Jonathan Singletary Dunham House, located in Woodbridge Township in Middlesex County, New Jersey, the state's first township, chartered on June 1, 1669, by King Charles II, [4] is a house that was built around 1709 by Jonathan Singletary Dunham (January 17, 1640 – September 6, 1724), an early American settler and freeholder who built the first gristmill in New Jersey nearby the house. [1] [5] [6] [2]
Jonathan Dunham was born in Newbury, Massachusetts and married Mary Bloomfield with whom he later moved to present day New Jersey. Bloomfield is a relative of Joseph Bloomfield, Governor of New Jersey, for whom the township of Bloomfield, New Jersey is named. [7] [8] After building the first gristmill in New Jersey, he went on to serve the community in a variety of ways and was elected to the New Jersey Provincial Congress in 1673. [5] [9] [10] [6] [11] [12] [13] Jonathan Singletary Dunham is the 8th great-grandfather of President Barack Obama though the direct paternal line of his mother Ann Dunham. [11] [14] [15]
The 213 acres (0.86 km2) of land upon which the house and gristmill were built was granted to Jonathan Dunham by the newly appointed Governor of New Jersey. [8] [10] [16] The Dunham house is the oldest building in Woodbridge Township, and among the oldest buildings in Middlesex County. [6] Originally a two-story, four room home, the house was built with brick from Holland which had been used as ballast in ships. The Flemish bond brickwork, also known as Dutch bond, makes a distinctive checkerboard pattern that is visible on the first and second floors of the façade. The house was used as a garrison by American soldiers during the American Revolution. The mill, a tidal mill, was located just south of the home, along the Woodbridge River, which was then known as Papiack Creek, at the intersection of the Port Reading Avenue. [17] [18]
Since 1873, the home has been part of the grounds of Trinity Episcopal Church, listed on the New Jersey and national registers of historic places. Jonathan's youngest son, Benjamin Dunham, is recognized as a founder of the church, and the house his father built now serves as the Rectory. One of the original circular millstones used by Dunham in his grist mill operations still exists and is displayed on the property. [5] [6]
Montclair is a township in Essex County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Situated on the cliffs of the Watchung Mountains, Montclair is a commercial and cultural hub of North Jersey and a diverse bedroom community of New York City within the New York metropolitan area. The township is the home of Montclair State University, the state's second-largest university.
Cranbury is a township in southern Middlesex County, within the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 3,842, a decrease of 15 (−0.4%) from the 2010 census count of 3,857, which in turn reflected an increase of 630 (+19.5%) from the 3,227 counted in the 2000 census.
East Brunswick is a township in Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The suburban bedroom community is part of the New York City metropolitan area and is located on the southern shore of the Raritan River, directly adjacent to the city of New Brunswick and located roughly 29 miles (47 km) away from New York City. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 49,715, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 2,203 (+4.6%) from the 2010 census count of 47,512, which in turn reflected an increase of 756 (+1.6%) from the 46,756 counted in the 2000 census.
Edison is a township located in Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Situated in Central New Jersey within the core of the state's Raritan Valley region, Edison is a commercial hub and is a bedroom community of New York City within the New York metropolitan area.
Helmetta is a borough in Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The borough is located in the heart of the Raritan Valley region, with Manalapan Brook flowing through the center of the community. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 2,455, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 277 (+12.7%) from the 2010 census count of 2,178, which in turn reflected an increase of 353 (+19.3%) from the 1,825 counted in the 2000 census. The community was established around a snuff mill opened in the 1820s that was acquired by George Washington Helme in the 1880s.
Metuchen is a suburban borough in Middlesex County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The borough is a commuter town of New York City, located in the heart of the Raritan Valley region within the New York Metropolitan area. The borough, along with Edison, is a regional commercial hub for Central New Jersey. The borough is 6 miles (9.7 km) northeast of New Brunswick, 17 miles (27 km) southwest of Newark, 20 miles (32 km) southwest of Jersey City, and 22 miles (35 km) southwest of Manhattan. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 15,049, an increase of 1,475 (+10.9%) from the 2010 census count of 13,574, which in turn reflected an increase of 734 (+5.7%) from the 12,840 counted in the 2000 census.
