Jonathan Dunham

Notes:

Life of Rev Jonathan
He was the fifth child of Deacon John and Abigail Dunahm and was born in Plymouth in 1632 and died Dec 18, 1717. At an early date he became a missionary among the Indians, along the coast of Massachusetts, going as far north as Saco, Maine. In 1659 he went to Marth'as Vineyar and in 1694 he was ordained at Edgartown by Elder Gibson. He was a reasident of Plymouth ,Eastham and Middleboro, and an owner of real estated. In 1673 he was constable for Middleboro; in 1675 selectman; in 1689 deputy to the general court. He married first Mary De La Noye, daughter of Philip and Hester D Delano on 9 November 1655. She came over in "The Fortune" in 1621. Delano was a diret ancestor of President U.S. Grant. He married a second time to Mary Cobb, b 24 March 1637, the daughter of Elder Henry Cobb who came from England in 1629. Their children were Danie, Jonathan, Eleazer, Gershom, Samuel and Hannah.

(taken from Hudson and Mohawk Genealogical and Family Memoirs, 1911)

Rev Jonathan Dunham was the son of Deacon John Dunham and Abigail Barlow. He married first Mary Delano and then Mary Cobb, daughter of Henry and Patience (Hurst) Cobb. Children of Rev Jonathan Dunham and Mary Cobb Dunham were Hannah, Jonathan, Eleazer, Samuel, Gershom and Daniel Dunham. Rev Jonathan was a lay preacher at Falmouth, Cape Cod from 1679 to 1684. Matthew Mayhew, an agent for Edgartown, Massachusetts, negotiated with Jonathan in 1684 to come there at a salary of 35 pounds per year. He was not ordained until October 11, 1694 when he was installed as 'teacher' of the church at Edgartown. He preached there until 1711 when infirmities caused him to give up the pulpit. He died December 18,1717 and is buried in Tower Hill Cemetery, Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard, Dukes' County, Massachusetts.Epitaph on gravestone:
HERE LYES YE BODY OF YE REVD
MR. JONATHAN DONHAM WHO
DIED DECEMBER 18TH ANNO DOMI
1717 AGED ABOUT 85 YEARS
PASTOR OF YE CHURCH OF CHRIST AT
EDGARTOWN

With Toil & Pains at first He Tell'd ye Ground
Call'd to Dress GODs Vine Yard & ws faithful
Found
Full Thirty Years ye Gospel he Did Despen
His Work Being Done CHRIST JESUS Cal'd Him Hence.

Rev married Mary Cobb on 15 Oct 1657 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA. Mary was born on 24 Mar 1637 in Scituate, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA; died in 1677 in Middleborough, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Arrival: 1632, Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA
• Residence: 1632, Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

Notes:

John Dunham, Senior of Plymouth
A Short Biographical Profile
by Timothy Mayfield
University of Virginia, USEM 171, Spring 1997

Migration to Plymouth
John Dunham (Dunhame) arrived in Plymouth from Leiden, Holland in 1632 with six children and his wife Abigail. There is no record of his ever returning to Europe.

Family
John Dunham arrived in Plymouth with his second wife Abigail Barlow and six children. He fathered three children with his first wife Susanna Keno. His three children by her were John (b. 1616), Humility (b. 1618), and Thomas (b. 1619). Of these John and Thomas came to Plymouth. There was no further record of Humility after Holland. She either died or did not accompany her parents to the New World. He and Abigail had four children together before arriving in Plymouth. They were Samuel (b. 1623), Jonathan (b. 1625), Abigail (b. 1627), and Joseph (b. 1631). He had four more children while living in Plymouth. Hannah (b. 1634), Persis (b. 1635), Benajah (b. 1637) and Daniel (b. 1639). The fact that he had children and grandchildren named John and Jonathan made research confusing at times.


Job and Country


John Dunham was a weaver by trade. He had land for grazing cattle and sheep. On the inventory that was taken when he died a loom and weaving equipment was listed as well as cotton, sheep wool, and linen yarn. He was granted land several times by the town of Plymouth for grazing sheep. He was deputy from Plymouth for many years and served on law making committees. This indicates that he was a least moderately educated. Although he signed documents with a mark, books were listed in his inventory. These books were religious in nature. At the entry that marked his death in the court records, Dunham is referred to as a "deacon of the church of Christ att Plymouth." He was an important man.


