ABOUT THE MOULDENS
The following information is excerpted from The Rooted Project, a produced history of Villanova’s founding by a team of researchers in 2020.
William and Julia Moulden, a Black couple, provided crucial support for and helped to found Villanova College in the nineteenth century. Born an indentured servant, William Moulden saved the money he made in freedom to purchase property to support himself, his wife Julia, and the couple’s family. When the Augustinian friars arrived and started a college, Julia and William welcomed the newcomers and invested in Villanova’s success from the first day students enrolled in classes in the fall of 1843 until the Mouldens died in the 1880s.
Julia and William worked for the Augustinians for forty years, helping them to build their college from scratch and supporting the school in its early years. They managed a shop in Rosemont where Villanova students bought snacks and sweets. The Mouldens were first to donate money to build the church whose spires give Villanova its distinctive look and where generations of Villanovans have worshipped. At the end of his life, William donated his property, including his family’s home, to Villanova University.
Visit the Rooted Project website to learn more and engage with additional resources.
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