Beeks line: The family of Richard Singletary

Richard Singletary is actually the immigrant head of the family we know as Dunham, due to his first son's taking that name as he made a new life for himself in New Jersey.  Little is known of Richard's life before his last (possibly second) marriage, but it does seem to be proven, based on current knowledge and records, that he was the father of Jonathan Dunham aka Jonathan Singletary.  

No one has yet found a record of a marriage, but Richard's first wife may (or may not) have been Lydia Dunham or Downham.  The couple had one child together, Jonathan.  Jonathan married Mary Bloomfield, the daughter of Thomas and Mary Waters Bloomfield, and they had at least eight children: Esther, Mary, Ruth, Eunice, Jonathan, David, Nathaniel, and Benjamin.  I will write more of this family in my next post.

Richard's first wife may have died at or soon after the birth of Jonathan on January 17, 1639 and he then married Susannah Cooke on November 17, 1639.  (Note: Many sources say that Jonathan's mother was Susannah; it's possible but to my mind not proven.)  

Richard and Susannah's children were Eunice, born in 1640 and died 1715.  She married Thomas Eaton, the son of John and Ann Crossman Eaton.  I have located just two children for them, Lydia and Jonathan.

Nathaniel ws born in 1644 and died, killed by native Americans at Lancaster, in 1689.  He married Sarah Belknap, daughter of Samuel and Sarah Jones Belknap (or possibly Abraham and Mary Belknap).  Their children were John, Mary, Jonathan, Sarah, Susannah, Richard, Hannah, Ebenezer, and Martha.

Lydia was born in 1648 and died in 1679.  Her husband was Daniel Ladd, the son of Daniel and Ann Ladd.  There are no known children for this couple.

Amos was born in 1651 and died in 1724.  He married Sarah Currier, the daughter of Samuel and Mary Hardy Currier.  This couple also appears to be childless.

Benjamin was their last child.  He was born in 1656 and died about 1697 in Redbank, Summerville, Charleston, South Carolina.  He seems to have been part of the group that went to South Carolina to establish a Puritan presence (as opposed to the Anglicans who were already in place) there.  His wife was Mary Stockbridge, daughter of John and Mary Broughton Stockbridge.  Their known children are Susanna, Richard, Jonathan, John, Broughton, Joseph, Mary, and Hannah.

This makes about 28 grandchildren for Richard Singletary, although not all were born when he died in 1687, at a quite advanced age.  It would be interesting to learn how many great grandchildren he had.  Richard and his possibly two wives contributed much to the beginnings of our country.