Primary Source References

Migration from Holland to Plymouth Colony.
1633. No Specific Date.
PCR 1:3 Included on list of freemen in Plymouth 25 March 1633.
PCR 1:10 Taxed nine shillings. This was an average amount.
1634 27 March 1634.
PCR 1:27
Taxed nine shillings.
1 October 1634.
PCR 1:31
The court determined that he should enter into a trade partnership.
1636 14 March 1636.
PCR 1:40 Granted land: "That Joh. Dunham have for the sheepe the watering place & the skirt of vpland at Goose Point & about the first & second brooke." 7 June 1636.
PCR 1:42 Served on a jury that found Helin Bellington guilty of slander and determined that she should be whipped in the stocks. Stephen Hopkins found guilty of battery of John Tisdale and was fined. 7 November 1636.
PCR 1:46 Land next to John Dunham's granted to John Wood, Rich Sparrow, Sam Eady, Web Addy, Josiah Cooke, Thomas Atkinson, and Josuah Pratt.
1637 7 March 1637.

PCR 1:52 Appears on list of freemen. 20 March 1637

PCR 1:54 Served on Grand Inquest 20 March 1637.

PCR 1:56/12:27 Granted land: "To John Dunhame, for the sheepe, the hey ground hee had the last yeare, and what more can be spared at Goose Poynt." 1638 5 March 1638.

PCR 1:78 Land on west side of John Dunham's property granted to William Pontus. 2 April 1638.

PCR 1:82 Property bordering John Dunham's is granted to Gabriell Fallowell 5 June 1638.

PCR 1:87 At a Grand Enquest John Dunham was on the jury, at this trial Web Adey was found guilty of working on the Sabbath and sentenced to sit in the stocks. John Stockbridge was fined for making disgraceful speeches in contempt of the government. William Renolds was fined for drunkenness. 1639 16 May 1639.

PCR 1:121 "...the townsmen of Plymouth mett, & according to the order & act of the Court, elected foure comittees to bee added to the Gor & Counsell to make lawes, & c', vizt, Mr John Done, Manasseth Kempton, John Dhname, & John Cooke, Jun."
This is when he was first made deputy. 4 June 1639.

PCR 1:126 Listed as Deputy from Plymouth. 1640 6 January 1640.

PCR 1:138 Witness for a land exchange 1 June 1640.

PCR 1:154 Made deputy again. 5 October 1640.

PCR 1:163 He is granted a parcel of land lying at the head of his lot and to the highway southeast and bordering William Pontus' land on the northwest 1641 1 February 1641.

PCR 2:7 The government commissioned a highway to be built from the meadows of John Dunham and William Pontus.
2 March 1641.

PCR 7:19
He was on a jury. There were no exceptional cases.
1 June 1641.

PCR 2:16
Dunham was on the grand inquest jury at the annual election. At this meeting new officers and freemen were sworn in. There were three pages of typical civil cases.
16 September 1641.

PCR 2:26
"John Dunhame, the elder, is graunted threescore acres of vpland lying at the Swann Holt on the north side thereof, and eight acres of meddow toyt there."
31 December 1641.

PCR 2:30
"John Dunhame is granted a pcell of meddow at Swanholt, and some vpland to yt, at the discretion of those that shalbe appoynted to view yt."
1642 4 January 1642.

PCR 2:32
John Dunhame is appointed with William Paddy, Mr Atwood, Nathan Souther, Mr. John Jenney, Thomas Willett, John Barnes and Josuah Pratt to survey the land so that paths into the woods can be constructed for cattle and other purposes.
1 March 1642.

PCR 2:34
He was on a grand jury that deliberated on three pages worth of typical civil cases.
27 September 1642.

PCR 2:45
He represented Plymouth as Deputy at a council that discussed the war with the Indians.
1643 6 March 1643.

PCR 2:53
He represented Plymouth as Deputy at a civil court.
6 June 1643.

