Dunham Genealogy & Whitestown History

Genealogical Notes of the Dunham Family

(New England)

By Oliver B. Leonard, Plainfield, NJ

The family name of DUNHAM is a place name in part and partly derived from personal qualities. DUN is a celtic adjective meaning "brown", and HAM, in early Anglo-Saxon, stood for "home". The place of living of the Billings family , for instance, would be Billingham; the town or home of the Duns was Dunham.

In early days there was always a variety of ways for spelling this and other surnames, according to sound and peculiar fancy of the writer. Hence, the above patronymic is found as Doneham, Denham, Duneham, DUNHAM

The name dates back to a remote period, even before the Saxons invaded England. Most all words, whether names of persons, places , or things, have a history, "the ancestry of which, as individuals, is often a very noble part."

The founder of this family in the United States was John Dunham, who emigrated from England, county of Lancashire, it is said, in the vessel "Hope" (1630-31). He settled at New Plymouth, where he became a landholder in 1632, and was made a freeman of Plymouth Colony (1633). Shortly thereafter he identified himself with the Pilgrim church, and in 1638 was elected a deacon of the religious society. At that time in the "Old Colony", as afterwards in most other New England colonies, none but church members were admitted to full citizenship. All others were simply citizens without political rights.

This year (1638) a representative system was first adopted among the Pilgrims in place of "the mass meeting government" as heretofore. John Dunham was one of the four deputies elected to represent the Plymouth settlement. For each successive council during the next twenty years he was chosen to this responsible duty in the Legislative Assembly.

John Dunham was born in England in 1859, and after emigrating to the New World, lived at Plymouth till eighty years old. The public records make mention of his upright character as a lawmaker, and of his pios life as a faithful deacon of the Plymouth church. At his death in 1668-69 it was publicly stated on the town records that he was "an approved servant of God, and a useful man in his place."

John Dunham made his last will January 25, 1669, which was witnessed by two staunch Pilgrims, John Cotton and Thomas Cushman. His death is recorded in the spring of the same year. His wife, Abigail, was appointed to administer his estate, an inventory of which was made by Thomas Southworth. Of his children, seven sons and three daughters survived him , all of whom lived to mature years and became founders of large families. Their names, dates of birth and marriage are the following:

Children of John and Abigail Dunham, Plymouth

John, Jr., born 1620, married March 1643.

Abigail, born 1623, married Nov. 6, 1644, Stephen Wood.

Samuel, born 1625, married June 29, 1649, Mrs Martha Falloway.

Thomas, born 1627, married in 1651, Martha Knott.

Hannah, born 1630, married Oct 31, 1651, Giles Richard.

Jonathan, born 1634, married Nov. 29, 1655, Mary Delano, and married Aug. 20, 1669, Hester Wormall.

Benajah, born 1640, married Oct. 25, 1660, Elizabeth Tilson.

Persis, born 1641, married Oct. 15, 1657, Benajah Pratt.

Daniel, born 1649, married about the time of being made freeman, 1671.

Of this large and influential family, which greatly multiplied and replenished the earth, all of the children settled at first in the New England colonies, except Benajah, who emigrated to East Jersey about 1671.

Deacon John Dunham

Deacon John Dunham was a native of Scrooby, England, where the original congregation of the Pilgrims was organized. It is a remarkable fact that of the 102 immigrants who settled at Plymouth in 1620, there were only two of the original congregation that hailed from Scrooby. These were William Brewster and John Dunham; Governor Bradford, though a member, was not a native of Scrooby. Elder Brewster and Deacon Dunham were much attached to each other as teacher and pupil. Brewster was educated at Cambridge. John Dunham became his pupil at Scrooby. Brewster was an earnest student in theology and an enthusiastic advocate of the cause of the Dissenters. John Dunham became a convert to the teaching of Brewster and preaching of his pastor Clifton. Being convinced in the righteousness of his cause, he separated himself from all his family ties and became a wanderer in a foreign land.

