Dear All...I am interested in the Rev. Samuel Harker of Sussex County as well as the families below. I know that he died along with his son by drowning on the way to England abt. 1765. I have a copy of his will of 1764. In addition to Rev. Harker: Am searching for the following: [if someone, who lives in the area is interested in this research, I will reimburse expenses and buy lunch or lunches :-)] LOCATIONS of interest: Piscataway, Middlesex County; Kingwood Twnshp, Hunterdon County; Maidenhead (Lawrenceville); Sussex County; Monmouth County. What I am seeking specifically: I. What were the names of two wives of Hezekiah Bonham? . A.. We need to prove Mary Dunn (1) [accepted by DAR] B. We need to prove Ann Hunt. (2) [not accepted by DAR] WHAT WE HAVE: 1. We have undocumented evidence from many published sources that Hezekiah Bonham married (1) Mary Dunn and (2) Ann Hunt. We know the names of all the children from marriage 1 (four children) & 2 (fifteen children). The DAR will not accept Ann Hunt, although by her, Hezekiah reportedly had fifteen children, all the male "iah" Bonhams, and one daughter, Temperence. The DAR will not accept Ann Hunt, because it is said she cannot be proven; therefore, they will not accept her children: Amaziah, Hezekiah, Malackiah, Zachariah, Uriah, Nehemiah, Amariah, Jeremiah, Josiah, Ephraim, Isaiah, Zephiniah, Obadiah, and Temperance. (That's a mouthfull) 2. HEZEKIAH was born May 6, 1667 and was the son of Nicholas Bonham/Hannah Fuller. Nicholas died after August 23, 1686 in Piscataway, Middlesex, NJ or Bonhamton, NJ. Source: Genealogical Notes of Barnstable Families, Otis, Amos, 1801-1875. II. What are the names of the three wives of Malakiah (Malachiah) Bonham, son of Hezekiah? A. We need to prove and document (1) Jemimah and/or Deborah Harker (wife #1) and her parentage. B. We need to prove that Malakiah was married to (2) Hannah Buckingham Heath and (3) Mary Fox. WHAT WE HAVE: 1. We have undocumented evidence from published sources that Malachiah married (1) Jemimah Harker (2) Hannah Buckingham Heath (3) Mary Fox. His first wife was Jemima Harker (said by O. B. Leonard to have been Deborah) and by her, he had a daughter Zerviah, and two sons, Daniel and Absalom. His second wife was the widow, Hannah Buckingham Heath; and the third, Mary Fox, either widow or daughter, Mary, (of GEORGE). 2. From First Settlers of Ye Plantations of Piscataway and Woodsridge Olde East New Jersey part 4 Pg. 230; by Monette Rev. Malachiah Bonham, son of Hezekiah Bonham Senior, name broadened from the Biblical Malachi so as to add final syllable "ah," was definitely born 1713 (I don't think so re: ), for luckily a short account of him has been kept when a resident of Kingwood Township, Hunterdon County. Referring to the Baptist Church there--His successor was Malachi Bonham, who was ordained in 1749. He continued until Feb. 17, 1757. He died in 1789, aged seventy-six, ("hence born in 1713.") (Hist. of Hunterdon and Somerset Counties, by James P. Snell, 1881, p. 397.) His first wife was Jemima Harker (said by O. B. Leonard to have been Deborah) and by her, he had a daughter Zerviah, and two sons, Daniel and Absalom. 3. I have the will of Samuel Harker dated 1764; names his wife Deborah; children: Jemimah, Ahimaaz, Rachel, Daniel, and Massa. Will signed by Jemimah Turner, Abigail Pew, and Thomas Dains. I consider this a possibility of a connection only. 4. I have a copy of the original petition from Cornelius Harker, infant of seventeen years, son of James Harker of Sussex County, NJ, dated 1763, to name Absalom Bonham(then abt. 25 yrs. old) as his guardian and manager of his estate until he obtains his majority of twenty one. I also have a copy of the original bond for payment of $500 to Gov. Hardy from Absalom and Malachiah Bonham, so that Absalom can become guardian of Cornelius. Another possibility of a connection. 5. Malachiah Sr. preached at Kingwood Baptist Church from 1749-1757 III. What is the name of the first wife of Absalom Bonham b. 1739 in NJ, d. Lincoln County, NC, Oct 4, 1794, son of Malachiah? A. We need to prove and document Jemimah Harker, cousin of Absalom, as his first wife. . WHAT WE HAVE: 1. Abstracts of Rev. War Pension Files:(punctuation is theirs). The following are presumed to be children of Absalom Bonham by his first wife, Jemima Harker. "BONHAM,Absalom, BLW #182-200-1 Mar 1799 to Jemima Nelson, Malakiah Bonham, Rachel Dorsey, and Mary (Deborah? Have seen it as Deborah Mary) Fleming only surviving heirs of sol, srv as a Lt in the NJ Line, papers burned in fire of 1800." I have a copy of the original of this document. My note: At least they thought they were the only surviving heirs. I assume they didn't know about the children in NC. Children in NC did not file for BLW. 2. Marriage bond in Lincoln County, NC for Absalom Bonham and (2) Rebecca Cox dated April 8, 1785. Rebecca Cox was daughter of John Cox and Margaret Morris m. Oct. 29, 1769, Monmouth, NJ. Migrated to Lincoln County, NC abt. 1770. 