Cleveland Fortune Moulton
(1827 - 1904)
Page 1567, # 6240
Hon. CLEVELAND FORTUNE MOULTON, at the age of 20, left his father’s home, with his consent, for the purpose of carving out his own destiny, unaided and alone. He was the son of Daniel Moulton and Elizabeth Cleveland. The only advantages of acquiring mental culture were such as could be derived from the common schools of the day. He attended Wyoming College, Wyoming co., N. Y., 1846.
He arrived at Mobile, Alabama, Jan. 3,1848, and soon commenced to study law. . From the days of his youth the study of the law had been his desire. This study was begun under the most unfavorable auspices — poor and friendless — a stranger in a strange land. He was admitted June 19, 1849, to practice law in all the courts of Alabama, save that of the Supreme Court. In June, 1857, he was admitted as an attorney of the Supreme Court of Ala., and Jan. 6, 1871, was admitted as an attorney of the Supreme Court of the United States.He subsequently admitted as an attorney of the Supreme and Federal courts of the state. Early entered public life. Was elected 1856 an alderman of Mobile, re-elected 1857 ; and 1858 a common councilman of Mobile for three years.
In 1861 was elected Lt. of the 48th Alabama regiment, Confederate army, and commanded the regiment for the first 18 months of the late civil war. In August, 1863, Lt. Moulton was elected from the army as a member of the legislature from Mobile county. Was commissioned Sept., 1863, on staff of Gov. John Gill Shorter, and subsequently on staff of Gov. Thomas H. Watts. Was elected 1866 attorney of the city of Mobile for 3 years. Was appointed July 16, 1868, judge of the city court of Mobile county, a court of common law jurisdiction having the same powers of the circuit court of a civil nature, and exclusive jurisdiction in all criminal cases of the county.
Judge Cleveland F. Moulton continued in this position until Nov. 16, 1875 ; but during this term he was elected 1870, on a general ticket, a common councilman of Mobile. In Nov., 1872, he was chosen by the people mayor of the city of Mobile, and re-elected in 1873. He resigned the office of councilman for the 2 years’ unexpired term 1872-3, to accept the greater responsibility.
Hon. Cleveland Fortune Moulton is a gentleman of superior worth and intelligence, and the frequency, during the many years from his early manhood, of his being called to serve his fellow-citizens in various offices, is unmistakable evidence that in all the positions of public trust he performed every duty with fidelity and to the entire satisfaction of friend and foe.
He resided at Mobile Alabama to March, 1875, and then lived at Altona, engaged in cultivating his fine farm of 600 acres. Removed July, 1888, to and still resides at Kansas City, Mo. (1895). Nominated 1892 candidate for Superior judge, on the People’s party ticket.
Mr. Moulton is a subscriber for this Genealogy.