John Moses, of Portsmouth

Not the same as John Moses, of Windsor or as John Moses, of Plymouth

Disambiguation

In the early records of the New England Colonies mention is made of persons bearing the name of Moses. As far back as 1637 there were three colonists named John Moses. The earliest mention is of John Moses, of Plymouth, a Welshman, who settled in that town in 1632. Another John Moses, his son, probably born in England, was of Windsor, Connecticut, where he is first mentioned in 1647. The third John Moses was of Portsmouth, (now N.H.), and extended mention of him is made below. The name Moses was often spelt Moysis, Moises, Moyses and Mosses.

Biography

Many researchers believe his surname indicates he was a Sephardic Jew whose ancestors fled Spain, went to the Netherlands, and ultimately came to England. There is, however, no direct evidence.

In New England by 1638. In 1646 Apr he had a grant of 100 acres at Casco Bay adjoining that of George Lewis after serving 7 years as apprentice to Cleve & Tucker of Casco Bay.

In 1696 deposition he claimed to be 70 years old, meaning he was 13 when he came to New England and only 20 when land was granted.

MOSES, John (1616-) & 1/wf Alice _____; by 1639?; Portsmouth, NH {McIntire Anc. 217; Moses 198; GDMNH 170, 496; Waterhouse 71} (Clarence Almon Torrey, New England Marriages Prior To 1700 (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Company, Inc., 1985)).

MOSES, John & 2/wf Ann [JONES], w John; ca 1667; Portsmouth, NH {Moses 198; GDMNH 496; Waterhouse 73} (Clarence Almon Torrey, New England Marriages Prior To 1700 (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Company, Inc., 1985)).

He married first by 1648 (and by 1642 if she was the mother of his children) Alice _____; she died by 1667.

He m2 by 17 Sep 1667 Anne (____) Jones, widow of John Johnes; she d aft 6 Jan 1679/80.

He died after 1693/4.

Children (by first wife):

1. Elizabeth, b abt 1652; m by 1662 Joseph Walker Daughter, b abt 1644; m by 25 May 1665 Thomas Creber
2. Mary b abt 1645; m by 1 Mar 1664/5 Ferdinando Huff.
3. Joanna, b abt 1649; m by 1 Mar 1664/5 Timothy Davis
4. Aaron, b abt 1651; m1 1 Jun 1676 Ruth Sherborne; m2 Mary ____ who survived him and m 20 Oct 1720 John Sherburne.
5. Sarah, b abt 1653; unm in 1679; nfr

   ---

"John came to the mouth of the Spurwink River in Maine in 1630 at age 14 years as an apprentice to George Cleeve and Richad Tucker. After a land dispute with other new settlers, they moved to Casco Bay where now stands the city of Portland, Maine.

"Soon after completing his indenture, he left Casco Bay, married wife, Alice, and settled at Sagamore Creek in 1638 or 1639, near Stawberry Bank, now Portsmouth, NH. It is stated in a manuscript of 1715, that 'Goodman Moses was the first in Sagamore Creek'. To an original lot of 8 acres, he added 42 acres in 1652, and 43 acres more in 1660. Cleeve and Tucker deeded 100 acres to him at Casco Bay, but he did not claim it promptly, and much later the courts decided against him and his heirs. He kept his daughters near him by giving their husbands small tracts on which to build homes.

"He served on the Grand Jury of the Province in 1651, 1654, 1655, 1657,1659, 1664, 1674, and 1681; and on the Trial Jury 4 times. By 1672, he was Sergeant of the local 'train band' and was thereafter called Sergeant Moses in the official records of the time."

W.G. Davis, The Ancestry of Joseph Waterhouse.

JOHN MOSES OF PORTSMOUTH, N.H AND SOME OF HIS DESCENDANTS

In searching the earliest records of the sparsely settled New England of 1640-1650, we find the uncommon name of John Moses making its appearance about the same time in different colonies, and naturally the theory is evolved that the two men bearing the same name must have been closely related. It will be seen, however, from the facts and circumstances that herein follow, that it extremely improbable that they were of the same family.

