John Moss (abt. 1604 - 1707)

Born about 1604 in England [uncertain]

Descendants

Died 31 Mar 1707 at about age 103 in Wallingford, New Haven, Connecticut

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John Moss migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See The Directory, by R. C. Anderson, p. 234) Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm

Biography

Birth

John Moss is presumed to have been born about 1604, as he was believed to be 103 years of age at the time of his death in 1707.^[1] Morse^[2] gives "born in England about 1619". The names of his parents and place of his birth are unknown. Although some genealogists have speculated that he may have been connected to the family of the Rev Charles Moss, bishop of Bath and Wells,^[3][4] there is no evidence to substantiate such a claim or any way of knowing what that relationship may have been.

Immigration

It is not known for certain when John arrived in New Haven but he was one of the earliest settlers there as his signature is on the New Haven compact of 1639,^[5][3][6] and on 18 February 1639/40 he was admitted a freeman there by the General Court.^[5]

Marriage and Children

The name of John Moss's wife is unknown, as is the date of their marriage. [see research note] It is assumed to have been sometime before 1639/40, when their first child was born. There were at least eleven children assumed (but not proven) to be from this marriage, and all were born and baptised in New Haven:

1. John Moss; bp 11 Jan 1639/40;^[7][8] d. young^[1]
2. Samuel Moss; bp 4 Apr 1641^[7][8]
3. Abigail Moss; bp 10 Apr 1642;^[7][8] m. 2 Jul 1663 Abraham Dowlitle;^[9] d. 6 Nov 1710^[10]
4. Joseph Moss; bp 6 Nov 1643;^[7][8] m(1) 11 Apr 1667 Mary Alling;^[11] m(2) 11 Jul 1717 Sarah (Peck) Gilbert;^[1] d. c.1727^[1]
5. Ephraim Moss; bp 16 Nov 1645^[7][8]
6. Mary Moss; bp 11 Apr 1647;^[7][8] m. 3 Nov 1664 John Peck;^[12] d. 16 Nov 1725^[1]
7. Mercy Moss; bp 1 Apr 1649;^[7][8] m. bef. 1678 Elizabeth Curtis;^[1][13] d. 1685^[1]
8. John Moss; b 12 Oct 1650;^[14] m. 12 Dec 1676 Martha Lothrop;^[1][15] d. 31 Mar 1717^[1][15]
9. Elizabeth Moss; b. 3 Oct 1652;^[16] m. 18 Jan 1670 Nathanie Hitchcock^[17]
10. Esther Moss; b. 2 Jan 1653;^[18] m. 27 Oct 1673 ;Nathaniel Royce^[1] d. 19 Jun 1677^[1]
11. Isaac Moss; b. 27 Nov 1655;^[19] d. c.1659^[1]

Career/Accomplishments

In 1642 John was appointed a corporal in the trainband at New Haven.^[20] The year following, his name appeared on a list of inhabitants of New Haven, where he was described as owning an estate valued at £10 which included eight acres in the first division, eight acres in the second division, two acres of meadow, and "nearly" two acres in the Neck.^[20] Five years later he was also in possession of six acres at Oyster River.^[20] He signed the oath of fidelity in 1644,^[20] and by 1664 had been appointed a deputy in the General Court of the New Haven Colony.^[20] In 1670 John Moss became the deputy from New Haven to the Connecticut General Court.^[20]

In the May, 1670 session of the General Court he was instrumental in getting passed an act of incorporation for Wallingford,^[21] where he settled his family soon after and became one of the town's original founders.^[20][21] He served there as a town commissioner, and from 1671 until 1673 its deputy to the General Court.^[20][6] John Moss continued to remain active in various leadership positions in Wallingford for the remainder of his life, serving as commisioner as late as 1697 when he was ninety-three years of age.^[22]

Death

John Moss died at the age of 103 on 31 March 1707, at Wallingford, New Haven County, Connecticut.^[23][1]He was living with his son John's family at the time of his death.^[4] He was buried in the cemetery at Wallingford and his simple gravestone bore the following message:

Mr John Moss

Born 1604

Died 1707

Age 103^[4][24]

Research Notes

Wife of John Moss

• Jacobus and Savage (as well as Davis, Coe, Morse, Adams, and every other genealogist who seems to have studied the Moss family) are unanimous in agreeing that the name of Moss's wife cannot be ascertained.^[1][6] Abigail Charles was originally attached to this profile as John's wife, presumably on the basis of John Moss serving in 1648 as an attorney for his "brother-in-law," John Charles from Branford and Saybrook. However, as William Boardman points out, although it is possible his wife's maiden name may have been Charles, it is also possible that John Moss and John Charles may have married sisters and their surname may have been something different. ^[4] There is also no evidence to indicate his wife's first name was Abigail. Even Torrey's entry for John Moss's marriage lists only "John Charles, Bro-in-law" and leaves the wife's name blank.^[25] For this reason, until reliable source(s) can be found, Abigail Charles will be disconnected as John Moss's wife. She can be reconnected later if necessary. Stevens-17832 00:01, 17 November 2021 (UTC)

