As the Moore line is moving back generation by generation, we have reached the immigrant ancestor of this family – John Moore.

His origins aren’t known, but he was born c1600 in England and may well be the John Moore who lived in Henham, Essex, England in the 1620s. This man was married to Elizabeth (MNU), who died between 1630 and 1633. They had three children whose baptisms appear in Henham church records, although the third child, a daughter, lived but a short time.

On 27 November 1633 at Little Gaddesden, Hertfordshire, John Moore married (probably as his second wife) Elizabeth Rice, the daughter of Henry Rice and Elizabeth Frost. She was baptized on 18 November 1612 at Stansted, Essex, England.

Given that the two surviving children of John and this first Elizabeth also settled in Massachusetts and were named in his will, it seems quite certain that John Moore did, indeed, marry twice.

John and Elizabeth had been living in Berkhamstead, Hertfordshire for almost ten years when they decided to move to Massachusetts and settled in Sudbury, where they spent the rest of their lives.

John Moore died on 6 January 1673/74 and Elizabeth died on 14 December 1690, both in Sudbury.

Children (with Elizabeth (MNU) in Henham:

1. Elizabeth, born c1626, probably Henham, Essex, England; died 25 August 1705, Framingham, Middlesex, Massachusetts; married Henry Rice, 1 January 1643/44, Sudbury, Middlesex, Massachusetts.

2. John, baptized 11 November 1628, Henham, Essex, England; died befre 23 September 1702, Lancaster, Worcester, Massachusetts; married (1) Ann Smith, 16 November 1654, sudbury, Middlesex, Massachusetts (2) Mary (MNU), 20 August 1683, Lancaster, Worcester, Massachusetts.

3. Susan, probably born c1630, Henham, Essex, England; buried 18 July 1630, Henham, Essex, England.

Children (with Elizabeth Rice):

4. Anna, baptized 121 October 1634, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England; no further record.

5. Richard, born c1627; buried 7 November 1640, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England.

6. William, born c1639, England; died 25 March 1688, Sudbury, Middlesex, Massachusetts; apparently never married.

7. Mary, baptized 9 January 1641/42, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England; died 10 January 1702/03, Framingham, Middlesex, Massachusetts; married (1) Richard Ward, 8 September 1661, Sudbury, Middlesex, Massachusetts (2) Daniel Stone, 2 November 1667, Sudbury, Middlesex, Massachusetts.

8. Lydia, born 24 June 1643; died 23 November 1723; married (1) Samuel Wright, 31 May 1664 (2) James Cutler, 15 June 1665, all in Sudbury, Middlesex, Massachusetts.

9. Jacob, born 28 April 1645; died 23 March 1715/16; married Elizabeth Loker, 29 May 1667, all in Sudbury, Middlesex, Massachusetts.

10. Joseph, born c1647, probably Sudbury, Middlesex, Massachusetts; died 2 January 1725/26; married (1) Lydia Maynard, c1669 (2) Ruth (MNU), between 1 January 1718/19 – 2 June 1725/26.

11. Elizabeth, born 10 January 1649/50, Sudbury, Middlesex, Massachusetts; no further record.

12. Benjamin, born c1652, probably Sudbury, Middlesex, Massachusetts; died 29 October 1729, Sudbury, Middlesex, Massachusetts; married Dorothy Wright, 11 November 1686, all in Sudbury, Middlesex, Massachusetts.

Will of John Moore 1674
Middlesex County, MA File 15362

This is an especially long will that my eyes can’t decipher in a timely manner, so I leave it to others if someone wants a transcription.