Brimfield, Massachusetts, for being a Baptist. He then commenced preaching the new doctrine, when he was arrested and put in jail for breaking the peace, Robert Moulton, his brother, sympathised with him and he was also expelled from the church, though he had served the town as Clerk, Selectman and Repre- —26— THE MOULTON FAMILY sentative. This happened about 1730. (History of Brimfield.) THE TARBOX FAMILY. The Tarbox name is supposed to come from the town of Tarbocic, eight miles from Liverpool. Tar- bock is a corruption of the Danish Thoro-beck or brook, from a little river that runs through the town. Some, however, think it is a Huguenot name from Tabaux or Tabeaux. Deacon Samuel Tarbox, was born October i, 171 5, married Mary Cue, April 30, 1732. Elected deacon in 1760; died 1775. He lived in the last house in Wenham toward Topsfield and owned a large farm and one slave. He had five daughters; one mar- ried Richard Hood, two married Moultons, two others married Raymonds, brothers of Colonel John W. Raymond's great-grandtather. One of the Raymond brothers went to Lyman, Maine and the others lived in Beverly. Captain Thomas was a son and Mrs. Shadrock Fisk and William A. Foster's first wife were grand-daughters of Deacon Samuel Tarbox. Colonel Paul Porter, who married Mary Moulton, the grand-daughter of Deacon Tarbox, handed down this saying of his: "having traveled all over the world, I am satisfied if a man can't get a living in Essex County, Massachusetts, he can't anywhere." Rev. Increase N. Tarbox, President of the New England Genealogical Society and also the American Col. and Educational Society, furnished the following genealogy of the Tarbox Family, of Wenham. John Tarbox was in Lynn in 1639. He had two sons, Samuel and John. Samuel married first Rebec- —27— THE M PULTON FAMILY ca Armatage, then Exptrience Look. By the first wife he had six children and by the second, twelve. One of the children by the second wife was Thomas Taibox, born June 8, 1684. He married Esther Edwards, February 22, 1707. He lived in Wen- ham and was known as Captain Thomas; his father died in 1 7 1 5 and his mother went to live with him in Wenham, where she died March 2, 1738, aged eighty-four years. Her gravestone with inscription stands near the entrance to the old Wenham burying ground. Captain Thomas had nine children: the second and fifth sons were deacons. Also Captain Samuel Tarbox, born October i, 1715, died April 30, 1784, joined the church February, 10, 1738. Experience Look, born 1654, was the danghter of Thomas Look, of Lynn. Her family removed to Martha's Vineyard, where the name is common. Henry Herrick, second son of Henry, lived on the old homestead. He married first Lydia Woodbury, and in 1690, the Widow Giddings. He was a juror in the witch trials at Salem in 1692. Died 1702. Mary Herrick, daughter of Henry, born July 20, 1700, died 1790. She married Robert Cue of Wen- ham, 1718. He died 1737 or '39. According to Dr. Herrick' s Genealogy, she married Deacon Samuel Tarbox, of Wenham, April 20, 1737. —28- sketches of the Lives of the Four Sons of Captain John Moulton /i S the direct descendants of the four sons of ■^*- Captain John IVloulton are the only ones that will care to read this little history of the family, we had purposed to secure character sketches of the four sons. We have not succeeded in getting as lengthy sketches as we wished, but we prefer to let them go in as they come to us rather than to supplement them with any considerable addition of our own, separated as our life has been from theirs. From our boyish recollection of Augustus, Charles and Eben Moulton, they were the salt of the earth. They were the best representatives of the old Puritan stock then living. They were men with the courage of their convictions and when in the old town of Beverly back in the forties, there were but seven men who would stand up to be counted for the anti-slavery cause, three of them were my uncles. WILLIAM SPRINGER MOULTON William Springer Moulton was the eldest son of Captain John Moulton, of Wenham. He was raised on a farm. He received a good common school education for those days. Being of studious habits and endowed with a splendid memory, he made the most of his meager advantages. He —29— THE MOULTON FAMILY also received an academic education at the old Mathuem Academy. His mother was a devout member of the Bap- tist church and wished that her son should be- come a minister of that denomination. He de- sired to follow the sea, as his father and many others of his progenitors had before him. We presume that a compromise was effected, as he was put to learn the dyer's trade at the Lynn Dye House. After securing his trade he became the agent for this dye house, then very noted, it being one of the largest in New England in the first half of the nineteenth century. While he was agent for the house, the first printing of calico ever done in the United States was done there. From the dye house village of Lynn he went to Waterville, Maine, and began business there for himself. His dye house was washed away by a flood and he returned to Massachusetts and farmed for a time. He then engaged in milling at Danvers Port, then called Danvers New Mills. From there he returned to his trade, working in Salem and then engaged in business for himself in Charles- town. The evolution of industry in New England was fast eliminating this trade from among the profitable callings. The dye house, once a prime necessity in every town and village, has long since passed away. From the dye house he returned to the farm and death found him engaged in the same occu- pation which he entered as a birthright. He was