Miles Moore

Miles MOORE (1620 – 1689) was Alex’s 11th Great Grandfather; one of 4,096  in this generation of the Miner line.

Miles Moore was born about 1620 in Powerstock, Dorsetshire, England.  His birth dates is based on being called “old” in 1680.  I have seen considerable variation published birth dates from 1610 to 1627, but I don’t think any are definitive.  He arrived in America before 1643.  He married “widow” Isabell JOYNER before 1643 in Milford, Connecticut.  He joined the church at Milford, 8 Feb 1650/51. Miles died in 1689 in New London, CT.

Nestling at the foot of the ancient hill fort of Eggardon, Powerstock is scattered over the hills and dales with its roots embedded before history was recorded.

Some websites show Miles Moore as being born in Southwold, Suffolk, the son of a Thomas Moore (1584-1645) and Elizabeth Young. This contradicts the evidence above; and it is not backed up by wills nor any other original source documents of which I am aware.

Isabell Joyner was born  6 June 1613 Hertford, England.   She joined the Milford Connecticut church on 29 Nov 1640 with the annotation: “Married since to Miles Moor.” Her last name was sometimes recorded as “Jaynes” or “Jayner.”   Isabell died in 1690 in New London CT.

Children of Miles and Isabell:

	Name	Born	Married	Departed
1.	Elnathan Moore	bapt. 26 May 1644 Milford, New Haven, CT		11 Mar 1647/48
2.	Martha Moore?	bapt. 26 May 1644 Milford, New Haven, CT		11 Mar 1644/45
3.	Deborah Moore	bapt. 31 Oct 1647 Milford, New Haven, CT	John Stebbins 8 May 1663 New London	Mar 1647/48?
4.	Merriam MOORE	bapt. 8 Nov 1647 Milford, New Haven, CT	John WILLEY 18 Mar 1669/70 in New London, CT . Samuel Spencer 1689 New London, CT	1706, East Haddam, Middlesex, CT.
5.	Lydia Moore	bapt. 6 Oct 1649 Milford, New Haven, CT	Deacon Manassah Minor (Thomas MINER’s son) 26 Sep 1670 New London, CT.	12 Aug 1720 Stonington New London, CT
6.	Abel Moore	bapt. 15 Feb 1651/52 Milford, New Haven, CT	Hannah Hempstead 22 Sep 1670 New London, CT	9 Jul 1689 “the road” Dedham, Norfolk, Mass
7.	William Moore	c. 1650 Milford, New Haven, CT	Mary Wellman 16 Aug 1677 Killingworth, CT . Mary Crow (Crowell) 17 Jul 1700 Yarmouth, Barnstable, Mass . Tamazin (Tamson) Simmons 10 Jun 1728 Windham, Windham, CT	28 Apr 1729 Norwich, CT
8.	Mary Moore	b. 1 Jan 1653 bapt. 5 Feb 1653 Milford, New Haven, CT
9.	Elnathan Moore	b. 2 Sep 1655 bapt. 14 Oct 1655 Milford, New Haven, CT

Moore family baptisms from The Barbour Collection (Connecticut Vital Records to 1870)

Families of Early Milford, CT   (MC1 = Records of the First Church of Milford,  MVR = Milford Vital Records,  ES = Mortality list of Rev. Erastus Scranton)  Compiled by Susan Abbott 1979

Miles Moore (1620-1680) is believed to have immigrated from England to America in the 1640’s.  He married “Widow Isabel Joyner” at Milford, CT where next to her 29 Nov 1640 admission to the church membership it states “married since to Miles Moor”.  Miles Moore is called a “planter” at Milford and was admitted to the church on 08 Feb 1651.  It appears that all of the children were born in Milford and that the dates in the “birth” space are baptism dates.

The History of Milford (1639 – 1939) states that Miles Moore settled in Milford in 1646.

Miles Moore moved his family to New London, CT in 1657 when he purchased a homestead from John Gager. He became a Freeman there 14 May 1663 and afterward served New London as constable. Miles Moore and his wife were living in 1680 when they were admitted to full communion in the New London church with “old Goodman Moore and his wife, sometime members of the church at Milford”.

He and his wife seem to have let their church membership drift, and seem to have been dropped at Milford. At New London in their old age, they appear to have again affiliated on basis of former membership at Milford. In the printed New London Church Records, it reads “1681: More, old goodman and wife.”

“The “Genealogical Dictionary of New England Settlers” gives a little bit more additional information about Miles Moore. It says he was of Milford in 1646, but removed as early as 1657 to New London. He was a freeman in 1663, and called “old” in 1680.

