Although the names appears [sic] not infrequently in earlier records, the first of the line that we can count on a generation by generation basis is RYCHERT DONHAM, who is of [re ] as early as 1294, living in Devonshire & doubtless his ancestors had lived there for generations. He owned a large estate also in Beaminster in Somersetshire, England.

2. ROBERT DUNHAM, son of Rychert, was born in Devonshire, 1318. His childen were: Robert (see below), Geoffrey, b. l350; John, b. 1351, removed to Norfolk & founded Norwich & Great Dunham; Elizabeth, b. 1354, m.1 on Sir Jno. Maltravers & m.2 to Humphrey Stafford, brother of Hugh.

3. ROBERT DUNHAM, son of Robert, b. 1348.

4. GREGORY, son of Robert, b. 1382, m. Elizabeth Marjuge of [Danby].

5. ROBERT DUNHAM, son of Gregory, B. 1430, m. Margaret, b. 1435, dau. of Humphrey & Anne Stafford.

6. [ ] JOHN, son of Robert, b. 1450 in Dunham-on-Trent & died at Kirklington, 11-9-1524. His wife was Elizabeth, dau. of Nicholas & Elizabeth (laZouche) [ owett]. They had 4 daughters & a son.

7. SIR JOHN DUNHAM, b. 1474. He was one of the 200 escorts of Margaret, dau. of Henry VII when she became the Queen of James IV of Scotland. They had 3 dau. & a son.

8. SIR JOHN, BORN 1498, m. [Benedict], dau. of Adam Folgambee & wife, Kathryn Leake, John d. 1545.

9. RALPH, son of Sir John, b. Scrooby, 1526, m. ca, 1555 to Elizabeth, dau. of Sir Thomas Wentworth, knighted at the Battle of Spurs. Elizabeth’s mother, Margaret, was dau. of Adam Fortescue & Margaret Neville.

10. THOMAS, son of Ralph, b. Scrooby, 1556, died in London. m. Janet Bromley ca. 1588, He was a reformer in religious matters. He had 2 sons, JOHN (see below) & Robert, b. 1605, who went to London with his father & was later transported to Virginia in 1635 because of his religious activities.

11. [JOHN], son of Thomas, b. Scrooby 1589. American immigrant ancestor known as "Deacon John Dunham.” The Pilgrim Church was organized in Scrooby -- a Nottingham village -- home of Elder Brewster, tutor of John Dunham. It is supposed that Bradford & Dunham (then 19) were among the 7 arrested at Boston, England & imprisoned. In 1608 they escaped to Holland. Many English lived there for purposes of trade or for religious reasons. These “Separatists” lived in Amsterdam, later, in Leyden. After 12 years they removed in the SPEEDWELL to Plymouth, England & from there to America. Dunham‘s 1st wife was Susan Kenny, who died in Holland. In 1622 he married Abigail Baillou. They removed to Plymouth, Mass. ca. 1633, where he became a large land [owner] & was one of the purchasers of Dartmouth. He died in
P1ymouth, 3-2-1668.

12. JOHN DUNHAM, b. 1615, son of John & Susan, m. 1641 Dorothy ---, d. Plymouth 1692.

13. JOHN DUNHAM, b. 10-11-1647, m. 3-1-1680 to Mary Smith. John d. 1-2-1696 in Barnstable, Mass. & his widow opened a public house at Mansfield. Mary was the dau. of Rev. John Smith & Susanah Hinckley.

14. EBENEZER DUNHAM, b. 1684 and d. 1747, Mansfield. Married to Anne Ford, who d. 1777.

15. EBENEZER DUNHAM, JR. b.1719, m. Phebe Ladd (1726-1816). He d. Mansfield, 1771. Phebe was dau. of Nathaniel Ladd of Coventry.

16. JONATHAN DUNHAM (1758-1840), m. Betty Babcock, dau of Josiah & Mary Babcock. Betty d. 1845, Mansfield

17. RALPH DUNHAM, m. Lebanon, Ct.1810 to MELINDA HYDE, dau. of Elijah Clark Hyde & Sarah Taylor. Their children: (1) Sarah Maria, b. 1811 (2) Franis Sylvester, b. 1812 (3) Jonathan Lyman, b.1814 (4) Cornelia M. 1816 (5) Henrietta 1818 (6) Edward Hyde,1820 (7) Olive, b. 1823 (8) Josiah C 1825 (9) Ralph C. 1826 & (10) Mary Ann b. 1829.