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An American Family History

Nehemiah Bonham

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. From 1714 until 1739 when Morris County was formed, Hunterdon County embraced a vast territory including all, or nearly all, of the present counties of Mercer, Hunterdon, Morris, Warren, and Sussex. In 1816, Maidenhead was renamed Lawrence and it became part of Mercer County in 1838.

Hopewell is currently in Mercer (formerly Hunterdon) County, New Jersey. Mercer County was formed in 1838 from portions of other counties including Hunterdon. Early settlers found that their deeds were worthless and they were forced to repurchase their land or relocate. On April 23, 1715 the settlers who stayed organized Hopewell Baptist Church.

Nehemiah Bonham was born about 1703 at Maidenhead, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. He was the son of Hezekiah Bonham and his second wife.

Nehemiah Bonham appeared in the Tax List for Hunterdon County in 1722. He had 2 head of cattle and 150 acres. His land was next to Anne's brother, Benjamin Stout

.Nehemiah's first wife was Ann (Anne) Stout. Ann was born in 1704. She was the daughter of Jonathan Stout and Anne Bullen and sister of Benjamin Stout who married Nehemiah’s half-sister, Hannah Bonham. They probably married about 1723, since in 1722 when her father wrote his will Ann was called by her maiden name.

Nehemiah and Anne had one daughter Anne Bonham Reeder.

At a town meeting held on March 10, 1729/1730 Nehemiah Bonham and John Carpenter were elected constables for Hopewell Township.

Nehemiah Bonham lost title to his land about 1734 as a result of the Coxe Affair.

The Coxe Affair - Many residents of Hopewell Township lost ownership of their land to Colonel Daniel Coxe. Coxe demanded that Hopewell landowners either purchase their property from him again or be evicted. On April 22, 1731, fifty landlowners unsuccessfully sued Coxe to resist eviction.Some families immediately left and settled further south in Virginia and North Carolina, others paid him, and some resorted to acts of revenge. 

Ann died about 1738.

Nehemiah married his second wife, Elizabeth Martin, about 1740 Elizabth was born about 1710 in Piscataway.. Elizabeth was the daughter of Benjamin Martin and and Philoreta Slater. Elizabeth's sister, Ann, was Nehemiah’s brother Zedekiah’s first wife. The Seventh Day Baptist Church first gathered at the Martin home.

Nehemiah moved to Kingwood Township, Hunterdon County before 1754 when he was a witness to George Fox’s Will.

In July, 1755 Nehemiah and Elizabeth, were mentioned in the will of her father, Benjamin Martin, of Piscataway.

No definite date or place of death is known for Nehemiah.
Children of Hezekiah Bonham:
  • Mary Bonham
  • Samuel Bonham
  • Hannah Bonham Stout
  • Sarah Bonham Runyan
  • Hezekiah Bonham
  • Nehemiah Bonham
  • Zachariah Bonham
  • Zedekiah Bonham
  • Amariah Bonham
  • Temperance Bonham Ayres
  • Amaziah Bonham
  • Malachiah Bonham
  • Jeremiah Bonham
  • Ephriam Bonham
  • Josiah Bonham
  • Zephaniah Bonham
  • Uriah Bonham
  • Obadiah Bonham
    • Lady Day Before 1752 the year began on March 25th. Dates between January 1st and March 24th were at the end of the year, not the beginning.

    A constable was an elected official who was responsible for keeping the peace. His duties were more limited than the sheriff's. He apprehended and punished offenders, helped settle estates, and collected taxes.

    A yeoman was a man who owned and cultivated a small farm. He belonged to the class below the gentry or land owners. A husbandman was a free tenant farmer. The social status of a husbandman was below that of a yeoman.

    William Nelson (ed), New Jersey Archives - First Series, New Jersey Historical Society, Trenton, NJ, The Press Printing and Pub. Co., Paterson, New Jersey, 1901: Vol. 23, pg. 445. 

    Nov. 24, 1722. Stout, Jonathan of Hopewell, Hunterdon Co., yeoman; will of. "... I give and Bequeath unto my daughter Anne Stout my negro Girl called Doll and an iron furnace and warming pan one chest & drawers one feather bed and bedding which she likes best and the little girl shelves ... I give and bequeath to my daughter Anne Stout one Equal Fourth part of all the remaining part of all my personal estate ..."

    		  
     

    Howard Eugene Bonham and Jean Allin, Bonham and Related Family Lines, Bonham Book(s), 5104 Bridlington Ln., Raleigh, NC, 27612, printed by Genie Plus, Bradenton, FL, 1996: pgs. 122-8.

    1722. Nehemiah Bonham is listed on the tax rolls of Hopewell Township, Hunterdon Co., NJ - 150 acres - adjoining the farm of Benjamin Stout, who was Anne's brother.

    1729/30, 10 March. Att this Town Meeting ye 10th of March 1729/30 ... elected as Constables: John Carpenter and Nehemiah Bonham.

    Nehemiah may have gone to East Jersey after the death of Anne, perhaps leaving his young children with their Stout relations. Marcy was possibly reared by her Aunt Sarah (Stout) Smith.

    		  
         

     

         

    ©Roberta Tuller 2012
    tuller.roberta@gmail.com