John Moses of Plymouth was by tradition a Welshman, he was a shipwright and was apparently a Church man among Purtains. Now John Moses of Portsmouth was a Scotchman, an Agriculturalist, and a Purtain among Churchman. For a better understanding of the general surroundings connected with the founder of the New Hampshire branch, historical quotations are given.

From BREWSTER’S "RAMBLES ABOUT PORTSMOUTH"

It appears that Portsmouth was first settled in 1623 by the Laconia Company, and that the "most interested and active men of the Company were Ser Ferd Gorges and John Mason," That a Manor house was erected at "Ordiornes Point," that between "three and four thousand acres" were "attached to this branch of the plantation," and that "the provisions of the grant were ample for carrying out the idea of the proprietors, which was to establish a Manor hero agreeably to the English custom, the occupants of the land to be held as tenants by the proprietors of the soil." The company had agents to manage the colony, and from Doyl’s ENGLISH IN AMERICA we learn that, "in 1638 there were in the colony more than 40 horses, 100 cattle, 200 sheep, 54 goats, 22 cannon, 250 small arms, 48 boats for sighting, 50 workman, and 8 Danes to overlook saw mills and make potash, also 22 woman were among the settlers. Also in the inventory a set of Church furniture this makes it likely Mason was a zealous Anglican.

After the deviation of territory between Gorges and Mason and the death of Mason in 1634, the settlement was now free to shape its own course. The colonists either elected Williams governor or acquiesced in his continuance in office. Five years later it is recorded that "Williams the Governor" and Ambrose Gibbons Assistant, and 18 others, have built a chapel and parsonage and endowed them with 40 acres of glebe, and have elected two church wardens and an encumbent.

From LECHFORD’S PLAIN DEALING.’ Published January 17,1642

At northern alias Pascattaqua is Master Larkam pastor. One Master H.K. (Knowls) was also lately minister there. The two fell out about baptizing children, receiving members, buried of the dead...." And further Master Larkam flying to the Magistrate, Master K. and a Captain raised arms. Master K. going before the troops with a Bible upon a poles top, and he or some of his party giving forth that their side were Scots and the other side English... Master K. And the Captain there leaders, were find $100 a piece which they were not able to pay." From what we leaned later on in the history of the colony it is quite probable that the Scotchman, John Moses, was Master Knowl’s party. Through transfers of the colonial grant, George Cleeve and Richard Tucker claimed and held a disputed agency and jurisdiction over certain lands. Gov. Winslow of Plymouth writes to Gov. Winthrop of Mass, in 1644;

"Rigby has good hap. To light on two of the arrantest known knaves that ever trod, the New England Shore to be his agants in Cleeves add Morton. In 1645, Cleeves was exercising jurisdiction at Casco."

From PORTLAND IN THE PAST is also quoted;

"On June 8,1637, Gorges gave Cleeves as commission for the letting and settling all or part of his lands or islands lying between Cape Elizabeth and the end of Sagadock River, and so up the main land 60 miles."

With this introduction, we come to the first historical mention of John Moses of Portsmouth or Pascattaqua as it was then called.

In folio 1 of York Deeds, is the record of a grant which places the date of John Moses’ settlement in the colony at least as far back as 1639. The document is interesting from its quaintness, and is given in full.

"Witness these presents that We, Geo Cleeve and Richard Tucker of Casco Bay in New England hentlem for and in consideration of Seaven years Service as an apprentice performed vunto us by John Moses now of Puchatag River we have given granted & conformed unto him the 7 d. John Moses his heyers and assigns one hundred acres of land in Casco Bay living & next Adjoyneing vnto the land formerly granted vnto Geo Lewis by vs was hundred acres of land is to begin at the side of the Lott of the sd Geo Lewis & soe to run westwardly by the side of the bay one hundred pooles in length and eighty seaven pooles in breadth vnto the main land vntull the sayd hundred acres he ended together with so much marsh ground as belongeth to every hundred acres of land in the grant or deed granted to the sd Geo Cleeve and Richard Tucker in consideration of the yearly rent of 2s and 2 days work to be payd vnto the longest liven of them or their assigns & during the term of nineteen handwrite years to be fully compleated and ended. To have and to hold all the so lands and premises vnto him the sd John Moses his heyers and assigns during ye sd term of & from them to whom it shall belong vpon ye decession between them for the rent a foresaid for all seruices wisoner and her the 8 d Geo. Cleeve & Rich Tucker do further promise vnto his the sd John Moses that we or one of us will at all times herafter make further assuarance of the sd lands & premises herein specified vnto him the sd John Moses his heyres & assigns as shall be requested for the further conformation of the same according to ye sounsill learned in the Iawa."

In witness werof we have hervnto set out hands & seals the sisth day of April in the years 1646.

Memoranda. That ye two days work inserted in the deed is exempted & clearly taken off.

In the presence of’

Jno Dausi Geo Cleeve (seal)

Day. J.M. Easter Richard Tucker (seal)

In the introduction to the printed volume of YORK DEEDS it is stated that ‘ all of the Gorges lands were to be granted on the feudal plan." From PORTSMOUTH RECORDS, by Frank W. Hackett, we quote from pages 31, : town meeting list of January, 1648 land granted to Robert Davis a lot of Sagamore Creek, next point west of John Moysis.’ Page 20; ‘January 13,1652, granted to John Moysis 15 acres.: Page 23." December 5,1652, to John Moysis 5 acres." Brewster’s RAMBLES, Page 27, gives the record of a distribution in 1660 of lands to "all such as were reputed inhabitants and free comyners unto the year 1657. In this distribution or confirmation of titles, John Moses received 83 acres. Brewster also gives in subscrivers, 1658 to 1666 to ‘inaintenance of ye minister.: The first name on the list is John Moses. In the PRO. PAPERS OF NH VOL. 1 page 185. John Moses appears in 1665 as one of the signers of a petition favoring the jurisdiction of Massachusetts over New Hampshire. He is mentioned several times in the early histories as Sergt. Moses, and he may have been sent over as a soldier by Sir Ferd. Gorges, who was of high military rank in England. Brewster’s RAMBLES gives a plan of the seating in the meeting-house in 1693. The first of the three seats ‘under the pulpit’ is assigned to ‘sergt. Moses.’...In the mens gallery fronting the pulpit is "Aaron Moses."...In the womens seat in the gallery. "Aaron’s wife."

Aaron and Sarah Moses were children of John Moses. Concerning them and their descendants, quotations from histories are given; from Brewster’s RAMBLES, "Timothy Waterhouse early in 1700 married a Miss Moses "Ruth" daughter of Henry Sherburne, born in 1660, married Aaron Moses 1677. The original will of the "widow of Aaron Moses, dated in 1732, now in the possession of the Moses family at Portsmouth, and personally examined by Zebina Moses knows that her name was "Mary" and that she had married for a second husband, John Sherburne. The NEW ENGLAND HIST. AND GEN. REGISTER VOL. XVII, page 253, states "Ruth Sherburne married Aaron Moses of NH June 1,1676." Also another history uses the same language, evidently taken from some record. There is no other conflicting entry showing the marriage of a Ruth Sherburne, while we find that Ruth’s sister married a Richard Sloper, Sherburne. From, the record, it may be assumed that Aaron married first, Ruth, a daughter of Henry Sherburne and from the will of his widow we infer that he had a second wife named Mary, family name unknown. A grandchild of Aaron was named Ruth. Brewster mentions that Henry Sherburne was decended from a noble family in England and came to Portsmouth in 1631, and on page 55 of his RAMBLES ABOUT PORTSMOUTH he states as follows: "Henry Sherburne on Pascataway may have been a papist; he was church warden of out Church of England Chapel in 1640; is spoken of by Winthrop, in the only document left of the town records burnt by the Bay Puritans in the Civil Wars, when the church was broken up and they re-annexed Maine and New Hampshire to their empire. It would look as if he turned Purtain in the civil wars and went to meeting, and wouldn’t again after the king was brought back." On page 161, is given a list of the tax-papers of 1727, among them are James Moses, Mark Moses, Josiah Moses and Joseph Moses,. On page 176, "at the siege of Lousiburg in 1745, Col. Nath. Meserve rendered essential service in construction sledges for cannon;. In 1749 he was commissioned by the British Governent to build a ship of war of 50 guns, called the AMERICA. The ship was built near where the present Raynes shipyard is now. As the bridge was not then constructed, it may have been built in the rear of the Moses’ House," Page 196. "Among those who have kept their first localities for over 200 years are the Odeorne, Picjering, Moses, Widem, and other families.;" Page 206, "Next on the south side of the creek, comes the farm of James Moses, which has been in the family for two centuries.: Page 215, association Test, August 14,1776; We the subscribers...will to the utmost of our Power at the Risque of Our Lives and Fortunes with area oppose the Hostile Proceedings of the British Fleets and Armies against the United American Colonies" Among the signers, Thomas Moses, Theodore Moses, Aaron Moses, Samuel Moses, James Moses, Nadab Moses, John Moses, Aaron Moses," Brewster gives two entire chapters of his book to sketches and anecdote concerning Joseph, Samuel and Thomas Moses. In Vol VII to XXXVII of the New England HIST. AND GEN. REGISTER, are given items concerning many of the NH branch of the Moses Family. In the State Library of Concord, NH may be found a credible book of Poems by Thomas Moses of Portsmouth.

In passing through Portsmouth on a business trip in 1889, Zebina Moses the writer of Volume 1 and 2, visited the Old Homestead of the Moses family. It is located near the suburbs of the city of the Sagamore Creek and can only be reached by a private road. The original "ancestral Acres" were still in the Moses family then. A part of the original farm was owned by William Moses, age 82 then, whose house was burned in 1884. The house of the first John Moses and the greater part of the first farm was occupied by Martha J. Moses and her nephew, William E. Rand and family. Every deed and will, even the certificate of the first survey of the land, was in the possession of the family. Although it was so near the city, it was located in a secluded and picturesque spot. It had been handed down in a direct line in the Moses family from John Moses, who is mentioned in the deed of Cleeves and Tucker 1646, as they located in Portsmouth. Zebina Moses believed that except in the neighborhood or Portsmouth, there are very few instances in the United States where a property had remained continuously in the family name and been occupied by direct decedents of the first proprietor for 244 years.

GEDCOM Note

Moses, John, 1616.—According to a deposition of his he was born about 1616; date of his death is not known, but he was living in 1694. It is the tradition in the family that he was of Scotch descent, emigrating from the southwestern part of England, where there were many who called themselves Scotch. Probably he was first in this country at Portland, Maine, an employee of Cleeves and Tucker, in the early settlement around there. From there he came to Portsmouth, where he had been long enough to become so well acquainted with the rulers of the town, that 6 April, 1646, they gave him a grant of land. When he left Portland the proprietors gave him the deed of one hundred acres of land, as a reward for his seven years' service as an apprentice.

In 1648 he was living at Sagamore Creek. He received more land grants in 1652 and 1653; in 1660 the town allotted him eighty-three acres. He is on record as subscribing one pound for the minister in 1658, and after that he was a regular and liberal supporter of the Church. He was much engaged in real estate transactions buying and selling, as opportunity was given him to make a good bargain. His signature, or mark, was a five or six-pointed star. He served often as juryman. He served in the military company of the town and acquired the title of Sergeant as early as 12 March, 1671-2.

