Friday, October 24, 2014

A Brother is Found : Selah Moulton of Fulton County, Ohio

Portland, Indiana Daily Commercial
July 3, 1899, page 3
Sela Multon of Fulton county, Ohio was in the city today, being called here by the death of her [sic] sister, Mrs. Clara Metzner, notice of which appears in another column of this edition.

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This notice regarding the brother of my paternal 2nd-great grandmother, Clara (Moulton) METZNER, is exciting news to me.  I was not aware that she had any brothers, only a sister, Lydia.  Clara's grandfather was Selah Moulton (1790-1848) of Licking County, Ohio, and her father was Albert.  With this newspaper tidbit, and an uncommon name, I decided to see what I could find out about Selah.

Selah W. Moulton is listed in the 1900 census of Fulton County, Ohio living in Royalton Township, occupation listed as farmer.  He was born June 1842 in Ohio, and both of his parents were born in Vermont.  His wife, Margaret, was born 1848 in Ohio and both of her parents were born in New York.

In the 1880 census, Selah is living in the village of Lyons, Fulton County, Ohio and his occupation is listed as dentist.  His age is listed at 38, born in Ohio with both parents born in Vermont.  His wife, Margaret H., is listed at age 31, born in Ohio with both parents born in New York.  A son, L. Bud, age 7, was born in Ohio.

In the 1870 census, Selah was a boarder in the Jane B Smith household in Lyons, his occupation listed as dentist and age as 28.

At Familysearch, I located the Michigan marriage record of Selah to Margaret H. Onweller on October 10, 1870 at Medina, Lenawee County, Michigan.

In the 1860 census, Selah was living in the Edward Moulton household in St. Albans Township, Licking County, Ohio, age 17, born in Ohio.  Edward was his uncle.  I had apparently not researched his uncle through the census years, or I would have found Selah.

Familysearch also indicates that Selah was a Civil War Veteran, serving as a private in Company I, 12th Ohio Volunteer Infantry.

I have all kinds of new leads to track down, including finding out what happened to his son, Bud, and if he had any other children.

2 comments:

Nancy said...

Are you sure the Sela/Selah in this obituary is a male? The newspaper article looks like it says "her" sister.... Could Selah be the father of Sela?

Travis LeMaster said...

Hi Nancy - Believe the "her" is simply an error. The only records of a Selah Moulton in Fulton County, Ohio are definitely male. I've since found his Civil War record and am doing more digging on the breakup of the family. Clara born 1843, Selah born 1842 and Lydia born 1849 are the children of Albert and Emeline (Philbrick) Molton. Albert said to have "gone west" during the Gold Rush. I believe he abandoned the family. In 1860 census Emeline and 2 girls are with grandmother's household. In 1850 Emeline is back with her family, but haven't located the children yet in that census. Albert believed to be the one found in El Dorado Co., CA in 1850 census.