Richard SINGLETARY

Male 1683 - 1707  (24 years)


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Generation: 1

  1. 1.  Richard SINGLETARY was born on 05 Aug 1683 in Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts (son of Nathaniel SINGLETARY and Sarah BELKNAP); died on 19 Aug 1707 in Lancaster, Worcester, Massachusetts.

Generation: 2

  1. 2.  Nathaniel SINGLETARY was born on 28 Oct 1644 in Salisbury, Massachusetts (son of Richard (Dunham) SINGLETARY and Susannah M. COOK); died on 13 Aug 1689 in Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts.

    Notes:

    [2011205.ged]

    [Singletary Family .FTW]

    Nathaniel and his son John were ambushed by Indians.Nathaniel was shot and killed and John escaped as they scalped his father.

    Nathaniel married Sarah BELKNAP on 22 Dec 1673 in Salisbury, Essex, Massachusetts. Sarah (daughter of Samuel BELKNAP and Sarah JONES) was born on 14 Oct 1656 in Salem, Massachusetts; died after 1712 in Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]


  2. 3.  Sarah BELKNAP was born on 14 Oct 1656 in Salem, Massachusetts (daughter of Samuel BELKNAP and Sarah JONES); died after 1712 in Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts.
    Children:
    1. John SINGLETARY was born on 07 May 1675 in Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts; died after 1747 in Sutton, Worcester, Massachusetts.
    2. Mary SINGLETARY was born on 11 Mar 1677 in Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts; died on 26 Jan 1728 in Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts.
    3. Jonathan SINGLETARY was born on 18 Nov 1678 in Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts; died on 24 Nov 1678 in Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts.
    4. Sarah SINGLETARY was born on 23 Oct 1679 in Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts; died on 03 Jan 1756 in Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts.
    5. Susanna SINGLETARY was born on 19 Sep 1681 in Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts; died in 1761 in Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts.
    6. 1. Richard SINGLETARY was born on 05 Aug 1683 in Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts; died on 19 Aug 1707 in Lancaster, Worcester, Massachusetts.
    7. Hannah SINGLETARY was born on 23 May 1685 in Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts; died in in Framingham, Essex, Massachusetts.
    8. Ebenezer SINGLETARY was born on 18 Jun 1687 in Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts; died in 1723 in Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts.
    9. Martha SINGLETARY was born on 20 Aug 1689 in Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts; died on 20 Aug 1689 in Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts.


Generation: 3

  1. 4.  Richard (Dunham) SINGLETARY was born about 1585 in Lincolnshire, England (son of Francis (Dunham) SINGLETARY and Agnes COOK); died on 25 Oct 1687 in Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts; was buried in Oct 1687 in Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts.

    Notes:

    NOTE 1./ SINGLETARY FAMILY

    Richard Singletary is documented as residing in Salisbury, Mass. from 1644 to 1652, where he was a planter and received land in the "First Division". He was elected a "Select Man" in 1650 and reportedly "taxed decently".
    In 1653, he moved back to Haverhill, Mass. where he became a planter and proprietor.
    He was again elected a "Select Man" in 1655. He lived there until his death on October 25, 1687. Richard outlived his wife, Susannah, by five years as her death is listed as Aprill 11, 1682. Richard was well educated by the standards of the day and a prominent member of the communties in which he lived. His children married into other prominent families of the era.
    By the early 1700's a number of Richard's sons and grandsons migrated to other areas of New England and the Carolinas. They migrated primarily to obtain land which was abundant and cheap at the time. Interestingly, Jonathan, eldest son of Richard (d.1687) and his family members changed their name to Dunham after moving to Woodbridge, New Jersey. Descendants of Jonathan continue to use the Dunham name today. Jonathan signed numerous legal documents as Dunham alias Singletary. The family is well documented in the early period in New England, but after the third generation, research becomes very difficult due to the lack of records and the duplication of names in the family.