an industrious man all his life. He was frugal in his habits, using no tobacco nor in- toxicating liquors. Books and newspapers were his only indulgences. But he accumulated no — 3c— THE MQULTON FAMILY wealth and died a poor man. He was devoted to his family and gave to them his best effort. Ex- cept when called away from his home by his business, he spent all his leisure hours at home. His passion was the pursuit of knowledge. He read everything, but science, history and philosophy were his favorite studies; poetry and fiction only engaged his attention when there was nothing else to read. He served his town in almost every capacity. He was one of the town school committee for a term of years and a member of the board of select- men. He was thoroughly informed in town af- fairs and in local history he was an oracle that was often consulted. He was employed by the town to rescue the old town record from oblivion, when it had become so dim from age that no one not familiar with it and thoi'oughly acquainted with the early history of the town and the old town names could make out what the faint trac- ings on the paper meant. Although he wrote easily and pointedly, he never was able to express himself orally with sat- isfaction to himself, so his voice was seldom heard in town meetings except when appealed to for in- formation. He was a kind and considerate neighbor, a good nurse and always helpful in sickness. For years he filled the place in the simple life of his neigh- borhood, as its barber, undertaker and funeral director when death came to their homes. His attitude toward the prevailing religious be- liefs of his day was that of a skeptic. He rejected supernaturalism in all its forms. He accepted nothing that his intelligence and common sense did not approve. He called himself a "Nothing —31— THE MQULTON FAMILY Nearian." So far as the prevailing creeds of his day v,-ere concerned, this was doubtless true, but he had very positive convictions upon religious and philosophical questions. He was without cant or hypocrisy. He made no pretension to belief which he did not have; he simply lived his life according to his own convictions of right and wrong, and accepted without complaint the ostra- cism that the intolerant of his generation visited upon those who chose to make their own investiga- tions and form their own conclusions. He played no games, took part in no amuse- ments, attended no meetings (except town meet- ings), belonged to no organization, mixed in no society and had no intimate associates. He was satisfied with himself, his ideals, his life, and did not attempt to escape the seclusion it brought him. Individualism, the character of his race, was the dominant factor of his life. While it enabled him to build for himself a rugged and independent character, it limited his development and left the softer and better side of his nature dwarfed and inassertive. In politics he was a Jeffersonian Democrat in his early life. He remained loyal to the party until after Jackson's administration. After that the dominating power of the slave holder in the party drove him to the anti-slavery cause and later to the Republican party. He loved nature. It was his God. Its eternal and unchangeable law was his religion. He found more agreeable companionship with it than with men. He could not make a musical note, but he delighted in the songs of birds, the deep bass of the ocean and the rhythm of the forest moaning. —32— THE MOULTON FAMILY He watched all of nature's changing moods. He kept a diary from 1824 until his death in 1880, in which he recorded the weather, the direc- tion of the wind and the marking of the thermom- eter; the appearance of the first bud of spring, the flight of birds, the growth of crops and the snows of winter. His diary, before us as we write, closed with his life. He recorded with his own hand the ap- proach of his death. We find written under the date of February 21st, 1880, after the record of the weather, the word "Sick." February 24th he writes "Sicker." February 25th he writes again the word "Sicker." February 26th he writes "Sick — too sick to keep this account any longer." He died February 28th, 1880. Thus ended his diary and his life. AUGUSTUS MOULTON Augustus Moulton was born in Wenham, Massa- chusetts, May 31, 1809. He received his education in the schools of that town. About the year 1825 he removed to Beverly. He was a great reader and lover of books and had an excellent mem- ory. He never sought public office, but he served the town as selectman in the trying times of the Civil War with credit to himself and the town. He was interested in the anti-slavery movement from the first, and later a firm believer in the prohibition cause. He never joined any church, but attended the Orthodox Congregational Church of New Beverly. He could never accept its creed. The Golden Rule was a sufficient revelation of the will of God for him and he conformed his life to its teachings to the end. —33— THE MOULTON FAMILY He died at Beverly October 31st, 1886. aged seventy-seven years, honored and respected. CHARLES MOULTON The following clipping from a Beverly paper sent us soon after the death of Charles Moulton, will serve as a brief sketch of his life. As we remember him it is far too modest and incomplete to do justice to his life and the place that he made for himself in the com- munity in which he lived. Wc remember him as an uncompromising abolition- ist and also as a member of the Baptist Church and one of its most active workers. But this sketch does not mention this connection and so our statement must be taken with a liberal grain of allowance. Charles Moulton, a