Jonathan Dunham

Jonathan Dunham (January 17, 1640 – September 6, 1724), known in his early life as Jonathan Singletary, was a prominent early American settler of Woodbridge Township, New Jersey, who built the first gristmill in New Jersey.[1][2][3] He is U.S. President Barack Obama’s eighth great-grandfather and the first of Obama’s Dunham ancestors to be born in North America.

Jonathan Singletary, later Dunham, was born on January 17, 1639/40, in Newbury, Massachusetts, the son of Richard Singletary.[2][5] He married Mary Bloomfield (a relative of the later New Jersey Governor Joseph Bloomfield, for whom the township of Bloomfield, New Jersey is named).

While JONATHAN SINGLETARY assumed, in Woodbridge, New Jersey, the name DUNHAM or DONHAM, he was NOT OF THE DUNHAM BLOOD. John Godfrey v. Jonathan Singletary, Slander and defammation. For calling him witch and saying "Is this witch on this syde Boston Galloes yet?" (Possibly changed his name to Dunham after being accused of witchcraft).

https://www.ancestry.com/genealogy/records/jonathan-
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singletary_117662527http://www.angelfire.com/in2/kwitina/family/Singletary.html

JONATHAN SINGLETARY, alias DUNHAM, i. e. using the former and original surname in New England, and the latter, with clear evidence of the alias and its source, in New Jersey. Though shrouded in mystery, there is not the slightest evidence that it was founded in anything improper or illegal, and the use of aliases was more or less frequent in the Colonial Period. The name, "SINGLETARY," is not to be found in America, except in the immigrant, RICHARD SINGLETARY, and his descendants. Neither has it yet been found, thus, in England. However, its origin was in a combined form, of French surnames, as in the French "Angleterre," for England, i. e. SELLINGUE-TERRE, and the next to last surname is a very common old French patronymic. (HUG. SOC., PUBS., London.)

That able genealogist, Mr. David W. Hoyt, in his "The Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury, Massachusetts, with some Related Families of Newbury, Haverhill, Ipswich, and Hampton," (reaching three volumes, Providence, R. I., 1897, to Vol. III, 1916, idem.), has performed the prodigious task of placing in genealogical form, and, thereby, preserving them, of a great number of the original families in this section. A prior publication of his re the Family of Singletary, (Vol. I, pp. 317, et seq.). A quotation will be made, as appropriate here; "I, RICHARD (1) SINGLETARY (or SINGLETERRE), of SALISBURY and HAV. ERHILL, "planter," b. ab. 1599; (foot-note--Haverhill record gives d. "at 102," which would make him born ab. 1585, and 71, when his son Benj. was born. Another statement makes his birth as above); oath free, 1638; m. as early as 1639, SUSANNA COOK, (foot-note--"Goodwife Singletary" d. ab. 1638 or 9, Newbury) (She may have been the wife of Richard (1) above), who was b. ab. 1616 and d. April 11, 1682, Haverhill. He was in Salem in 1637, of Newbury, the same year; received land in Salisbury in the "first division" and in 1640; commoner and taxed in 1650, sclectman that year: removed to Haverhill, ab. 1653, became a proprietor there; d. Oct. 25, 1687, Haverhill. Children:

DUNHAM GENEALOGY

ERROR RELATIVE TO SINGLETARY

While JONATHAN SINGLETARY assumed, in Woodbridge, New Jersey,

the name DUNHAM or DONHAM, he was NOT OF THE DUNHAM BLOOD.

This alleged assumption, with parentage, is attempted to be given

by that worthy Rev. Isaac Watson Dunham in the DUNHAM GENEALOGY (pp. 40 et seq.).

The writer wrote in September 16, 1914, as follows:

"Relative to Jonathan Singletary, alias Dunham, or Jonathan Dunham, alias Singletary.

There is among the early settlers of Woodbridge, New Jersey,

a Reverend Jonathan Dunham, who is not identical with either of the foregoing,

but among the first settlers was Jonathan Singletary, who took the name of Dunham,

and he appears in the records as Jonathan Dunham."

JONATHAN SINGLETARY AND

WITCHCRAFT

WHAT?? WAS IT FOR THIS HE CHANGED

HIS NAME TO DUNHAM?

