Notes:

Monument Inscription:
[west side]
BENJAMIN DUNHAM
DIED DEC. 4, 1883
Aged 76 Years 3 Mo. 12 Days. - - -

Died:
Aged 76y 3m 12d.

Benjamin married Anna Sevilla DOAN on 8 Apr 1827 in East Gwillimbury Twp., York Co., Ontario. Anna was born on 26 Jan 1806 in Pennsylvania; died on 4 Jun 1894 in Whitchurch Twp., York Co., Ontario; was buried in Sharon Burial Grounds. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Emily DUNHAM was born on 28 May 1837 in Sharon, E Gwillimbury, York Co., Ontario; died on 11 Jul 1924 in Sharon, E Gwillimbury, York Co., Ontario.

Notes:

William is the son of Elizabeth Tyler & William Smith Dunham (b. 1746 Woodbridge, NJ.)

. 1786 Apr 26 - Salem Monthly Meeting, New Jersey:
To Friends of Salem Monthly Meeting, Dear Friends, Our Certificate being requested for William Dunham, his wife Elizabeth & their 4 children,
Viz: Shuebal, John, William & Elizabeth, who is removed to settle within the compass of your Meeting. Now there may certify on their behalf they have a right of Membership with us; & enquiry being made it appears they have frequently attended our Religious Meetings & their lives & conversations in a good degree orderly & settled their outward affairs to satisfaction as for as appears: We therefore recommend them to Devine protection & your Christian care: with desires for their growth & establishments in the blessed truth & remain your affectionate friends: signed in & on behalf of our Monthly Meeting held at Greenwich this 26 Day of the fourth month 1786. By Benj Reeve & Mary Sheppard. [Greenwich, Gloucester Co., NJ.]

Wm. Dunham Senior.
. 1805 Jul 29, A monthly meeting held at Salem. A good degree of care is taken to deal with offenders as discipline directs.
The friends as appointed reported they had an opportunity with William Dunham & that he appeared sorry for his fault but though it was not in his power at this time to make Friends satisfaction; with being considered it is the sense of the meeting to disown him & Sam. Abbott, Jacob Wood, are appointed to prepare a testification against him & produce next meeting.
. 1805 Sep 30, Monthly Meeting held at Salem. The overseas being called were all present & reported the friends appointed reported they had served William Dunham [senior] with a copy of this meetings testification against I'm & informed him of his privilege of appeal. William Dunham disowned.
Ref: Quaker Meeting Records Minutes 1709-1899.
Note1: However by 1786 it appears Willam Dunham was still again a practicing Quaker. - PJA.

. UCLPetition 20, D Bundle 7, C1743, p12126.
Petition of William Dunham of Adolphustown, yeoman.
Your petitioner has been upwards of 4 years in the Province [1801] is of sufficient ability to cultivate & improve a vacant lot of Crown land, that he has taken & subscribed the Oath of Allegiance & is prepared to undertake in case his Petition shall be favorably answered, to pay with 3 days from the date of the Order in Council into the hands of his Majestys receiver General of his Province, as well the whole of the Fees allowed on the Patent that is issued, as he Fees of Survey. Your petition will within the same period produce to the Clerk of the Council, the Receiver General's Receipt for such Fees. Your Petitioner will also attend the Secretary of the Province with 21 days from the date of the order in Council & take out the Deed.
Wherefore your petitioner prays that your Excellency may be please to grant him 200 Ares of Crown Land.
Signed, William Dunham, York, 12 March, 1805.

. 1805 Mar 12, Taker of Fees, Receiver Generals Office,
Wm. Dunham paid into this office £5 sterling & £1 19 s 4p being Patent fees on Grant of 200 Acres. A also £1 7s 6p currency for the Survey fees thereon. Signed, Peter Russell.
. Envelope: Received from himself 1805 Mar 12. Recommended for 200 A. on 6 Jul 1804.
. Letter. To Peter Russell, Rec. General,
Robert Briggs & William Dunham compact to apply to Council for land. Joseph Southolin? tho Broads who is acquainted with them both will attend with them shortly xx xxx he is a man of sufficiency.
Signed, Elisha Beaman*, 1805 March 9, Whitchurch.
Note2: Elisha Beaman, was a well known tavernkeeper.