respected and honored citi- zen of Beverly, died at his home in Cabot street, April 11th, 1901, at the age of eighty-nine years nine months and seven days. Mr. Moulton had been sick for some time and the end was not un- expected, although all that skilled physicians and the tender care of his immediate family could do for him was done. Mr. Moulton was one of the few men left us of the old school who were thoroughly honest, upright and consistent in all their walks of life. He was a strong advocate of temperance, joining the Sons of Temperance in 1846 and continuing with the organization as long as it was in existence. He was identified with the Prohibition party from its inception and was at one time the nom- inee of the party for state senator and several times a candidate for the lower branch, standing for principle rather than expecting to l)e elected. —34— THE MQULTQN FAMILY He was a butcher and dealer in pork, cattle and poultry during the active years of his life, and his was a familiar figure in the old Derby market in Salem for years. He was at one time a member of the board of selectmen and was always interested in the wel- fare of his town and city and his voice was fre- quently heard in town meetings, advocating things which he thought were of benefit to the com- munity. EBEN HOBSON MOULTON Eben Hobson Moulton was born February 14th. 1818, in Wenham. After the death of his father he, with his mother and brothers, moved to North Beverly, where he resided until his death. He was very fond of reading and studying and at one time, when quite a young man, taught school. In 1842 the young men of North Beverly formed a debating society, of which he was elected president. He wrote many articles, both prose and poetry, which were greatly enjoyed by his friends, and was a contributor to the "Liberator" and other periodicals. He married in 1846 Irene Conant, daughter of John Conant and a direct descendant of Roger Conant. He was identified with the anti-slavery cause, voting with the abolitionists, and in 1838 he was instrumental in starting a free anti-slavery library in North Beverly. He was interested in the tem- perance cause, being himself a total abstainer from liquor in all forms. He was a trustee of the Beverly Public Library for a term of years and served the town for many —35— THE M PULTON FAMILY years as a member of the school committee. He was a Unitarian and always attended the services of that church. When his minister preached his funeral sermon he spoke of him as one of the best men in his parish and one who had helped him by his example and counsel as much as anyone in his church. He died November 19th, 1894, at the age of sev- enty-six. -36- Honorable Henry P. Moulton AT a meeting of the members of the bar of Essex and Suffolk Counties^ held at Salem April 28th., 1905, for the purpose of paying their tribute to the memory of Henry P. Moulton, the following me- morial was adopted. Several speeches followed the reading of the memorial address among which was one of Justice Loring of the Supreme Judicial Court, which paid a very high tribute to the deceased as a man and a lawyer. Mr. Moulton was born in Beverly and his life work was done in Essex county, and there he al- ways resided. He was of Puritan ancestry. He was a lineal descendant in the eighth generation of James Moulton, who was born in England in 1602. James was a member of the church and a freeman in Salem in 1637. In 1646 he lived in Wenham, where at the first town meeting he was chosen granary-man. He was also a deacon of the Wenham church. Henry Percy received his early education in the common schools. He attended the district school in Beverly and entered the Beverly high school, being a m.ember of the first graduating class. From the high school he en- tered Amherst College in 1861 and graduated with his class in 1865. In college he was a diligent and conscientious student. He was also a great reader of general literature, and while this may have de- tracted somewhat from his rank in scholarship, it —37— THE MOULTON FAMILY broadened his mind, rounded out and developed his character, and bore an important part in fit- ting him for his professional career. Early in his college life he determined to make law his pro- fession, and that object was always distinctly be- fore him. Lack of means compelled him to make many sacrifices in order to complete his college course, and he was one of the few students who boarded themselves; but self-denial came easily to him and he never complained, but was always jovial and buoyant and confident of the future. He was loved by his classmates and respected by all, and those who knew him best and appreciated his sturdy attainments early predicted for him future success in his chosen profession. After graduating from college he studied law for three years, which was then the usual time devoted by students to preparation for entering the profession. Upon completion of his studies he was admitted to the bar in 18G8 and immediately entered upon practice in Essex county. At that time the Essex bar contained many able and brilliant members, and it was not easy for the young practitioner to make headway and the race was a strenuous one. Mr. Moulton, however, soon began to take place and position at the bar, and to be recognized as a real force and as one of the surely coming men. He early acquired the confidence of people and popularity and was chosen to the legislature from Beverly as early as 1870, and served through the winter of that year, but his political career was brief and apparently not to his taste, and he re- turned with renewed vigor to the exclusive prac- tice of his