John Dunham was the grandson of Thomas Dunham, who married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Thomas Wentworth, who was knighted at the battle of Spurs in 1513. Catharine , the sister of Thomas Dunham , married Sir Francis Drake. Sir John la Zooche, chairman of the London Company engaged in the settling of America at the time of the landing of the Pilgrims, was distantly related to John Dunham. His family were all adherents of the Established and were bitterly opposed to the Dissenters.

John Dunham was but nineteen years of age in 1608, when he placed himself under the guardianship of Brewster and escaped to Holland. At the time Brewster, 48 years old, was postmaster of Scrooby. In escaping, John Dunham was placed in a perilous position. Every precaution had to be taken to shield him from his pursuers. Even when in America, he was under the watchful eye of his relatives. He assumed the name of "John Goodman" and came thus enrolled on the Mayflower in 1620. Did his enemies find out that he took the name "John Goodman"? It was deemed advisable to report him dead in the spring of 1621, no one living at that time bearing the name of John Goodman. This name was for years connected with John Dunham. Historians call him "Goodman", "Goodman's Cattle" as late as 1638. He is frequently called by early records "Goodman Dunham". Thus it is shown why early writers gave the name John Goodman for John Dunham among the passengers in the Mayflower in 1620.

At that time, historians write that John Goodman dies in 1621, they state that he in 1623 alloted a plot of ground and seven of the leading men build dwelling houses. Among them they give the name of John Goodman building a lot adjacent to Elder Brewster.

That John Dunham was an early comer is inferred also from the church records which say that "John Done elected deacon of the church and released from the Governor's counsell and John Dunham elected to the Govr.'s counsell." No new arrival would have been called to such a position, as he was elected by the people.

I will quote from the record of the town of Plymouth: Vol. 1 1636. "At a meeting of the town of Plymouth all the inhabitants, from Jones river to Eele river, to consider the disposition of the stock (given by Mr James Shirley of London) Thomas Prence, Govr. William Bradford, Edward Winslow, assisted by John Dunham and Thomas Willet to have the power and authority for the four years to put forth and dispose of said stock of cows to the inhabitants of the poor of the said town of Plymouth."

"Two steers and one cow in the hand of Goodman Dunham. The cow calf was put to Goodman Dunham for as long as the farm cow are and a year longer, upon the same conditions that the cow are," etc.

1642. It is agreed (at town meeting) that John Dunham, Mr Jenny, Manaseth Kemplon shall be added to the committe to confer and conclude with the general court about the war.

1643. Mr Cushman, John Dunham, Thomas Southworth and Nathaniel Souther shall divide the inhabitants into several watches.

1646. The cow calf for Telson was sold to John Dunham and Sam Eddy for 18. John Dunham paid his part, Eddy is still a debtor.

1652. The division of the stock of the poor was made by the Governor, Goodman Dunham and Will Eddy.

Even as late as 1652, the name Goodman is continued.

Elder Brewster continued as ruling Elder of the church to the time of his death in 1644. John was elected Deacon under him and after Brewster's death, became Elder. In civil affairs he took prominent position in the government of the colony. He was elected Deputy at the first assembly of the General Court and held the position to which he was annually elected for twenty one years. A period of time longer than any other incumbent of the office. He was Auditor (with Myles Standish) of the treasury.

It should be stated that the wife of John Dunham did not come with him on the Mayflower. Her son, John, was born just before the departure of the Pilgrims for America.

THE FIRST HOTEL:

BERRY'S HOUSE IN THE WHITESTOWN COUNTRY

(M.L. Whitcher)

Incidents in the history of the ancient hostelry recollections of Whitestown's Golden Age and some of the men who adorned it.

Whitesboro, May 11, 1885. In the new volume of the Transactions of the Oneida Historical Society, Judge Wager, in his valuable and interesting contribution to our local history entitled, "The Golden Age of Whitesboro", says in speaking of the first hotel in all the Whitestown country, "No one now living remembers how Mr Berry kept the house."

The present writer was some years a member of the same household with the family of Mr Berry, and learned from Mrs Berry and her daughters many anecdotes and reminiscences connected with the "old house", as it was always termed.