UCLPetition 32, D Leases 1800-18, C1886, p204
Petition of William Dunham, Twp. East Gwillimbury, yeoman,
Your petitioner is desirous to obtain a Lease of Reserve Lot 12, Con 4, East Gwillmbury Twp. & John Draper? of same place, yeoman, as security with your petitioner on a Bond. Wherefore he prays for a Lease of said Lot 12, Con 4.
Signed, William Dunham, York, 15 May 1810.
. EnvelopeThis lot is reserve for the Crown. Timber hemlock & Maple.*
granted a Lease of the lot prayed for, Warrant 896, issued 6 Mar 1811.
Note 2. Hemlock was important for making ash of leather tanning. - PJA.

Tombstone Inscription:
GONE TO REST
Remembrance of WM. DUNHAM
Who died Feb. 25, 1844
Æ. 63 y's. [=b. 1781]

[under William's inscription]
My body lying dead
My place with them will be
And I with them shall be on
To all eternity. 
Note3: Stone shared with Mary Dunham.

Research & transcriptions by PJ Ahlberg. Thank you. - - -

Birth:
Ref: Rahway & Plainfield Monthly Meetings. NJ

Died:
- verify exact location.

Buried:
Aged 66 years.

William married Mary MOLLY WILLSON, .vi. Mary (daughter of John WILLSON and Catherine B KUHN) was born on 22 Jun 1792 in Nine Partners, Dutchess Co., New York; died on 22 Jun 1858 in Aurora, Whitchurch Twp., York Co., Ontario; was buried in Sharon Burial Grounds. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

. Mary died in child birth, after this, David (her father) felt God had called upon him to raise his last child [Benjamin] as his own.

Memorial at Children of Peace, Sharon Temple:
"Mary Dunham, daughter of John & Catharine Willson, Born Dutchess County, New York State, 1792,
widow of William Dunham, died June 22, 1858 at 66 years."
by David Willson, brother to the deceased.

Monument inscription:
[under Mary's inscription]
When my stone these lines be seen
While I'm mouldering back to dust
[?] remember I have been
And come to Brother dear you must
 
Note: Stone shared with William Dunham.

Children:
i. Sarah7 Reid.
ii. Pamela Rebecca Reid, b. October 31, 1789.

She married Joseph Terry. - - -

Birth:


Died:
Aged 66y.

Notes:

John is the son of Jane Ramsay (1701 Hexham, Northumberland, England - c1776
& Hugh Willson, (1700 Carrickfergus, Ireland - 1750 North Carolina?) Jane & Hugh Willson married in North Carolina.
* NOTE: This first, John Willson, husband of Catharine Kuhn is unrelated to the John Willson, Esq., 2nd husband of Catherine B Kuhn. - PJA

* John Willson, b. 1745, d. before 1791 Feb 12 Clinton.
Note: date wife was appointed administratrix. - PJA]

. He fled Ireland ahead of the authorities as he was outspoken against injustices & rigged trials, leaving his pregnant wife in his parents' care. The newspapers carried account of their flight.
. Hugh L. Willson was born in County Down while the family had been living in Carrickfergus County Antrim leads me to think that John's [first] wife was living on her brother-in-law's farm at the time of Hugh L Willson's birth.
He met & married Catherine in New York & they had a rented farm 12 miles east of Poughkeepsie near the Connecticut border.
John had little sympathy for the rebels & that before & after the actual declaration of war, he had been arrested several times, bound over to keep the peace, fined & even served a term of imprisonment for defending sometimes with his fists, his right to reject the excesses of the most militant of the colonists.

. Clinton, Dutchess Co., NY
Clinton was first settled around 1755. The town was part of the Great Nine Partners Patent of 1697. The town was established in 1786 from territory from the Towns of "Charlotte" & Rhinebeck.

Prior to the War of the Revolution Presbyterians at Poughkeepsie held services with more or less regularity. They shared the ministrations of a pastor now with the Rombout Church at Brinckerhoff & now with the Pleasant Valley Church. During the war the congregation at Poughkeepsie lapsed out of existence. In 1817 the congregation was revived & in 1826 it was formally organized. This lot of land was given to the church in 1821 for burial purposes. Since 1911 the lot has been sold by the church & a garage built upon it but legal difficulties have been encountered, in connection with passing the title, affording a specific instance of the fact that ground originally set aside for burial purposes can rarely be transferred with clear title.
Ref: Old Gravestones of Dutchess Co. NY, JW Poucher, 1924.