Constable in New London

Milford Pioneers

Milford lies in New Haven County on Long Island sound and is separated from the township of Stratford on the west by the Housatonic river, and about 10 miles S.W. of New Haven. The town, one of the original six plantations of New Haven Colony, was established in 1639, two years after the Pequot War, by Reverend Peter Prudden (lot 40). First named Wepowage, the Indian name for the river that flowed through the settlement, by indigenous tribes, Milford was purchased 12 Feb 1639 by William Fowler (lot 41), Edmund Tapp (lot 35), Zachariah Whitman (lot 32), Benjamin Fenn (lot 3), and Alexander Bryan (lot 23) from local tribes for “six coats, ten blankets, one kettle, twelve hatchets, twelve hoes, two dozen knives, and a dozen small looking-glasses.”

The Milford men came in two bodies, those of 1639 and those of 1645. Most of them were from the English counties of Essex, Hereford and York. There were fifty-four heads of families or approximately two hundred settlers. Some came from New Haven, others from Wethersfield, following Rev. Peter Prudden who had ministered there between the formation of his own church at New Haven, August 22, 1639, and his ordination as pastor of the Milford church, April 18, 1640, after which Mr. Prudden took up his residence in Milford.

In the fall of 1639 a band of settlers from New Haven went through the woods guided by Indian fighter Thomas Tibbals. Peter Prudden (the Herefordshire minister) led the group.Tradition held that the pioneers of Milford were wholly or in large part discontented settlers from Dorchester and Watertown MA who traveled through the woods to Hartford, to New Haven, to Milford. Supposedly they carried the Dorchester church records with them, and the records were lost on the journey. Most of the settlers had come from London to Boston with John Davenport, Theophilus Eaton, etc. two and one-half years earlier. A year later, they went with the Davenport company to the mouth of the Quinnipiac River. The settlement at Milford was laid out in long, narrow lots, which permitted all settlers to have the same kind of land. The salt hay that grew on the marshy meadow was much prized.

Title to the region was based solely on land purchase from the Indians and not upon any grant from the English Crown. The first purchase included nearly all of the present towns of Orange and Milford, and part of the town of Woodbridge. Deeding the land to its new owners was effected with the old English “twig and turf” ceremony. After the customary signing of the deed by both parties, Ansantawae was handed a piece of turf and a twig. Taking the piece of turf in one hand, and the twig in the other, he thrust the twig into the turf, and handed it to the English. In this way he signified that the Indians relinquished all the land specified in the deed and everything growing upon it The Paugusset Indians sold the Wepawaug land in the hope that they would enlist English protection against the Mohawks, who were continually raiding their territory.

Children

1. Elnathan/ Martha Moore

Connecticut, Births and Christenings, 1649-1906 shows Martha or Elnathan Moore born 1644 died 1645 Milford. Could this be a case of not being able to read the church record clearly? If they were twins it’s a coincidence that they both died 11 Mar.

3. Deborah Moore

The Barbour Collection just says John married Deborah [__?__] 8 May 1663 in New London. It’s possible that she was a different Deborah and Miles and Isabel’s daughter Deborah died young.

Deborah’s husband John Stebbins was born 25 Mar 1640 Watertown, Middlesex, Mass. His parents were John Stebbins (1602-1685) and Margaret Riggs (1615-1679) . Alternatively, his mother was Mary Anne Munson. John died 17 Mar 1706/07 New London, CT.

John’s parents are believed to have married in about 1633 in England. They immigrated to America in the 1630s when John Sr. came to be a proprietor at Watertown, Massachusetts where their 3 children were probably born. John Stebbins Sr. was among the first settlers in 1645 in Pequot Country (what became New London, Connecticut) when he moved to Upper Mamacock. It officially became New London, Connecticut on 06 May 1646. John Stebbins Sr. had homelot #5 of 36 in 1647 at New London and his family soon joined him there. John Stebbins Sr. was a New London fence-viewer in 1647 and a New London constable in 1660. John Stebbins Sr. was a Freeman on 14 Oct 1669.

John was constable of New London in 1660.

Source: New England Families, Genealogical and Memorial – Edited by William Richard Cutter

Children of Deborah and John

i. Daniel Stebbins m. Bethiah Comstock Bethiah’s parents were Gideon Comstock and Peltiah Elderkin.

ii. John Stebbins b. 11 Feb 1661 in New London, New London, CT; d. 16 Sept 1756; m. 17 Jun 1697 in New London, CT to Phebe Minor (b. ~1660 – 17 Jul 1715) Phebe’s parents were our ancestor Clement MINER  and his second wife Martha Wellman (1652 – 1681) John and Phebe had six children born between 1698 and 1709.

