Esther Smith

"Vital Records of Woodbridge, Middlesex Co., NJ"

from "The Story of a New Jersey Town"

Rev. Joseph W. Dally, New Brunswick, NJ, 1873

"Easter SMITH, wife of Samuel SMITH, d. 14 Aug 1690"

"Family Data Collection - Individual Records"

Edmund West, comp.

http://www.ancestry.com/, 2000.

"Name: Esther Dunham; Spouse: Samuel Smith

Parents: Jonathan Singletary Dunham , Mary Bloomfield

Birth Place: Essex, Haverhill, MA; Birth Date: 1655

Marriage Date: 1680

Death Place: Woodbridge, Middlesex, NJ; Death Date: 14 August 1690"

For an in-depth analysis of the Jonathan Singletary/Dunham name-change, see:

Dunham (Alias Singletary) Family History

David E. & Audrey (Shields) Hancock

This site looks excellent 

Dunham Surname http://www.ryanwadleigh.com/dunham.html
In our branch of the Dunham family, there has long been a debate as to the origins of this family. For a long while, it was assumed that our Dunhams descended from John Dunham who settled at Plymouth, Massachusetts and whose line has often been traced back to royalty. "Newer" evidence seems to indicate that our line did not come from any Dunhams at all. Our Dunhams descended directly from Richard Singletary of Haverhill, Massachusetts. Our ancestor in his lifetime changed his name from Jonathan Singletary to Jonathan Dunham. Although we now know this, there are debates as to his reasons, possibly that he was related to a Dunham family. Either way, the origins of this family were in England

=========================

=============================

There is a possiblity the name was also spelled DONHAM - DONHAM Family History by Scott T.S. Trimble

printed book © August 1995 /// online version © August 2000 http://www.ststlocations.com/Archives/Donham/AppendixA/

DONHAM Family History by Scott T.S. Trimble printed book © August 1995 /// online version © August 2000

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE JONATHAN SINGLETARY, alias JONATHAN DUNHAM

http://www.ststlocations.com/Archives/Donham/Chapter23/

Jonathan DONHAM, father of Nathaniel DONHAM Sr., was born as Jonathan SINGLETARY, the son of Richard SINGLETARY and Susanna COOKE. He was not, as Isaac Watson DUNHAM's book suggested, the son of Thomas DUNHAM (son of Deacon John DUNHAM and Susanna KENNY) and Martha KNOTT.

Actually,it appears that Thomas DUNHAM never married. It had been assumed that he married Martha KNOTT, only because George KNOTT, in his will, promised to leave a coat to Thomas if he would marry his daughter. Martha eventually married someone else and had a family. There is also too much evidence that Jonathan SINGLETARY and Jonathan DUNHAM were the same person.

Jonathan was born 17 November 1639/1640 in Salisbury, Essex County, MA. In his twenties he was involved in a land dispute with a John GODFREY. They went to court where Jonathan accused John of being a witch. Jonathan also got into trouble with the Plymouth government as the following paragraph shows.136

After reaching manhood and previous to coming to Woodbridge, NJ, he was accused on the Plymouth Colony records of being a 'Ranter' and disseminating corrupt religious principles among his neighbors. 'Ranters' were regarded as an Antinomian sect characterized by extravagances of conduct and worship and so not tolerated by the Puritan courts.... Baptists and Quakers, though strictly orthodox according to scriptural interpretations at that time, were denounced by similar religious courts as 'offscouring of the earth' — 'formenters of evil' — 'abominable people.' What may have been Jonathan SINGLETARY's true character in early manhood among his New England ancestry, the writer will not further discuss. It is known that in New Jersey he was a respected and reputable citizen, as Jonathan DUNHAM, and commanded the esteem of his fellow townsmen. - From First Settlers of Piscataway and Woodbridge; Dedication to Five Notable First Settlers. This book quoted Oliver B. LEONARD as it's source.

After his troubles Jonathan and his family moved to New Jersey, about 1665. One biography states Jonathan built the first grist mill in 1670 on Papiac Creek near Woodland, NJ. He owned 213 acres of land in Woodbridge, NJ. He was a representative to the New Jersey State Assembly. It also said that he rebelled against the Dutch Government and was arrested in 1673.

Thus, if Jonathan SINGLETARY didn't change his name to DUNHAM / DONHAM to hide from John GODFREY, it is possible that he changed it to reclaim his ancestral surname.

Jonathan and Mary had at least ten children. Jonathan died 6 September 1706 in Woodbridge, Middlesex County, NJ, and is buried at the Trinity Cemetery. Mary died sometime after 1702 in Woodbridge.