He had a wife Alice, 3 Oct., 1648; she died and he married (2) 1667, Ann, widow of John Jones; she was living 6 Jan., 1679. The first wife was mother of his children, except, perhaps, Sarah. John Moses was born about 1616, based on his own deposition of his age (70) in 1686. Some say he was from Horkstow, Lincolnshire, England.[2] He emigrated about 1631, settling initially in Casco, then to Portsmouth, NH by 1639. John was an apprentice to George Cleeve and Richard Tucker who granted him 100 acres at Casco Bay in 1646: "Witness these present that We Geo. Cleeve and Richard Tucker of Cascoe Bay in New England gentlem for and in consideration of Seaven yeares Service as an apprentice pformed unto us by John Moses now of Puchatag River we have granted & confirmed unto him the Sd John Moses his heyres and assigns one handred acres of land In Cascoe bay lying & next Adjoyneing unto the land formerly granted unto Geo Lewis by us wch sd hundred acres of land is to beginn at the side of the Lott of the sd Geo Lewis & soe to runne westwardly by the side of the bay one hundred pooles in length and eighty seaven pooles in breadth unto the main land untill the sayd hundred acres be ended togeather with soe much marsh ground as belongeth to every hundred acres of land in the grant or deed granted to the sd Geo Cleeve and Richd Tucker in consideration of the yearly rent of 2S and 2 days work to be payd unto the longest liver of them or their assigns & during the term of nineteen hundred yeares to be fully compleated and ended... In Witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands & seales the sixth day of Aprill in the yeare 1646...  Geo Cleeve  Richard Tucker In the presence of  John Davis Dav. J M Easter" [3] From this we can assume that he probably came over with them at least by 1639 and probably earlier as Cleeve and Tucker were here in 1630. John was the first settler at Sagamore Creek. From the "town meeting list of January, 1648... land granted to Robert Davis a lot on Saggamore Creek, next point west of John Moysis."[4] He had a deed from Ambrose Lane in 1651 exchanging his little island adjoining Ambrose’s sawmill for an acre of marsh.[5] John had grants on 13 Jan. 1652/3 (15 acres), 5 Dec. 1653 (5 acres), and 1660 (83 acres). His homestead was on the south side of the creek where he had 42 acres running back towards Bellahac brook. The homestead had become a garrison by 1692. The house standing in 1906 on the site was the third one on that original cellar. In 1906 the homestead was still occupied by John's descendants and the family then had every deed and will that concerned the title to the property, even the certificate of the first survey. [6] "On the crest of its slope stands the homestead, the third structure erected on the original foundation, and built about the middle of the eighteenth century by one Nadab Moses, a great-great-grandson of the first of his name in New Hampshire. Near the house stands an old well, dug no doubt by the first settler, and shading the low roof is a quaint oak which as a sapling was probably a companion of the pioneer's days."[7] An account of the neighborhood around Sagamore Creek was given in the Portsmouth town papers in 1715: “Goodman Moses was the first in Sagamore Creek. Andrew Haiffer next, where Toby Langdon lives. Mr. Gibson whare Slopper lives… all ye above ware Eight acre loats.” [8] John's wife Alice was slandered in 1648 by Elizabeth Roe whom he sued and won. Anne Crunther, his relative, testified with him. Evidently Thomas Williams and John Moses had built a post and rail fence for Nicholas Rowe and, not being able to collect for it in money or goods, they sued him. Nicholas' wife Elizabeth got into the battle and stated that Alice Moses was too intimate with one George Ellett whereupon John Moses sued Elizabeth "for the divers wrongs she had done him". In his and Anne Crunther's testimony Elizabeth specified the place on her anatomy where the court might demonstrate its affections! At the same time Elizabeth announced that Jane Walford was a witch. On 8 Oct. the jury awarded the verdict to Thomas and John in the fence case and sentenced Elizabeth to acknowledge the wrong she had committed to Alice at the meeting houses in Dover and Portsmouth. In addition for her offenses to Alice and Jane, Elizabeth was to be publicly whipped. Her husband, Nicholas, was also ordered to pay court fees of 8/6. [9] “At the Courte helde at Dover the 3 of the 8th month (48)… John Moyse & Alice his wiefe plantifes againste Nicholas Roe and Elizabeth his wiefe in an action of the case of slander, for that the said Elizabeth Roe saide that the saide Alice was George Elletts whore. The Jurye dothe finde for the plantifes & give them yt damage & costs of Courte, and for Elizabeth Roe to acknowledge that she did wronge in the publike meetinge house one daye at Dover, & an other daye at Strawberey banke, and that yf she denye to make that acknowledgment she is to forfeite fyve pounds, and that to be done wthin one month & Costs of Courte xs for attendance & witnesses xiis ixd… Thomas Williams & John Moyses plantifes againste Nicholas Roe in an action of the case for none payment of money or goodes for making a fence with posts & railes. The Jurye doth finde for the plantife 19d a Rodd, wth costs of Courte Costs of Courte xs attachment & serving it iis iiid witnesses iiis Thomas Walforde & Jane his wiefe plantifes againste Nicholas Roe and Elizabeth his wiefe in an action of the case for slaunder for that the saide Elizabeth Roe saide that the saide Jane was a witche. The Jurye doth finde for the plantife ii£ damages, & costs of Courte and also that Elizabeth Roe shall acknowledge that she did the said Jane wronge, one daye in the publike meetinge at Dover, and one other daye at Strawberey banke, and that yf she denye to make this acknowledgement she is to forfeite fyve pounds, and this to be done within one month Costs of Courte xs for attachment & witnesses xiis ixd…" And it looks like Tom Williams had some other issues as well: "At the Courte at Dover the 3 of the viith month 1648… It is ordered by the Courte that the whole estate of Thomas Williams to the valew of xx£ is to be attached for Pformance of the payment of iiis the weeke for the keeping of the bastarde childe of Judith Ellyns (he beinge the reputed ffather of it) until the nexte Courte to be holden at Dover, and also iiis the weeke since the time of her deliverie, and also to appear at the nexte Courte, to be holden at Dover, and in the meane time to be of good behavior… It is ordered by the Courte that Elizabeth wiefe of Nicholas Roe is to be openlie whipped for sundrye misdemeanours for which she standeth… & otherwise testified against her she was whipped according to the said order. It is ordered by the Courte that Judith Ellyns shalbe severelie whipped for her bastarde Childe, but in regarde of her weaknes of bodye & her… being weake her punishment afterward was remitted… Presentments at the Courte holden at Dover the 3 of the 8th month (48)… The grand Jurye Psented that Anne Crowther & John moyses do affirm that the wiefe of Nicholas Roe upon divers supposed wronge done unto the said John moyses he did threaten her to have her to the Courte upon which she answered, the Courte should kiss her arse, and further sayde at an other time she shoulde doe God as good service to kill the… as felton did to kill the Duke. The wiefe of Roe was openlie whipped for the same & some other speeches… But it looks like Anne Crowther was not the upstanding citizen either: At the Courte 3 of the 8th month (48)… The grand Jurye Psented upon the complaints of Jonas Claye & Christian Cande againste Anne Crowther for misusing her maide by severe punishments as they will more plainely relate: Her maide was freed by order of Courte from doeinge anne Crowther any more service, as by the saide order maye appear. The grand Jurye Psented Thomas Williams for willfull selling of wine without order, & still continueth therein to the evill example of others whoe follow his steps. Fined for the same 40s. The grand Jurye also Psented Thomas Williams for suffering drunkenness in his house, fined for the same xs… The grand Jurye Psented John Crowther for sayeinge that his wife was a whore, & that his girle tolde him that henry Taylor hath bine severall times with his wiefe with manye other bad matters which wilbe further witnessed by moste of the Inhabitants of strawberey bank also that the saide henrye Taylor with the wiefe of John Crowther hath after a moste marked manner puloyned the goodes of the said John Crowther, the said John Crowther hath publikelie related that himself, and hath saide that he woulde prove all by sufficient witnesses. We doe desire that the Courte would be pleased to send for those under named for witnesses whoe ma speake more concerning the matters afore named vizt Jonas Claye, Harve abbote, Roberte Davis servant of henry Taylor anthonie Brackette ffrancis Rande… At the Courte held at Dover the 8th of the 8th month 1649… Nicholas Roe plantife againste Jonas Claye in an action of the case for killing a Cow of his. The Jurye fine for the plantife… him vii£ xs damage and Costs of Courte… Whearas Nicholas Roe did somon Thomas Williams & John Moyses to appeare at this Courte and did not enter his action, it is therefore ordered that he shall paye John moyses for his charges vis viiid…" [10] As noted above John had a grant of eight acres at Sagamore Creek and in 1652 he had another grant of 42 acres and in 1660 another 43 acres. These two tracts were laid out and surveyed on 30 Mar. 1664. [11] In the list of subscribers from 1658 until 1666 for "Maintenance of ye Minister", John is listed first and paid £1. He was a deacon in the church for many years. He sued John Lewis for unjust seizure of his land in Casco Bay and lost in 1662. He deeded this land to “my two Sonns in Law Joseph Waker & Thomas Crebar of all my right therein” on 25 May 1665 and on 3 July 1669 he assigned the grant to them for 1900 years. Joseph and Thomas later sued Philip Lewis for the land, however, they also lost.[12] I John Moses of Portsmouth in the River of Pascattaway have a Certaine trackt of Lands in Casco bay to the quantity of one hundred acres given… unto me my Mr Georg Cleeve & Richard Tucker… in consideration of the intire love & affection I beare unto my said Sonns in law Joseph Waker & Thomas Crebar… doe… give… unto them… all that my said lands… for & dureing the tearme of Ninetene hundred years… they paying the Rent… when it shalbe Leagally demanded by the said Cleeve or Tucker…this third day of July… one thousand six hundred sixtie & nine… John Moses by his mark X In presents of us Elias Stileman Senr Richard Tucker" [13] On 1 Mar. 1664 John gave to his son-in-law Joseph Walker “all that part & parcel of marsh or meadow ground next and now adjoining to his upland at Sagamore Creek… being at the west or west end of the marsh of Henry Beck and from thence to run along by the woods… part of this grant aforesaid is in consideration of a little corn field of Joseph Walkers which now doth belong to fferdinando Hooff and joineth to the field of Thomas Creber and to the pasture of John Moses and now the Land of Ferdinando Hooffe and his heirs”. The deed was witnessed by Mary Huff and Richard Tucker, who had left Casco Bay and was spending his old age near his former apprentice. [14] In 1667 John sold to Tobias Lear a two acre lot at the Creek.