George Moody and Margaret Chenery

George Moody was born about September 1559 to Richard and Anne Moody and was the eldest son, according to his father's wills. He was about age 15 when he father died and while it is not know for certain, Lillian Redstone surmised that George was brought up either by his father's friend Mr. Taylor (possibly George Tayler), who his father designated in one of his wills to bring up George, or by his stepfather, Edward Coult.

George was a yeoman who took up livery of his father's lands in Moulton in 24 Elizabeth (1581-2). This included a house called Fryettes, which his father had bought and lived in. He was "famous for his housekeeping & honest & plain dealing." George married first Margaret Chenery 12 October 1581 in Kennett, Cambridgeshire, England. Margaret was the daughter of John Chenery and Elizabeth Norwich. She was buried 25 January 1602/3 in Moulton, Suffolk, England, the same day that their daughter Mary was christened. George married second Christian Cramp or Knapp 19 September 1604 in Moulton, Suffolk, England. George made his will 5 August 1607 and proved 20 November 1607. He was buried 23 August 1607 in Moulton, Suffolk, England.

George and Margaret’s children are:

  1. Elizabeth Moody, baptized 2 October 1582 in Moulton, Suffolk, England, married John Pratt (of Wood Ditton, Cambridgeshire, England, bur. 12 May 1642 at Wood Ditton, Cambridgeshire, England, will dated 11 Apr 1642 and proved 14 May 1642) 2 April 1610 in St. James church, Bury St. Edmund, Suffolk, England (license 5 Mar 1609/10).
  2. Frances Moody, baptized 11 October 1584 in Moulton, Suffolk, England, married Thomas Kilbourn (bp. 8 May 1578 in Wood Ditton, Cambridgeshire, England, son of John Kilborne, executor of father-in-law's will, yeoman) 5 September 1604 in Moulton, Suffolk, England, enrolled as passengers for New England with husband and children on the Increase 15 Apr 1635, settled first at Wethersfield, Hartford, Connecticut, held lands at Wethersfield 25 Feb 1640/1 (listed as a widow), will dated 13 Nov 1650 and proved 1 Jun 1651, inventory taken 3 Dec 1650.
  3. George Moody, baptized 19 February 1586/7 in Moulton, Suffolk, England, married Lydia Hovell (dau. of Robert Hovell alias Smith, bur. 23 Jun 1660 at Moulton, Suffolk, England), yeoman, inherited Fryettes and other property in Moulton from his father, a Parliamentarian during the English Civil War, one of those who sequestered the living of Moulton when John Browne (the minister there and apparently George's aunt's husband) was "suspended for not praying for a blessing on Parliament," died without issue, buried 23 February 1651/2 at Moulton, Suffolk, England, will dated 20 Feb 1651/2.
  4. Sarah Moody, baptized 8 May 1589 in Moulton, Suffolk, England, living at the time of her father's will in 1607.
  5. Samuel Moody, Esq., baptized 31 Mar 1592 in Moulton, Suffolk, England, was of Moulton and Bury St. Edmunds (both in Suffolk, England), married Mary Boldero (dau. of John Boldero of Bury St. Edmunds, gent.) 10 Aug 1615 in St. Martin church, Fornham, Suffolk, England, wool draper and alderman at Bury St. Edmunds, justice of the peace, member of Parliament for Bury in 1654 and 1656, succeeded to his father's estate after the death of his brother George, will dated 18 Feb 1657/8 and proved 28 Jun 1658.
  6. John Moody, baptized 8 Apr 1593 in Moulton, Suffolk, England, married Sarah Cox (bp. 17 May 1598 at at Bury St. Edmunds St. James, Suffolk, England, dau. of Christopher Cox, d. 4 Nov 1671 in Hadley, Hampshire, Massachusetts) 8 Sep 1617 at Bury St. Edmunds St. James, Suffolk, England, arrived in New England in 1633, settled first at Roxbury, Suffolk, Massachusetts, admitted freeman 5 Nov 1633, Deputy to the General Court for Roxbury on 2 Sep 1635, moved to Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut by 1639, lieutenant in the train band in Apr 1640, will dated 23 Jul 1655 and proved Dec 1655, inventory taken 6 Dec 1655.
  7. Margaret Moody, baptized 19 Jul 1595 in Moulton, Suffolk, England, married Thomas Warren 24 May 1615 in Bradley Magna, Suffolk, England.
  8. Anne Moody, baptized 5 Sep 1599 in Moulton, Suffolk, England, living at the time of her father's will in 1607.
  9. Mary Moody, baptized 25 Jan 1602/3 in Moulton, Suffolk, England, married John Salmon 24 Oct 1622 at St. James church, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, England.


Sources: 

  1. Ancestry.com. England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. Original data: England, Births and Christenings, 1538-1975. Salt Lake City, Utah: FamilySearch, 2013.
  2. Moody, Plinius, The Moody Family, or Records of the Descendants of Mr. John Moody of Hartford, Connecticut, 1856, organized and recorded By Theodore L. Moody And Maxine Bull Moody, Nov 1991.
  3. Torrey, Clarence A., New England Marriages Prior to 1700, Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2004.
  4. Waters, Henry F., "Genealogical Gleanings in England," New England Historic Genealogical Register, vol. 39, Jan 1885, p. 68-9. View at Google Books.
  5. White, C. H. Evelyn (ed.), The East Anglian, vol. 2, 1887-8, p. 38.

 

Records related to the George and Margaret (Chenery) Moody family but not copied below due to copyright considerations:

  1. Entry for John Moody; Anderson, Robert Charles. The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633, Volumes 1-3; The Great Migration: Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volumes 1-6. Boston: New England Historical and Genealogical Society, 1996-2011.
  2. Entry for Thomas Kilbourn. Great Migration 1634-1635, I-L. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008.) Originally published as: The Great Migration, Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volume IV, I-L, by Robert Charles Anderson. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2005. https://www.americanancestors.org/DB394/i/12108/148/23896611
  3. Redstone, Lillian J., "Genealogical Research in England: Moody," New England Historic Genealogical Register, vol. 80, Jul 1926, pgs. 313-27.
  4. Nicholson, Frederick J., "The Chenery Ancestry of John Moody and of Frances (Moody) Kilbourn of Hartford and Wethersfield, Conn.," The American Genealogist, vol. 64, Jan 1989, pgs. 1-11.
  5. Will of George Moodye, Yeoman of Moulton, Suffolk, 20 November 1607, found in the Peculiar Court of Canterbury, PROB 11/110/420, held by the National Archives, http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D943429.
  6. Will of George Moody, Yeoman of Moulton, Suffolk, 3 March 1652, found in the Peculiar Court of Canterbury, PROB 11/221/42, held by the National Archives, http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D818484.
  7. Will of Samuell Moody of Moulton, Suffolk, 28 June 1658, found in the Peculiar Court of Canterbury, PROB 11/281/306, held by the National Archives, http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D800682.




Genealogical Gleanings in England

NEHGR 39:68

NEHGR 39:69

Source:
Waters, Henry F., "Genealogical Gleanings in England," New England Historic Genealogical Register, vol. 39, Jan 1885, p. 68-9. View at Google Books.


Pedigree

Pedigree of the Moody Family

Source: White, C. H. Evelyn (ed.), The East Anglian, vol. 2, 1887-8, p. 38.


Church Records

Name:    Sarah Coxe
Gender:    Female
Baptism Date:    17 May 1598
Baptism Place:    Saint James,Bury Saint Edmunds,Suffolk,England
Father:    Christopheri Coxe
FHL Film Number:    0097124, 0993230

Source: Ancestry.com. England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. Original data: England, Births and Christenings, 1538-1975. Salt Lake City, Utah: FamilySearch, 2013.


Plinius Moody's The Moody Family

MR. JOHN MOODIE whose descendants are traced in following pages, came from England to America as early as the Spring of 1633, and with his wife Sarah, settled in Roxbury in the Colony of the Massachusetts Bay. He took the oath of Fidelity to the government on the 5th of Nov. of the same year (Col. Rec., Vol. 1, p. 79, printed Ed. Vol. 1, p. 268.) at which time we find the honorable title of "Mr." prefixed to his name and the same distinction is given in most of the ancient manuscripts.

That some little fortune remained after a voyage across the Atlantic and especially at a time when the Puritan faith was often the occasion of entire loss of property we have evidence from the Journal of Winthrop.

The record bears date Aug 3, 1633. He had at this time two men servants, one of whom had bound himself for divers years but afterwards relented "thinking that were he at liberty, he might get greater wages yet in the language of Winthrop, his master used him very well. The event which released them both from the contact, as well as from the restraint of pious council, was providential. They went out to gather oysters and not making fast their boat when the flood came it floated away and they were both drowned. (Winthrop's Journal, Vol. 1, p. 106)

The map of Hartford as it was in 1640, prepared from the original records by vote of the town and drawn by William S. Porter, Surveyor and Antiquarian, which map was published a few years ago, clearly defines, among others, the residence of John Moodie. To which is sufficient to illustrate the first parcel of land above described with the residences of a few of the settlers who were neighbors to him.

By comparison of this with the map of Hartford as it is now, it will be seen that his house stood on the south corner of Main and Buckingham Streets nearly west from the Charter Oak (The venerable oak above referred to was prostrated by a storm on Thursday morning 21 Aug 1856. From sorrow at the event the bells of Hartford were tolled at sundown of the same day.) and that the South Congregation Church (The Church referred to is one of the largest in that city and second in regard to time of erection of the churches now there) occupies the identical the spot, as if to invite his widely scattered descendants to meet under it's spacious roof and think of generations past and of the brief space ere they too shall thus be numbered.