CHILDREN OF JONATHAN SINGLETARY & MARY BLOOMFIELD

------------------------------------------------------------------------

1 NAME: Mary DONHAM

   BORN:   29 Dec 1661          PLACE:  Haverhill,Essex,MA

DIED: Bef 1664
------------------------------------------------------------------------

2 NAME: Mary DONHAM

   BORN:    3 Feb 1663/1664     PLACE:  Haverhill,Essex,MA

DIED: Aft 1702
SPOUSE: William ELLISON
MARR: PLACE: Woodbridge,Middlesex,NJ
------------------------------------------------------------------------

3 NAME: Ruth DONHAM

   BORN:          1666          PLACE:  Haverhill,Essex,MA

------------------------------------------------------------------------

4 NAME: Eunice DONHAM

   BORN:          1667           

DIED: 5 Dec 1684 PLACE: Woodbridge,Middlesex,NJ
------------------------------------------------------------------------

5 NAME: Esther DONHAM

   BORN:          1669           

DIED: 14 Aug 1690
SPOUSE: Samuel SMITH
------------------------------------------------------------------------

6 NAME: Jonathan DONHAM

   BORN:   24 Sep 1672          PLACE:  Woodbridge,Middlesex,NJ

DIED: 6 Sep 1706 PLACE: Woodbridge,Middlesex,NJ
SPOUSE: Esther ROLPH
MARR: 5 Feb 1696 PLACE: ,,NJ
------------------------------------------------------------------------

7 NAME: David DONHAM

   BORN:   10 Mar 1674          PLACE:  Woodbridge,Middlesex,NJ

DIED: 1753/1758 PLACE: Woodbridge,Middlesex,NJ
SPOUSE: Mary ILSLEY
MARR: 14 Aug 1699 PLACE: ,,NY
------------------------------------------------------------------------

8 NAME: Nathaniel DONHAM

   BORN:    8 Feb 1677          PLACE:  Woodbridge,Middlesex,NJ

DIED: 14 May 1678 PLACE: Woodbridge,Middlesex,NJ
------------------------------------------------------------------------

9 NAME: Nathaniel DONHAM Sr.

   BORN:   10 Apr 1679          PLACE:  Woodbridge,Middlesex,NJ

DIED: Aft 1726 PLACE: ,,NJ
SPOUSE: Joannah THORNELL
MARR: 20 Oct 1703
------------------------------------------------------------------------

10 NAME: Benjamin DONHAM138

   BORN:   22 Aug 1681          PLACE:  Woodbridge,Middlesex,NJ

DIED: 31 Dec 1715 PLACE: Woodbridge,Middlesex,NJ
BUR.: PLACE: Trinity Cem,Middlesex,NJ
SPOUSE: Mary ROLPH
MARR:
==================================================================================

===========================================================

This ancestry and documented lieange does not give John Dunham married Mary Smith as a son of

JONATHAN SINGLETARY-DUNHAM FAMILY LINE

Entries: 1120 Updated: 2005-12-18 14:37:00 UTC (Sun) Contact: Audrey Home Page: THE DUNHAM FAMILY HOMEPAGE http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=grannyapp...

NOTE: This Family tree seems to be very well documented and annotated in the first 2 generations - I did not delve further

Then around 1665/1666, Jonathan and Mary removed to Woodbridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey with the BLOOMFIELD family. With the move came a surname change to DUNHAM, perhaps for anonymity and a different way of life. Perhaps it was to re-establish or reclaim the DUNHAM surname of his ancestors. However, even after marriage he appears to have continued to lead a separate life at times when he returned to Massachusetts temporarily. Yet, it appears that he continued to be recognized among the population of the day as Jonathan Dunham, alias Singletary.

1. Jonathan (alias SINGLETARY) DUNHAM (Richard SINGLETARY1) was born 17 JAN 1639/40 in Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts, and died 6 SEP 1724 in Woodbridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey. He was buried 1724 in Trinity Episcopal Church rectory, side of house, Woodbridge, Middlesex Co., NJ. He married Mary BLOOMFIELD ABT. 1657 in Haverhill, Essex Co., MA, daughter of Thomas (#1) BLOOMFIELD and Mary WITHERS. She was born 15 JAN 1641/42 in Essex Co., MA, and died 1705 in Woodbridge, Middlesex Co., NJ. She was buried 1705 in Woodbridge, Middlesex Co., NJ.

Children of Jonathan (alias SINGLETARY) DUNHAM and Mary BLOOMFIELD are: 

2 i. Richard Singletary DUNHAM was born 1657, and died 16 OCT 1711.
+ 3 ii. Esther DUNHAM was born 1659, and died 14 AUG 1689 in Woodbridge, Middlesex Co., NJ.