Many authorities very clearly prove that Jonathan Singletary,

son of Richard, married Mary Bloomfield, daughter of Thomas Bloomfield.

The Salem and Essex County, Mass., records show:

1662 to 1664, Jonathan Singletary, aged, 22; Richard Singletary,

aged, 63, and Susanna, his wife, aged, 46, and, Richard again, aged, 70,

and THOMAS BLOOMFIELD, together with the following;

Mar. 1, 1664, Ipswich.

John Godfrey v. Jonathan Singletary, Slander and defammation.

For calling him witch and saying "Is this witch on this syde Boston Galloes yet?"

Verdict for plaintiff. Defendant was to make public acknowledgement at Haverhill or pay fine.

Jonathan Singletary, aged 23 yrs., deposed 14:12:1662, that

"I being in ye prizen att Ipwitch this night last past Bettwene nine and tenn

of ye clocke att night after ye bell had runge I being sett in a corner

of ye prizen upon a suden I heard a greate noyese as if many cattes

had bine climbeing up ye prizen wales and skipping into ye house att ye

windows & jumping about ye chamber.

And a noyese as if boards ends or stooles had bine throwne about,

& men walking in the chambers & a crackling and shakeing

as if ye hous would have," etc. (Recs. Quart. Cts., Essex Co., Mass. Vol. III, pp. 120 et seq.)

https://www.ancestry.com/genealogy/records/jonathan-singletary_1176...

'Jonathan Singletary

Born in Sailsbury, Massachusetts, USA on 1653

to Richard Singletary and Susanna Cooke.

Jonathan married Mary Bloomfield and had 8 children.

He passed away on 1705 in Woodbridge, New Jersey, USA.

Family Members

Parents

Richard Singletary 1584-1687

Susanna Cooke 1609-1682

Spouse(s)

Mary Bloomfield 1640-1703 Children Esther Dunham 1642-1689 Mary Dunham 1663-1664

Ruth Dunham 1666-1702

Eunice Dunham 1667-1684

Jonathan Dunham 1670-1706

David Dunham 1672-1754

Nathaniel Dunham 1697-1727

Benjamin Dunham 1681-1715

References

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Singletary_Dunham_House
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Singletary_Dunham
• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Downham-47 “ ONATHAN SINGLETARY (later Jonathan Dunham, alias Singletary) was the first child of Richard Singletary which is documented in many places and in vital records. What remains in question is whether this first child (Jonathan) was a full sibling to Richard's other children, who were the children of Richard Singletary and Susannah Cooke and whose descendants carry the Singletary surname, or whether Jonathan Dunham, alias Singletary was the child of Richard Singletary and perhaps a first wife named Lydia Downham or Lydia Dunham, whose death in 1638/1639 is recorded as "Goodwife Singletary". [1]. It is unlikely, although not impossible, that Susannah Cooke was Jonathan's mother. It is more likely that Jonathan was the son of Richard's companion (first wife?), Lydia Downham / Lydia Dunham / Goodwife Singletary, who accompanied Richard from England to America. Jonathan Singletary was the only son to change his name from Singletary to Dunham. [Note: Richard Singletary and his 2nd wife, Susannah Cooke, named a daughter, Lydia Singletary.]”
• http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~grannyapple/genealogy/SINGLETARY-DUN...

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https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/199619267/jonathan-dunham

Bio from Find a Grave:

Son of Richard Singletary 1585-1687 and Susanna Cooke 1616-1682.
His date of birth 1639 or 1640: * see explanation below -
Source: Year of birth 1640, as suggested by AGBI, in Massachusetts. Source 2: Massachusetts Archives; Columbia Point, MA, Index to the Deponent Records of the County of Essex, Massachusetts; Volume: 2; Page: 381, Age22, Birth Year abt 1640, Deposition Year:1662, Deposition Place; Essex, Massachusetts, USA.

The story of Jonathan Dunham alias Singletary is a "complicated one with a range of speculation and different interpretations". Some historical journals have indicated that he was the the son of Thomas Dunham 1626-1677 (Son of Deacon John Dunham 1589-1668) and Martha Knott 1625-1648, which after years of collaboration suggest other parents: Deacon John Dunham and descendants can be found: MEMORIAL ID: 34796723.