profession. He constantly gained in the estimation of the bar and the bench as a lawyer, and in the confidence of those who were concerned -38- THE MOULTON FAMILY in litigation, and witliout brealv or interruption ad- vanced until he stood in the very forefront of the legal profession of Essex county and the common- wealth; and for a long period preceding his death he was probably concerned, on one side or the other, in the majority of the important cases in Essex county. In 1882 he was appointed district attorney for Essex county and served one term in that capacity, bringing to the office the same untiring industry, conscientious service and unquestioned integrity that had always characterized his general practice. His service as district attorney did not interfere with his general practice, which seemed to grow Instead of diminish as a consequence of his hold- ing this office, and upon his retirement from office he was better known, more largely trusted and his service more in demand. During the administration of Mr. McKinley he was appointed United States district attorney, and was holding that office at the time of his death, performing all the duties of his position and at the same time carrying the burden of a large and extensive general practice. For six years he was president of the Essex Bar Association, and it was only at his earnest request that his brethren excused him from further service. He was fre- quently n>ejitioned as a candidate for high office, and undoubtedly could have had a place upon the bench had he so chosen, but his love for his pro- fession, both for itself and the honorable reward that it brought him, deepened as his life advanced, and he remained true to its service. He married Harriet E. Stocker of Beverly, who survives him, as also four children — Edith Foster Moulton, who is a graduate of Lasell Seminary; —39— THE M PULTON FAMILY Susy Pressey Moulton, a graduate of the Salem High School and of Smith College, Northampton; Henry Philip Moulton, who was a student of Am- herst College, wiih a special course at Harvard, and is now a teacher; John Richard Moulton, a gi-aduate of the Salem High School and of Yale College, now pursuing the study of law at Harvard Law School. It is not fitting in a memorial, perhaps, to speak too closely of a deceased brother's private and home life, nor would we in any way invade the sanctity that surrounds the name of home, but the beauty and simplicity of our deceased brother's home life were known to all. Too much of it cannot be said; too little of it had best not be said at all. In contradistinction to the common aphorism that one should not take home his busi- ness cares and troubles, but should leave them behind him at the office or the counting room. Brother Moulton took them home with him and had ever the benefit of the loving and interested advice of his wife and the absorbing sympathy of the children. Mrs. Moulton had a very clear a\i;i accurate knowledge of his business affairs and alter his death she clearly showed a keen appre- ciation of the characteristics of the different mem- bers of the bar that had been associated with her husband, and that could only have come from a most imtimate detail of the relations of her hus- band to the business in which he was concerned and to his brethren at the bar. Perhaps the chief est of the stimuli of the activ- ity of his life was the desire for the welfare of his home; the comfort and happiness of the partner of his joys and sorrows; the desire that his children should have all the advantages and chances for —40— THE MOULT ON FAMILY success and happiness that might come to them from the highest and best education and culture which the institutions of the country could afford, and in the promise of their future lives, it can be truly said that "his works live after him." Speaking of him simply as a member of the bar, and as an associate of us, his fellow toilers in the profession, who today meet in sadness to render some tribute to his memory, it may, in a word, be said that he died at his post. One of his intimate friends has said that when he became aware of the fatal character of the disease that was fastening itself about his life, and when hope of final recovery had gone, he said that he had made up his mind to die in the harness, and die in the harness he did, in the midst of a long and laborious contest at the bar. Fully equipped for his work, shirking no duty and rendering to his government the benefit of every power and every attainment with which his life's work had equipped him, dying, not in apprehension or regret, but with the light of battle still upon his face. His end was sudden and unexpected. We cannot but feel that it was untimely. It was as though a great battleship, fully armed and equipped and with decks cleared for action, had foundered in mid- ocean. Such is the simple story of a simple life. Its field of activity was the office and the court house; its unfailing source of happiness — the home. It might well be left there. Words cannot add to our admiration or deepen our lasting remembrance. But it is in accord with long custom that we leave behind our dead brother some estimate of his character as a lawyer, and a man that, per- chance, in after years some beginner searching the — 4T — THE MOULTON FAMILY records of this court may find inspiration from his example, his worth, his characteristics, his labor, and take courage to travel the pathway that lies before him. Mr. Moulton came to the bar well equipped tor its work. He possessed a strong and rugged physique, an industry that knew no fatigue; hard common sense, a keen perception and quick grasp of facts, with