DJD-10-Benajah-2

LINE OF DEACON JOHN DUNHAM OF PLYMOUTH

SECOND GENERATION IN AMERICA

10. BENAJAH 2 DUNHAM (John 1 ), was born in Plymouth 1637-8; [1] died in Piscataway, Middlesex, New Jersey 24 December 1680. [2] He married in Plymouth 25 Oct. 1660 ELIZABETH TILSON, daughter of Edmond and Joanne (--) Tilson. [3] Elizabeth was born in Scituate in 1640; died in Piscataway, New Jersey in 1684. She married second Jonas Wood. [4]

The will of Benajah 2 Dunham, “linin weaver,” was dated 10 May 1679, proved 12 Aug. 1680, and named wife Elizabeth and children Edmund, Mary and Elizabeth. On 14 January 1684/5, Elizabeth, “now wife of Jonas Wood of Elizabeth Town,” refused to be executrix. Letters of administration were granted to son Edmund. [5]

Benajah Dunham and his wife moved from Plymouth to Eastham, MA following their marriage at Plymouth in 1660. At Eastham he was admitted freeman 1664 and was a court officer in 1669. In 1671 he sold his land at Eastham and joined the migration of many of Plymouth families (including Edward FitzRandolph from Barnstable) to East New Jersey where he settled at Piscataway in Middlesex Co., New Jersey. His will was written on 10 May 1679 and proved in Middlesex Co. 12 August 1680.

Children of Benajah 2 and Elizabeth (Tilson) Dunham, born in Eastham: Ref. MD 7:237-38

52. i. EDMUND 3 DUNHAM, b. 25 July 1661

i. JOHN3 DUNHAM, b. 22 Aug. 1663; d. 6 Sept. 1663 Eastham.

i. ELIZABETH3 DUNHAM, b. 20 Nov. 1664; d. 31 Dec. 1667 Eastham.

iv. HANNAH3 DUNHAM, b. 4 June 1666; d. 25 Dec. 1667 Eastham.

53. v. BENJAMIN 3 DUNHAM, b. 28 Oct. 1667, not named in father’s will. Benjamin 3 supposedly died about 1678 in Eastham, Massachusetts BUT, Eastham Vital Records do not show that he died there, and also, his father Benajah 2 had moved away from Eastham by 1671. So, it could be that he died in Eastham in 1668 (not 1678), OR THAT HE DID NOT DIE.

vi. MARY 3 DUNHAM, b. 1669 in Piscataway New Jersey; Mary 3 Dunham married (--)Thompson. They had a son John 4 Thompson, named in the will of Edmund 3 Dunham who was his uncle.[5] The will of Edmund Dunham dated 28 May 1731 [Liber B. of Wills, p. 496] states, “Item, I give and bequeath to my Nephew John Thomson Five pounds Lawfull money of New Jersey.” From First Settlers of Piscataway & Woodbridge p. 183: By the will of her father Benajah, Mary received “my dwelling house and my home lott and all apertinances thereunto belonging and my lott of Meadow in the great Meadow which lyeth by the Creeke which is called Bonhame Creeke and all my Bookes and One Third of my Cattel and moveable goods.”

54. vii. ELIZABETH 3 DUNHAM, b. 1670; From First Settlers of Piscataway & Woodbridge p. 183: By the will of her father Benajah, Elizabeth received “Forty Acres of land belonging to me which lyeth on the North side of Andrew Woodins home lott and boundeth on the East side by the highway that goeth to the vineyard and I give to her one third of my Cattel and my moveable goods.”

References:

1. TAG 30:145-6; TGMB, Vol. 1:603.

2. Will, Archives of the State of NJ, 1st series, 21:63, 23:146.

3. TAG 69:37-38; Plymouth VR p. 663.

4. TAG 69:38. Also see Mayflower Families Vol. 1 , p. 34-5 and 106-110, descendant of Edward Fuller. This family is partially covered in Fuller-Dunham Genealogy by Robert W. Dunham, Gateway Press, Inc. 1990.

5. NJ Archives 1st series 30:154.

6. MD 7:237-38.