Jonathan was born a Singletary and changed his last name to Dunham (Donham) alias: Singletary. What remains unclear were his reasons for this name change, which has added to the degree of speculation and controversy. His father Richard Singletary, an admitted inhabitant in Salem, Mass has some interesting stories surrounding his childhood. His brother, Nathaniel Singletary, was brutally killed by Native Americans, as well as his (Nathaniel) son, Richard Singletary.

One interesting result from a (2002) DNA testing of one bearing the SINGLETARY surname and one bearing the DUNHAM surname proved a common ancestor...that being Richard Singletary. Thus this SINGLETARY-DUNHAM genetic line does not match with the other DUNHAM line out of early Massachusetts. Google these Wiki Trees, that have cited source by; Hoyt, David W., The Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury, NE History Press, Somersworth, 1981, p. 317-18.

Jonathan married Mary Bloomfield in 1660, per U.S. and International Marriage Records. Their children carried the last name of Dunham. They include:
1) Esther Dunham (Smith) 1661-1690 m. in 1680 to Samuel Smith 1664-1719, he m2. to Elizabeth Pierce.
2) Mary Durham born February 3, 1663 in Haverhill, Mass.
3) Ruth Durham born about 1666 in Haverhill, Mass.
4) Eunice Dunham 1667-1684 died abt. 17 yrs. of age, no burial located.
5) Jonathan Dunham II, 1672-1706 m. 1696, to Ester Rolfe. She remarried to Ezekiel Bloomfield in 1706.
6) David Dunham 1673-1751 m. 1699 (N.Y.) to Mary Inslee.
7) Nathaniel 1677-1678, died young, no burial located.
8) Nathaniel Dunham b. April 10, 1679-unknown, married to Johanna Thornhill. No memorial located.
9) Benjamin S Dunham 1681-1715 m. to Mary Rolfe.

Jonathan Singletary (Dunham) was a farmer and learned the milling business and built the first grist mill in 1676 (N.J). He received a grant for 210 acres on the Passiac River as a bonus for conducting a flour mill for the benefit of others in community. Source: Dunham Genealogy : Deacon John Dunham of Plymouth, Massachusetts : 1589-1669 : and his descendants, pg 41. Although this writing ties him to incorrect parents, the author Isaac Watson, 1827, does offer insight and historical data that is very helpful resource with his descendants.

Jonathan Singletary Dunham, served as the Clerk of the Woodbridge Township Court and overseer of highways, and in 1673 he was elected to the New Jersey Provincial Congress. (Wikipedia)

Re: His Memorial location:
"In addition to one of the original millstones used by Dunham, two memorial plaques have been placed in front of the Trinity Church Rectory.
The first plaque reads, {This millstone from the mill of Jonathan Dunham builder of Trinity Church Rectory 1670 was placed here by Trinity Young Peoples Fellowship on the 250th Anniversary of Trinity Church May 16, 1948.}
The second memorial plaque reads, {In Memory of Jonathan Dunham who in 1670 established the First Grist Mill in New Jersey at Woodbridge, New Jersey and built the Brick House now Trinity Church Rector dedicated October 5, 1969 by the 300th Anniversary Comm. of Woodbridge Township N.J.}. Source: Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Singletary_Dunham

This memorial replaces an older FAG # 126710857, that has since been removed from system. A plaque or cenotaph remains at the Trinity Church. Per FAG guidelines, we are unable to create a cenotaph listing because his family links do not have a formal cemetery burial. To be clear, this site does not represent a final resting place for Jonathan but a place of memorial.

There is one notation in regards to his final resting place. A letter dated April 24, 1724, in which his son Jonathan (Jr.) noted that his father Jonathan Dunham, had lately deceased and reportedly Jonathan is buried near his house in Woodbridge. (Hoyt/Wikitree).

Per response from Jill S. (Gasdorf-Moshier) Topper, on 1 Jan 2020, contributor # 46629902, suggested edit to read birth: 17 Jan 1646, born Plymouth, Plymouth County, Massachusetts.

submitted on Sept 30, 2020 by Darrell and Joan Mansur (48248313:
The originals record shows the 17th day of the 11th month of 1639. This was on the Julian Calendar, which was used in England and the Colonies until 1752. With it the year started on "Lady's Day", March 25th. The 11th month is February of the following year on our calendar, making the date 17 February 1640 (or, "February 17, 1639/1640 using the dual year format. Please accept the edit.