Lieut. John Moseley

"In 1677 John Maudsley removed from Windsor with his wife Mary Newbury to Westfield and purchased the house and store of Mr Whitney which thenceforth has been known as their home or the home of their descendants. Mr Moseley had already proved his valor in battles with the followers of King Philip. Hence he was warmly welcomed to the stockaded hamlet and chosen lieutenant of the little company of defenders. He was also recorded as one of the seven original members or foundation men of the church first organised under Rev Edward Taylor in 1677. The sous of Lieut John "struck out" in new paths for themselves. Consider has many descendants in Westfield and elsewhere, one of them, Mrs Bingham (Sybil Moseley) was among the earliest missionaries to the Sandwich Islands. "Quartermaster John" as he was called was another son. He was the father of Col John Moseley, one of the committee of safety in the war for independence. Owing to his public services his name often appears in the town and in the state records. While the widow of Joseph, another son, was living in the house we find the record was made upon the town book that the selectmen had agreed with one John Negro to call the people to meeting by beating the first drum against the widow Mosele's house in good weather. This drum beating by John or someone else for about one hundred and fifty years ,served instead of bell ringing to promote punctual attendance at church" source: "Our County and Its People": A History of Hampden County ..., Volume 2, edited by Alfred Minott Copeland, p. 376

"removed to Westfield, Mass.; was a lieutenant in King Philip's war, and held other public offices."

excerpted from "The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography: Being the History of the..."

The genealogy connected with each of these houses is interesting. We will speak of those only who have occupied the Moseley house, using an account given by one of the family. In 1677 John Maudsley (or Moseley) removed from Windsor with his wife, Mary Newbury, to Westfleld, and purchased the house and store of Mr. Whitney, which thenceforth has been known as their home or the home of their descendants. Mr. Moseley had already proved his valor in battles with the followers of King Philip. Henee, he was warmly welcomed to the stockaded hamlet and chosen lieutenant of the little company of defenders. He was also recorded as one of the seven original members or "foundation men," of the church first organized under Rev. Edward Taylor, in 1677. The sous of "Lieut. John" "struck out" in new paths for themselves. Consider has many descendants in Westfield and elsewhere, one of them, Mrs. Bingham (Sybil Moseley) was among the earliest missionaries to the Sandwich Islands. "Quartermaster John," as he was called, was another son. He was the father of Col. John Moseley, one of the committee of safety in the war for independence. Owing to his public services, his name often appears in the town and in the state records. While the widow of Joseph (another son) was living in the house, we find the record was made upon the town book that the selectmen had agreed with one John Negro to call the people to meeting by beating the first drum, "against the widow Moseley's house in good weather." This drum beating by John or some one else for about one hundred and fifty years served instead of bell-ringing to promote punctual attendance at church. When the first meeting-house, near the bridge, over Little river, became inadequate to the needs of the growing town,.

LIEUTENANT JOHN MOSELEY. [1640-1690] Lieutenant in the Westfield Company of Foot in King Philip's War.

REFERENCE: Society of Colonial Wars Year Book, 1895, p. 256.

From: Genealogical and Family History of Modern NY by Wm. Richard Cutter

"...removed to Windsor, Connecticut, where he lived until 1677, when he removed to Westfield. He returned to Windsor some time before his death..."