Benjamin Moore

From "Dawes-Gates Ancestral Lines", compiled by Mary Walton Ferris, privately printed 1931.

Benjamin Moore, though unrecorded, must have been born at Sudbury (MA) where the family lived for 2 generations or more; both 12/13/1648 and 1/10/1649-50 have been suggested as his birth date. He died there on 10/29/1729, having married at the age of about 36 or more at Sudbury on 11/11/1686, Dorothy Wright, who was 12-14 years his junior and who died there on 10/20/1717.

By the will of his father, John, made in 1668 and proved in April 1674, Benjamin received about 120 acres of upland in 2 pieces, one of which adjoined the land of Ens. John Grout; 5 pieces of meadow land totaling 21-1/2 acres; and the town right which the testator had formerly bought of Nathaniel Treadway, as well las 20 pounds (money) in corn and cattle at price current within 1 year after the death of widow Elizabeth.

As to military service for Benjamin, one of his name who may have been he, served in the 1st or Mt. Hope Campaign of Philip's War, under Capt. Thomas Prentice, and had due him 2 - 3 pounds on 8/27/1675. Benjamin made no claim for loss as a result of the Sudbury Fight in April 1676, but his brother Jacob claimed a loss of 50 pounds, and his brother William of 180 pounds. Other victims were Widow Whale and Edward Wright.

Benjamin has been called a "prosperous farmer", and in January 1679-80, he bought from his brother, William, "his now dwelling house" in Sudbury and 48 acres of land in 4 pieces.

In 1688 the town stock of ammunition was distributed among the settlers who had agreed "to respond for the same in case it be not spent in real service in the resistance of the enemy" and among those who accepted and signed were Benjamin Moore, his brother Joseph, Lt. Edward Wright and Sgt. John Rutter. Each one who participated received a little over 4 lbs. of powder, a little over 3 lbs. of shot and 13 flints.

On 6/5/1700, Capt. Edward Wright sold land to his daughter, Dorothy, calling her "then wife of Benjamin Moore".

In 1707 there was under consideration a petition relative to dividing the town into 2 parts or precincts and a removal of the church site. Benjamin, being a resident of the west side, opposed the removal.

In July 1715, he and Samuel Wright were a committee to lay out a highway from the property of John Rice, Jr., so that he might pass "to meeting, Market and Mill, etc.".

In Feb. of 1716-17, being called "Sgt." Benjamin Moore, he was one of a committee of 5 to lay out a burying place on the west side of the river, and he was one of 36 men who made up the "Proprietary" of Sudbury, which would have been on the right of Nathaniel Treadway which his father had purchased and willed him. His brother, Joseph, was another of the 36 Proprietaries, because of the inheritance of the right of his father, John Moore.

Benjamin left no will, but in 1726 when he had been already 9 years a widower, he divided his property among his 5 sons, William, Edward, Peter, Uriah and Hezekiah, deeding the eldest, William, "the house I now dwell in, with all buildings and land" in consideration of "his taking care of me during the rest of my natural life and paying 50 pounds to whom I have ordered". He had undoubtedly given their portions to his daughters when they were married.

The children of Benjamin and Dorothy Wright Moore, all born in Sudbury, but in uncertain order were:

1. Dorothy, b. Sept. 18, 1687. It was undoubtedly she** who m. before 1706 Caleb Johnson of Sudbury, Framingham and Shrewsbury and died Jan. 25, 1741-2.
2. Abigail, b. Dec. 2, 1688; m. at Sudbury July 26, 1708 Josial (sic) Brown.
3. Prudence, b. July 14, 1690; d. yng.
4. William, b. abt.1692; d. at Rutland, Dec. 4, 1756, in his sixty-fifth year, then called "Lt."; m. at Sudbury on Jan. 21 1715/6, Tamar Rice daughter of John Rice.
5. Peter, his will was probated in 1770; m. at Sudbury on June 10, 1719, Mary Goodenow. They settled in the part of Rutland which became Paxton.
6. Edward, m. at Sudbury on Feb. 19, 1722- 3, Keziah Goodenow.
7. Hezekiah, b. Sept. 13 1696; his will of 1775 was probated in 1794; m. at Sudbury 6 June 27 1728, Mary Haynes (daughter of David).
8. Uriah, a physician; his estate was administered in 1746; m. 1st at Sudbury Oct. 5, 1721, Abigail' Haynes (daughter of David); m. 2nd there Jan. 21 1742, Parnel Parker who administered his estate.
9. Comfort, b. Feb. 8, 1702/3; she was unable to care for herself and in 1730 her brothers William, Edward, Hezekiah and Uriah deeded a piece of land to Caleb Johnson of Framingham for him to use for her support and burial. It was undoubtedly she who d. at Shrewsbury on March 30, 1755, "aged between 50 and 60."
10. Prudence b. July 22 1704; d. after 1759; m. 1st at Sudbury on Dec. 18, 1732, Mark Vorce); m. there 2nd on Oct. 18 1759 Daniel Woodward.