    NOTE 2./ The Descendants of Francis Singletary Compiled By Dorothy Courtney Saunders - 1997
    E-Mail - [email protected] <>

    Information for Richard follows:
    Family tradition, that has for many, many years been handed down from generation to generation, tells that in the last quarter of the 16th century there was in England a family of title and large estates by the name of Dunham (Donham in Massachusetts records). There were two branches and in case of the death of the last male heir the title and estates would pass to the nearest make relative in the younger branch. The unexpected did occur and every male of the elder branch died except one small boy and one day he was missing. On investigation it was found that his nurse was also missing. Extensive searching, even with bloodhounds, produced no trace of the missing heir so the property was held for some years in abeyance. Eventually the heir apparent of the younger branch instituted a lawsuit to gain possession but he decision of the courts is unknown. At any rate, many years afterward the nurse, on her deathbed, confessed that she had been employed to destroy the child, but that her heart failed when the test came, and she decided to procure him a home in the new world. Kowing a search would be made she hid with the child in a dense hazel thicket and was in mortal terror when she heard the hounds. They failed to pick up the scent, however, so the nurse with the child remained there a day and a night, fearing that they would be discovered on emerging. They finally escaped, however, and almost expiring of hunger and fatigue, succeeded in reaching a ship in which she embarked for America. On reaching whose shores she deserted the child and shortly afterward returned to England. She added that in view of the fact that the child was now alone, separated from all kindred ties and likely to remain so, she had given him the doubly significant name of Single Tarry. The circumstances under which this written and sworn confession was made lent such force to the probability on it's truth detectives were immediately sent to America to investigate the matter and a young man was found bearing the name whose age corresponded with that of the lost heir of the Dunham estates and who could give no account of his antededents. The Captain of the ship on which the child was deserted had adopted him under the name the nurse had given, having no idea of his real name and lineage, but he was now dead. Indeed the number of years that had passed, and the surroundings evidently chosen at the time with reference to destroying all trace of name and ancestry, were such that no one could positively testify that this was the person sought; and while he was believed to be the heir the evidence was not sufficient to satisfy the English Court and put him in possession of the property. This tradition has been passed down for generations and it assumes the dignity of truth when we consider that in a legal document that appears in the archives of Massachusetts, recorded in 1702, the whole family is referred to as "Donham, alias Singletary.

    Another legend concerning the origin of the family is of two Dunham/ Donham/ Denham/ DuNoe/ DuNom/ brothers, Huguenot refuges from La Rochelle, France, who came to America in early 1700's. Later one slipped back to France to see what he could recover of the family estates. Upon his return to America he announced to his brother that all was lost the Crown and the Church had taken it all. The unbelieving brother denounced the rascality of the returnee's report and refused to bear the family name any longer, taking his mother's family name of Singletary.

    Richard was in Massachusetts by Sept. 11, 1637. See the book Singletary/Curtis Family written by Lou SingletaryBedford in 1907 for background and many descendents. Ms. Bedford wrote "Among the earliest records of him he is simply mentioned as Richard Singletary of Salisbury and Amesbury. He was a great rover for we find him in Salem in 1637, where he received a grant of land; removed to Newbury, where he joined the church in 1645; was selectman in 1650; removed to Haverhill in 1653; where he received a grant of land and became a proprietor; was selectman in 1655.

    Many other descendents were in Bladen Co., NC and can be followed through deeds in the possession of some of their descendents of families that traveled on to Mississippi.

    An updated book THE SINGLETARY FAMILY HISTORY by Yvonne Miller Brunton, c. 1989 and published by Heritage Papers, Danielsville, GA 30633, has been used to correct some of the information that Ms Estabrook originally submitted to Colonial Dames. She has done extensive research and states that her notes have been deposited with the Thomasville (GA) Cultural Center Library.

    SOURCE NOTES for Richard follow:
    He was born between 1585-1599. Records say that he died at age of 102.
    Membership to National Society of Colonial Dames XVII Century has been established for his descendents. National #10567 member Thelma Courtney Estabrook.
    Some descendents moved to NJ and sometimes used alias of Dunham. A descendent Scott Trimble of San Rafael, CA has traced many other descendents and he has several Dunham/Donham lines. Jonathan's son Nathaniel changed his name to Donham and it is from this person that Scott is descended

    NOTE 3./ As a historical time frame point of reference; In 1585, Sir Francis Drake, the English explorer, rescued the 1st English attempt at colonizing the New World. This was at Roanoke Island North Carolina
    NOTE 4./ Genealogical Dictionary of New England Settlers : Source information found at <>