According to Mrs Berry, the "old house" stood very nearly upon the spot now occupied by the residence of Rev. Dr Dunham. A part had been built in the summer of 1784; for here, March 15, 1785, was born Esther White, the first child born of New England parents west of German Flats. When Mr Berry's family came to occupy the place in 1806, it was a large double log house with a stoop extending across the entire front. A door at the eastern end opened into the bar room while one at the opposite end opened into a large room which served as dining room and sitting room. A frame "leanto" at the back contained the kitchen, the store room and the back stoop. They occupied this house from 1806 to 1812. two children, Lewis T. and Francis Miriam, were born here.

Mr Samuel Talcott, whom Daniel Webster and Martin Van Buren have styled, "one of the first lawyers in America", and whose name was a "household word" in the Berry family, boarded some time with them during their stay in the old house. One of the pleasant recollections of Mr Talcott was his fondness for the baby Miriam. When not occupied with official duties, he used to walk up and down the long piazza with the child in his arms, amusing and interesting her while the mother prepared the evening meal. Often he would get the little one to sleep, when he would place her in the cradle with all the tender carefulness of a woman. He used to say, "Our baby has a forehead like a Goldsmith. She will be a brilliant woman some day." The fact that she became famous as a humorous writer gives significance to the prediction.

Among the attractive features of the old house were its broad open fire places, where the bright blazing hickory and maple fires shed their cheerful glow of light and warmth upon the circle which gathered around the hearthstone. Mr Berry, who was famous for the excellence of his fires, was annoyed if anyone meddled with them. One day he rebuked a boarder who was found poking the fire, saying, "I wish the gentleman would be kind enough not to interfere with the fires." A few days afterward, during Mr Berry's absence from the room, the fore stock burned off and fell upon the hearth, filling the room with smoke and endangering the adjacent woodwork. After waiting till the matter was well progressed, the fire-poking gentleman stepped to the door, saying, "Mr Berry, I think your fire needs attention, but of course, I don't want to interfere."

The uppper branch of the Sauquoit Creek crossed the road in front of the house, and the children were often sent to its bridge to watch the Court House door, and observe when the Judges with their long black gowns came out, so as to give notices to their mother, that the dinner might be placed on the table in due time for them. This branch of the creek has long since disappeared. Traces of its course may still be found upon the grounds of Dr. Dunham, and it is immortalized in the first chancery suit in the state, where the waters which had turned the wheels of the first grist mill in the country became the motive power in that famous seven years' law suit, where the lawyers carried the harvest of their brains in knotty questions and learned arguements, and took grist of fees.

We have seen the huge stone inkstands which were used by the "Court Gentlemen" of the old house, and the tin candle sticks which hung like modern sconces upon the walls and held the tallow candles which lighted those great legal luminaries as they polished the artillery for their wordy warefares. Their dinner knives were trusty blades, as long as modern carving knives, but, instead of a point they were rounded at the end, where they were nearly two inches across. It was, perhaps, a similar blade that Gen. Washington used when, as history tells us, "He lifted his peas upon his knife." The height of the Washington Monument proves that eating with a knife was not regarded as a crime by the truth telling hero; yet it might not be safe for a modern President to imitate the Father of his Country by eating peas with a knife.

Tom Moore, the Irish poet, when on his visit to America in 1804, stopped in Whitesboro and stayed all night at the old tavern. Nothing connected with the locality has imparted to it so much of the charm of historic romance as the visit of Tom Moore. He had lately lingered beside the mighty Niagara and felt the strange, weird spell as he listened to the majestic roar of its wild sullen anthem. He had been charmed by the matchless beauty of the St Lawrence and on its waters had written "The Canadian Boat Song", whose sweet music still echoes in the groves of the Thousand Isles. It is pleasant to think that our local scenery may have contributed to that beautiful word-picture which tell the course of our inland river.

Other anecdotes and reminiscences come to mind, but our paper is already long enough.