the power to make from them close and logical deductions. His mental faculties were well disciplined and under good control. Above all he had a genuine love for his profession and was eager to engage in its contests. Among his chief attributes which became manifest after the commencement of his active practice were the capacity and willingness to work. Hard work with his books; hard work with the facts of the cases that came to him; hard work in court in the presentation of his case — these were the orders of the day for him and the orders for every day. His labor was unremitting. He took everything that came to him in the way of litigation, and seemed to have no choice of clients. The first person Vv^ho came to his office to secure his serv- ices was the one who secured them. Even after success had come to him, and the years of middle life had fallen upon him, and when he could well have shifted to other shoulders something of what we call the burden of drudgery of the profession, his work knew no relaxation. Many of those who knew him best felt that in the latter years of his life he could easily have taken fewer cases and perhaps been more choice in their selection with- out detriment in his standing as a lawyer or the income he received. Had he done thi.s his life might have been prolonged. He might have been —42— THE MOULTON FAMIL Y with us today. But this course was not for him. He was determined, even in the face of warnings of the encroachment of disease, to work to the last, and work he did to the very last day of his life. But perhaps he was happier so, for he seemed to love labor for labor's sake; at least this is the consoling thought. Mr. Moulton was an aggress- ive man; always ready tor the fray, seeming to rejoice when the conflict was on and never shirking a fight. He was not much given to compromise and settlement. Confident of his facts and believ- ing in his case, he was willing to stake the issue upon the verdict of the jury or the ruling of the court. But he was a fair fighter. His opponent need not fear tricks or surprises. He never dis- torted evidence or resorted to the by-play and arti- fice that sometimes exert no small influence in a jury trial. He knew but one side of a case and that was his side. But strong and persistent fight- er that he was, his contests never developed bit- terness or vindictiveness. He was always consid- erate of opposing counsel, ready to oblige and grant all reasonable and fair requests. He never insisted upon matters of form or non-essentials After thirty-five years of practice he left behind him no enemy in the profession, and no one was nearer the hearts of his brethren. In the trial of cases to the jury he was very suc- cessful, largely through his native force of char- acter. He put his own personality into his case. He was so earnest and so thoroughly believed in his case that it was easy to make the jury believe in it. He had great power in seizing upon the Important and turning facts of a case, making them prominent, dwelling upon them, almost ham- mering them into the minds of the jury. Simplic- —43— THE MOULTON FAMILY ity, directness and force characterized his address- es to juries. There was in them little of the ora- tor's art, little of the play of imagination, of ap- peal to feeling and passion; little of the grace and polish of finished oratory. On the other hand, their reasoning and logic were admirable. Generally we may say they were convincing rather than per- suasive; forceful rather than appealing. Above all, like everything that Mr. Moulton did and said, they were fair, open and honest. They contained no misstatements of evidence; no twisting of facts; no subtle and unworthy insinuation; rarely an appeal to sympathy; never to prejudice. The purpose of Mr. Moulton in his remarks to juries seems to have been to present an array of facts upon which he relied, and by repetition and insist- ance to ground them in the mind of the juror, and then draw the logical and inevitable conclusion and force it home. In doing this he had few equals. He wielded the battle-axe with great power, but had little use for the rapier. In deal- ing with questions of lav\^, he had sound judgment, and stated legal propositions clearly and concisely, lie was not specially a book or case lawyer, but he had a fine conception of the principles of law, and readily applied them to the facts. His knowl- edge of decided cases was helped by his remark- able mem.ory, but he remembered what had been somewhere decided, rather than the name of the case or the volume in which the decision was to be found. His opinion upon a question of law was quickly formed, and even when given off-hand and without study was generally well supported. In the argument of questions of law before the supreme court he had the same direct and forceful way of presentation as in dealing with facts be- —44— THE MQULTQN FAMI L Y tore the jury. When once he was grounded upon a proposition of law in which he believed, he held to it with great tenacity, and strove to secure its endorsement by the court with the same repetition and assistance as that with which he hammered an array of facts into the mind of a juryman. Mr. Moulton had an unusually large practice be- fore other tribunals than the courts, and was fre- quently before committees of the legislature, rep- resentatives of city and town governments, the county commissioners and like bodies. Here ora- tory is generally at a discount, appeals out of place, mere adroitness in the management of a case, or skill in examination and cross-examination of witnesses of little value. The marshalling and presentation of material