The following items have been taken from records at Hartford.
1 Aug 1639, John Moodie had an attachment granted uppon the goods of Thomas Gaines in the hands of Mr. Stoughton for a debt of 5 lbs. weight of tobacco.
5 Sep 1639, John Moodie contra Blackford for a fowling piece he bought and should have paid for it 40 s per bill of. The jury find for the Pl. 41 damages. Costs 6 s.
23 Dec 1639, At the first regular town meeting--voted John Moodie-- (4th name) to order the town affairs for one year.
In 1640, he was chosen Lieutenant. (Hinmans Catalogue)
27 Jan 1642, he made oath to the Will of Richard Lyman.

As Illustrating the habits of the Colony in whose affairs he was a prominent actor, the subjoined is inserted.

Ordered that the watch who are under the direction of the Constables shall ring the large cow bell every morning one hour before day break-to began at the bridge (over Little River) and so ring all the way forth and back from Master Moodie's to John Pratts, and see that one be up with a light in every house with fifteen minutes after the ringing of the bell on the penalty of one shilling and 6 pence

In the 'Catalogue of the Puritan Settlers of Conn.' (Hinman's) the title of Deacon has been prefixed to the name of John Moodie, but on what evidence I have not found.

Among papers filed in the Probate Office in Hartford are the Will and the Inventory of the Estate of John Moodie. Like most men he seems to have deferred the disposition of his property till his sickness, hence his signature is there traced feebly as is the apostrophe subjoined. The matter so far as it can now be well deciphered is arranged according to the original design, but his autograph is taken from a deed the `third day of Feb A Dom 1644. And is preserved in the State Papers of Connecticut (deposited in the State Library at Hartford) in the first Vol. of Private Controversies Doc. 4. A facsimile of the autograph is here added to the Will.

The last Will of John Moodie, I doe make my loving wife Sara Moodie sole exectris and I doe wil that half of all that I have booth land and stoke excepting the howshold stuff which I leave wholly to my wife I give it to my son Samuel Moodie for to have it at the age twenty fower yeares. I will allso that Elizabeth Peper shall have five & twenty pound payd ( Elizabeth Peper witnessed the Deed above referred to at which time she made her mark to the name Elizabeth Peppercorn. This however was evidently a humorous suffix. It is quite probable that she lived many years in the family, but who she was, I am not informed.) her within a yeare (XXX not quite illegible XXX--------) and this and all my dates for to be paid out of the whole
July 23, 1655
Witnesses to this Gregory Wolterton, John Barnard.

I give my sole to ye Lord Jesus Christ my and redeem in God ye father. (to be saved by my) God in Jesus Christ.

The date of the above inventory compared with the date of the Will fixes as nearly as can now be ascertained the time of his decease. He died in the Autumn of 1655 and from circumstantial evidence appears to have been aged somewhat above 50 years.

His funeral was undoubtedly attended by Revs. Messrs. Stone and Hooker with whom he had been associated from the planting of the Colony and whose names are embalmed in New England's History. He was buried in the grave yard back of what is now the First Congregational Church in Hartford, Conn., but no man knoweth of his sepulcher to this day. A monument, however, more lasting and far more befitting than the straightened circumstances of those times would have been likely to produce has since been erected to his memory. By liberality of the 'Ancient Burying Ground Association of Hartford' an obelisk of red sand stone erected in 1837--bears his name. After the modern orthography deeply engraved, with the names of others of the first settlers - one hundred in all - whose dust coming generations would fain respect

Sarah, the wife of John Moodie remained a widow in Hartford till 1659 when she removed with her son to Hadley, Mass. where she died 4 Nov 1671 as appears by the Hadley town records. Her grave is unknown; but she rests, not forgotten!

Source: Moody, Plinius, The Moody Family, or Records of the Descendants of Mr. John Moody of Hartford, Connecticut, 1856, organized and recorded By Theodore L. Moody And Maxine Bull Moody, Nov 1991.


Torrey's New England Marriages Prior to 1700

MOODY, John (1593-1655) & Sarah COX (-1671); St. James Bury, St. Edmunds, 8 Sep 1617, b 1633; Roxbury/Hartford
KILBOURNE, Thomas (1678[sic]-1640, bef 1639) & Frances MOODY (1585-1650); Moulton, Eng, 5 Sep 1604, b 1633; Wethersfield, CT/Windsor, CT/Hartford

Source: Torrey, Clarence A., New England Marriages Prior to 1700, Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2004.



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Author: Michelle A. Boyd

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Last updated 18 Apr 2018