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13} Jacobus, Donald Lines (compiler). Families of Ancient New Haven. Rome, NY: Clarence D. Smith (1929), vol. 6, pp. 1219-1221.
2. ↑ Memorial of the Morses by Rev. Abner Morse (1850) https://archive.org/details/memorialofmorses00mors/page/n18/mode/1up?view=theater
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Coe, S.F. Hall. Memoranda Relating to the Ancestry and Family of Sophia Fidelia Hall. Meriden: Connecticut: Curtiss-Way Co. (1902), p. 28.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3} Boardman, William F.J. The Ancestry of William Francis Joseph Boardman. Hartford: Case, Lockwood & Brainard Co, (1906), p. 230.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Boardman, William F.J. The Ancestry of William Francis Joseph Boardman. Hartford: Case, Lockwood & Brainard Co, (1906), p. 228.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2} Savage, James. A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society ((1861), vol. 3, pp. 246-247.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6} White, Henry (ed.). Baptisms in the Church of New Haven, Connecticut during the Ministry of Rev John Davenport, from Nov 1639 to Nov 1666. New England Historical and Genealogical Register, vol. 9 (Oct 1855), pp. 357-364.
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6} Baptisms in New Haven, Connecticut. The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1847-. Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2018, vol. 9, p. 361, available by subscription.
9. ↑ "Connecticut Marriages, 1630-1997", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:H963-7C6Z : 11 January 2020), Abigaile Mosse in entry for Abraham Dowlitle, 1663.
10. ↑ "Connecticut, Deaths, 1640-1955", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F7V1-G2G : 11 June 2020), Abigail Moss Doolittle, 1710.
11. ↑ "Connecticut Marriages, 1630-1997", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:H963-L76Z : 11 January 2020), Joseph Mosse, 1667.
12. ↑ "Connecticut Marriages, 1630-1997", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:H963-1XW2 : 11 January 2020), Mary Moss in entry for John Pecke, 1664.
13. ↑ Boardman, William F.J. The Ancestry of William Francis Joseph Boardman. Hartford: Case, Lockwood & Brainard Co, (1906), p. 231.
14. ↑ "Connecticut Births and Christenings, 1649-1906", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F74C-8TR : 7 January 2020), John Moss in entry for John Moss, 1650.
15. ↑ ^{15.0 15.1} Morse, Reverend Abner, A. M., Memorial of the Morses : containing the history of seven persons of the name, who settled in America in the seventeenth century. Boston: William Veazie (1850),p. 144.
16. ↑ "Connecticut Births and Christenings, 1649-1906", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F7WM-WL9 : 7 January 2020), Elizabeth Moss, 1652.
17. ↑ "Connecticut Marriages, 1630-1997", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:H963-WZ2M : 11 January 2020), Elisabeth Moss in entry for Nathaniell Hitchcock, 1670.
18. ↑ "Connecticut Births and Christenings, 1649-1906", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F7WM-HZG : 7 January 2020), John Moss in entry for Hester Moss, 1653.
19. ↑ "Connecticut Births and Christenings, 1649-1906", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4VPG-GDT2 : 7 January 2020), Isack Moss, 1655.
20. ↑ ^{20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 20.4 20.5 20.6 20.7} Boardman, William F.J. The Ancestry of William Francis Joseph Boardman. Hartford: Case, Lockwood & Brainard Co, (1906), p. 229.
21. ↑ ^{21.0 21.1} Davis, Charles Henry Stanley. History of Wallingford, Connecticut. Wallingford, Connecticut,: by the author (1870) ,pp. 533-534.
22. ↑ Coe, S.F. Hall. Memoranda Relating to the Ancestry and Family of Sophia Fidelia Hall. Meriden: Connecticut: Curtiss-Way Co. (1902), p. 30.
23. ↑ "Connecticut Deaths and Burials, 1772-1934", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F7X9-TWY : 16 January 2020), John Moss, 1707.
24. ↑ Hale Collection of Connecticut, Cemetery Inscriptions, 1675-1934 Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, Provo, Utah available here.
25. ↑ New England Marriages to 1700. Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008. Originally published as: New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015, vol. 2, p. 1067,available here by subscription.

See Also:

• Adams, Charles C. Middletown Upper Houses, A History of the North Society of Middletown, Connecticut, From 1650 to 1800, With Genealogical and Biographical Chapters on Early Families and A Full Genealogy of the Ranney Family. New York: The Grafton Press (1908), pp. 160-161.

• Anderson, Robert Charles. Great Migration Directory, Immigrants to New England, 1620-1640. A Concise Compendium. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society (2015), p. 234.

• Hoadley, Charles. Records of the Colony and Plantation of New Haven. Hartford: Case, Tiffany and Co, (1857), vol. 1, p. 29 and p. 32.

• Huntington, ELijah B. A Genealogical Memoir of the Lo-Lathrop family in this country... Ridgefield, Conn.: M. Huntington (1884), p. 47.

• Perkins, George. Historical Sketches of Meriden, Connecticut]. West Meriden, CT: Franklin E. Hinman (1849), p. 111.

• Wheeler, Richard Anson. History of the town of Stonington, county of New London, Connecticut, from its first settlement in 1649 to 1900. London: Press of the Day Publ. Co. (1900), p. 482.

• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/14929565/john-moss : accessed 12 November 2021), memorial page for CPL John Moss (1604–31 Mar 1707), Find A Grave: Memorial #14929565, citing Center Street Cemetery, Wallingford, New Haven County, Connecticut, USA .