PCR 2:56
Jury member. There were several interesting cases. John Walker was asked to appear at the next court to answer a charge of "lying with a bitch." William Halloway was asked to appear to answer about charges about eating stolen vegetables. It was ordered that "The first Tewsday in July the matrats meete, and eich towne are to send such menes they shall think fitt to joyne with them to consult about a course to saueguard ourselves from surprisall by an enemie."
10 October 1643.

PCR 2:63
Deputy from Plymouth.
1644 5 June 1644.

PCR 2:72
Appointed as Deputy again.
20 August 1644.

PCR 2:74
Deputy from Plymouth
1645 3 March 1645.

PCR 2:82
"It is ordered, that Mr. Miles Standish, Mr John Done, & John Dunhame shall take the account of Mr Thomas Prence for his treasureship of his receipts and payment, and certefye the Court thereof."
July 1645

PCR 12:110
Land bought from Edmond Tilson. This entry was crossed out and there was no explanation.
20 October 1645.

PCR 2:94
At court of election made deputy from Plymouth
1646 7 July 1646.

PCR 2:104
Deputy from Plymouth
Fined for absence as Deputy.
1647 19 January 1647.

PCR 12:149
He granted six acres of land to his son Samuel Dunham . . He also granted land to James Glassie ..
1 June 1647.

PCR 2:117
Made deputy again.
1648 7 June 1648.

PCR 2:124
He was on a jury that heard a huge amount of cases (six pages). None of these were particularly interesting or noteworthy.
4 October 1648.

PCR 2:134
At a grand inquest he was on a coroners jury for the execution of Allice Bishope who was found guilty of killing her daughter Martha. They found that she was "true hanged."
1649 8 June 1649.

PCR 2:144
Made deputy for Plymouth
25 October 1649.

PCR 2:145
He was on a committee which was ordered by the court to zone Aquetnet Island and dispense the land.
1650 18 February 1650.

PCR 12:203 .
. His son Samuel Dunham . sells John Dunhame his house and land. .
4 June 1650.

PCR 2:154
Made deputy for Plymouth
5 June 1650

PCR 11:56
He was on a committee appointed by the court for the purpose of reviewing certain laws. At two later dates this committee was referred to. Their minds remained unaltered.
1652 3 June 1652.

PCR 3:8
Made deputy for Plymouth.
3 September 1652.

PCR 3:16
He was on a coroners jury that determined James Glasse was sailing and driven to shore in his boat during a storm. He was thrown overboard and drowned. His body washed up and they found no other wounds.
1653 1 March 1653.

PCR 7:64
Jury and review.
7 June 1653.

PCR 3:31
At the court of election he is once again elected deputy from Plymouth.
6 December 1653.

PCR 7:64
Was a member of a jury.
1654 6 June 1654.

PCR 3:49
Made deputy
3 October 1654.

PCR 7:72
Was a member of a jury.
1655 8 June 1655.

PCR 3:79
Made deputy
4 October 1655.

PCR 7:75
Was a member of a jury.
1656 5 March 1656.

PCR 7:77 .
. Was a member of a jury. .
3 June 1656.

PCR 3:99
Made deputy.
5 October 1656.

PCR 7:81
Was a member of a jury.
1658 2 March 1658.

PCR 3:129
John Dunhame was a jury member for a court with many interesting cases. Arthur Howland was fined for holding Quaker meetings in his house. John Barnes was fined for drunkenness. Zoeth Howland was sentenced to sit in the stocks for an hour for "speaking opprobriously of the ministers of Gods word. Crowd fined for tumultuous carriage. Captain James Cudworth was discharged for being a Quaker.
1 June 1658.

PCR 3:142
Appointed by the court to set range between Nathaniel Warren and Robert Bartlett on the lands on which they live.
16593 May 1659.

PCR 7:93
Was a member of a jury.
7 June 1659.

PCR 3:162
Made deputy from Plymouth.
2 August 1659.

PCR 3:169
Appointed to settle controversy on boundary of land between Thomas Pope and William Shirtlife. John Howland and Francis Cooke were also on this committee.
6 December 1659.

PCR 3:179
"Att this Court, John Dunham, Senir, and Henry Wood, in the behalf of themselves and others, complained of injustice in the proceedings of the rators for publicke charges for the towne of Plymouth; but because none of the said rators appeered to answare for themselves, the Court apointed Mr Southworth and Mr William Bradford to treat with them about the pmises, and to issue the said difference and put and end if it may bee, to the said greivance."
1660 6 June 1660.

