An American Family History

Bonham, 1631-1973 by Elmer Burt Hazie

The relationship of George and Nicholas Bonham has been a subject much discussed by genealogists and family researchers of the Bonham line. As most researchers have been interested in the line only as far back as the Mayflower few have taken any clear cut stand or given a clear opinion on the relationship of these two Bonhams. Some have dodged the issue with the casual statement Nicholas might have been the son of George or believed to be brothers. It remained for S. J. Bonham in Bonham Genealogy, 1954 to go on record that George was the father of Nicholas. I have long been of this mind and fully support his opinion.

A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England, Little, Brown and Co., Boston, MA, 1860-1862, by James Savage

BONHAM, or BONUM, GEORGE, Plymouth, m. 20 Dec. 1644, as sec. w. Sarah, d. of George Morton, had, prob.
Ruth, wh. m. 28 Nov. 1666, Robert Barron;
Patience, wh. m. 28 Dec. 1670, Richard Willis;
Sarah, b. 4 Dec. 1649, d. early in 1650; and
Sarah, again, 12 Jan. 1651, d. prob. soon;
Sarah, again, 10 Dec. 1653; d. 28 Apr. 1704, aged 86.

NICHOLAS, Barnstable, perhaps br. of George, m. 1 Jan. 1659, Hannah, d. of Samuel Fuller the sec. had
Hannah, b. 8 Oct. 1659;
Mary, 4 Oct. 1661; and
Sarah, 16 Feb. 1664

from Barnstable Town Records

At towne meeting the 3rd of October 1662. Ordered and  agreed by ye town the sons of the present inhabitants shall successively be received as inhabitants and allowed equal Towne Privileges in the Commons and other privileges of the present inhabitants at the day of their marriage or at the age of twenty four whichever happens first ... it is further agreed that these following shall be admitted as inhabitants Twenty men were admitted, viz., Samuel Bacon, Samuel Fuller, Caleb Lumbard, Jabez Lumbard, Samuel Fuller, Jr., Joseph Benjamin, Nicholas Bonham, James Hamblin, Thomas Lumbard, Samuel Norman, Samuel Hicks, James Cobb, Edward Coleman, John Howland, John Sargeant, John Crocker, Edward Lewis, Daniel Stewart, Thomas Ewer, and John Lewis, bringing the number of voters in the town up to sixty-five. 

Bonham and Related Family Lines by Howard Eugene Bonham and Jean Allin.

Nicholas and his family removed to New Jersey after the birth of their third child, Sarah, who was born 16 Feb 1664/5 in Barnstable, MA.  It is still uncertain when Nicholas did leave Massachusetts. . . [The first] Piscataway planters were soon followed by other friends and acquaintances from New England ... A list of men followed this statement which included Nicholas Bonham, John Langstaff, the Fitz Randolphs, Drakes, Samuel Walker, John Smalley, Benajah Dunham and Jeffrey Manning .. .Nicholas Bonhams name appears in the list of Piscataway residents who took the oath of allegiance to the Dutch Government 1673, Aug. 26. 

Nicholas, having found favor with the Dutch government when it came into possession of New Netherlands, was elected schepen, or magistrate, for Piscataway, together with his neighbors, John Smalley and Daniel Denton. They were sworn 16 Sep 1673.

from History of South Carolina, Volume 3, edited by Yates Snowden, Harry Gardner Cutler

The family tradition is that three Bonham brothers came to Virginia from England between 1625 and 1640. One, Hezekiah, was a ship builder and sailing master, trading in his own vessels along the coast as far north as Massachusetts. After sailing on one of these expeditions he was never again heard of. His son frequently accompanied him on his voyages, and is believed to have settled in Massachusetts. At Barnstable, Massachusetts, there was living between 1658 and 1665 Nicholas Bonham. Nicholas married Hannah Fuller, a descendant of one of the signers of the Mayflower compact. Nicholas Bonham was a disciple of Roger Williams, and on account of his religious principles was banished from Massachusetts about 1669-70 and went to New Jersey, where he acquired a tract of land and founded the Village of Bonhamton.