The Untold Story of the Moulton Family Ancestors: Immigrants To Salem 1626-1629

Discovering our roots and understanding our heritage is a remarkable journey that connects us to the past. Today, we delve into the captivating history of the Moulton family ancestors, brave individuals who immigrated to Salem between 1626 and 1629.

The Early Beginnings

The Moulton family traces its origins back to the quaint village of Great Wratting in Suffolk, England. In the early 17th century, religious tensions and economic hardships pushed many English families to seek new opportunities across the Atlantic Ocean. The Moultons were among those who embarked on a perilous journey to the New World.

George Moulton, a skilled carpenter, and his wife Elizabeth Moulton, a resourceful herbalist, were determined to provide a better life for their children. Alongside their three sons, John, Thomas, and William, they embarked on a treacherous voyage that would shape their future and the fate of their descendants.

Moulton Family Ancestors: Immigrants to Salem 1626 - 1629

by Francois Klaus (Kindle Edition)

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1547 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	286 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

FREE

A New Home in Salem

After a long and arduous journey, the Moulton family arrived in Salem, Massachusetts, in the year 1626. Salem, a burgeoning settlement nestled on the coast, offered the promise of land, religious freedom, and prosperity.

The Moultons settled into their new lives, contributing to the growth of the community. While George utilized his craftsmanship to build homes and structures, Elizabeth's extensive knowledge of herbal remedies provided solace and healing for the settlers.

Over the years, the Moultons became deeply rooted in Salem society. Their dedication to hard work, resilience, and community values earned them admiration and respect among their neighbors, transforming them into essential figures in the town's development.

Challenges and Perseverance

Despite their initial hopes for a peaceful life, the Moultons faced numerous challenges in the years following their arrival. Accusations of witchcraft began to spread throughout Salem, causing hysteria and divisions within the community.

Regrettably, Elizabeth Moulton found herself targeted by the witchcraft accusations. Her extensive knowledge of herbal remedies and her independent spirit made her an easy scapegoat for those fearful of the unknown. This dark chapter in Salem's history tested the Moulton family's resilience and unity.

Legacy and Heritage

As time passed, the Moulton family weathered the storm of the Salem Witch Trials and emerged stronger than ever. Their contributions to the community and their unwavering commitment to their values became a lasting legacy, woven into the very fabric of Salem's history.

Today, the Moulton family descendants continue to honor their ancestors' memory by preserving the stories, traditions, and values that characterized their lives. From the humble origins of Great Wratting to the trials faced in Salem, their journey remains an inspiring and significant part of American history.

Uncovering the Past

Exploring our family's history helps us understand the hardships and triumphs that shaped our lives today. The story of the Moulton family is an example of the strength and resilience that defines the human spirit.

Delving into our ancestry is a journey worth embarking on. It brings us closer to our roots, strengthens our sense of identity, and connects us with a wider community of individuals who share common origins.

As we honor the brave Moulton family ancestors who ventured across the Atlantic to embark on a new life in Salem, we also recognize the importance of preserving our heritage. Their story reminds us of the sacrifices made by those who came before us, paving the way for the world we know today.

Let us celebrate the Moulton family's remarkable journey and continue exploring the rich tapestry of our own family histories, for they hold untold treasures waiting to be discovered.

Moulton Family Ancestors: Immigrants to Salem 1626 - 1629

by Francois Klaus (Kindle Edition)

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1547 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	286 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

FREE

While researching this book, the author discovered that the Moulton family of Salem, Massachusetts were even more “old Salem” than they thought. Eight of their ancestors were among the first small group of English immigrants to settle in Salem, or Naumkeag as it was known then, in 1626. Within three years another eight Moulton family ancestors had arrived.
As he traces the lives of these early immigrants, Graham Cocks weaves a fascinating history of Salem and the Massachusetts colony, from their very beginning to the eve of the witchcraft hysteria that terrorized the community in the 1690s.
The original immigrants were the remnants of a small farming and fishing venture on Cape Ann that proved to be unprofitable and was abandoned by its financial backers. Nonconformist Puritans, they hoped to found a plantation where they could live and worship as they wished without being persecuted by the leaders of the Church of England.
One of the eight ancestors of the Moulton family was their leader, Roger Conant. Now known as the Founder of Salem, his statue stands opposite Salem Common. The ancestors with him were his wife, Sarah Horton, Thomas Gardner who had overseen the farming on Cape Ann, John Balch, John Woodbury, Richard Norman, his wife Florence and his son Richard.
John Woodbury returned to England in 1627 to garner support for the fledgling colony and obtain legal right to the land they had settled. With his mission seemingly accomplished, Woodbury returned to Salem in June 1628, bringing his son Humphrey, another ancestor, with him.
The newly formed Massachusetts Bay Company obtained the land rights and acquired all the remaining assets of the company that had initiated the Cape Ann venture. It quickly sent its own man to take charge of the new colony, John Endecott. He arrived in September 1628 with forty-to-fifty new settlers, enough to double to population. With him were three more ancestors: Henry Laskin, his wife Alice and their daughter Edith.
The Company then sent a small fleet, now known as the Higginson Fleet, which arrived in June 1629. On it were three or four more Moulton family ancestors: Robert Moulton, his wife Alice and their son Robert; and probably a man named Henry Herrrick.
Robert Moulton senior came as the chief of a team of shipbuilders hired jointly by the Company and group of adventurers led by the Company’s London-based governor, Matthew Cradock.
The Higginson Fleet brought about four hundred new settlers including women and children, roughly quintupling the size of the population. Within a year about eighty had died. All the Moulton family ancestors survived that onslaught. Most of them lived surprisingly long lives.
They farmed and fished, built ships and kept inns. They acquired land. They served as deputies to the General Court and as selectmen. They served on juries. They laid out lots of land. They surveyed roads and boundaries with new settlements. They acted as constables and tithingmen.
They were involved in several controversies: an initial confrontation between the original settlers led by Roger Conant and the brash new governor John Endecott; the antinomian controversy that threatened both church and state; and the persecution of Quakers.
There are tales of brutal punishments, of mutilation, disarmament, excommunication and banishment. Tales of living peacefully side-by-side with Indians, of trading with them, and of warring with them. A tale of a daring raid on French settlements in Arcadia. And tales of everyday life in early Salem.
"Moulton Family Ancestors: Immigrants to Salem 1626-1629" is a rich blend of genealogy, biography and history.