Moses THURSTON

HUSBAND:
[F496]. (Deacon) Moses THURSTON.
Born in 1721 at Newbury, Massachusetts (or Rochingham, Exeter, Vermont ?); son of Abner THURSTON [F992].

His occupation was a hatter.

He was a deacon in the Congregational Church.

He married (1) Hannah JOHNSON [F497] on 29 May 1744 at Andover, Massachusetts.

"Historical Manual of the South Church in Andover, Mass., August, 1859" (Andover: Warren F. Draper, 1859) [FHL fiche 6087365] on page 133 shows the following information: Hannah (Johnson) Thurston (Moses) was received into the church on 11 May 1746 by profession of faith, and removed on 12 Apr 1752 by discharge to the church in Hollis, NH. (S1).

There is a tradition in the family that Moses moved to Cohoes, N.Y.. and came back to stay with his son Moses before he died, but I think this is unfounded. I get from three reliable sources the manner of his death, all of whom agree, but one says he died in Hollis and another that he died in Westminster. I am satisfied from all I can gather from the descendants knowing most about it, that he lived and died in Hollis. (S1).

There is also a tradition that this Moses came from Canterbury in England, with two or three brothers, and that there were five generations back of him by the name of Moses, who were distinguished for their piety, and that some of them settled in Cohoes, N.Y. (S1).

Miss Mary L. Chadwick of Jefferson, Vt., a great granddaughter of Moses, says she has often heard her grandmother tell of going on horseback, sometimes two on one horse, the one behind on a pillion, to Cohoes to see her relatives. They carried their food in saddle-bags, thrown across the back of the horses, and their clothing in a round valise strapped on to the back of the saddle. It may be these "relatives" were connected with her father, Chadwick, which under the circumstances seems to me more probable. (S1).

Rev. Joseph Fuller of Vershire, Vt., a grandson of Moses Thurston, seems to have more positive knowledge of the place where Moses Thurston came from to Hollis than any other of the descendants I have found. He says in a letter dated June 25, 1879, "When Mr. Crocker married one of his [Moses] daughters, my mother visited them and spent some time with them. She also spent some eighteen months with an uncle of hers in Newburyport, Mass. She said of them, 'they were grand folks.' Grandfather Moses Thurston used to visit us before my remembrance, but who his father was I never knew........This only I know, that my mother had kind, rich, and genteel kinsfolks by the name of Thurston in Newburyport.....She was in Newburyport when about eighteen.....Pepperell, Mass., joins Hollis, and I remember hearing mother say that the farm on which they lived was on the line between the two towns - partly in Pepperell and partly in Hollis. The house stood in Pepperell and the family record dates her birth in Pepperell; but they always attended church in Hollis and I presume their town relations were with Hollis." All this confirms me in the opinion that Moses was descended from Daniel Thurston of Newbury." (S1a).

It was said by a family tradition that he was translated, as Elijah the prophet was, and that his mantle fell upon his son Moses, who was a very devoted Christian and deacon in the church at Westminster, Mass. (S1).

He appeared on the New Hampshire census in 1775 in Hillsborough. (S1).

He was 53 in 1775 when the American Revoluton broke out. His son Peter was at the Battle of Lexington. Two days after the Battle of Bunker Hill, on 19 June 1775 Moses Thurston of Hollis enlisted in Captain Ruben Dow's company, Col. William Prescott's Regiment. They joined the Seige of Boston, determined to drive the British from Boston once and for all. On 6 October 1775 he is on the Return Roll of men of Capt. Dow's company, and Col. Prescott's regiment from the seige of Boston.. (S1).

Two years later, in June 1777 he enlisted again, in Capt. Daniel Emerson's Company of men from Hollis, raised for the defense of Ticonderoga as General Burgoyne advanced southward on Fort Ticonderoga. Moses at this time was 55 years old. They started towards Fort Ticonderoga, only to return when they learned of it's fall to the British. On 15 July 1777 he is on the list of disbanded company of men of Hollis who had formed for the defense of Fort Ticondoga in the face of General Burgoyne. (S1).

He married (2) Catherine EMERSON on 18 DEC 1777 in Hollis, Hillsborough Co., New Hampshire.

