134 



his house, and for old Moultou's, in the same place." 

 This, as we have already explained, shows that Robert 

 Buff\im had lived, before 1661, on the same site upon 

 which his son Caleb afterwards lived, and also that "old 

 Moulton," that is Robert Moiilton, lived, before 1661, 

 where Joshua Butium afterwards Mved. Joshua lived in 

 a house which was taken down in 1807, about five rods 

 south-east of the corner of Fowler and Boston streets ; 

 Caleb's house was a few rods farther east, and al>out 

 eight rods west of Buffum's Corner. 



This Robert Moulton was the same mentioned in the 

 letter to Gov. Endicott from the Company in Loudon, 

 Apr. 17, 1629, "We have sent six shipwrights, of whom 

 Robert Molton is chief." He appears to have lived in 

 Charlestown, in 1634 and 1635, but returned to Salem, 

 and was one of the Selectmen, and also one of the three 

 Deputies to the Gen. Court in 1637. He died at an ad- 

 vanced age in 1655, and in his will left his farm, which 

 was where Brookdale* is now, to his grandson Robert 

 Moulton. lie also gave to "Goodwife BuH'um 20s," and 

 "to Joshua Bufi'um 10s." His inventory mentions "his 

 farm 35£ — his houses and ground in the town 10£." In 

 what manner his house came into the possession of Robert 

 Buffum, and afterwards Joshua Bulium, we have not been 

 able to ascertain. In another letter to Endicott, May 28, 

 1629, "our barke that is already built in the Country" is 

 mentioned. This was the first vessel built in the Colony, 

 and was perhaps built under the superintendence of Robert 

 Moulton, at the head of the North River, where the above 

 evidence shows that he lived. This would have been a 

 very convenient place for the purpose, and in fact, was 

 afterwards for many years used for shipbuilding. Its 



* The brook which runs through Brookdale was called "Moulton's Brook," in 

 1649. 



