John Dunham II

Citations

1. [S293] Issac Watson Dunham, Dunham Genealogy: English & American Branches of the Dunham Family 1907, Norwich, Connecticut, John was propounded a freeman Sept. 7, 1641, and admitted Mar. 1, 1642 [Plym. Col. Rec., 2:24, 2:33]. On Sept. 16, 1641, John was "graunted twenty acres of upland about the north easterly side of Josias Cookes Haystack Pond, and the odd hobs of meddowing he desireth thereabouts [Plym. Col. Rec., 2:26]. He was appointed surveyor of highways for Plymouth on June 4, 1661 [Plym. Col. Rec., 3:215]. The court ordered the purchase of lands in "Saconeesett" for the accomodation of John and others on June 4, 1661 [Plym. Col. Rec., 3:216-7]. On June 3, 1662 he was
   granted lands on the northerly bounds of Taunton as one of the "ancient freemen" of Plymouth Colony [Plym. Col. Rec., 4:19-20]. On June 8, 1664 John and others were given liberty to "looke out land for accomodations, and to make report therof to the Court" [Plym. Col. Rec., 4:67]. About thirty acres of land on the western side of the Namasskett River was granted to him on June 7, 1665 [Plym. Col. Rec., 4:94]. The bounds of his grant of land in Major's Purchase (Middleboro', Mass.) were set on July 7, 1674 [Plym. Col. Rec., 5:150].
   
   John was charged on Aug. 4, 1646 by Samuel Eddy "of giving poyson to the
   said Samuell Eddys dogg"; the court required John to "finde
   sureties for his good behavior" [Plym. Col. Rec., 2:107]. The case was
   sent to arbitrarion on Oct. 27, 1646 [Plym. Col. Rec., 2:110].
   John was presented at court on Aug. 1, 1665 "for his abusive carriage
   towards his wife in continuall tiranising over her, and in particulare
   for his late abusive and uncivill carryage in endeavoring to beate her in
   a deboist manor, and for affrighting of her by drawing a sword and
   pretending therwith to offer violence to his life, hee, said Dunham, is
   sentanced by the Court to bee severly whipt; but through the
   importunitie of his wife, the execution of the said centence was respeted
   for present untill the Court shall take further notice of his future
   walking" [Plym. Col. Rec., 4:103-4]. John was presented on June 7, 1670
   "for his abusive speeches and carriages towards Sarah, the wife
   of Benjamine Eaton" [Plym Col. Rec., 5:40].
   
   At the court held July 5, 1669, John complained that John Dotey had "mett
   him in the high way, and did crewelly beate him, and affeirmeth
   that hee goeth in danger of his life because of the said John Dotey, and
   hath taken an oath before the said Court for the truth of the
   premises, and prayeth a warrant of the peace against him" [Plym. Col. Rec., 5:25]. Dotey was required to provide sureties for his good
   behavior.
   
   On Apr. 26, 1691 the elders of the church called out John Dunham, Sr.,
   "whose desires for Reconciliation with the church had 8 weekes
   before bin published to them, he did acknowledge his sin for which the
   church rejected him" [Plym. Ch. Rec., 1:272]. He was readmitted
   to the church on May 2, 1691.
   
   John d. Apr. 6, 1692, aged 77 years [Plym. Ch. Rec., 1:275; "in his 79th year," Plymouth V.R., 135]. He had made his will Feb. 2, 1692,
   he "being now sick"; the abstract of this will, from The Genealogical
   Advertiser, 3:27, follows:.