 4   iii. Mary (#1) DUNHAM was born 29 DEC 1661, and died in Died Young. 

5 iv. Mary (#2) DUNHAM was born 3 FEB 1662/63 in Haverhill, Essex Co., MA, and died AFT. 1702. She married William ELLISON in Woodbridge, Middlesex Co., MA.
6 v. Sarah DUNHAM was born 23 FEB 1662/63 in Haverhill, Essex Co., MA.
7 vi. Ruth DUNHAM was born 1666 in Haverhill, Essex Co., MA.
8 vii. Eunice DUNHAM was born 1668, and died 5 DEC 1684.
+ 9 viii. Jonathan DUNHAM was born 24 SEP 1672 in Woodbridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey, and died 6 SEP 1706 in Woodbridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey.

+ 10 ix. David DUNHAM was born 10 MAR 1673/74 in Woodbridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey or New York, and died BET. 1750 - 1758 in Woodbridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey. He was buried BET. 1751 - 1758 in Woodbridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey. He married Mary ILSLEY BET. 14 - 18 AUG 1699 in New York City, New York, daughter of John ILSLEY and Ann (wf\o John ILSLEY) ???. She was born 13 APR 1680 in Woodbridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey, and died BET. 1715 - 1717 in Woodbridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey

 11   x. Joanna Singletary DUNHAM was born 1675. She married Samuel PARKER.  

12 xi. Nathaniel (#1) DUNHAM was born 8 FEB 1676/77, and died 14 MAY 1678.
+ 13 xii. Nathaniel (#2) DUNHAMwas born 10 APR 1679 in Woodbridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey, and died AFT. 1727 in Westfield, Union County, New Jersey. He married Joannah THORNELL 20 OCT 1703 in Woodbridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey, daughter of Israel THORNELL and Hannah \ Anna HALL. She was born 25 FEB 1684/85 in Woodbridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey, and died BET. 1726 - 1730 in Piscataway, Middlesex County, New Jersey.

+ 14 xiii. Benjamin DUNHAM was born 22 AUG 1681 in Woodbridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey, and died 31 DEC 1715 in Woodbridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey. He was buried in Trinity Espiscopal Church Cemetery, Woodbridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey. He married Mary ROLPH ABT. 1706 in Woodbridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey, daughter of John ROLPH and Mary SCULLARD. She was born 1681 in Woodbridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey.

<nowiki>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------</nowiki>

Descendant Register, Generation No. 2

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. Esther DUNHAM (Jonathan (alias SINGLETARY) DUNHAM2, Richard SINGLETARY1) was born 1659, and died 14 AUG 1689 in Woodbridge, Middlesex Co., NJ. She married Samuel SMITH 1680 in Woodbridge, Middlesex Co., MA, son of John SMITH. He was born 20 OCT 1644 in Barnstable, Barnstable, MA.

Children of Esther DUNHAM and Samuel SMITH are:+ 15   i. Samuel SMITH was born 1685. 

16 ii. Benjamin SMITH was born 28 JAN 1687/88 in Woodbridge, Middlesex Co., NJ.
9. Jonathan DUNHAM (Jonathan (alias SINGLETARY) DUNHAM2, Richard SINGLETARY1) was born 24 SEP 1672 in Woodbridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey, and died 6 SEP 1706 in Woodbridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey. He was buried in Woodbridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey. He married Esther ROLPH BET. 5 - 15 FEB 1694/95 in Woodbridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey, daughter of John ROLFE and Mary SCULLARD. She was born 1676 in Woodbridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey, and died 11 SEP 1742 in Woodbridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey. She was buried in Woodbridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey.

Children of Jonathan DUNHAM and Esther ROLPH are:  17   i. Samuel Singletary DUNHAM was born 4 OCT 1697 in Woodbridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey, and died 6 SEP 1726. 

18 ii. Eunice Singletary (#1) DUNHAM was born 9 OCT 1699 in Woodbridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey, and died 1702.
+ 19 iii. Eunice Singletary (#2) DUNHAM was born 12 MAY 1702 in Woodbridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey, and died 30 NOV 1780 in Woodbridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey.

+ 20 iv. Mary Singletary DUNHAM was born 3 MAR 1703/04 in Woodbridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey.

