All Joseph and Sarah’s children were born in Hadley, but recorded in South Hadley. ®673 Noah lived his entire life in South Hadley, Massachusetts. He married first Susanna, the daughter of Samuel and Deliverance Frost of South Hadley, ®674 and secondly in 1787, Anna Elwell, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Stratton Elwell and had sixteen children all born in South Hadley. He took part in Shay’s Rebellion. ®8Susanna died on 10 June 1785 in South Hadley. On 20 June 1787 Noah married Anna Elwell. On 2 August 1790 Noah lived in South Hadley with one other male 16 and over, one male under 16, and 5 females. ®675 In 1810, Noah was in South Hadley, a male 45 or over with a male under 10 and one 16–26, a female under 10, one 10–15, and one 16–25. ®676 “He settled in the north part of South Hadley. The house, which he at first built, was about one mile and one fourth directly north of the village of Moody Corner and near the base of Mt. Holyoke. It is spoken of in the ‘Proprietor’s Book’ as early as April 7, 1766, and probably was built about the time of his marriage. A few old apple trees yet remain indicative of the place. Finding himself quite removed from his neighbors, settlements not being made in the town so far north as was expected by him, he concluded after some years to build again. He fixed upon a place about 20 rods north of where the road in Moody Corner, which leads to the mountain, branches from the road, which leads to Northampton, but the experiment of finding water proved so difficult, that having [sic, leaving?] a cellar, which yet remains, the place was abandoned and he went west from this last position about three fourths of a mile where he built and settled. The house stood upon the north side of the road which leads from Moody Corner to Northampton and near the bow [sic,brow?] of the hill, which slopes west and north. (The dwelling house of Mr. Nelson Smith of South Hadley, occupies it’s position.) He is said to have been a person of vigorous constitution and of great strength of body, was educated a farmer. . . . Having survived his second wife, he lived with his son Joseph till his decease at age 70.” ®408
Noah’s will dated 19 Sep 1811 was proved on 1 Dec 1812 at Northampton, Massachusetts. ®1
“In the Name of God, Amen I, Noah Moody of South Hadley in the County of Hampshire, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, yeoman, being through divine goodness of sound mind and memory, calling to mind the uncertainty of my life and being desirous of making a settlement and disposition of the estate with which it hath pleased God to bless me do make and ordain this my last will and testament in the following manner viz. In the first place my soul to the mercy of God through the merits of Jesus Christ my Savior and my way I commend to the grave to be buried with decent Burial at the discretion of my executors hereafter named in hopes of a blessed resurrection to life and immortality and as to my worldly estate I dispose of thereof as follows, viz. First I give & bequeath to my son Joseph two dollars to be paid by my executors within one year after my decease. 2nd I give and bequeath to my son Noah two dollars to be paid by my executors within one year of my decease. 3rd I give and bequeath to my son Jacob five dollars to be paid by my executors within one year after my decease. 4th I give to my son Isaiah two dollars to be paid by my executors within one year after my decease. 5th I give and bequeath to my son Dier two dollars to be paid by my executors within one year of my decease. 6th I give to my daughter Chloe two dollars to be paid in one year after my decease as above. 7th I give and bequeath to my daughter Eunice two dollars to be paid as above in one year after my decease. 8th I give and bequeath to my daughter Rhoda twenty dollars to be paid in two years from and after my decease. 9th I give to my daughter Lucinda twenty dollars to be paid by my executors within two years of my decease. 10th I give and bequeath to my daughter Sophia twelve dollars to be paid as above within two years after my decease. Also one third part of all my household furniture to be divided with her two sisters Anna and Betsey in equal shares. 11th I give to my son Artemas twenty dollars to be paid when he shall arrive at the age of twenty one years. 12th I give and bequeath to my son Emerson twenty dollars to be paid by my executors when he shall be twenty one years of age. 13th I give and bequeath to my daughter Anna twenty dollars to be paid when she shall be twenty one years of age, also one third part of my household furniture. 14th I give and bequeath to my daughter Betsey twenty dollars to be paid as above when she is twenty one years of age, also one third part of my household furniture to be divided with her sisters Sophia and Anna in equal shares. 15th I give and bequeath to my son Cyrus all that may be due to me at the time of my decease whether book accounts, notes, or obligations of any kind, all kinds of mecanic [sic] tools or farming utensils, all my personal estate which is not disposed of above in this my will, also all my Real estate after my debts, together with the legacies in this my will shall have been paid out of the same. And I hereby nominate and appoint my Brother Daniel Moody and my son Cyrus Moody the executors of this my last Will & Testament, hereby annulling and revoking all former or other wills by me made and ratifying this only as my last will and testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this nineteenth day of September in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eleven.
Noah Moody
Signed, sealed, published & declared by the said Noah Moody as his last will and testament in the presence of us who subscribed the same as witnesses in his presence at his request and in presence of each other.
Seth Moody James Collins Josiah White
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
By the Hon Joseph Lyman, Esq. Judge of Probate of Wills and for granting letters of Administration on the estate of Persons deceased, having goods, chattels, rights or credits in the County of Hampshire Commonwealth aforesaid: To all unto whom these presents may come, Greeting Know ye, upon the day of the date hereof, at Northampton in the county aforesaid, the instrument hereunto annexed, purporting the last Will and testament of Noah Moody, late of South Hadley, deceased, who had while he lived and at the time of his death, goods, chattels, rights or credits in the county of Hampshire, is presented before me and proved. I do therefore by virtue of the power and authority to me given in and by the laws of the Commonwealth aforesaid, approve and allow of the said instrument as the last will and testament of said deceased and do commit the administration of thereof: in all matters concerning the same and of the estate of said deceased whereof he died seized and possessed in the said county unto Daniel Moody and Cyrus Moody as executors in said will named, well and faithfully to execute the same and to administer the estate of said deceased according thereto: Who accepts the said trust and give bond as the law directs, for the due performance thereof. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of Office the first day of December Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and twelve
Joseph Lyman”