    Volume 4 : page 102
    Singletary, or Singletery, Amos, Haverhill, perhaps s. of Richard, took o. of alleg. Dec. 1677. BENJAMIN, Haverhill, s. of Richard, perhaps his youngest, sw. alleg. the same day with Amos, m. 4 Apr. 1678, Mary Stockbridge, had Susanna, b. 27 Jan.foll.; Richard, 16 Mar. 1681; Jonathan, 28 Aug. 1683; John, 6 July 1686; Broughton, 25 Mar. 1689; Joseph, 9 Feb. 1693; and Mary, 14 July 1695. JONATHAN, Haverhill, prob. br. of the preced. in 1663 had w. Mary. NATHANIEL, Haverhill, br. of Benjamin, sw. allg. the same day with him, m. 22 Dec. 1673, Sarah Belknap, perhaps d. of Abraham the first, had John, b. 7 May 1675; Jonathan, 18 Nov. 1678, d. in few days; Sarah, 23 Oct. 1679; Susanna, 19 Sept. 1681; Richard, 5 Aug. 1683, perhaps that one k. by the Ind. 19 Aug. 1707, at Lancaster; Hannah, 23 May 1685; Ebenezer, 18 June 1687; and ano. 20 Aug. 1689; but the f. was k. by the Ind. 7 days bef. RICHARD, Salem 1637, rem. bef. join. the ch. to Newbury, there was freem. 7 Sept. 1638, may have had sev. ch. b. there ef. rem. to Salisbury in 1645 or aft. but there are rec. by w. Susanna, Jonathan, b. 17 Jan. 1640; Eunice, 7 Jan. 1642; Nathaniel, 28 Oct. 1644; Lydia, 30 Apr. 1648; and Amos, Apr. 1651. He was a selectman in 1650, tax. decently for the supp. of min. yet gone in 1652 to Haverhill, there, by w. Susanna Cooke, says Barry, had Benjamin, b. 4 Apr. 1656. Coffin says, he had John, that is perhaps the same as Jonathan. Eunice m. at Andover, 6 Jan. 1659, Thomas Eaton. His w. d. 11 Apr. 1682, and he d. 25 Oct. 1687, in the 102d yr. if the repts. may be accept. RICHARD, New London 1686, wh. may have been s. or gr.s. of the preced. d. 16 Oct. 1711, leav. nine ch. some of wh. were in Carolina, but the only kn. names are Richard, William, Waitstill, and beside a d. wh. m. Samuel Latham.

    NOTE 5./ from Descendants of Richard Singletary: <>

    Notes for Richard Singletary:
    Richard was living in Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts in 1637. On 7 September, 1638 he was listed as a freeman, and member of the church in Newbury, Massachusetts. In 1645 the family moved to Salisbury, Essex County, Mass. where Rechard werved as a selectman in 1650. By 1652 the family had moved yet again, this time to Haverhill in Essex County. At the time of his death Richard was 102 years of age, an extreamely long lived person for that time and location.

    Richard was born in England to family of title. He was to receive the title but another member of the Dunham Family, which was Richards family, hired Richard's nurse to kill him so that he would become the next one to receive the title. She could not do this so she took him aboard a ship to America. She gave Richard a new name, Singletarry to hide his name of Dunham. She placed the child in the care of an American family and went back to England but on her death bed she told what she had done. Richard chose to keep his new name of Singletary and rejected any efforts to regain his title.

    Richard married Susannah M. COOK in Feb 1639 in Haverhill, Mass.. Susannah (daughter of Johanis COOK and Martha Susan COOKE) was born on 17 Mar 1616 in Bayton, England; died on 11 Apr 1682 in Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]


  2. 5.  Susannah M. COOK was born on 17 Mar 1616 in Bayton, England (daughter of Johanis COOK and Martha Susan COOKE); died on 11 Apr 1682 in Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts.

    Notes:


    Susannah Cook was a sister to Col. George Cook, Joseph Cook and Phillip Cook of Cambridge, Mass.

    Col. George Cook was a Colonel in the service of Oliver Cromwell's Army prior to his immigration to America.

    Record of her death refers to her as "goodwife" this is a term that could mean her husband was a church official .