. The GREAT Nine Partners:
Located in the present Poughkeepsie Precinct (i.e. similar to a county).
Dutchess then comprised the following towns: Amenia, Beekman, Clinton (formed March 13, 1786, from portions of Charlotte & Rhinebeck Precincts), Fishkill, North East, Pawling, Poughkeepsie, Rhinebeck & Washington.A Presbyterian church was organized in Poughkeepsie as early as 1749, but failed to maintain itself or erect a building. - - -

Died:
Ref: Wife appointed administratrix of his estate.

Buried:

John married Catherine B KUHN in 1770 in Poughkeepsie, Dutchess Co., New York. Catherine was born on 10 Feb 1754 in Dutchess Co., New York; died on 10 Feb 1840 in Sharon, E Gwillimbury, York Co., Ontario; was buried in Sharon Burial Grounds. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

(Catherine's middle name of Barbara is unproven & subject to verification.)

Catherine B Kuhn's first husband was also named John Willson & he was born in 1745 Carrickfergus Ireland & died bef. 1788 Poughkeepsie, NJ. The widow Willson accompanied her son Hugh L Willson to Sharon, Ontario.
The Children of Catherine B Kuhn & her first husband John Willson of Nine Partners, Duchess Co., NY., were David, John J, Ann & Mary Willson. Her son is David Wilson of Children of Peace, Sharon, Ontario.

. KUHN SURNAME
KUHN is a German surname. Some biographers give Catherine's PARENTS being born in Scotland. In all certainty this is a misunderstanding of the surname Kuhn, perhaps thinking it was derived from the Scottish Colquhoun, which is pronounced Coon! (Likewise, her mother's name & nationality is also unknown at this time.) - PJA 2017.

* 1791 Feb 12. ADMINISTRATRIX
The People of the State of NY, by the Grace of God, Free & Independent.
To Catherine Willson, widow of John Willson, late of Clinton Town in Dutchess County, farmer, deceased.
Whereas the said John Willson, died intestate, having whilst living & at the time of his death, goods, chattels or credits within this State by means whereof, the ordering & granting Administration of all & singular said goods & also the the auditing allowing & final discharging the account there of doth appertain unto us, & we being desirous that the goods of the said diseased my be well & faithful administered, applied & disposed of do grant unto you the said Catharine Willson full power to the presents to administer & faithful dispose of all the singular said goods & receive debs at the time of his death …to cause to be exhibited into the Office of the Surrogate of Dutchess County before the expiration of 6 calendar months from the date here of, & also render a just & true account of administration & appoint you the said Catharine Willson, Administratrix of all goods, chattels & credits of the said John Willson.
In witness, signed, Gilbert Livingston, Esq., Surrogate of said County, Poughkeepsie, 12 February, 1791. p83.
. 1791 July 9., Inventory filed in the Surrogate Office for Dutchess Co., John Willson. p.195.
Ref: NY Wills & Probate, Dutchess, Letters Testamentary & of Administration, Vol A-B, P72 , p83 & p195).

. Catherine's son David Willson was the founder of the Children of Peace, in Sharon, Ontario. A favourite topic of Willson's was "Public Affairs, their Total Depravity," coupled with denunciations of the so-called Family Compact," of the ruling rich families. Catherine's 2nd husband, John Willson, UE., would no doubt have been sympathetic to this point of view. Gov. John Graves Simcoe in first appointments made John Willson a Magistrate in the new Upper Canada & Willson would soon be sidelined by the workings of the Family Compact.
. John Willson, Esq.'s first wife Rebecca Thickson died 6 June 1804 in Markham, Ontario.
. 1805 Sept. 18, Catherine & John Willson Sr. were married by the Rev. John Strachan in St. James Cathedral, Town of York.
Perhaps John Willson & Mrs. Catherine Kuhn Willson first met at York Mills (Wilson Avenue) where for some time son John Willson, Jr. operated a mill. John Willson, Jr. was also the trustee for a small chapel at York Mills which the David Willson & his Children of Peace used to hold services, much to the annoyances of Rev. Strachan. 15 years after they married, John & Katherine were living on Yonge Street in Markham where, on 15 June, 1820, John Willson filed a claim for this War of 1812 service. PJ Ahlberg, 2012