Plainsboro Township is a township situated in southern Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Centrally located in the Raritan Valley region, the township is an outer-ring suburb of New York City in the New York metropolitan area, even though it is slightly geographically closer to Center City, Philadelphia than to Midtown Manhattan. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 24,084, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 1,085 (+4.7%) from the 22,999 recorded at the 2010 census, which in turn reflected an increase of 2,784 (+13.8%) from the 20,215 counted in the 2000 census.
South Brunswick is a township in Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The township is centrally located within the Raritan Valley region and is an outer-ring suburb of New York City in the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 47,043, its highest ever decennial census count and an increase of 3,626 (+8.4%) from the 2010 census count of 43,417, which in turn reflected an increase of 5,683 (+15.1%) from the 37,734 counted in the 2000 census.
Woodbridge Township is a township in northern Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The township is a regional hub of transportation and commerce for central New Jersey and a major bedroom suburb of New York City, within the New York metropolitan area. Located within the core of the Raritan Valley region, Woodbridge Township hosts the junction of the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway, the two busiest highways in the state, and also serves as the headquarters for the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, which operates both highways.
Joseph Bloomfield was the fourth governor of New Jersey. He also served two terms in the United States House of Representatives from 1817 to 1821.
Stanley Ann Dunham was an American anthropologist who specialized in the economic anthropology and rural development of Indonesia. She was the mother of Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States.
Stanley Armour Dunham was the maternal grandfather of Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States. He and his wife Madelyn Payne Dunham raised Obama from the age of 10 in Honolulu, Hawaii.
The family of Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States, is a prominent American family active in law, education, activism and politics. Obama's immediate family circle was the first family of the United States from 2009 to 2017, and are the first such family of African-American descent. His immediate family includes his wife Michelle Obama and daughters Malia and Sasha. Obama's wider ancestry is made up of people of Kenyan (Luo), African-American, and Old Stock American ancestry.
Jonathan Dunham, known in his early life as Jonathan Singletary, was a prominent early European-American settler of Woodbridge Township, New Jersey, who built the first gristmill in New Jersey. He is the 8th great-grandfather of President Barack Obama though the direct paternal line of his mother Ann Dunham.
Dunham may refer to:
The First Presbyterian Church is located at 600 Rahway Avenue in Woodbridge Township of Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. The congregation was founded in 1675. The main part of the church building was completed in 1803. The property, listed as the First Presbyterian Church and Cemetery, was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 2, 2008, for its significance in art, politics/government, and religion. The historic church was designed and built by Jonathan Freeman, a member of the congregation.
Trinity Episcopal Church is a historic church located at 650 Rahway Avenue in Woodbridge Township of Middlesex County, New Jersey. The third church at this location, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 12, 2004, for its significance in architecture and religion.
The Ayers–Allen House is located at 16 Durham Avenue in the Borough of Metuchen in Middlesex County, New Jersey. The historic house was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 5, 1985, for its significance in architecture. The c. 1740 building, also known as Allen House Tavern, for its previous function, was built by descendants of early settlers to Woodbridge Township and remained in the family for many generations.
The Kingston Mill Historic District is a 49-acre (20 ha) historic district in Kingston, New Jersey. It is roughly bounded by the Millstone, River, and Princeton-Kingston Roads in the townships of Princeton in Mercer County, South Brunswick in Middlesex County, and Franklin in Somerset County. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 10, 1986 for its significance in engineering, exploration/settlement, industry, and transportation. The district includes 16 contributing buildings and 2 contributing structures.
Dunham's Mill, also known as Parry's Mill, is a historic building located at 7 Lower Center Street in Clinton, New Jersey, United States. The gristmill was in operation from 1837 to 1952. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 15, 1982, for its significance in commerce and industry. In 1995, it was also listed as a contributing property of the Clinton Historic District. It shares the Clinton Dam across the South Branch Raritan River with the David McKinney Mill on the other side of the river. Since 1952, it has been home to the Hunterdon Art Museum, described by an art critic as the "most charming and picturesque" museum in the state.
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