[15] John took the oath of allegiance 2 Oct. 1666 favoring the jurisdiction of Massachusetts.[16] He was a sergeant in the militia by 1672, a juror in 1651, grand jury in 1651, 1655, 1657, 1659, 1664, 1674, and 1681. He was fined for not being in attendance for jury duty in 1666, but, upon explaining that he had been storm bound at the Isles of Shoals during this session of the court he his fine was forgiven. By 1672 John had become a sergeant in the Portsmouth militia.[17] On 16 Oct. 1667 John and Ann gave to her daughter and son-in-law, Mary and James Drew, the house that her first husband, John Jones, had lived in and on the same day James sold to John Moses his house “near the common foot path that goeth from Sagamore Creek to the meeting house, with a garden and three acres of land”.[18] John sold the Drew house to John Banfield for £34 a few weeks later. On 18 Dec. 1670 the town of Portsmouth settled an account with John Moses for John Jone’s past services as bell ringer of the meeting house and when James Drew died in 1674 John was his step-daughter’s bondsman.[19] On 28 Nov. 1668 John Moses and his wife Ann, deeded to Thomas Creber, seaman, 12 acres on the south side of Sagamore Creek with an entail to "granson Moses Creber".[20] On 6 Jan. 1678/9 John deeded half his property and some live stock to his son Aaron who was to pay his sister Sarah £5 upon her marriage and to pay his father one-half the profits or increase of the land and cattle: "This Indenture made ye 6th of January and in ye yeare of our Lord God One Thousand and six hundred Seventy-nine: Witnesseth yt John Moses of Saggamore Creek commonly so called & in ye county of Dover and Portsmouth & of ye one parte & Ann ye now other partie: unanimously have agreed & by these presents doe fully agree as followeth, Vis: ye Sd John Moses with ye consent of his wife Ann as aforesaid as well severally as joyntly hath sett or made over unto their sonn Aaron so supposed as aforesaid ye one half of his ye said John Moses. his plantation farm or tenement as houses, outhouses, wood and woods belonging, meadows, marshes, with all and every convenient privilege or priveleges, yt. is, may or shall belong or appropriation to ye said premises: with his stock as followeth: Two oxen, two steers, thre years old apiece, three cows, Three heifers two yearlings and three calfs: to be managed as followeth. Vis. ye sd Aaron is to manage, prove and improve ye whole of ye said plantation or farm: Receiving for ye same ye one half of ye profits, or increase of ye said land, or chattell, as of corn, hay, wood, for fireing or building, or anything else, shall or may be improved of ye sd John Moses farm, as aforesaid, it as aforesaid whether growing above or under ground. with half of ye Butter & cheese. ye Sd John Moses & his wife Ann as aforesaid to have ye other half. they and every of them to make use of their several parts to their own behoof & benefit. them and every of them, by these presents binding themselves not to sell or dispose of any of ye fore-mentioned commoditie*s, but to acquaint one ye other thereof & likewise, ye parties aforesaid for themselfs severally & jointly consent & by these presents agree to pay equally all rates, taxes, other or any other publick charges ye one ye one half, & ye other ye other half. according to ye honest intent & meaning of this present instrument or writing: Further ye sd John Mosses with the consent of his wife Ann, they severally & joyntly have consented, & by these presents agreed yt after ye decease of ye sd John Mosses ye sd Aaron ye sd John Mosses supposed sonn is to have and injoy ye said farm or tenement wholly to his owne propperty ys behoof & benefitt. To have and to hold to him his heirs, executors, Administrators or assigns for ever & ye Sd John Mosses with Ann his wife doe ingage for themselfs & either of them, their heirs or either of their heirs, Executors Administrators or assigns: to consolidatt conferm & make good ye aforesaid premises, to ye sd Aaron to have and to hold, to him his heirs or assigns for ever... John X Mosses his seal O and mark Ann A Mosses her seal O & mark Aaron Moses Signed sealed & delivered in yt presence of John Sherburn Francis Huckins Thomas Beck Polly Walker It is to be understood yt ye Stock within spoken is to be parted once in three years. It is here to be noted yt through forgetfullness in yt. within premises the urs forgotten this as all here agree upon by themselfs that in this place it shall stand as firm in Law as if it was in the inclusive place yt is as followeth yt Sd Aaron within mentioned is out of his own part as within written to pay unto Sarrah his sister to ye value of five pounds in Currant pay of New England to be paid in or upon ye marriage of ye said Sarrah as witness our hand ye 7th of January & in yt year One thousand six hundred Seventie nine, as within written.  John Mosses his X mark Aaron Moses Witness, polly Walker Francis Huckins Thomas Beck... Agreement between Sergt John Moses and his Son Aron Recorded in the Records of Dou Portsmouth 2d of Sept. 1681- Book ye 3d folio 163 per me Elias Hillman Recorder." [21] After the death of his former master, Richard Tucker, John gave a deposition on 5 Oct. 1686 at Great Island that “three or four years before Mr. Richard Tucker was lost he was at the Moses house and said that he had not assurance of the house and land where he was then living, but that the bargain was that he was to have the place as long as he and his wife lived.”[22] The last mention we have of John is in 1694 when "Sergt. Moses" had the seat "under the pulpit" in the meeting house. His son "Aron Moses" was "In the mens gallery fronting the pulpit" and in the "women's seat in the gallergy... Aron Moses wife."[23]