Hugh L. Willson who returned there from the York Mills area in 1819. John Sr. died 8 July 1829, aged 90, & his funeral was conducted by the Rev. Strachan in the meeting house of the Children of Peace. This is highly ironic as the Rev. Strachan preached in the same little chapel at York Mills as did David Willson “much to the annoyance of the inhabitants.” Soon after the death of John Willson Sr., the Rev. Strachan took control of this chapel without the consent of many of those who had contributed to its building, & banned David Willson from using it. Catherine Willson died 10 Feb. 1840, aged 86. Both John & Catherine are buried in the Children of Peace cemetery.

* In your letter of the 24th ult.,1829 you asked about one John Willson who died at Hope (Sharon, ON) about this old man was called Squire Willson. He was David Willson's stepfather, my father's stepmother's second husband (Katherine Kuhn). Her first husband, also called John Willson, died about 1788 in Duchess County, New York)*. She soon after married Squire Willson who was a man highly respected. He came, I believe form NS in Gov. Simcoe's time & was by the Governor much thought of. He had a large family by a former wife, but none by this one. There are a number of great grandchildren, living in the Twps. of York & Scarborough. There was a grandson of his, John Willson by name, in the service of the Canada Company at the time of the settling of Goderich & neighborhood.
When these old people became helpless, David Willson took them home & kept them until they died. They died poor but honest. They once had property which his children spent for them.
Ref: Extracted from a letter of 5 December, 1869, Holland Landing, Richard Titus Willson.
Note: First husband Jun Willson was still alive in 1788. His daughter Molly Willson was born June 1792. - PJA

Research & transcriptions by PJ Ahlberg. Thank you. - - -

The following page is for investigative reach only:

RESEARCH FOR CATHERINE B KHUN'S PARENTS & HISTORY:

Recorded for further research:
. 1828 Kate Koon Bovey visited Bischmisheim, Germany (near Saarbrucken) & saw the Lutheran Baptism records for Matthias Kuntz (born bet. 1660-67)
s/o Matthias Kuntz married1, Anna Margaretha Margaret, d. 2.2.1704
& married2, on 10.1. 1704 to Anna Margaretha Spitz of Frankfurt.
She also visited where Mathias lived in Clove, near the towns of Poughquag & Beekman in the Poughkeepsie Valley, NY. Later they lived in Germantown which is also on the Hudson River. Nicholas's wife was Philetta. Matthias Kuntz left for America in 1790, via Holland & England & landed 1710 Germantown, NY. 13 children by 2 marriages.
Ref: Koon & Coons families of eastern NY, Kate Koon Bovey, 1841-1912 of Minneapolis, Minn., published 1937.

History & Roster of Peter Khun Family in the USA.1932"
Red Hook, Duchess, New York (also known as Tivoli):
. Nicholas Bonesteel & Anna Margretha Kuhn, his wife, with some of their children, were among the early settlers. A portion of the village of Red Hook is now on the easterly part of their farm. Of their descendants, Philip N. Bonesteel was a merchant, magistrate & post-master in Red Hook for many years. His son, Virgil D., was Surrogate of Dutchess county in 1844.

. John, James, Daniel & Robert Wilson, 4 brothers, settled in the vicinity of Upper Red Hook before 1770, & engaged in farming. The 2 eldest married the Kuhn sisters, daughters of Simon Kuhn:
John married Elizabeth
& James married Anna Kuhn, d/o Catharine Linch & Simon Kuhn.
Ref: History of Dutchess Co., NY, 1882, by James H Smith.
Refs: Historical & Genealogical Record Dutchess & Putnam Counties.

