*Hugh MOSHER

                      Hugh Mosher's parentage has been disputed in the records, many historians ascribing him as the son of Hugh Mosher who settled in Maine in 1636. However, nothing other than the same name has been found to substantiate that claim.
In their 1980 book, "Descendents of Hugh Mosher and Rebecca Maxson Through Severn Generations," Chamberlain & Clarenbach based their identification on actual available records, first identifying his mother as Lydia Maxson Mosher and then Ezekial as her husband, presumably because his name also appeared in vicinity records a of the time.  The Hugh of Maine had been earlier identified as coming from Cucklington, Somersetshire, England.  In 1982,a Mr. Medleycott doing research in Somersetshire discovered parish records in Cucklington and Wincanton which listed the family of John and Edeth Crosse Moger who had a son Hugh who also had a son Hugh (presumably the one who settled in Maine) and a son Nicholas who named a son Hugh (he was named a godson in his Uncle Hugh's will) who is the most likely candidate so far to be "our" Hugh. No further record of Nicholas has been found although he may have been the ______ Moshier listed as a settler of Manussing Island, Rye, NY in 1662.  Given the English pronunciations and the varying degrees of literacy at the time the various spelling of the name - Mosher, Mosier, Mosure, Moger - do not seem inconsistent.
"Our" Hugh married first Rebecca Maxson, his cousin, daughter of Richard and Rebecca Maxson of Portsmouth, RI who died between 29 December 1707 and 25 February 1708.  He married second on 25 February 1708 Sarah Butler Harding, widow of Rev. John Harding. She died in Newport 1716.
Hugh first appears in RI records with his purchase 29 June 1660 of land in Westerly.  He lived for a time in Westerly but in 1669 was admitted freeman of Portsmouth.  Town records show him there as early as 1668, and in 1670, 1673, 1676 and 1677.  In 1680 he was pastor of the Tiverton Baptist Church, which served Tiverton & Little Compton, RI and Dartmouth, MA.  John Harndell's (Rebecca's step-father) will place him in Portsmouth in 1685.  Before 16 April 1690 he had moved to Dartmouth, for on that day John Walley of Bristol Co. wrote to Thomas Hinckley, governor of Plymouth Colony, "He is a substantial man . . . Whatsoever Mosier doth, he doth publicly, and makes account he can in law answer anything he hath said or done."
Deeds show him a resident of Dartmouth as late as 1708, on in 1707 giving his occupation as blacksmith.  A deed of Dartmouth land on 1 March 1709 gives his residence as Newport.   He made his will there on 12 October 1709 and it was proved in Bristol Co., MA.  He named his wife Sarah, his sons James, John, Nicholas, Joseph, and Daniel; grandson Hugh-son of Nicholas; grandsons named Mosher; other grandsons; and mentioned daughters without naming them.  Their names are found in his deeds of land to them.  (Complied by Charles W. Kehler  - my Uncle)