PCR 3:187
Appointed Deputy from Plymouth.
7 August 1660.

PCR 3:198
Deputy at a court case.
1661 5 March 1661.

PCR 3:210
Owed the King 10£
4 June 1661.

PCR 3:214
Made deputy from Plymouth.
1662 3 June 1662.

PCR 4:14
Made deputy from Plymouth
1664 8 June 1664.

PCR 4:60
Made deputy from Plymouth for the last time. He was 75 years old.
1668 2 March 1668.

PCR 8:32
John Dunhame died. He was about 80 years old. An inventory was taken. The inventory itself is on the following pages.
1669 No Specific Date.

PCR 8:32
"John Dunham, Senir, of Plymouth, aged about fourscore yeares, died the 2cond of March, 1668. Hee was an approved servant of God, and a vsefull man in his place, being a deacon of the church of Christ att Plymouth." This is a much longer statement then usually accompanies the lists of deaths in this book. This suggests that he was in some way more significant than average.
1 June 1669.

PCR 5:22
"...tres of administration granted vnto Abigall Dunham, Senir, widdow, to adminnester on the estate of John Dunham, Senir, deceased."

John Dunham: His Network of Relationships
1632-1668

Addy, WebLand next to Dunham's granted to him 7 November 1636

Atwood, Mr. Appointed on committee to survey land with Dunham. 4 January 1642

Barnes, JohnAppointed on committee to survey land with Dunham. 4 January 1642

Cooke, John Jr. Served as Deputy with Dunham beginning 6 May 1639

Cooke, JosiahLand next to Dunham's granted to him. 7 November 1636

Done, JohnServed as Deputy with Dunham beginning 6 May 1639

Ordered to take the account of Thomas Prence with Dunham. 3 March 1645

Dunham, SamuelHis son. John Dunham granted six acres of land to him. 19 January 1647

Sells his father back this land as well as his house. 18 February 1650

Eady, SamLand next to Dunham's granted to him 7 November 1636

Fallowell, GabriellLand bordering Dunham's granted to him. 2 April 1638

Glassie, JamesDunham granted land to him. 19 January 1647

Dunham was on the coroners inquest that determined Glassie drowned when his boat capsized. 3 September 1652

Jenny, JohnAppointed on committee to survey land with Dunham. 4 January 1642

Kempton, ManassethServed as Deputy with Dunham beginning 6 May 1639

Paddy, WilliamAppointed on committee to survey land with Dunham. 4 January 1642

Pontus, WilliamLand on west side of John Dunham's property granted to him. 5 March 1637.

Pratt, Josuah Land next to Dunham's granted to him. 7 November 1636

Appointed on committee to survey land with Dunham. 4 January 1642

Prence, ThomasDunham, Standish, and Done were appointed to take account of his treasureship.

Souther, NathanAppointed on committee to survey land with Dunham. 4 January 1642

Sparrow, RichLand next to Dunham's granted to him. 7 November 1636

Standish, MilesOrdered to take the account of Thomas Prence with Dunham. 3 March 1645

Willet, ThomasAppointed on committee to survey land with Dunham. 4 January 1642

Wood, JohnLand next to Dunham's granted to him. 7 November 1636

Wood, HenryComplained with Dunham about injustice in the proceeding of the raters for public charges.

Primary Sources
Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England. [PCR]. 1855-61. Ed. Nathaniel B. Shurtleff and David Pulsifer. New York: AMS Press, 1968.

Secondary Sources
Anderson, Robert Charles. The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633.. Great Migration Study Project (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995). 3v.

Davis, William T. Ancient Landmarks of Plymouth. (Boston: Williams, 1883). In two parts. Part I: Historical Sketch and Titles of Estates. Part II: Genealogical Register of Plymouth Families.

