Moody, Silas

Silas Moody (1817-1898)

Fitzwilliam, NH

Silas Moody was born and raised in Fitzwilliam, NH, in the early 19th century.  He was born around 1817 to John and Lydia (Humphrey) Moody, after his father purchased 100 acres of land in the town.  The family appears in the 1820 census, just a few years before Silas’ father passed away.  

By his early 30s, Silas Moody was able to purchase 7 ½ acres of land with buildings in Fitzwilliam from Charles Bigelow. The deed, dated 1850, describes the property as being located on the north side of the road from Fitzwilliam Village to Rindge, NH.  The following year, Moody married Philothe Moody of Griswold, CT, daughter of Thaddeus Moody and Martha Kettell. 

The couple lived and worked on their Fitzwilliam farm, valued at $1,500 by 1860.  Four years later, in 1864, Moody purchased two of his neighbor’s property.  One acre was added to the estate from David Fullam’s estate.  And 2 more acres were acquired from James Corey, a piece of property that was located a half a mile east of the Village, on the road to Rindge.

The 1860 census indicates that Silas and Philothe Moody cared for a five year old white child named Mary Haskell, while she was a student.  They remained in Fitzwilliam throughout the 1860s but, in 1870, sold all 11 acres and 12 rods and they moved to Worcester, MA.

Living at 15 Foster Street, Silas worked as a laborer.  By 1880, they had moved once again to 147 Cambridge Street where Silas, then 63 years old, worked in a flour store.  His wife Philothe and his sister Elvira, also in their 60s, kept the house.  Philotha became involved in the Grace Methodist Episcopal Church in Worcester, having been baptized in 1887.  She died in 1895 at the age of 75.

After his wife’s death, Silas Moody made out his will where he indicates that after all of his debts and funeral expenses were paid he would give:  his sister Alvira Moody $5; his sister Lydia Bascom $5; his nephew Robert Moody and niece Mary Moody- children of his brother Sylvester Moody $5 each; ⅓ of all real estate and personal estate to Ida Augusta Small “as long as she remains and cares for him for the rest of his life.”  Moody’s will also noted that Ida had cared for his wife in her sickness.The rest of his estate was left to his grand niece Eliza Mertic Landerr who has been with his family for many years. He hoped, too, that she would continue to care for him.  Silas Moody died about four months later, on March 31, 1898 in Worcester, MA.  He was 87 years old.

SOURCE MATERIALS

Cheshire County Registry of Deeds. Vol. 169: 333, Vol. 209: 419, 421; Vol. 233: 276, 311

Connecticut Marriage Record Index, 1851- Ancestry.com

Massachusetts Death Records, 1895, 1898 - Ancestry.com

Massachusetts Wills and Probate, 1897- Ancestry.com

New England, Select United Methodist Church Records, Massachusetts, Worcester, 1887- Ancestry.com

U.S. City Directories, Massachusetts, Worcester, 1873- Ancestry.com

U.S. Federal Census, 1820, 1860, 1880

GENEALOGICAL SUMMARY

SILAS MOODY was born in Fitzwilliam, NH, in 1817, son of John and Lydia (Humphrey) Moody. In 1851, he married PHILOTHE MOODY in Griswold, CT, daughter of Thaddeus and Martha (Kettle) Moody. Philothe (Moody) Moody died in 1895 in Worcester, MA. Silas Moody died in 1897 in Worcester, MA.