James Egan Moulton

James Egan Moulton

James Egan Moulton (4 January 1841 – 9 May 1909) was an English-born Australian Methodist minister and headmaster and school president.

Early life

Newington House, Silverwater, where Moulton was the founding headmaster
Newington College, Stanmore, where Moulton was president

Moulton was born in North Shields, Northumberland. Many members of his family were Methodist ministers and he attended the Wesleyan school Kingswood in Bath. In 1863 he was the founding headmaster of Newington College while awaiting a posting to Tonga. Before leaving, he married Emma Knight and they had three sons and three daughters together.

Tongan ministry

In Tonga he presided over the Methodist church and established Tupou College, patronised by King George Tupou I. During his time in Tonga, a schism formed within the church leading to the creation of the Free Church of Tonga. Throughout the dispute, Moulton managed to stay on good terms with the new movement. He translated several texts into Tongan, including Milton's Paradise Lost.[1]

Australian ministry

Moulton returned to Sydney in 1893 and took up the presidency of Newington College. In 1895, Moulton was the inaugural President of the Old Newingtonians' Union.[2] During this time, he completed translating the Bible into Tongan, which is still in use today in Tonga. He died, aged sixty-eight, in Lindfield and is buried in Gore Hill cemetery.

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://nla.gov.au/nla.aus-vn1909669 Tongan translation of Paradise Lost at National Library of Australia
  2. ↑ Newington Across the Years, A History of Newington College 1863 - 1998 (Syd, 1999) pp 347

Bibliography

  • D. S. Macmillan, Newington College 1863-1963 (Syd, 1963)
  • P. L. Swain, Newington Across the Years 1863-1998 (Syd, 1999)
Preceded by
Inaugural		 Headmaster
Newington College
1863		 Succeeded by
Thomas Johnston
Preceded by
Rev William Kelynack		 President
Newington College
1891-1900		 Succeeded by
Rev Dr Charles Prescott
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