    Children:
    1. Dunham Jonathan SINGLETARY was born on 17 Jun 1640 in Salisbury, Essex Co., Massachusetts; died on 12 Jan 1709 in Woodbridge, New Jersey; was buried in Trinity Espiscopal Church Rectory, (site of family house), Woodbridge, Middlesex County, NJ.
    2. Eunice SINGLETARY was born on 07 Jan 1641 in Salisbury, Essex, Massachusetts; died on 05 Oct 1715 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts.
    3. 2. Nathaniel SINGLETARY was born on 28 Oct 1644 in Salisbury, Massachusetts; died on 13 Aug 1689 in Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts.
    4. Lydia SINGLETARY was born on 30 Apr 1648 in Salisbury, Mass.; died in 1693 in Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts.
    5. Amos SINGLETARY was born on 01 Apr 1651 in Salisbury, Essex, MA; died on 01 Nov 1724 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts; was buried in Salisbury, Essex, Massachusetts.
    6. Benjamin SINGLETARY was born on 04 Apr 1656 in Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts; died in Jul 1699 in Red Bank, Summerville, SC; was buried in 1699 in Red Bank, Summerville, SC..
    7. Richard SINGLETARY was born about 1658 in Salisbury, Essex, Massachusetts; died on 16 Oct 1711.

  3. 6.  Samuel BELKNAP was born on 16 Mar 1627 in North Weald, Essex, England (son of Abraham BELKNAP and Mary B STALLION); died on 11 Nov 1701 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts.

    Samuel married Sarah JONES about 1652 in Hingham,Plymouth,Massachusetts. Sarah (daughter of Robert JONES and UNKNOWN) was born in 1630 in Caversham, Oxfordshire, England; died on 18 Apr 1689 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]


  4. 7.  Sarah JONES was born in 1630 in Caversham, Oxfordshire, England (daughter of Robert JONES and UNKNOWN); died on 18 Apr 1689 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts.
    Children:
    1. Mary BELKNAP was born on 17 Aug 1653 in Salem, Massachusetts.
    2. 3. Sarah BELKNAP was born on 14 Oct 1656 in Salem, Massachusetts; died after 1712 in Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts.
    3. Abraham BELKNAP was born on 04 Jun 1660 in Salem, Massachusetts; died about 1728 in Framingham, MA.
    4. Samuel BELKNAP was born on 01 May 1662 in Salem, Massachusetts; died in in Massachusetts.
    5. Ebenezer BELKNAP was born in Dec 1667 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts; died in Nov 1762 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts.
    6. Joseph BELKNAP was born on 25 Mar 1672 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts; died on 29 Aug 1672 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts.
    7. Patience BELKNAP was born on 17 Sep 1675 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts.


Generation: 4

  1. 8.  Francis (Dunham) SINGLETARY was born about 1559 in Surfleet, Lincolnshire, England (son of Richard (Dunham) SINGLETARY and Susannah COOK); died about 1615 in Salem, MA. ( Surfleet, Lincolnshire, England?).

    Notes:

    (From Margaret Gardner-Cannefax's: Cannefax-Gardner and Related Lines pp83-84 pub.1972)

    There is a very old tradition about the Singletary family in the United States. In the last quarter of the sixteenth century there was living in England a family of title and large estates by the name of Dunham (Massachusetts records have it Donham). Of this family there were two branches; and in case of death of the last male of the elder branch the title and estates would pass to the nearest male relative of the younger branch. Now "it came to pass" that the "unexpected" did occur. Every male of the elder branch died except one small boy, and one morning he was missing. On investigation it was found his nurse was also missing. A thorough search was made at once, even nglish bloodhounds were used, but nothing could be found. Time passed and the heir did not appear. There was no evidence that he was dead; and so for some years the property was held in abeyance.

    Many years afterward the nurse lay on her death-bed, and there made affidavit that she had been hired to destroy the child. Her heart failed when the test came and she decided to take him to the New World. They finally obtained passage on a ship for America. When they reached the shore she deserted the child and shortly returned to England. She added that she had given the child the name of Single-tarry. Detectives were immediately sent ot this Country to investigate the matter; and a young man was found bearing the name of the lost heir of the Dunham estates; and who could give no account of his background. The captain of the ship on which the child was deserted had adopted him under the name she had given, but the Captain was now dead. The number of years that had passed and other evidence were such that no one could positively testify that this was the person sought. While he was believed to be the heir the evidence was not sufficient to satisfy the English court and put him in possession of the property.

    Such was tradition that has been handed down through nine or ten generations of the Singletary family. Whenever the name is found in Massachusetts to Teaxas and Louisiana the bearer of it is familiar with the tradition concerning his or her English antecedents and the founding of the family in America. In a legal document that appears in the archives of Massachusetts recorded in 1702, the whole family is referred to as "Donham alias Singletary."