From "Descendants of John Dunham", Rob Roy, 1998

DEACON JOHN DUNHAM was born in 1588/89 in England.1,2,3 He married Susanna Kaino, daughter of Thomas Kaino and Joanne (--?--), on 17 August 1612 in Clophill, Bedfordshire, England.4 He married Abigail Balliou, daughter of Thomas Balliou, on 22 October 1622 in Leyden, Zuid, Holland.5 He died on 2 March 1668/69 in Plymouth, Massachusetts.6,7,8 He was a weaver.9 He emigrated circa 1630 from Leyden, Zuid, Holland.10 He became a freeman in 1633 in Plymouth, Massachusetts.11 He was on 2 January 1632/33 in Plymouth, Massachusetts, Taxed 9 shillings.12 He was ordained in 1639 in Plymouth, Massachusetts; as a deacon.13 He was in August 1643 in Plymouth, Massachusetts, Listed as able to bear arms.14 He left a will on 25 January 1668 in Plymuoth, Massachusetts.15,16 He's estate was inventoried on 2 March 1668/69 in Plymouth, Massachusetts.17 Isaac Dunham (1907) puts forth the opinion that the John Goodman, who signed the Mayflower Compact was in fact John Dunham He believed that John did not wish to use his real name on account of previous activities against the crown. John Goodman supposedly died during the first winter, however his name resurfaced on several occasions up to 1638. The lot assigned to John Goodman was next to that of William Brewster, who was a life long friend of John Dunham. A nice theory but totally unsupported by fact and extremely doubtful.

1 Ancestral File, 1994. 2 Marine S. Damvelt, Dunham Family Groupsheets , (Kalamazoo, Michigan: ms., 1995), [PAGE]. 3 Geneology Echo Message from Damvelt, Marine S. to Hayt, Dave, 16 October 1995, Personal Genealogical Collection. 4 Robert Leigh Ward, "The English Origin and First Marriage of Deacon John Dunham of Plymouth, Massachsuetts," The American Genealogist, volume LXXI (1996), p 131. 5 ibid. 6 Charles Henry Pope, The Pioneers of Massachusetts , (Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1981), [PAGE], p 146. 7 Elijah Hayward, "Plymouth Colony Records," New England Historical and Genealogical Register, volume IX (1855), p 317. 8 Ward, "English Origin and First Marriage of Deacon John Dunham", p 130. 9 Pope, Pioneers of Massachusetts, p 146. 10 Geneology Echo Damvelt (1995). 11 Pope, Pioneers of Massachusetts, p 146. 12 Nathaniel B. Shurtleff, "Plymouth Colony Rates," New England Historical and Genealogical Register, volume IV (1850), p 253.13 Isaac Watson Dunham, Dunham Genealogoy, English and American Branches of the Dunham Family , (Norwich, Connecticut: Bulletin Print, 1907), [PAGE], p 8. 14 Nathaniel B. Shurtleff, "List of Those Able to Bear Arms in the Colony of New Plymouth in 1643.," New England Historical and Genealogical Register, volume IV (1850), p 256. 15 Winsor, "Abstracts of the Earliest Wills in the Probate Office, Plymouth," New England Historical and Genealogical Register, volume VII (1853), p 178. 16 Pope, Pioneers of Massachusetts, p 146. 17 Winsor, "Abstracts of Earliest Wills in Plymouth", p 178. Page 3

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------I agree, and that being the case, let me make an offering. My husband's line traces through to Deacon John Dunham who arrived in Massachusetts a year or two after the Mayflower. This Deacon John Dunham is the same person who was alleged in a genealogical work to have been on the Mayflower travelling under the name of John Goodman. This is not true, however. But, in a book I was recently reading (Dunham-Singletary Genealogy by Kenneth Royal Dunham), the book makes a statement that Deacon John's connection to the Plantagenet kings has been a source of bickering, but he doesn't state why. From my own work, it appears to me that the question goes back to Margaret Stafford. Was theMargaret Stafford who married Robert Dunham [g-g-g-g-grandfather of Deacon John] the daughter of Humphrey Stafford, son of Anne [Plantagenet] of Gloucester, who was the daughter of Thomas, Duke of Gloucester's [youngest son of Edward III]? Many sources I've seen list them (Robert Dunham & Margaret Stafford) as husband and wife, but I've not seen a primary source given in any of them. Does anybody have any information on this--was the Margaret Stafford married to Robert Dunham, in fact, the granddaughter of Anne of Gloucester? Anybody seen any primary sources to support this connection?