facts, plain, logical rea- soning, just and fair conclusions, simply urged, win the day. Here he was very successful. His power in dealing with facts, his direct and positive speech, his belief in his cause, stood him in good stead, greatly aided, as he was, by his unassuming and democratic ways, and possessing, as he did, the confidence of men. He had no specialty in the law and was always ready to take up the work offered, wherever and whatever the forum might be. He was frequently in the criminal court, and he engaged in criminal practice to a later period in life than is usual with lawyers. He was, while at the bar, as in college, in constant touch with the general literature of the past and of the day, and found solace in the lighter English and French productions. He remembered what he read, and his mind was filled with the best things that had been written and were being written. But the storehouse of his mind in this regard was opened only to his friends, or to those who —45— THE MOULTON FAMILY were fortunate enough to engage him in conversa- tion socially and in the leisure hour, and then he was charming. The anecdote, the incident, the aphorism, the apt quotation, the witty repartee, the keen thrust at the weaknesses and foibles of humanity, were all there. With such an overflow- ing source from which to draw, surprise was often expressed that he did not use more ornament and flower of speech in his addresses to juries; more of illustration, quotation, simile and figure of rhetoric. He was once asked the reason for this, and replied that his mind was so concentrated upon the facts he was striving to bring out and enforce, that he had no thought for anything else; that he was so absorbed in the salient issues of the case, that all else was for the time banished from his mind. The trial of a case was a serious matter to him. tlis pathway to the juror's mind v/as hard, cold facts and merciless logic, and noth- ing could swerve him from it. But whatever may be said in the attempt to leave upon the records some estimate of our brother's characteristics as a lawyer, that he was a power with Essex county juries all concede. He had many sources of strength outside of what he said and did at the trial of a cause. He was a man of Essex. His ancestors were men of Essex. His robust form and striking presence were known to all. His sturdy character and blameless life were known to all. His interest in all that made for the welfare of Essex he had demonstrated. He had the confidence of all. It may well have been said that as he stood before twelve Essex county jurymen, they felt as if one of their own number were speaking to them; one whom they could trust and were willing to follow. One who would not -46- THE M O U L TON FAMILY wittingly deceive them; oue who had some right to command and direct them; one who could not, by unfair means, seek to lead them to an unright- eous verdict. The personality of a lawyer trying a jury case is a potent factor for success or fail- ure; perhaps not so much today as in the past, but in Brother Moulton's day it has played no un- important part on many a well fought field. His devotion to his profession did not narrow him. He was always public spirited, interested in all that concerned the welfare of the state and citizen. He held pronounced views upon political and economic questions; had strong political af- filiations and was loyal to his party. Nor did his laborious life and success and promotion at the bar dwarf his manhood. Simplicity and truth were at the foundation of his makeup. He was a real man. He dealt with realities. What he seemed, that he was, and that he wished always to be. He despised sham, conceit and pretense. To the weaker or younger brother at the bar he was ever considerate and kindly, but to the braggart, the blusterer and the pretender he was uncompromis- ing in his hostility. He never worshipped at the footstool of wealth or prestige, and vv^as incapable of fawning or flattery. All the prizes of his life had been fairly won in open, honorable contest, and for those obtained in other ways he had scant regard, no matter who the possessor might be. He had no jealousy or envy of the advancement of others, and rejoiced when a brother had fought his way to fame and fortune. He never sought his own success by pulling another down. The covert sneer or secret insinuation, by which character and opportunity are often sought to be destroyed, were strangers to his lips. As he hated sham, —47— THE MOULTON FAMILY so for the show and pai-ade and theatricals of the profession he had nothing but contempt. He was simple in his tastes, democratic in his ways, mod- est and unassuming. Truly a noble character has gone from us. As that familiar presence fades from view a notable figure at the bar disappears. A leader falls. There is a vacancy in our councils and a void in our hearts that can never be filled. Probably what shall be said here today will be the last public v/ords spoken of our brother who has gone from us. May they be just to him. May they express our love for him as he Vv'as in life and will ever be in memory, and our admiration for his abilities and character. Above all, may they be such as he himself would approve could they penetrate the ear of death. The ranks of those who came to the bar v/ith him are thinning rapidly. The gray head and the furrows left by old conflicts mark them as they discharge the daily duties of the profession. A few more years and their voices will be heard in this court room no more forever. One of the ablest, bravest and truest has gone a little before. That his memory may to some extent, at least, be exempt from the oblivion which the evanescent fame of the lawyer makes almost inevitable, they unite today with the younger brethren, and with one accord respect- fully ask that this memorial may have a place upon the records of the court. -48- Extracts from the Town Records of Wenham, Massachusetts Hannah, daughter of John Kellum, born April 29, 1660. James Moulton and Elizabeth Adams married February 10, 1662. James Friend and Marah Moulton married De- cember 12, 1662. Daniel Rumball, of Salem, blacksmith, for thirty pounds sold to James Moulton Sr., of Wen- ham, yeoman, forty acres of land formerly being the land of George Noole, deceased. Bounded on The east by land formerly of Mr. John Fisk and now in the tenure and occupation of James Bette. On the south side by Richard Kimball's land. On the west and north by land of said James Moul- ton. January 16, 1664. Hannah, daughter of Daniel, born December 21, 1664. James, son of Jsmes Moulton, born January ^, 1666. John, son of James Moulton, born September 4, 1668. James Moulton Sr., sold to James Friend, forty acres of upland with all of the thacht pond, the which pond lies in his forty acres. Bounded east by Mark Bachellor's land and land formerly Mr. Fisk's. West by Goodman Lord's land, that was Richard Kimball's. North by James Moulton Sr. South by Richard Kimball's land and Mr. Fisk's. It was 29 June, 1674. —49— THE MOULTON FAMILY Samuel Moulton and Sarah Phele were mar- ried April (4) 20, 167S. Sarah, daughter of Samuel Moulton, born Feb- ruary 12, 1679. Sarah, daughter of Samuel Moulton, born De- cember 2, 1679. Married, William Moulton, of Wenham, and Jane Conant, of Beverly, in Salem by Low Cousin, Es- quire, July 4, 1695. Mary, daughter of John Moulton, by Sarah his wife, born June 10, 1696. James Moulton Sr., died October, 1696. Mary, daughter of John Moulton, by Sarah, his wife, born October 1, 1698. Rev. John Fisk's land, according to evidence given by Samuel Moulton in 1698, then of Reho- both, formerly of Wenham. When Samuel Moul- ton left Wenham in 1652, he was fifty-seven years old. Fisk's land was then bounded by land of James Moulton, Samuel Kimball, John Foster and Pleasant Pond. At this time, 1698, John Fisk and James Moulton were both dead. November 24, 1699, an intent of marriage be- tween Jonathan Moulton and Sarah Herrick, both of Wenham, was published. Gave a certificate of it. January 4, 1699. — James Moulton, son of William and Jane, born July 11, 1700. James Moulton, son of William Moulton and Jane, born July 19, 1700. Abigal Moulton, daughter of John, by Sarah, his wife, born March 27, 1701. Elizabeth Moulton, widow, died February 14, 1703 or 1704. Josiah, son of John Moulton, by Sarah, his wife, born July 16. 1703. THE MOULTON FAMIL Y Jonathan, son of Jonathan Moulton, by Sarah, born April 6, 1704. Hannah, daughter of John Moulton, by Sarah, his wife, was born April, 1706. Samuel, son of Jonathan, by Sarah, his wife, born May 10, 1706. Died July 6, 1706. Jonathan Moulton, of Wenham, and Sarah Her- rick, of Salem, were married by Rev. Joseph Green, February, 1708. Elizabeth, daughter of Jonathan Moulton, by Sarah, was born April 7, 1708. Sarah, daughter of John Moulton, by Sarah, his wife, born August 29, 1709. Rebeckah, daughter of Thomas Tarbox, by Easter, his wife, born October 2, 1709. Died July 25, 1711. Samuel, son of John Moulton, by Sarah, his wife, born October 19, 1710. Benjamin, son of John Moulton, by Sarah, born January 7, 1711 or 1712. Sarah, daughter of Jonathan, was born by Sarah, his wife, September 2, 1712. Sarah, wife of Jonathan Moulton, died Septem- ber 2, 1712. An intent of marriage between Jonathan Moul- ton and Mary Leverit, both of Wenham, was pub- lished on May 31, 1713, and gave certificate June 18, 1713. Mary, daughter of Samuel Tarbox, by Elizabeth, his wife, born May 29, 1717. Mary, daughter of Thomas Tarbox, by Esther, his wife, born September 28, 1720. John Bengam, of Windham, and Mary Moulton were married December, 1721. Mary, daughter of Samuel Tarbox, by Eliza- beth, his wife, born February 6, 1723 or 1724. —51 — THE MOULTON FAMILY William Fisk, of Wenham, yeoman, made his will May 15, 1725. Proved March 5, 1727. His son Ebin Fisk was to have a residue and be executor of his will. He had bought half of his father's house in 1712. October 22, 1728, Mary, the widow of Jonathan Moulton, died. This may certify whom it may concern that Stephen Patch and Ruth Sloan, both of Wen- ham, on October 26, 1728, and Elijah Dodge, of Beverly, and Elizabeth Moulton, of Wenham, on November 22, 1728, were married by Robert Ward, pastor of the church in Wenham. November 2, 1728, an intent of marriage be- tween Elijah Dodge, of Beverly, and Elizabeth Moulton, of Wenham, was published. January 23, 1729 or 1730, an intent to marry between John Moulton Jr. and Hannah Killam, both of Wenham, was published. February 26, 1729 or 1730. February 26, 1729, John Moulton Jr., and Han- nah Killam, both of Wenham, were married. Josiah, son of John Moulton, by Sarah, his wife, died March 17, 1730 or 1731. October 5, 1730, Sarah, daughter of John and Sarah Moulton, died. Sarah, daughter of John Moulton, by Hannah, his wife, born January 5, 1732 or 1733. March 13, 1733, Samuiel Moulton and Sarah Fisk, of Wenham, were married in Ipswich. Samuel, son of Samuel Moulton, by Sarah, his wife, born March 19, 1734 or 1735. October 9, 1734, an intent of marriage between Caleb Moulton, of Ipswich, and Jerusha Fisk, of Wenham, was published. Hannah, daughter of John Moulton Jr., by Han- — 52— THE MOULTON FA M I L Y nah, his wife, born April 7, 1735. Jerusha, daughter of Caleb Moultou, by Jerusha, his wife, born ye first day of August, 1735. Jonathan, son of John Moulton, by Hannah, his wife, born January 29, 1736 or 1737. Elizabeth, daughter of Samuel Moulton, by Sarah, his wife, was born November 18, 173G. February 25, 1737, an intent of marriage be- tween Joseph Ayers of Ipswich and Hannah Moul- ton, of Wenham, was published. They were married May 9, 1738. Mary, daughter of Samuel Tarbox Jr., by Mary, his wife, born March 12, 1737. July 13, 1738, Moses May, of Ipswich, and Sarah Moulton, of Wenham, were married. Unis, daughter of Samuel Moulton, by Sarah, his wife, born March 24, 1739. Rebekah, daughter of Samuel Tarbox Jr., by Mary, his wife, born September 30, 1739. Josiah, son of John Moulton Jr., born, by Han- nah, his wife, October 31. 1739. January 31, 1740 or 1741, an ir.teut of marriage between Benjamin Moulton, of Wenham, and Tabitha Howard, of Ipswich, was published. Anna, daughter of Samuel Tarbox Jr., by Mary, his wife, born March 4, 1741 or 1742. Benjamin, son of Benjamin Moulton, by Tabitha, his wife, born March 9, 1741 or 1742. Abel, son of Samuel Moulton, by Sarah, his wife, born August 28, 1741. Tabathy, daughter of Benjamin Moulton, by Tabitha, his wife, born September 10, 1743. Sarah, wife of John Moulton, died January 3, 1744 or 1745. Sarah, wife of John Moulton, died January 31, 1744 or 1745. —5 3— THE MOULTON FAMILY Reubin, son of Samuel Moulton, by Sarah, his wife, born March 21, 1744. Samuiel. son of Benjamin Moulton. by Tabitha, his wife, born May 1, 1748. A purpose of marriage between Bartholomew OWj^y/VfcLL Descinen, of Topsfield, and Sarah Moulton, of Wenham, was published December 8, 1751. Mar- ried March 19, 1752. Married, May 21. 1760, Mr. Jonathan Moulton and Mrs. Mary Tarbox, both of Wenham. Thomas, son of Jonathan Moulton, by Mary, his wife, born February 12, 1761. Tarbox, son of Jonathan Moulton, by Mary, born October 27, 1761. Lydia Tarbox went to school in West Wenham in 1761. John, son of Jonathan Moulton, by Mary, born December 31, 1762. Jonathan Moulton, son of Jonathan, by Mary, his wife, was born January 8, 1763. Ebin Fisk, of Wenham, husbandman, made his will July 18, 1764. Proved October 28, 1764. In- ventory taken October 31, 1771. Legator's son Ebin, who had his walking cane. He gave to his grand-daughter, Sarah Moulton, to have among other things, all household goods that were his first wife's. January 29, 1767, Mr. Josiah Moulton and Miss Rebecca Tarbox, both of Wenham, were married. Samuiel, son of Jonathan, by Mary, born Feb- ruary 11, 1772. Married, April 27, 1776, Mr. John Symonds, of Danvers, and Mrs Hannah Moulton, of Wenham. In a list of Captain Dodge's company, Colonel Jacob Gerish's regiment, April 1, 1778, I find the name of Sergeant Jonathan Moulton. — S4— THE MOULTON FAMILY Mr. John Moulton and Mrs. Sarah Davison, both of Wenham, entered their names and intentions of marriage with me, June 4, 1785, and were post- ed the fifth, as the law directs. June 25, gave a certificate. Captain John Moulton and Mrs. Salla Spring- er, widow, entered their names with me, inten- tion of marriage, February 25, 1789, and were posted the next Sunday. Gave certificate June 4 1789. Married, July 28, 1789, Captain John Moulton, of Beverly, and Mrs. Sarah Springer, of Wenham. March 23, 1793, Mr. Nathaniel Kimball and Miss Rebecca Moulton, both of Wenham, entered their names and intentions of marriage with me and were posted the twenty-fourth of the same month. April 11th., gave certificate by me. John Dodge Jr., Town Clerk Married, April 11, Mr. Nathaniel Kimball and Miss Rebecca Moulton, both of Wenham. April 6, 1793, Mr. Jonathan Moulton, of Wen- ham, and Miss Hannah Wyatt, of Danvers, en- tered their names and intention of marriage with me and were posted seventh of the same month. April 14, gave certificate. Mr. Paul Porter and Miss Nancy Moulton, both of Wenham, entered their names with mtenvions of marriage, August 27, as the law directs, and were posted the twenty-eight. September 12, 1796, gave certificate. John Dodge Jr., Town Clerk. Married, Paul Porter and Nancy Moulton, both of Wenham, September 19, 1796. William Springer Moulton, son of Captain John Moulton, by Sarah, his wife, born October 23, 1796. Tarbox, son to Daniel Moulton, by Naomi, his —55— THE MOULTON FAMILY wife, born March 25, 1798. Charles, son of Captain John Moulton, by Sarah, his wife, born July 16, 1799. Hiram, son to Daniel Moulton, by Naomi, his wife, born August 25, 1801. John Moulton, son to Oliver Dodge, by Sally, his wife, born January 17, 1802. Died, Charles, son to John Moulton, October 6, 1805, in the seventh year of his age. Captain John Moulton, of Wenham, and Mrs. Molly Baley, of Rowly, entered their names and intentions of marriage with me, July 2, 1808. Were posted the third, as the law directs. Gave certificate July 18, 1808. Augustus, son of Captain John Moulton, by Molly, his wife, born May 31, 1809. Died, July 18, 1806, Sally, wife of Josiah Moul- ton Hood, in the twenty-fifth year of her age. The five following children were born to Cap- tain John Moulton by Mary, his wife: Charles, born July 3, 1811. John, born May 7, 1813. Died January 12, 1814. John 2nd, born September 26, 1814. Mary, born August 5, 1816. Died February 4, 1817. Ebin Hobson, born February 14, 1818. Married, February 17, 1828, Samuel Ober to Miss Emily Moulton, both of Wenham. An intent of marriage between Samuel Moulton and Sarah Yiske, both of Wenham, was published. .John, son of Captain John Moulton, by Sarah, his wife, born January 11, at Beverly. -56- **' ^ V ^"■\ %^ ^ :'\/ •■ „ 6'.- ,5 . -s PS «r u ^- '^ .■ ^^ .-^ ^ V .* .V '^^ ^ . f? '^ • ■-^^ x-^' f>. 0^ , .^■^ ^x. : o o 1 • k. #'% 0^ xO Xi. ^^ °c. 0^ \. , •<*.