An American Family History

Ann Walton Boutcher was born about 1733 in the Manor of Moreland, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. It is now Upper Moreland Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. She was the daughter of Caleb Walton. 

She married Samuel Boutcher on April 29, 1758 at Christ Church, Philadelphia. Reverend William Sturgeon performed the ceremony. Reverend Sturgeon was curate and assistant minister at Christ Church and St. Peter’s, Philadelphia, and catechist of the school for African American children. The Boutcher genealogy is confusing and it is not clear exactly how Samuel is related to the others.

In 1774, Samuel Boutcher lived in the Manor of Moreland and had 140 acres, a house, 5 horses, and 5 cows. He enslaved one person. Joseph Butcher was his closest neighbor.

In the 1776 assessment of the Manor of Moreland he had 200 acres, 2 negroes, 3 horses, and 8 cows.

Samuel Boutcher was paid £402 for damage to his estate during the Revolution by British forces during some of their incursions while they occupied Philadelphia.

In 1778 Samuel Boucher of Moreland was assistant weighmaster and

John and Samuel Boutcher [brothers], offered for sale their "plantation in Moorland, chiefly in Philadelphia County, 100 acres or upwards."

In 1782 Samuel Boutcher of Moreland had 200 acres and a house, 5 horses, 5 cows, 12 sheep, a chair or chain. He enslaved 2 people.

In 1790 the Samuel Boutcher family lived in the Manor of Moreland, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. The 11 member household included two enslaved people.

The Manor of Moreland was composed of a tract of ten thousand acres, and was created, in 1682, by a grant from William Penn to Dr. Nicholas More. Most of the Manor was in Philadelphia County, but is now Moreland Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.