Well, the connection of Dunham to Stafford may be in doubt, but the real problem comes long before you get that far back. Specifically, there is no evidence whatsoever to accept that the immigrant John Dunham has the parentage sometimes attributed to him.

---I'm sorry to say that this claim of descent for Deacon John Dunham of Plymouth has been disproved. His correct origin (in Bedfordshire), the identity of his first wife (Susanno Keno), and his probable parentage (he was apparently a son of Richard Dunham) were revealed in an article by RobertLeigh Ward in the July 1996 TAG.

DAVID GREENE

Subj: Re: Demolition of DUNHAM of Scrooby [Long]
Date: 98-04-02 04:48:46 EST
From: reedpcgen@aol.com (Reedpcgen)
Sender: GEN-MEDIEVAL-L-request@rootsweb.comTo: GEN-MEDIEVAL-L@rootsweb.com

Since it is usual that people have a difficult time giving up what has so longbeen familiar, I post the following to finish this thing off once and for all.

In following up the last post, the inquisition post mortem of John Dunham, esquire, was taken 10 June 17 Henry VIII [1525] (_Abstracts of the Inquisitions Post Mortem relating to Nottinghamshire, vol. I. Henry VII and Henry VIII 1485 to 1546_ [1905 (Thoroton Society, Record Series 3)], 145-7). It states that he held no land of the King in Chief himself, but had held Kyrtlyngton, etc. by courtesy, reversion thereof after his death belonging to Sir John Dunham, knight. John Dunham, esquire [the father] died 9 May 16 Henry VIII [1524] and his son and heir, Sir John Dunham, knight, was aged 50 and upwards. The inquisition post mortem of Edmond Hunt, taken 23 March 1538/9, found that the manor of Normanton was held of Katherine, Anne, Maria and Francis [sic] Dunham, daughters and heirs of Sir John Dunham, knight, deceased, as of his manor of Kyrtlyngton, which now is in the King's hand by reason of the minority of the daughters... (p. 247).

This further evidences that the alleged Ralph Dunham of Scrooby, co. Notts., was not son of John Dunham of the ancient line. But checking into a few things today, I have found that RALPH WAS NOT A DUNHAM, but A MEMBER OF THE DENMAN family of Newhall Grange, West Riding, Yorkshire.

As stated in a previous post, Tonge's Visitation in 1530 [SS 41:76] says that Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Wentworth of Wentworth-Woodhouse, married Rauff [blank]. The Visitation of the North in 1575 [SS 146:49] says that Elizabeth married Raff Denam. Joseph Foster's Yorkshire Pedigrees says Elizabeth married Ralph Denman of Newhall Grange. NONE of these sources call Ralph a DUNHAM, and it is only the Dunham Genealogy which makes this attribution.

The will of Thomas Wentworthe, esquire, of Wentworth (Yk. Reg. 13:483 [Testamenta Eboracensia 6(1902):240-1 (SS 106)]), dated 21 Aug. 1546, mentions his daughter "Elsabeth Denman," to whom he gave a cow. The will of his son, Michael Wentworth, esquire, of Mendham Priory (his grandson purchased Wolley in 1599), dated 12 Oct. 1558, mentions the farm called Newall Graunge. He made his 'nephewe' Nicolas Denham/Denman one of his executors and also mentioned Brian Denman (North Country Wills ... 1383 to 1558 [1908], 245-6 [SS 116]).

The will of Thomas Denman of Ordsall [son of Nicholas Denman] was dated 12 Aug. 1546, and mentioned the poor of East and West Retford, his nephew Nicollas Denman, his cousyn Rawfe Denman, Nicholas's sons, and other relatives [SS 106:238-40]. The will of Nicholas Denman of East Retford, esquire, dated 18 Feb. 1550/1, mentions his son Rauf Denman, Rauf's younger children, and others [SS 106:308-9].