Not the same as John Moses, of Windsor

• Anderson's The Great Migration Begins (Ancestry.com) shows 1631 as the migration year for A John Moses, who arrived from place unknown, which John Moses settled first in Casco [Bay] (then within Massachusetts Bay Colony; later in Maine). He then removed to "Portsmouth, New Hampshire in 1639.
• Anderson states immigrant John Moses married first (btw. c.1642-1647) Alice who "died by 1647." He then m. Anne (——) Jones "by 17 Sep 1667." Anderson includes no children born of the second marriage.
• Anderson's info puts in doubt that immigrant John Moses died in Duxbury, Plymouth Colony, Moreover, Anderson includes a listing of immigrant's children (all of first wife) but includes no son named John:—
  • Elizabeth; Daughter; Mary; Joanna; Aaron; Sarah
• Either Anderson made errors (unlikely), OR the John Moses bio Anderson provided concerns another John Moses—not the father of this profile's John Moses.

  ---

References

1. birth seen as 1616 in Horkstow, Lincolnshire, England (United Kingdom) without supporting data.
2. Anderson, Richard C. Great Migration Begins, Vol 2, G-O, “John Moses.” Page 1300-1302. < AncestryImage >. Origins unknown.

#  ''Historical Sketches of John Moses of Plymouth, a Settler of 1632 to 1640: John Moses of Windsor and Simsbury, a Settler prior'' http://www.familysearch.org/library/books/idurl/1/233212