    The name is first noted in the "Domesday Book" as the first tax census made by William the Conqueror was called shortly after he completed his subjegation of England in 1066 A.D. The name also appears in the Book of Hundreds and members of the Singletary family may be found in the vaults of Bury Saint Ives Chapel dating back to the sixteenth century. A coat of arms was granted to the family in the 15th century. From England the family branched out into Scotland and the "Isles." It is now found in almost all parts of Great Britain. It is not known what is the connnection of the Singletarys of England and Richard, the first in America.

    Richard Singletary in the earliest records is simply mentioned as "Richard Singletary of Salisbury and Amesbury." His birth antedates the earliest New England settlements. He was a great rover, for we find him in Salem in 1637, where he received a land grant; removed to Newbury where he joined the church in 1638. He moved to Salisbury in 1645, to Haverhill in 1653. In 1638/9 he married Susannah Cook and the had nine children.

    Benjamin, youngest son of Richard Singletary married Mary Stockbridge 4 April 1678 at Haverhill, Mass. In 1695 they left Mass. and emigrated to the Carolinas. By this move he became the founder of the Carolina branches of the family.

    Francis married Agnes COOK about 1578 in Salem, Massachusetts. Agnes (daughter of Henry COOK and Lydia UNKNOWN) was born about 1563 in Norfolk Co. England; died about 1618 in Salem, MA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]


  2. 9.  Agnes COOK was born about 1563 in Norfolk Co. England (daughter of Henry COOK and Lydia UNKNOWN); died about 1618 in Salem, MA.
    Children:
    1. Jonathon SINGLETARY was born about 1580 in Salem, MA..
    2. Elizabeth SINGLETARY was born about 1583 in Salem, MA..
    3. 4. Richard (Dunham) SINGLETARY was born about 1585 in Lincolnshire, England; died on 25 Oct 1687 in Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts; was buried in Oct 1687 in Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts.

  3. 10.  Johanis COOK was born about 1580 in England.

    Johanis married Martha Susan COOKE about 1598 in England. Martha (daughter of M.R. COOKE) was born about 1584 in England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]


  4. 11.  Martha Susan COOKE was born about 1584 in England (daughter of M.R. COOKE).
    Children:
    1. Anna COOK was born in 1614.
    2. 5. Susannah M. COOK was born on 17 Mar 1616 in Bayton, England; died on 11 Apr 1682 in Haverhill, Essex County, Massachusetts.

  5. 12.  Abraham BELKNAP was born on 10 Mar 1590 in Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, , England (son of Bennet BELTOFT and Grace ADAM); died on 01 Jul 1643 in Lynn, Essex Co., Massachusetts.

    Abraham married Mary B STALLION on 28 Oct 1617 in North Weald, Essex, , England. Mary (daughter of Thomas3 STALLION and Mary DALTON) was born about 1595 in Latton, , England; died after 16 Feb 1643 in Prob. Lynn,Essex,Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]


  6. 13.  Mary B STALLION was born about 1595 in Latton, , England (daughter of Thomas3 STALLION and Mary DALTON); died after 16 Feb 1643 in Prob. Lynn,Essex,Massachusetts.
    Children:
    1. 6. Samuel BELKNAP was born on 16 Mar 1627 in North Weald, Essex, England; died on 11 Nov 1701 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts.

  7. 14.  Robert JONES was born in in England; died on 17 Nov 1691 in Hingham, Massachusetts.

    Robert married UNKNOWN. was born in in England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]


  8. 15.  UNKNOWN was born in in England.
    Children:
    1. Robert JONES was born in Oct 1622 in Caversham, Oxfordshire, England; died on 24 Jun 1675 in Hingham, Massachusetts.
    2. John JONES was born about 1624 in Caversham, Oxfordshire, England.
    3. Jane JONES was born about 1625 in Caversham, Oxfordshire, England.
    4. Benjamin JONES was born about 1627 in Caversham, Oxfordshire, England.
    5. Joseph JONES was born in 1628 in Caversham, Oxfordshire, England; died on 18 Jul 1714 in Hing, Massachusetts.
    6. 7. Sarah JONES was born in 1630 in Caversham, Oxfordshire, England; died on 18 Apr 1689 in Haverhill, Essex, Massachusetts.