Joseph Hunter's The History and Topography of the Deanery of Doncaster ...2 (1831):75, includes a pedigree of the Denmans of Newhall-grange. Ralph Denman, who married Elizabeth, dau. of Thomas Wentworth, of Wentworth-Woodhouse, was son of Nicholas Denman and step-brother of Thomas Denman and William Denman, rector of Ordsall, co. Notts. Ralph and Elizabeth (Wentworth) Denman were parents of four sons, (1) Nicholas Denman, esquire, of Newhall-grange (w. d. 1 Dec. 1578, w. p. 19 Jan. 1578/9) who married Ellen Beeston of Beeston, and had issue; (2) Thomas Denman, of London, merchant, who married twice leaving issue (his second wife was Alice, dau. of William Heneage); (3) Ralph; and (4) Bryan. Joseph Foster's account of Glover's Visitation of Yorkshire in 1585 (1875), 346, gives the same information, which was supplied by John Denman of Newhall Grange in 1585, grandson of Ralph and Elizabeth (Wentworth) Denman.

So, with Ralph being lopped off of the spurious Dunham ancestry, this leaves ONLY the immigrant John (b. ca. 1589) and his alleged father Thomas Dunham, said to be born at Scrooby 1560, for which there is no evidence whatsoever.

Neither parish registers nor Bishops' Transcripts survive for Scrooby before 1600, and as previously stated, there were no probate records for any Dunhams at Scrooby. About all one could check would be the Subsidy Rolls, but this would have to be searched at the Public Record Office at Kew, England, and would cost several hundred dollars to have searched.

If I were a Dunham descendant, I would be grateful to have an account of the real marriage and origin of the immigrant John Dunham in Bedfordshire as published in TAG and a possible father, which traces the line back with real records as far as what is left of the fake ancestry. [pcr]

John Dunham of Scrooby Notts, weaver, went first to Leyden, Holland, circa 1618. John Dunham and three children (John, Humility, and Thomas) were listed as living in the Zevenhuysen section of Leiden on 15 October 1622 [NS][Dexter612], in a survey which was conveniently taken between the dates of John Dunham's betrothal and marriage to his second wife. Is supposed to have immigrated to Plymouth ca. 1630 with wife and several children. He was considered a first son, and received land in the first land division. In 1632 he was assigned land for pasturing his cattle, and was taxed for military service. In 1633 John, who had been a protege of Elder Brewster, his Scrooby neighbor, was made deacon of the Plymouth church, showing in what high esteem he was held. This was the second entry in the town records.


In 1633 the town board lists his land on the southern boundary, and same year he was made a freeman. In 1638 he advertised cattle; he was a dealer. Was made deputy to the General Court 1638-64, served as a member of the Plymouth Military Co. 1643, on many important town committees, was one of those who revised the Colony's laws in 1650, and among the first purchasers of Dartmouth. In 1662 land was granted his son John as a first born of the early comers. His house was southwest of Plymouth, and adjacent swamp had an outlet called to this day Dunham Brook. He died at 81, a revered old man, his will witnessed by John Cotton, Thomas Cushman, and Thomas Southworth. (which may be seen in Mayflower Desc.) "Hee was an approued seruant of God, and a vsefull man in his place, being a deacon of the church of Christ att Plymouth." A granddaughter of John and Abigail married the grandson of John and Priscilla Alden, whose romance has fascinated Americans for over 300 years. His wife was living at his death.

Abstract Will:

John Dunham

W ill, 25 January 1668. To sons John (eldest), Benajah, Daniel, and son in law Stephen Wood; and wife Abigail. Witnesses Thomas Southworth, John Cotton, Thomas Cushman. Inventory, 16 March 1668, by Thomas Southworth and Thomas Cushman.

Deacon married Abigail Barlow on 22 Oct 1622 in Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands. Abigail (daughter of Thomas Barlow Balliou and Ann Aime Barlow Balliou) was born on 22 Oct 1606 in Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands; died on 20 Mar 1669 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Name: Abigail Balliou
• Arrival: 1632, Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

Thomas married Jane Janet Bromley in 1587 in Scrooby, Nottinghamshire, England. Jane was born in 1562 in Bromley, London Borough of Bromley, Greater London, England; died on 20 Dec 1655 in Bromley, London Borough of Bromley, Greater London, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Thomas married Ann Aime Barlow Balliou in 1599 in Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands. Ann was born in 1569 in Wicres, Nord, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France; died in 1622 in Holland, Reusel-de Mierden, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]