Our branch of the Miner and Stebbins families became very close with several intermarriages in the next generations.

6. Abel Moore

Abel’s wife Hannah Hempstead was born 11 Apr 1652. Her parents were Robert Hempstead and Joanna Willey.  Her grandparents were Isaac WILLEY and Joanna LUTTEN, though this is open for discussion. See Isaac’s page for details.

Abel died of sunstroke 9 Jul 1689 while traveling through Dedham, Mass when he was only about 45 years old.   He was probably traveling on business in connection with his role as constable of New London.  After Abel died, Hannah married Samuel Walker.

Abel Moore Bio –  From History of New London by Francis Manwaring Caulkins 1895

Children of Abel and Hannah:

i. Miles Moore b. 24 Sep 1671 New London; m. 28 Dec 1698 New London to Sarah Danniels (b. 10 Feb 1679 New London – d. ) Sarah’s parents were John Daniels and Mary [__?__].

ii. Abel Moore b. 14 Jul 1674 New London; m. 1705 to Lydia Post (b. 1673 – )

iii, Mary Moore b. 1678

iv. John Moore b. 1680

v. Joshua Moore

5. Merriam MOORE (See John WILLEY‘s page)

6. Lydia Moore

Lydia’s husband Deacon Manassah Miner was born 28 Apr 1647 in New London, CT.   His parents were Thomas MINER and Grace PALMER.  After Lydia died, he married Frances West (Werden) 20 Apr 1721 in Stonington, CT. Manassah died 22 Aug 1728 in Stonington

Manassah was the first white male born in New London. He served in King Phillip’s War

Manasseh Minor Gravestone — Wequetequock Burial Ground, Stonington, New London, CT

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Lyde Moore Minor Gravestone — Wequetequock Burial Ground, Stonington, New London, CT

7. William Moore

William’s wife Mary Wellman was born 1650 in New London, New London, CT. Her parents were William Wellman and Elizabeth Spencer. She first married Jan 1666/67 Killingworth, Middlesex, CT to Thomas Howard (b. abt 1646 New London – d. 17 Dec 1675 Killingworth, Middlesex, CT). Thomas was killed in the Great Swamp Fight (See my post Great Swamp Fight – Connecticut Regiments.) Thomas and Mary had three children before she married William Moore 16 Aug 1677 Killingworth, Middlesex, CT Mary died 3 Apr 1700 in Killingworth, Middlesex, CT.

William’s second wife Mary Crow (Crowell) was born 1653 West Yarmouth, Barnstable, Mass. She first married about 1671 in Yarmouth to Joshua Allen (b. abt. 1643 Salem Village, Mass – d. 27 Dec. 1699 Windham Ponds, New London, CT) Mary died 18 Sep 1727 Windham, Windham, CT

William’s third wife Tamazin Simmons was born 30 Nov 1710 Windham, Windham, CT. Her parents were Jacob Simons and Mary Crane.

Mary Moore b. 1652/53 was not the daughter of Miles and Isabel

The Mary Moore that married Caleb Boynton 24 Jun 1672 – Newbury, Essex, Mass was the daughter of Edward Moore and Ann [__?__].

Sources:

http://www.genealogyofnewengland.com/b_m.htm

http://reocities.com/Heartland/lane/9458/moore.html

http://www.pcez.com/~bigshoe/du/Mix/miner.html

http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/28044925/person/5121345262 (Source for Baptism Dates)

http://www.geni.com/projects/Early-Families-of-Milford-Connecticut/2741

Five volumes of the Records of the First Congregational Church of Milford were brought to the Connecticut State Library on 30 January 1930 by David A. Clarke, 5th, for his father, David L. Clarke, Clerk of the Church. These records begin in 1639 and come down to 1926.

While every effort was made through the decades to take proper care of these records, it was not until the early 1900s that they had the protection of any kind of safe. When they came into the custody of Mr. Clarke, he placed them in his safe located in his home. It was this safe which, when the Clarke home burned in 1922, preserved these invaluable records dealing with the religious life of Milford from 1639. While some of the pages were badly charred, no part of the records were lost.

Thus, the LDS film of these records is very dark in places, while as others have suggested, the handwriting, especially that of the second pastor Roger Newton, is difficult to decipher. Click here for some examples of how the pages look.