was the son of Joseph and Abigail Moulton of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He has a fascinating family lineage. I think it is easier to start at a known beginning and move forward to John’s birth/death.
HERE LYES Ye
BODY OF JOHN
MOULTON SON
TO JOSEPH & ABIGAIL
MOULTON DECd
OCTOBER Ye
7th 1 7 1 9
IN 7th YEAR
OF HIS AGE
The Moulton family begins life in the Colonies with Englishman, Thomas Moulton. Thomas married Martha. One of their children was Joseph, born circa 1648 in York, Maine. Joseph was was owner of The Moulton Tavern and the town Constable in York, Maine. He married Hannah Littlefield, born circa 1651 of Wells, Maine.
Joseph and Hannah had four boys,
John
Joseph born circa 1683
Daniel
Jeremiah
It was the early hours of Candlemas 1692*, just before the breaking of dawn. Fresh snow covered the ground. As the residents of York, Maine prepared for the celebration of the day, the Abenaki Indians, led by French commanders, silently crept into the town. The stillness of the day was broken by what has now become known as The Candlemas Massacre.
The brutal attack took the life of Hannah Moulton immediately. There are various accounts of the fate of Joseph Moulton. It is unknown if he died immediately with his wife or was kidnapped along with his four sons and died along the way to Canada.
NEAR THIS SPOT
ARE INTERRED THE REMAINS OF THE VICTIMS
OF ONE OF THE WORST MASSACRES OF COLONIAL DAYS.
ON CANDLEMAS DAY, 1691-2
IN THE DAWN OF A JANUARY MORNING, ABENAKI INDIANS
ATTACKED THE SETTLEMENT OF YORK
BURNING THE HOUSES AND KILLING OR CAPTURING
300 OF ITS INHABITANTS.
ABOUT 40 WERE KILLED. THE REST MARCHED
TO CANADA, MANY DYING ON THE WAY.
ERECTED TO THE MEMORY OF THESE HARDY PIONEERS
BY THE SOCIETY
FOR THE PRESERVATION OF HISTORIC LANDMARKS.
The four boys were eventually ransomed and returned to the Colonies. The orphans were raised by family in Maine. Joseph married Abigail Ayers November 25, 1708 in York, Maine and settled in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Abigail was the daughter of [Blacksmith] Edward and Allice (Shapleigh) Ayers.
Joseph and Abigail Ayers had five known children.
Joseph Moulton born Sept. 29, 1711 Portsmouth, New Hampshire
John Moulton (1) born 1713 died 1719 Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Alice Moulton born June 4, 1715 Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Abigail Moulton born 1719 Portsmouth, New Hampshire
John Moulton (2) born 1721 Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Joseph Moulton died 1763 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Abigail Moulton died prior to her husband in 1758. It is unknown where they are buried.
Allice and Edward Ayers are buried in the Point of Graves near their grandson, John Moulton (1).
HERE LYES ENTTRD
Y e BODY OF ALLICE
AYERS WIFE TO
EDWARD AYERS AGED
53 YEARS DIED Y e
9 th OF FEBRUARY
1717/8.
[Broken stone of Edward Ayers.]
30 Day
17 2
IN Y e 65 th YEAR
OF HIS AGE
THE NEW HAMPSHIRE GENEALOGICAL RECORD vol. i. July 1903— April 1904
John’s Uncle Jeremiah Moulton became a famous Indian fighter to avenge his parents’ death.
*January 24, 1692 – Sewall, Samuel, The Diary of Samuel Sewall: Vol. 1, 1674-1708, Farrar, Straus & Girous: New York, 1973, p. 287, note: This is the date of the Old Style, Julian Calendar. The date New Style, Gregorian is 3 Feb. Candlemas is traditionally celebrated by the Church of England on 23 January or the Sunday between 18 and 24 January (In the Catholic Church day is marked on January 23, forty days after Christmas). Two days after the attack Samuel Sewall recorded in his diary: “Tuesday, Jan. 26, 1691/2 [New Style February 5], … This day…news was brought of an Attack made by the Indians on York.”