=======================================

"Vital Records of Woodbridge, Middlesex Co., NJ"

from "The Story of a New Jersey Town"

Rev. Joseph W. Dally, New Brunswick, NJ, 1873

"Easter SMITH, wife of Samuel SMITH, d. 14 Aug 1690"

"Family Data Collection - Individual Records"

Edmund West, comp.

http://www.ancestry.com/, 2000.

"Name: Esther Dunham; Spouse: Samuel Smith

Parents: Jonathan Singletary Dunham , Mary Bloomfield

Birth Place: Essex, Haverhill, MA; Birth Date: 1655

Marriage Date: 1680

Death Place: Woodbridge, Middlesex, NJ; Death Date: 14 August 1690"

For an in-depth analysis of the Jonathan Singletary/Dunham name-change, see:

Dunham (Alias Singletary) Family History

David E. & Audrey (Shields) Hancock

Jonathan Singletary Dunham was born in Newbury, Massachusetts on January 17, 1640 and married Mary Bloomfield, also from Massachusetts. The couple migrated to Woodbridge Township, New Jersey (the first Township of New Jersey, which was chartered on June 1, 1669 by King Charles II of England), where they were granted 213 acres of land by the newly appointed Governor of New Jersey. Upon this land, Jonathan Dunham built the first grist mill in New Jersey. He later received a bonus of 203 acres and acquired many other tracts of land in New Jersey and Massachusetts. Dunham served as the Clerk of the Township Court, overseer of the highways, and was elected to the New Jersey Assembly in 1673.

He died in Woodbridge, New Jersey in 1724. The house the Dunhams built in 1671 still stands and currently serves as the Rectory of the Trinity Episcopal Church in Woodbridge, New

There is a POSSIBLITY that Jonathan Dunham and Mary Bloomfiled are Esthers parents

the parentage has been pulled off the Internet only and -

it has been found on Ancestry.com trees with NO DOCUMENTATION to suppport it

All Smith ancestry research at one time did not list her parents - FURTHER research and DOUCMENTATION is needed before accepting her parentage as FACT

=================================

There is a possiblity that Jonathan Dunham and Mary Bloomfiled are Esthers parents

There is a possiblity the name was also spelled DONHAM - DONHAM Family History by Scott T.S. Trimble

printed book © August 1995 /// online version © August 2000 http://www.ststlocations.com/Archives/Donham/AppendixA/

DONHAM Family History by Scott T.S. Trimble printed book © August 1995 /// online version © August 2000

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE JONATHAN SINGLETARY, alias JONATHAN DUNHAM

http://www.ststlocations.com/Archives/Donham/Chapter23/

Jonathan DONHAM, father of Nathaniel DONHAM Sr., was born as Jonathan SINGLETARY, the son of Richard SINGLETARY and Susanna COOKE. He was not, as Isaac Watson DUNHAM's book suggested, the son of Thomas DUNHAM (son of Deacon John DUNHAM and Susanna KENNY) and Martha KNOTT.

Actually,it appears that Thomas DUNHAM never married. It had been assumed that he married Martha KNOTT, only because George KNOTT, in his will, promised to leave a coat to Thomas if he would marry his daughter. Martha eventually married someone else and had a family. There is also too much evidence that Jonathan SINGLETARY and Jonathan DUNHAM were the same person.

Jonathan was born 17 November 1639/1640 in Salisbury, Essex County, MA. In his twenties he was involved in a land dispute with a John GODFREY. They went to court where Jonathan accused John of being a witch. Jonathan also got into trouble with the Plymouth government as the following paragraph shows.136

After reaching manhood and previous to coming to Woodbridge, NJ, he was accused on the Plymouth Colony records of being a 'Ranter' and disseminating corrupt religious principles among his neighbors. 'Ranters' were regarded as an Antinomian sect characterized by extravagances of conduct and worship and so not tolerated by the Puritan courts.... Baptists and Quakers, though strictly orthodox according to scriptural interpretations at that time, were denounced by similar religious courts as 'offscouring of the earth' — 'formenters of evil' — 'abominable people.' What may have been Jonathan SINGLETARY's true character in early manhood among his New England ancestry, the writer will not further discuss. It is known that in New Jersey he was a respected and reputable citizen, as Jonathan DUNHAM, and commanded the esteem of his fellow townsmen. - From First Settlers of Piscataway and Woodbridge; Dedication to Five Notable First Settlers. This book quoted Oliver B. LEONARD as it's source.

After his troubles Jonathan and his family moved to New Jersey, about 1665. One biography states Jonathan built the first grist mill in 1670 on Papiac Creek near Woodland, NJ. He owned 213 acres of land in Woodbridge, NJ. He was a representative to the New Jersey State Assembly. It also said that he rebelled against the Dutch Government and was arrested in 1673.