3. Living in 6th Company of Lincoln County, NC 1790 census along with several of Rebecca's brothers and in-laws. As follow: 4. John Cox was born, in Middletown, Monmouth County, New Jersey, British North America on 1 November 1727 and died in Lincolnton, Lincoln County, North Carolina, about the years 1804 or 1805. He was first married, in New Jersey, to Margaret Morris (1 October 1732 - 15 August 1799) and engendered the following children: Morris Cox, born 24 September 1753, in New Jersey, British North America, married Catherine Hutchinson (11 February 1754 - 14 July 1796) 21 June 1773, in New Jersey, and died 22 April 1804, in or near Lincolnton, North Carolina; Rebecca Cox, born 22 March 1755, in New Jersey, married Absalom Bonham (1739 - 1794), by license dated 8 April 1785, in North Carolina; Aaron Cox, Sr., born 2 October 1757, in New Jersey, married Olly Baker (1760/65 - AFT 1840), by license dated 4 January 1787, in Lincoln County, North Carolina, and died in Lincoln County, North Carolina; Mary Cox, born 14 October 1761, Middletown, New Jersey, British North America, married James Sullivan (1754 - 27 August 1825) about 1790, and died 15 December 1847, in Lincolnton, North Carolina; Paul Cox, born 14 July 1763, in New Jersey, and died in Spartanburg, South Carolina; Rachel Cox, born 3 September 1765, in New Jersey, British North America, married Peter Carson by license dated 5 July 1786, in North Carolina; Nancy Ann(e) Cox, born 19 August 1769, in New Jersey, British North America, married Moses Moore (29 November 1762 - 7 December 1832) by license dated 29 July 1785, in North Carolina, and died 6 September 1847; Elizabeth Cox, born 16 February 1769, in New Jersey, British North America, married Moses Hiram Ferguson (February 1762 - 1845) in 1785, in North Carolina, and died 1844, in Johnson County, Missouri; Elisha Cox, born 6 October 1771, in Lincoln County, North Carolina, British North America, married Margaret Holland (28 January 1774 - 31 Jan 1825) 19 December 1792 (Bible record), and died 28 January 1824, in Lincoln County, North Carolina; Susanna Cox, born 24 March 1773, Lincoln County, North Carolina, British North America, married Peter Carpenter (ABT 1762 - 1845) about 1790; and Elijah Cox, born 17 January 1775, in Lincoln County, North Carolina, British North America, married Jane Huggin(s) by license dated 8 December 1796, in North Carolina, and died in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. After the death of Margaret Morris, John Cox was second married to Mary Carpenter on 27 July 1800. 5. 1790 Lincoln County, NC Census has "Abs Bonham". Absalom died in about 1794 (no documentation of this). OTHER PROOFS IN MY POSSESSION: 1. A copy of a map of Lawrence Township (Maidenhead) , Mercer County, NJ 1776 showing the property of Hezekiah Bonham. 2. Copy of Inventory and will of Nicholas Bonham. 3. Numerous copies of deeds and letters of the Bonham family. Letters from Samuel Cox Bonham, Rebecca Pitts, and Sophronia Ross substantiating kinship. However, none can prove what we seek to find. 4. Excerpts from The History of York County, PA, Biographies of Samuel Cox Bonham, Horace Bonham, and Milton Bonham. 5. Rev. War pension application papers (other papers were burned in 1800) of Absalom Bonham. 6. Have run NJ Archives Colonial marriage records in vain. Many of the iah Bonhams appear in the Supreme Court records of NJ either as plaintiffs or defendants. 7. Writings of Milledge L. Bonham, son of James Bonham, son of Absalom and 1st wife, Jemima Harker. 8. WORD OF MOUTH: Story that Per Howard E. Bonham's "Bonham & Related Family Lines" 1996, Mary Fox had an illegitimate child with Malachiah Bonham. The child was named Malachiah, and he was born before 7 Feb. 1757. Mary Fox was suspended from the church for this. Malachiah Bonham Sr. (who was a minister) was then excluded from the church where he preached.