He died on 6 (APR)(MAY-S1) 1800 at Hollis, Hillsboro County, New Hampshire; and was buried in the Congregational Church in Hollis.

WIFE (1):
[F497]. Hannah JOHNSON.
Hannah was born on March 31, 1724, the eldest daughter of Zebediah JOHNSON [F994] and Hannah [F995]. Hannah married Moses Thurston on 29 May 1744 at Andover, Massachusetts. Their first three children are recorded at Andover and are the exact dates that Brown Thurston {S1a} gives for the first three children of Moses Thurston and Hannah. Hannah JOHNSON was born on 31 Mar 1724. She married Moses THURSTON [F496] about 1720 [1740?], probably in New Hampshire. She died probably before the Revolutionary War.

Despite a great number of web sites and even published sources that say that Hannah was Hannah Sewall the sixth child of Samuel Sewall (1688-1769 of York, Maine) and Lydia Storer, the parentage of Moses' first wife Hannah has never been discovered. Evidence from the will of Samuel Sewall that his daughter by Lydia Storer married first Henry Sayward and second Richard Trivett. Hannah Trivett is named in his will. (Pages 65 to 67, Book 12, Probate Records of York County, Maine, Alfred, ME excert by Eben Graves: The will of Samuel Sewall, of York, dated 14 August 1762 and proved at the York County Probate Court 10 July 1769, makes bequests to his three sons Samuel Sewall, John Sewall, and Joseph Sewall, to his son Moses Sewall, to his son David Sewall, to his two sons Dummer Sewall and Henry Sewall, to his daughters Lydia Mitchell and Mary Bragdon, to his daughters Mercy Frost and Hannah Trivett, and to his beloved wife Sarah. Witnesses were Joseph Holt, Jeremiah Bragdon, and William Dunning.) Hannah (Sewall) Sayward had three children from 1740 to 1745 and with her second husband Richard Trevett had five more from 1750 to 1762. The births of her children overlap the children of Hannah (Johnson) Thurston, therefore, they are not the same Hannah. (S1).

CHILDREN of Moses THURSTON [F496] and Hannah JOHNSON [F497]:
  1. Hannah THURSTON. Born 10 SEP 1744 at Andover, Massachusetts. She died young.
  2. (Deacon) Moses THURSTON. Born 9 JUL 1746 at Andover, Massachusetts. He married Esther BIGELOW.
  3. Shuah THURSTON. Born 15 JUL 1748 at Andover, Massachusetts. She married Andrew CROCKER, not Benjamin.
  4. Gilman THURSTON. Born 19 JUL 1750, possibly at Andover, Massachusetts.
  5. Mary THURSTON. Born 24 JUL 1752, probably at Hollis, New Hampshire. She did not marry a Mr. Spofford, but died as an infant.
  6. Lydia THURSTON. Born 6 JUL 1756, probably at Hollis, New Hampshire. She did not marry Mr. JOHNSON, but died as an infant.
  7. Chloe THURSTON. Born in 1758, probably at Hollis, New Hampshire. She married Stephen RUNNELS in 1782. She died 13 DEC 1807.
  8. [F248]. (Deacon) Peter THURSTON. He is said to have been born 10 DEC 1761 at Hollis, Hillsboro County, New Hampshire, but he was christened a year before that. He married (1) Eunice CHADWICK on 22 APR 1787. He married (2) Hannah BUTLER [F249], widow WHEELER, in 1802 . He died OCT 1827.
  9. Phoebe (Phebe) THURSTON. Born 14 FEB 1765 at Pepperell, Massachusetts. She married 7 OCT 1788 to (Rev.) Stephen FULLER. She died 29 OCT 1856.
  10. Joseph THURSTON. Born probably at Hollis, New Hampshire.
  11. Hannah THURSTON. She married John WHEELER.


WIFE (2):
Catherine EMERSON.
Catherine EMERSON was born on 20 Dec 1718; daughter of Peter EMERSON. She married Moses THURSTON on 18 DEC 1777 in Hollis, Hillsborough Co., New Hampshire. She died on 29 Aug 1809 in Hollis, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire.

CHILDREN
  1. ?


SOURCES: