DJD-252-Elisha-4

LINE OF DEACON JOHN DUNHAM OF PLYMOUTH

THIRD GENERATION IN AMERICA

252. ELISHA 4 DUNHAM (Eleazer 3 Joseph 2 John 1) born in Plymouth, Plymouth County, MA August 1692 [1], died after March 1740/1 when he was named on the support agreement for Bathsheba Dunham.[2] Elisha married in Gloucester 16 April 1717 MARY BABSON. [3]

Elisha Dunham was in Gloucester until at least July of 1723, but he was “of Norton” on 15 September 1724 [Bristol Co. LR 19:83] when he purchased land from Uriah Leonard.

...Uriah Leonard of Dorchester, Suffolk Co., Bloomer, for £157 paid by Elisha Dunham of Norton, Cordwainer,...land in Norton at a place called Winnacanuit...on east side of the highway ...50 acre division formerly William Witherells, and 8 acres adjoining to it at the northerly side...proprietors records of old township of Taunton...together with dwelling house within the bounds of that township now called Norton...

Witness: Jeremiah Bassett -- Uriah Leonard -- Abigail Leonard

He was also “of Norton” on 31 March 1727 [Bristol Co. LR 21:145] when he sold that property “where I now live” to Nathaniel Dunham of Plympton, husbandman. [This Nathaniel Dunham was Nathaniel 3 Joseph 2 John 1 Dunham. Nathaniel 3 was brother of Eleazer 3 and uncle of Elisha 4 Dunham.]

...Elisha Dunham of Norton, Cordwainer...for £180 paid by Nathaniel Dunham of Plimpton...a message or tract of land in Norton which is the farm whereon I now dwell, together with house which I purchased of Uriah Leonard...containing 50 acres, bounded westerly by road that leads towards Boston, south by path to great swamp which is by Nathaniel Witherell’s land, east by land of Jeremiah Witherell, north by land of Thomas Cobb..

Witness: Joseph Davis -- Rachel Leonard

Between April 1727 and August 1729 Elisha Dunham bought and sold several other parcels of land in Norton, [4] but by 8 August 1733 [Bristol Co. LR21:472] he was “of Falmouth in county of York” when he sold land in Norton to James Boldery of Norton.

Elisha Dunham is of record on the probate files of York County when on 12 October 1741 he was one of the appraisers of the estate of Martha Millet of Falmouth, [5] and he is probably the Elisha Dunham included in a list of debts due to the estate of Phinehas Jones of Falmouth 4 November 1743.[6]

It is likely that there were unrecorded children born to Elisha and Mary (Babson) Dunham in Norton during their residence there.

Children of Elisha and Mary (Babson) Dunham:

374. i. Jonathan 5 Dunham b. 11 December 1717, Gloucester VR 224

375. ii. David 5 Dunham b. 26 September 1719, Gloucester VR 224

376. iii. Elisha 5 Dunham b. 30 July 1721, Gloucester VR 224

377. iv. Solomon 5 Dunham b. 16 July 1723, Gloucester VR 224

possibly others

References:

l. Plymouth VR p. 2.  

2. TAG 62:11. 3. Essex Antiquarian Vol. 6:93; Gloucester VR p. 183, Babson Genealogy p. 9. 4. Bristol Co. LR 19:86, 19:113, 21:214, 31:86, 36:154. 5. Maine Probate Abstracts, Vol. 1, by John Eldridge Frost, p. 221, item 5/278. 6. Maine Wills 1640-1760 compiled by Sargent, 1887, p. 479-483.