* 1782 Mar 3, Reyn Beeck Dutch Reformed Church (now Redhood, NY)
Baptism: Child, John, Parents John Wilson & Elisabeth Kuhn
Witnesses: John Felder, Catharina Kuhn.
Note: this raises interesting possibilities, Catharina Kuhn would be Catherine Willson, not Kuhn at this date., or is this senior Catharine Kuhn?
Ref: Dutch Reformed Church, Reyn Beeck Book 40,( Red Hook, Duchess Co., NY)
. Rhinebeck Cemetery, Duchess Co., NY: John Wilson, born/baptized Mar 3, 1782 - died Jul 11, 1815, aged 33y 4m 8d.

. Anna Margaretha Kuhn, c172- died before 1744 other spellings: Coens, Coons .
d/o Elisabetha Kilmer c 1697 & Johann Wiliem Kuhn 1695 Germany Landed 1710 (some of 6 children born Camp east bank, Columbia Co. NY) see #8.

. KUHN - 10/29/00 - looking for information on the Kuhn dairy farm in Pine Bush NY around the late 1800's to about 1910
. PITCHER - 1/07/05 - Heinrich Pitcher born 1762 around Rhinebeck, N.Y. -11.4.1800, Clermont, Columbia, NY. He was married 4.30.1786, NY to Catharine Kuhn born 1762 Germantown, NY-11.4.1800 Clermont, Columbia, NY,
& had a daughter, Polly Pitcher on Feb. 24, 1794. I'm looking for parents of Heinrich & Catharine. Polly married Peter Van Etten in 1813. They lived in Sodus Twnshp. Wayne Co., N.Y. & both died there. [email protected]

. My Ed Kuhn & brother John Kuhn lived in Pine Bush New York they had a farm there. John married Grace DeWitt & Fred lived in Middle town N.Y
7. Smith (1881) has the following: "John Wilson & Elizabeth Kuhn had children as follows: Catharine, baptized March 27, 1774, married Col. Philip Pitcher, of Upper Red Hook; " (p. 204).

. ANNA ELISABETHA KILMER (GEORG KILLMER, GEORG was born August 14, 1698 in Altengronau, Hessen, Germany, & died Unknown in Red Hook, Dutchess County, New York, USA. She married JOHANNAS WILHELM KUHN 1719 in Red Hook, Dutchess Co., New York, USA. He was born Bet. 1697 - 1699 in Germany, & died Unknown in Red Hook, Dutchess County, New York, USA.

. Working research: Looking for family:
Poughkeepsie is 22 miles from Red Hook., Dutchess Co., NY
Titusville is six miles from Nine Partners.
Nine Partners & Poughkeepsie are about 12 miles away.

. Catharina Kuhn, c 1745, d/o Anna Gertrud Falckerberg 1711, West Camp, Ulster, NY, married 1734 to Henry Kuhn, 17k08, Columbia & died Clermont, Columbia NY
Red Hook, NY: Nicholas Bonesteel married Anna Margretha Kuhn.

. John, James, Daniel & Robert Wilson, four brothers, settled in the vicinity of Upper Red Hook before 1770, & engaged in farming. The two eldest married the Kuhn sisters, daughters of Simon Kuhn. *
Ref: Historical & Genealogical Record, Dutchess & Putum Co., 1912, pg. 45.

*1751, Jul 11. Advertisement: Lottery in the Borough of Lancaster for purchasing a fire engine & other public uses. The following persons are appointed managers of the lottery:...Simon Kuhn.
. 1751 Aug 19, Lancaster Lottery Tickets to dispose of Adam Simon Kuhn.
. 1772 Mar 26 - Phila. General Assembly the following laws were passed: An Act for confirming the estate of Adam Simon Khun, in & to a certain lot of ground borough of Lancaster, one of the title deeds where of is lost.
. 1786 Jan 12 & 1791 Phila. Meeting of American Philosophical Society, Fri. Last, elected the following: Dr. Benjamin Franklin, Esq. President. Dr. Adam Kuhn, Counsellor.
Ref: Pennsylvania Gazette, Philadelphia, PA . - - -

Birth:
Verify exact location. NOTE: Kuhn is German & NOT that she was Scotch, but that 'Her parents were Scotch.' Mistaken for Colquhoun, pronounced Coon!

Died:
Granite monument with 3 rounded peaks, 15.5" -wide, 32” high, 3.5” thick.

Buried:
Children of Peace. Monument erected by D.W.