Lawrenceville, Mercer County, New Jersey was founded as Maidenhead in 1697, as part of Burlington County in the colony of West Jersey. In 1714, the village became a part of Hunterdon County.
Pennsylvania is one of the 13 original states and was originally founded in 1681 as a result of a royal land grant to William Penn, the son of the state's namesake.
Middlesex County, Massachusetts was created on May 10, 1643. The county originally included Charlestown, Cambridge, Watertown, Sudbury, Concord, Woburn, Medford, Wayland, and Reading.
It was common for bequests to include wearing apparel.
Ephriam (Ephraim) Bonham was born about 1716 in Maidenhead, Hunterdon County, (now Lawrence, Mercer County), New Jersey. He was the son of Hezekiah Bonham and his second wife.
His first wife was Elizabeth Morris. Elizabeth died before 1742.
He married Susannah Jones on December 23, 1742 in Maidenhead. Susannah was born on September 25, 1722 in Lawrence, Mercer County, New Jersey. Her parents were Gibbs Jones and Jane Crapp.
They lived in Philadelphia where he was a maker of tallow candles.
Ephriam and Susannah's children included:
Jane Bonham (1743, died as a baby),
William Bonham (1745, died as a baby),
Susannah Bonham (1746),
Jane Bonham (1748),
William Bonham (1750),
Ephriam Bonham,
Mary Bonham (1754),
Humphrey Bonham (1755),
Sarah Bonham Covenhoven (1756, married Albert Covenhoven),
Rebecca Bonham (1757),
Susannah Bonham (1758),
Mary Bonham (1760), and
Blethwaite Bonham (1762).
On May 23, 1745 Ephriam Bonham advertised in The Pennsylvania Gazette
To be SOLD, Eighteen Lotts Of Land, fronting on Second Street, in Trenton; containing one Quarter of an Acre in each Lott. Enquire of Ephraim Bonham, next Door to William Fisher's Haiter in Arch Street, Philadelphia, where the Plans of said Lotts may be seen.
Only two sons, William and Blathwaite, survived to adulthood and were named in their mother's will in 1794. Some of their children who died young were buried in Christ’s Church graveyard.
BONAM
Aug. 19, 1744, Jane, dau. of Ephraim,
Feb. 29, 1752, Jan, dau. of Ephraim,
June 16, 1756, (???), son of Ephraim,
Dec. 7, 1756, (???), dau. of Ephraim,
Oct. 6, 1757, (???), child of Ephraim.
BONHAM:
Aug. 15, 1746, William, son of Ephraim,
Aug. 3, 1748, Elizabeth, dau. of Ephraim,
July 19, 1759, Ephraim, son Ephraim,
Aug. 28, 1759, Susannah, dau. of Ephraim.
In July, 1774, Rebecca Crapp of Philadelphia named Ephriam Bonham as executor of her estate. Rebecca was Susannah's aunt.
The names of Ephriam Bonham and his son, William, appeared on tax lists for the city of Philadelphia in the years 1780 and 1781.
Ephriam died on May 22, 1785 in Piscataway, Middlesex County, New Jersey. Susannah died on January 28, 1794 in Philadelphia.
Hunterdon County was originally part of Burlington County, West Jersey. It was set off from Burlington County on March 11, 1714. It included Amwell, Hopewell, and Maidenhead Townships.
Piscataway Township in New Jersey was first settled in 1666 by Quakers and Baptists who had left the Puritan colony in New Hampshire.
Christ Church in Philadelphia was founded in 1695 as a condition of William Penn’s Charter. The current building dates to 1744.
New Jersey's first permanent European settlement was in 1660.
The Dutch were the first Europeans claim land in New Jersey. The region became a territory of England in 1664 when an English fleet sailed into New York Harbor and took control of Fort Amsterdam.
Estate inventories give us a glance into the home life of Colonial Americans.
The American Flag was adopted in 1777.
from The Morris Family of Philadelphia
Gibbs Jones (son of John Jones, by his wife Margaret), was
born in Philadelphia 3rd 6th mo., 1701, and died there in Aug.,
1736. His will dated 2nd Jan., 1728, was proved 14th Aug.,
1736, and names wife Jane, and children — Susanna, John, and
Blathwait, and his mother, Margaret Bolton. Jacob Jones (his
brother) and William Paschall were the trustees of his Estate.
He married 2d Aug., 1721 (Christ Church Records), Jane Crapp,
daughter of Dr. John Crapp, by his wife Susanna (nee Budd),
widow of William Paschall. Jane Jones m. (2dly) William
Craddock. She died Aug., 1760.
The children of Gibbs and
Jane (Crapp) Jones were:
I. Susanna Jones, bapt. Christ Church, 12th Dec, 1722. She m. Ephraim
Bonham.
II. John Jones, b. .
III. Blathwaite Jones, b. April 21, 1726; m. (1st) Jane ; m. (2dly)
from Publications of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, Volume 7
Blaithwaite Jones, son of Gibbs and Jane (Crapp) Jones, baptised at Christ Church, Philadelphia, 21 July, 1726.
His paternal grandfather, John Jones, was a member of Common Council, 1691. Alderman 1701 and one of the justices of the County Courts.
In early life Blaithwalte Jones followed the sea. and was registered. 25 January, 1759, Master of the ship Somervllle, 120 tons, built in Philadelphia and owned by William Griffiths and Samuel Morris. At the outbreak of the Revolution he espoused the American cause, was a delegate to the Provincial Convention of Pennsylvania, 23 January, 1776, member of the Philadelphia Committee of Safety, 1775, and Chief Knglneer of Construction, with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel In charge of the works at Bllllngsport, by appointment of 15 February, 1777. He was twice married...
from Pennsylvania Archives, Volume 5 by Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth, Pennsylvania. Dept. of Public Instruction, Pennsylvania State Library
On Motion. Resolved, That Ephraim Bonham be, and he is hereby appointed one of the Sub Lieutenants of the said City of Philadelphia.
Friday, June 10th, 1777. It being represented to the House, that it was necessary that another Sub-Lieutenant should be appointed for the City of Philad., it was thereupon—
Resolved, unanimously, That William Simple, Esqr, be, and he is hereby appointed a Sub-Lieutenant of the said City of Philad". Extract from the Minutes.
John Morris, Jr.
Historically an esquire (Esq. or Esqr.) was the title of a man who ranked below a knight in the English gentry. Later it designated a commoner with the status of gentleman and was used by attorneys.
from Colonial and Revolutionary Families of Pennsylvania, p. 75.
Gibbs Jones b. Aug. 3, 1701 d. 1736; m. Aug.2, 1721 Jane Susanna (Budd) Crapp, who married (second) William Craddock. Gibbs and Jane (Crapp) Jones had issue: Susannah, b. Dec. 12, 1722; m. Ephraim Bonham; John; Blathwaite, b. April 21 1726;