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From "Some Descendants of John Moore of Sudbury, Mass." by Ethel Stanwood Bolton, M.A., of Shirley, Mass.

Benjamin Moore was born in Sudbury (MA), perhaps on Dec. 13, 1648. He married, Nov. 11, 1686, Dorothy Wright, who died Oct. 20, 1717.

In 1726, Benjamin Moore divided his land between his sons William, Edward, Hezekiah, Uriah, and Peter (Middlesex Co. Deeds, Vol. 27, p. 224; Vol. 28, pp. 420, 423; Vol. 29, p. 107; and Vol. 45, p. 415).

There is also a possible disputed son Benjamin Moore who m. in 1728, Zerviah Moore. Other authors suggest he was actually Benjamin How. No current research proves he was part of this family.

GEDCOM Note

Category: Sudbury, Massachusetts

Biography ==Benjamin was born in Sudbury MA in 1648 the son of Moore-8548|John Moore and Elizabeth Rice.<ref name=DawesGates>Mary Walton Ferris, Dawes-Gates Ancestral Lines: a memorial volume containing the American ancestry of Rufus R. Dawes (Salem, MA: Higginson Book Company, 1931) Vol 1 Moore p 450 available at Ancestry.com subscription required</ref><ref name=Hubbard>Lillian KimballStewart, Hubbard - Thompson Memorial: Genealogical Record and Historical Account of the Ancestors and Descendants of Ebenezer Hubbard and Mary Thompson His Wife (Salem, MA: NEHGS, 1914) p 189-92 link</ref><ref name=Bullard>Edgar John Bullard, Bullard and Allied Families: the American Ancestors of George Newton Bullard and Mary Elizabeth Bullard.(Detroit, Michigan: E. J. Bullard, 1930) p 95-6 link</ref><ref name=DeForest1934>Louis Effingham De Forest and Anne Lawrence De Forest, William Henry Moore and his ancestry, with accounts of the Moore families in the American colonies, 1620-1730 (New York, NY: De Forest Publishing Co., 1934) John1 p 319-320, #5 Benjamin2 p 324-5, #19Edward3 and Elijah4 p 338-9 link</ref> His date of birth is not recorded in Sudbury vital records due to the death of the town clerk during this period but he was named in his father's will.<ref>John Plummer, The American Genealogist. "The English Origin of John1 Moore of Sudbury, Massachusetts," New Haven, CT: D. L. Jacobus, 1991) Vol 66 p 75-77 link</ref> In his father's willwas dated 1668 and proved in April 1674, "Benjamin received about 120acres of upland in 2 pieces, one of which adjoined the land of Ens. John Grout; 5 pieces of meadow land totaling 21-1/2 acres; and the townright which the testator had formerly bought of Nathaniel Treadway, as well las 20 pounds (money) in corn and cattle at price current within 1 year after the death of widow Elizabeth."<ref name=DawesGates/>

He married Dorothy Wright in Sudbury on 11 Nov 1686. (Sudbury marriages p 290)<ref name=SudburyVRM>Vital Records of Sudbury, Massachusetts to the Year 1850 (Boston, MA: NEHGS, 1903) Vol 1 Marriages p 290 link</ref><ref name=DawesGates/><ref name=DeForest1934/> Dorothy Wright was the daughter of Edward and Hannah Wright and she was born at Sudbury, Middlesex, Massachusetts, on20 Oct 1662 (Sudbury births p 157).<ref name=SudburyVRB/><ref name=DawesGates/> She was approximately 13 years younger than Benjamin.

Children:

1. Dorothy, b. Sept. 18, 1687 (Sudbury births, p 91-98)<ref name=SudburyVRB>Vital Records of Sudbury, Massachusetts to the Year 1850 (Boston,MA: NEHGS, 1903) Vol 1 Births p 91 - 98 link</ref><ref name=DawesGates/><ref name=DeForest1934/> m. before 1706 Caleb Johnson of Sudbury, Framingham and Shrewsbury anddied Jan. 25, 1741-2.<ref name=DawesGates/><ref name=DeForest1934/># Abigail, b. Dec. 2, 1688 (Sudbury births, p 91-98)<ref name=SudburyVRB/> m. at Sudbury July 26, 1708 Josial (sic) Brown.# Prudence, b. July 14, 1690 (Sudbury births, p 91-98)<ref name=SudburyVRB/>; d. yng.<ref name=DawesGates/><ref name=DeForest1934/># William, b. abt.1692; d. at Rutland, Dec. 4, 1756, in his sixty-fifth year, then called "Lt."; m. at Sudbury on Jan. 21 1715/6, Tamar Ricedaughter of John Rice.<ref name=DawesGates/><ref name=DeForest1934/># Peter, his will was probated in 1770; m. at Sudbury on June 10, 1719, Mary Goodenow. They settled in the part of Rutland which became Paxton.<ref name=DawesGates/><ref name=DeForest1934/># Edward, m. at Sudbury on Feb. 19, 1722- 3, Keziah Goodenow.<ref name=DawesGates/><ref name=DeForest1934/># Hezekiah, b. Sept. 13 1696; his will of 1775 was probated in 1794; m. at Sudbury 6 June 27 1728, Mary Haynes (daughter of David).<ref name=DawesGates/><ref name=DeForest1934/># Uriah, a physician; his estate was administered in 1746; m. 1st at Sudbury Oct. 5, 1721, Abigail' Haynes (daughter of David); m. 2nd thereJan. 21 1742, Parnel Parker who administered his estate.<ref name=DawesGates/><ref name=DeForest1934/># Comfort, b. Feb. 8, 1702/3 (Sudbury births, p 91-98)<ref name=SudburyVRB/>; she was unable to care for herself and in 1730 her brothers William, Edward, Hezekiah and Uriah deeded a piece of land to Caleb Johnson of Framingham for him to use for her support and burial. It was undoubtedly she who d. at Shrewsbury on March 30, 1755, "aged between 50and 60."<ref name=DawesGates/><ref name=DeForest1934/># Prudence b. July 22 1704 (Sudbury births, p 91-98)<ref name=SudburyVRB/> d. after 1759; m. 1st at Sudbury on Dec. 18, 1732, Mark Vorce); m. there 2nd on Oct. 18 1759 Daniel Woodward.<ref name=DawesGates/><refname=DeForest1934/> He served in the Mt. Hope Campaign of Philip's War, under Capt. ThomasPrentice for which he was to be paid 2 - 3 pounds on 8/27/1675.<ref name=DawesGates/> "Benjamin has been called a "prosperous farmer", and in January 1679-80, he bought from his brother, William, "his now dwelling house" in Sudbury and 48 acres of land in 4 pieces."<ref name=DawesGates/> "In 1688 the town stock of ammunition was distributed among the settlers who had agreed "to respond for the same in case it be not spent in real service in the resistance of the enemy" and among those who accepted and signed were Benjamin Moore, his brother Joseph, Lt. Edward Wright and Sgt. John Rutter. Each one who participated received a little over 4 lbs. of powder, a little over 3 lbs. of shot and 13 flints."<ref name=DawesGates/> "On 6/5/1700, Capt. Edward Wright sold land to his daughter, Dorothy, calling her "then wife of Benjamin Moore"."<ref name=DawesGates/> "In 1707 there was under consideration a petition relative to dividingthe town into 2 parts or precincts and a removal of the church site. Benjamin, being a resident of the west side, opposed the removal."<refname=DawesGates/> "In July 1715, he and Samuel Wright were a committee to lay out a highway from the property of John Rice, Jr., so that he might pass "to meeting, Market and Mill, etc."."<ref name=DawesGates/> "In Feb. of 1716-17, being called "Sgt." Benjamin Moore, he was one ofa committee of 5 to lay out a burying place on the west side of the river, and he was one of 36 men who made up the "Proprietary" of Sudbury, which would have been on the right of Nathaniel Treadway which his father had purchased and willed him. His brother, Joseph, was another of the 36 Proprietaries, because of the inheritance of the right of his father, John Moore."<ref name=DawesGates/> His wife Dorothy died on 20 Oct 1717 ("Dority, w. Sergt. Benjamin [Moore], [died] Oct. 20, 1717." (Sudbury deaths Vol 2 p 316)<ref name=SudburyVRD>Vital Records of Sudbury, Massachusetts to the Year 1850 (Boston, MA: NEHGS, 1903) Sudbury deaths Vol 2 p 316 link</ref> Nine years after her death Benjamin divided his property among his five sons, William, Edward, Peter, Uriah and Hezekiah, deeding the eldest, William, "the house I now dwell in, with all buildings and land" in consideration of "his taking care of me during the rest of my natural life and paying 50 pounds to whom I haveordered". He undoubtedly had already given portions to his to his daughters when they were married.<ref name=DawesGates/><ref>Middlesex Co.Deeds, Vol. 27, p. 224; Vol. 28, pp. 420, 423; Vol. 29, p. 107; and Vol. 45, p. 415.</ref> Benjamin Moore died on 29 OCT 1729 Sudbury<ref name=SudburyVRD/> leaving no will having already divided his estate.<ref name=DawesGates/><ref>Ethel Stanwood Bolton, Some Descendants of John Moore of Sudbury, Mass."</ref>

Sources

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