DJD-9-Joseph-2

LINE OF DEACON JOHN DUNHAM OF PLYMOUTH

SECOND GENERATION IN AMERICA

9. JOSEPH 2 DUNHAM (John 1) born in Plymouth say 1631; [1] died in Plympton, Plymouth County, Massachusetts between 9 March 1702/3 and 16 June 1703, the dates on which his will was written and probated. [2] Joseph married first in Plymouth 18 November 1657 MERCY MORTON, [3] daughter of Nathaniel and Lydia (Cooper) Morton. [4] Mercy died 19 February 1666. [5] Joseph married second in Plymouth 20 August 1669 HESTER WORMALL, [6] daughter of Joseph and Miriam (--) Wormall of Rowley, Boston and Scituate. [7] Hester was born about 21 May 1648; died after 1715. [8]

In the entry on James Cole in The Great Migration Begins by Robert Charles Anderson, p. 42 is the statement that

“James Cole, senior, and Mary, his wife, were presented for selling strong liquors to an Indian, and for allowing James Clarke, Phillip Dotterich, Mary Ryder, and Hester Wormall to drink on the Lord’s Day on 2 March 1668/9.”

Joseph and Mercy (Morton) Dunham probably lived at the small settlement just south of Plymouth known as Wellingsly for the will of Nathaniel Morton, dated 22 April 1685 says in part,

“I give unto my two grandsons, Eleazer Dunham, and Nathaniel Dunham, the land their father lived on at Wellingsly...” [9]

References to land of Joseph 2 Dunham from Plymouth Town Records under date of 27 October 1662, “granted thirty acres to Joseph Dunham at Warren’s Wells, near to Samuel.” This was in the Russell Mill Pond area. Joseph sold this land to William Clark 11 June 1676. [10]

"Joseph Dunham of Plimouth, house carpenter, for forty shillings...paid by Mr. William Clarke of Plimouth sell 30 acres of upland lying at Warrens Wells Brooke and adjoyns unto the land which was sometime the land of Samuel Dunham, now in the tenure of the said William Clarke, granted to me by the town of Plimouth 30 June 1672.

11 June 1676 -- (signed) Joseph Dunham

Witness: Nathaniel Morton -- (the mark of) Abram Jackson"

Joseph is listed as “desired land at Assowampsett Pond,” now the area of Lakeville, Plymouth County, MA. [11] On 21 February 1663 Joseph was granted six acres near lower south meadow, also 10 acres more meadow. [12] Joseph resided in the town of Plymouth until the spring of 1691/2 when he was probably making preparations for the move to Lakenham (later incorporated as part of the town of Plympton) by the sale of his house. [13]

"Joseph Dunham of the Town of Plimouth in the land of New Plimouth in New England...in consideration of the sum of forty pounds...paid by John Carver now resident in the town and colony above said Wheelwright...my six acres of land with all the housing upon said land lying and being in the Township of Plimouth near unto the land my dear father John Dunham deceased died possessed of and bounded as followeth, viz: the land bounds of said six acres a heap of stones ...unto the land of Benajah Pratt and running eastward along by a walnut tree to the southerly corner of the Little pond swamp...and also a parcel of land given by my said father the southerly bounds whereof is a red oak tree marked standing hard by said little pond on the northerly end thereof,...by the path that goeth down from my fathers house to my house and from there easterly to a heap of stones lying near the corner of the land of Giles Rickard...To have and to hold all this my six acres of land bought of John Churchill and all that my said land given by my father with all...the housing...and appurtenances...unto him the said John Carver...

4th of (month illegible) 1691 -- 27 February 1691 -- (signed) Joseph Dunham -- Nathll Clarke"

The above deed was acknowledged by Joseph Dunham and Hester his wife the 6th of April 1692 before William Bradford, Deputy Governor.

In another reference to land held by Joseph Dunham from the division of lands of William Harlow, [14]

"...William (the son of William Harlow) Harlows part or share of lands is that which our father bought of Joseph Dunham, lying in the Township of Middlebury...and Benjamin’s part...2 acres of meadow that my father bought of Joseph Dunham lying at Winnatuxet... 16 March 1692"

Joseph was a witness to the prenuptial agreement of his sister Persis and her second husband Jonathan Shaw in August 1683. [15]

Joseph was a member of the church in Plympton founded 26 October 1698. [16] His residence in Plympton was in that area of land between the Winnetuxet River and Colchester Brook, known then as Dunham’s Neck as mentioned in Plymouth Co. LR 29:138 when Moses Wright sold to Joseph Thomas:

“...all my iron oare or iron mine which I now hath lying and being within or upon the Neck between Winnatuxett River & Colchester Brook...in Plimpton known by ye name of Donham Neck with liberty to dig and carry off the abovesd iron oare...which was given to me by my Honored Father Adam Wright by deed of gift, 9 Sept. 1721 and recorded 25 Feb. 1734.”

Joseph Dunham died in Plympton after 9 March 1702/3. His heirs are identified in his will, probated 16 June 1703 as “eldest sons Eleazar and Nathaniel, sons Micajah and Joseph, youngest sons Benajah and Daniel, and daughter Mercy. His wife Esther is also named but not his younger daughter Esther, who married Seth Jackson.” [17] Esther (Dunham) Jackson is named in a deed dated 27 September 1727. [18]

"We Micajah Donham of Plymouth, labourer and Seth Jackson and Hesther his wife both of Plymouth for four pounds paid by Ebenezer Morton of Plymouth, yeoman, sell all that our right or title in the first lot in the seventh great lot of the last division of the common lands of Plymouth which was laid out in the right and to the children of Joseph Donham deceased...

Micajah Donham -- Seth Jackson -- Hester Jackson"

Children of Joseph and Mercy (Morton) Dunham, born in Plymouth:[19]

45. i. ELEAZER 3 DUNHAM, b. say 1659

46. ii. NATHANIEL 3 DUNHAM, b.say 1662

Children of Joseph and Hester (Wormall) Dunham born in Plymouth[20]

47. iii. MICAJAH 3 DUNHAM, b. say 1673

48. iv. JOSEPH 3 DUNHAM, b. say 1675-6

v. MERCY 3 DUNHAM, b. say 1679-80; d. 1715, probably unmarried[21]

49. vi. BENAJAH 3 DUNHAM, bp. 1684[22]

50. vii. DANIEL 3 DUNHAM, bp. 1687[23]

51. viii. ESTHER 3 DUNHAM, bp. 1690[24]

References:

1. TAG 30:153.

2. Ibid.

3. Plymouth VR p. 662.

4. TAG 30:153.

5. Ibid.

6. Plymouth VR p. 666.

7. MD 43:153.

8. TAG 30:153.

9. Plymouth County Court Record Vol. 3:617.

10. Plymouth County Land Record 1:319.

11. Records of the Town of Plymouth Vol. 1 p. 48.

12. Records of the Town of Plymouth Vol 1, p. 61.

13. Plymouth County Land Record 1:164.

14. MD 36:41.

15. NEHGR 151:276; Plymouth County Probate 2:18.

16. Plymouth County Land Record 1:164.

17. TAG 62:6; Plymouth County Probate #6863; Plymouth Probate 2:21.

18. Plymouth County Land Record 22:102, 41:51.

19. TAG 30:154.

20. Ibid.

21. Ibid.

22. Plymouth Church Records 1:268; MD 43:154.

23. Ibid.

24. Ibid.