Capt. Moses Harrington

Moses was born to Moses and Mary (Pierce) Harrington on November 8, 1759. Though his birth was recorded in Grafton, MA the church record states he was born in Watertown, MA. He was their second child and second son.

In 1776 aged only 17 Moses served during the Revolutionary War as a Private in Capt. Manasseh Sawyer’s Company in Col. Nicholas Dike’s Regiment. They were stationed at Dorchester Heights, and he was given an allowance for the two days it would take him to walk home at the end of November.

On May 7, 1782 he married Hannah Prentice, daughter of Henry Prentice. They did not have any children of their own, but raised several of their nieces and nephews. Moses was chosen as the Captain of the Grafton militia company, so he must have been very well-liked in his community.

He was initiated into Morning Star Lodge on neighboring Worcester in 1799, and raised in 1800.

Moses died in Grafton on November 22, 1818 and is buried in the Old Oak Street Burial Ground. Hannah rests beside him. In his will he left the majority of his more than modest estate to his wife, but also provided for his surviving siblings and many of his nieces and nephews.