Lewis Berry and his family

In 1802, a man with a wife and several small children came from Washington County, in this state, and located at or near what is Lairdsville, in the town of Westmoreland, in this county, and there engaged in mercantile pursuits. That merchant was Lewis Berry. He was originally from New Jersey, where his father was one of the King's Justices of thePeace at the breaking out of the Revolution, but who took sides with the Colonists. The first Berry who crossed the Atlantic for America was an escaped prisoner from Sterling Castle, where he was confined under sentence of death, for the part he took in behalf of the house of Stuart in the bloody contest with Cromwell and the Parliamentary party. At the time Mr Berry commenced his mercantile career in Westmoreland, the county was new and sparsely populated, the people poor, trade limited and business neither extensive or prosperous. In a few years, by reason of overtrade or lack of patronage, Mr Berry became embarrassed in his circumstances, judgements were obtained him, his store of goods and his real estate were sold out by the sheriff, and as imprisonment for debt was then the law of the land, he was taken into custody and placed upon "the limits" at Whitesboro. That was about 1807. This misfortune was no disparagement to Mr Berry's abilities or integrity, nor did it serve in the least to discredit or discourage him. He seemed to be not unmindful of the fact that they are the greatest and noblest who meet life's necessities with the bravest heart and fewest murmurs, and who do the best of their ability whatever is given them to do. Out of this nettle of danger he plucked the flower of safety. He commenced keeping "tavern" in the old tavern stand of Daniel C. White, opposite the village green, a little easterly of the residence of Mrs W.L. Wetmore, and where the first town meeting of Whitestown was held in 1789. At the time of Mr Berry's compulsory removal to Whitesboro, that village had become an important and prominent locality. It was one of the county seats and was the abode of some of the most influential men in this part of the state. It was a good location for a well regulated and a well kept "tavern", as hotels were styled in those days, and the place where judges, lawyers and the best class would congregate when courts were held in that village, and where travellers would stop on their way through the central part of the state. It was just such a stopping place as was then greatly needed, and Mr Berry took in the situation at a glance and set to work to supply the need. No one now living can remember how Mr Berry kept that house, although the oldest inhabitants just remember that he did keep it for a while; but there are many yet alive who will remember, and have a pleasant recollection too, of the "tavern", or perhaps more properly speaking, of the boarding house Mr Berry kept, on the site next to Judge Platt's residence, for nearly or quite forty years of his life. As early as 1795, Nathaniel Platt kept a store on that site, and in 1802, Richard M. Harrison, a brother of Mrs Dr Elizur Mosely, was in trade there; not far from 1810, it was converted into a tavern stand and Mr Berry seems to have been the first occupant and the only one so long as he lived. There are yet so many among the living who remember Mr Berry and his well kept house that it is pleasant to refer to them and to speak in unqualified praise of both. It was a popular resort at the sessions of the court in Whitesboro and for travelers who would make a long day's journey to reach that roadside inn rather than to pass a night or take a meal at a less attractive place. It was widely and favorably known throughout the state, and was to Whitesboro what "Bagg's Tavern" and hotel years ago were to Utica, Congress Hall to Albany and the Astor House to New York, where men of culture and of quiet habits loved to gather, because there they were sure to meet men of their own tastes and to find a place of respectability and of home-like attractions. Mr Berry, too, was a cultured and a cultivated gentleman of genial and polite manners, social in his intercourse and highly entertaining and instructive in conversation. He was a general favorite whereever known and respected and liked by all his neighbors. It is handed down as one of the traditions of his times, that when he was placed upon "the limits", some thirty or forty of his farmer country country neighbors made a "bee" and brought him in the winter as many loads of wood and piled it in his yard or woodshed, as sufficed for the year's use. This was repeated the next year, and the next, until it became one of the regular yearly customs of his country friends. Mr Berry was too kind hearted and generous to let such occasions pass unnoticed, and so he made each one of these occasions a joyful and festive one providing for the teams that drew the wood, and furnishing to all the persons who came, a sumptuous dinner, a cordial welcome and liberal entertainment. No doubt the expense to him of such entertainments was much beyond the value of the fuel that was brought; but he appreciated the feelings that prompted his friends to do these deeds of kindness - yes, to keep up the custom in remembrance and as a reminder of by-gone years, and he was too kind, genial and generous to wish for the discontinuance. He had that touch of human nature which made him feel the whole world was his kin, and that each living being was a member of one common brotherhood. I am told by those who knew him best that to none was he more kind, attentive and sympathetic than to those young men of limited means, who, struggling with poverty and manfully battling with life, came to Whitesboro to attend school or to pursue their legal studies. Those he unobtrusively sought out, and invited and strongly urged to make his house their boarding place, with full permission to pay him whenever they could, or not at all, if they were never able. Mr Berry took great interest in politics, was a Federalist while that party was in existence and an equally ardent Whig in later years. Although he bore a most striking resemblance, it is said, to General Andrew Jackson, Mr Berry was his bitter political opponent.