Thus, if Jonathan SINGLETARY didn't change his name to DUNHAM / DONHAM to hide from John GODFREY, it is possible that he changed it to reclaim his ancestral surname.

Jonathan and Mary had at least ten children. Jonathan died 6 September 1706 in Woodbridge, Middlesex County, NJ, and is buried at the Trinity Cemetery. Mary died sometime after 1702 in Woodbridge.

CHILDREN OF JONATHAN SINGLETARY & MARY BLOOMFIELD

------------------------------------------------------------------------

1 NAME: Mary DONHAM

   BORN:   29 Dec 1661          PLACE:  Haverhill,Essex,MA

DIED: Bef 1664
------------------------------------------------------------------------

2 NAME: Mary DONHAM

   BORN:    3 Feb 1663/1664     PLACE:  Haverhill,Essex,MA

DIED: Aft 1702
SPOUSE: William ELLISON
MARR: PLACE: Woodbridge,Middlesex,NJ
------------------------------------------------------------------------

3 NAME: Ruth DONHAM

   BORN:          1666          PLACE:  Haverhill,Essex,MA

------------------------------------------------------------------------

4 NAME: Eunice DONHAM

   BORN:          1667           

DIED: 5 Dec 1684 PLACE: Woodbridge,Middlesex,NJ
------------------------------------------------------------------------

5 NAME: Esther DONHAM

   BORN:          1669           

DIED: 14 Aug 1690
SPOUSE: Samuel SMITH
------------------------------------------------------------------------

6 NAME: Jonathan DONHAM

   BORN:   24 Sep 1672          PLACE:  Woodbridge,Middlesex,NJ

DIED: 6 Sep 1706 PLACE: Woodbridge,Middlesex,NJ
SPOUSE: Esther ROLPH
MARR: 5 Feb 1696 PLACE: ,,NJ
------------------------------------------------------------------------

7 NAME: David DONHAM

   BORN:   10 Mar 1674          PLACE:  Woodbridge,Middlesex,NJ

DIED: 1753/1758 PLACE: Woodbridge,Middlesex,NJ
SPOUSE: Mary ILSLEY
MARR: 14 Aug 1699 PLACE: ,,NY
------------------------------------------------------------------------

8 NAME: Nathaniel DONHAM

   BORN:    8 Feb 1677          PLACE:  Woodbridge,Middlesex,NJ

DIED: 14 May 1678 PLACE: Woodbridge,Middlesex,NJ
------------------------------------------------------------------------

9 NAME: Nathaniel DONHAM Sr.

   BORN:   10 Apr 1679          PLACE:  Woodbridge,Middlesex,NJ

DIED: Aft 1726 PLACE: ,,NJ
SPOUSE: Joannah THORNELL
MARR: 20 Oct 1703
------------------------------------------------------------------------

10 NAME: Benjamin DONHAM138

   BORN:   22 Aug 1681          PLACE:  Woodbridge,Middlesex,NJ

DIED: 31 Dec 1715 PLACE: Woodbridge,Middlesex,NJ
BUR.: PLACE: Trinity Cem,Middlesex,NJ
SPOUSE: Mary ROLPH
MARR:
------------------------------------------------------------------------

=========================================

"Vital Records of Woodbridge, Middlesex Co., NJ"

from "The Story of a New Jersey Town"

Rev. Joseph W. Dally, New Brunswick, NJ, 1873

"Easter SMITH, wife of Samuel SMITH, d. 14 Aug 1690"

"Family Data Collection - Individual Records"

Edmund West, comp.

http://www.ancestry.com/, 2000.

"Name: Esther Dunham; Spouse: Samuel Smith

Parents: Jonathan Singletary Dunham , Mary Bloomfield

Birth Place: Essex, Haverhill, MA; Birth Date: 1655

Marriage Date: 1680

Death Place: Woodbridge, Middlesex, NJ; Death Date: 14 August 1690"

For an in-depth analysis of the Jonathan Singletary/Dunham name-change, see:

Dunham (Alias Singletary) Family History

David E. & Audrey (Shields) Hancock

Alternate secondary source: Edmund West, comp, "Family Data Collection - Individual Records" (Name: Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2000;). Text From Source: Online publication - Edmund West, comp.. Family Data Collection - Individual Records [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2000.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/121524256/esther-smith

First wife of Samuel Smith.

Samuel Smith and Esther Dunham were married about 1680 in Woodbridge, NJ.

Children of Samuel Smith and Esther Dunham born in Woodbridge, NJ.

Elizabeth Smith born August 15, 1681.

Samuel Smith born April 18, 1685.

Benjamin Smith born January 28, 1687.