Henry Clay was his beau ideal of a statesman, and it well high broke his heart when that gallant chieftain lost the presidential race in 1844. He lived, however, and took part in another presidential contest four years later, but not with equal heart or ardor. The time was laying its heavy hand upon him. Although he had lost four children, all in infancy, it had been twenty years since death had invaded his household. It came, however, in March 1849, and this time took the head of the family. At the age of eighty two years, Lewis Berry was called from earth and his remains were laid away in the cemetery which overlooked the village where he had passed over forty years of his life.

Three years later, another link of that family circle was missing in the person of the brightest, the most gifted and the most widely known of the children. Six months thereafter death came again, and this time took the youngest born of the family. The next year another of these children died, and in 1855 she who had been for over sixty years the wife of Lewis Berry, the mother of fifteen children, passed away at the age of eighty two - the age of her husband when he died six years before. The next year two more daughters died, and thus, within the space of seven years, the village church bell of Whitesboro had tolled for seven funerals in that family.

I have said there were fifteen children, four of whom died in infancy, and I think before Mr Berry moved to Whitesboro. The oldest son was Wendell Berry, born in 1795, who was about fourteen years old when his father located in Whitesboro. He attended Mr Halsey's school, graduated, in 1815, from Hamilton College, read law, was admitted to the bar, and about 1819 moved to and opened a law office in Mayville, Chautauqua County, where he died in 1828, at the age of thirty five. Morris Miller Berry was the second son and the fourth child. He also was a pupil of Mr Halsey, but received from Rev. John Frost the finishing touches to his education, preparatory to entering Hamilton College, at which institution he graduated in 1817 at the age of eighteen. he read law withNathan Williams, of Utica; was admitted to practice in October 1820, and soon after opened a law office in Massena, St Lawrence county; but the law was not to his tastes or likings. He had much literary ability, and was well read and well informed, could and did write fine pieces of poetry, both of a serious and humorous character, contributed able articles for the press and wrote essays and addresses of fine literary merit; but he was diffident and unassuming, and could not face a court, jury or audience, although he could write articles that would sensibly touch the reader or hearer or set them in roars of laughter.

After his admission to the bar, rather than practice law, he taught schools in the rural districts, boarded around among the patrons, as was and is customary in country districts; he also wrote considerably and very acceptably for newspapers and magazines. He was not long absent from Whitesboro after his admission to the bar. During the Washingtonian Movement and temperance revival of about 1842, he wrote, at the request of Rev. Beriah Green, a temperance address, to be delivered in an evening in Whitesboro. The evening came and so did a large audience; Mr Berry arose and got as far as "Fellow Citizens," and there his tongue balked and refused to budge another inch or utter another word. He sat down and other speakers finished the meeting. Another evening was appointed for the address and again a large audience and Mr Berry were there. After great effort and much halting and hesitation he went through with his lecture, but he said it was the greatest struggle of his life; and yet Mr Green said that the lecture, as to its style as a literary production, would have done no discredit to Addison, and for solid arguments and apt illustrations, was equal to the best made on that subject. He was Postmaster of Whitesboro during the administration of Harrison and Tyler, but was rotated out of office in 1845 by the administration of President Polk. From 1846 to 1866 he was in the book trade at Saratoga, and for five years afterwards librarian at Divinity Hall in Philadelphia; later he removed to Washington and died in that city in January 1881, at the age of eighty two years - the same age as his father and mother were when they died. He left a widow but no children. At the time of his death he was , with one or two exceptions, the oldest alumnus of Hamilton College, and but a few who read the notice of his death were aware that he was once one of the early residents of Whitesboro and among the brightest and best informed of those who gave that place its golden age. His remains are in the cemetary at Saratoga. In 1845 he married Miss Eugenia Dorlad of Poughkeepsie, who yet survives him.

Lewis Berry was another son. He was a bookkeeper and always a resident of Whitestown. He was trustee of the village from 1836 to 1842. He died at Yorkville in January 1869, at the age of sixty, leaving a widow, now residing west, and three daughters. John was the youngest born of Lewis Berry's children, was a machinist and was never married. He died in July 1852, at the age of thirty two. There were seven daughters, four of whom never married. Of this four, Jane H died in 1810 at the age of sixteen years. She is said to have been very beautiful. Wealthy Ann, died in September 1853, at the age of fifty-five. Mary died in December 1856. Cornelia in April 1872 at the age of about sixty. One of the married daughters, Elizabeth,was the fifth daughter and the first married. Those who remember her in her beauty and prime, as she was fifty years ago, tell me she was a bright, fascinating, beautiful, cultivated belle of society. She was one of the thirteen white-robed maidens who joined in the procession that gave welcome to La Fayette when he visited Whitesboro in June 1825. She became the wife of Hon. O.L. Barbour, who read law with Wheeler Barnes, of Rome, and whom lawyers know as the author of the sixty sevens volumes of "Barbour's Supreme Court Reports", "Barbour's Chancery Practice" and "Magistrates Criminal Law". The last two works, the best of the kind to be found in a lawyer's library. She died in Saratoga in October 1856, at the age of about fifty. Frances Miriam was the eleventh child in the family. In early life she was peculiarly bright and gifted, and exhibited unusual talents as a writer of both prose and poetry, and in her pencil sketches and "off hand takings" of the foibles and peculiarities of man and womankind. In this regard, she was much like her brother, Morris Miller, although he never attained the reputation or acquired the celebrity she worked out for herself. She was a favorite contributor to "Godey's Lady's Book" and "Neal's Saturday Gazette"and those periodicals were greatly sought for during the time her articles were running through their columns. Most of the "Widow Bedott Papers", of which she was the authoress, were written after her marriage in 1847, and were dramatized after her death.

Tradition has it that most of the humorous characters in these papers were taken from real life, and that two libel suits were commenced by different persons, each plaintiff claiming that she was the woman referred to in the character of Mrs Sampson Savage. No one remembers if either of these libel suits culminated in a trial. Great as was Frances Miriam's talents in this vein of writing, yet it is said that she shone to better advantage and exhibited greater strength of mind and more poetic genius in articles of a serious kind. Fragmentary poems of hers, which from time to time appeared in print, were reckined among the sweetest and best of any which were then being published. She is remembered as among the foremost of humorous writers of that kind of humor above mentioned and I think I am safe in saying that Whitesboro, even in its golden days, has produced no more gifted or talented lady than she.

In 1847, she became the wife of Rev. B.W. Whitcher, now and for many years, a resident of Whitesboro. She died January 4, 1852, at the age of forty-one. She has but one child, Mrs W.S. Wood, of Muskegon, Michigan.

(Daguerreotype of Frances M. Whitcher, date unknown)

(Photocopy of daguerrotype)

Katherine Berry was the youngest of the daughters. She too, possessed much literary ability and for many years was a valuable contributor to newspapers and magazines. In 1855, she became the wife of Colonel H.P. Potter, for many years a resident of Whitesboro, but now a resident of Ballston Springs. She died in 1865 at the age of forty-eight years. None of the sons of Lewis Berry had a son and hence the family name is not perpetuated among his descendants; nor are there any grandsons among his daughters except in the family of his daughter Elizabeth.

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