Huxford M. Dunham
*1798-
1800 census (#2171)
1810 Census (#2164)
1820 Census (#2151)
1830 Census (#2150)
1840 Census
(#2149)
1850 Census
(#2165)
362.
Jonathan 6 Dunham, (Elisha, 5 Seth 4, Gershom 3, Jonathan,
2, John 1), b. (1775); resident, Edgartown and probably removed from the
Vineyard
after 1810. He married Susan Makchant 18 Nov. 1798,
who was b. (1778). They had the following named children:
490. Huxford, (Living in Indiana 1844).
491. James.
492. Abishai
(Volume 3, p.164, * History of Martha's Vineyard, by Charles Edward Banks, Dukes County Historical Society 1925)
1st: Huxford Dunham Issue date 15 Aug 1838
76.95 acres Jefferson Co IN Document # 12843
Sec 30 Twp 5 N Range 9 E Meridian 2nd PM (#2124)
2nd: Huxford Dunham Issue date 1 Aug 1844
39.31 acres Jefferson Co IN. Document #18081
Sec 31 Twp 5 N Range 9 e Meridian 2nd PM
(#2125)
H. Dunham and Sally Jedkins are named on daughter, Susan's death certificate (#1169)
Huseford Dunham married Sally Jedkins 18 April 1820, (Marriage records Hamilton County, Ohio, 1817-1837 Volumes I-VI, page 275, married by J. Crosby, JP).
Jonathan Dunham, wife Susanna (Marchant) Dunham, their son Huxford and his wife, along with Jonathan's brother Seth Dunham and seven other families, moved to Clermont County, Ohio from Massachusetts in April of 1814, and founded the "Yankee Settlement" near Amelia. The settlement is now known as Hamlet. Huxford was married at the time his parents removed to Ohio. I do not know if he came to Clermont County directly and was a part of "Yankee Settlement" since Huxford and his family are living in Vanderburgh County, Indiana by 1820. In 1830 however, he is living in Clermont County, Batavia Twp., Ohio near his parents. He bought land in Jefferson County, Lancaster Twp., Indiana in 1838 and, again in 1844, and was living there in 1840. Huxford was a farmer by trade who's land was in section 30 and 31 of Lancaster Township, Jefferson County, Indiana.
A meeting was held in the public school-house on Neal's Creek, Jefferson County, Indiana on Saturday evening, January 5th 1839, for the purpose of forming an Anti-Slavery Society. Rev. Louis Hicklin was called to the chair, and J. C. Tibbets appointed secretary pro. tem. The object of the meeting being stated by the chairman, a Constitution was presented and read, which, after some discussion and a slight amendment, was adopted. After the adoption of the Constitution, 73 persons gave their names as members of the society. Among these names are James Dunham (probably the son of Sally and Huxford Dunham), Sally Dunham (Sally Jedkins Dunham, Huxford's wife), and Huxford Dunham. Some probable relatives of Sally Jedkins Dunham that are listed were Mary Jedkins, Asa Jedkins and Betsey Jedkins (still researching their relationship). This information is from Minutes Book of Neal's Creek Anti Slavery Society 1839-1845. The Neal's Creek Anti Slavery Society was a non violent organization of abolitionists that, according to the Minutes of their meetings, worked to organize public opinion against slavery, help elect anti-slavery political candidates locally as well as nationally, opposed Christian Clergy, who at the time, twisted biblical scripture to justify slavery, and undoubtedly, though it doesn't appear in writing in the minutes, were part of the underground railroad who helped slaves northward after crossing the nearby Ohio River.
Huxford's family lived in Lancaster Township, Jefferson County, IN. Before the Civil War, the area was a center of anti-slavery activity. The Neal's Creek Anti-Slavery Baptist Church, founded in 1846, moved to Lancaster in 1847. It later became known as the College Hill Baptist Church and disappeared by 1879. The Eleutherian College, founded in 1848, was the second co-educational, integrated college to open in the United States. It accepted black and white students until the Civil War when it stopped accepting blacks. It closed and in 1874 then reopened as a private high school and normal school that same year. It operated until 1888 when it was purchased by Lancaster Township and the stone college building was used as an elementary school until 1937. The building at Eleutherian College is a historical site today and operates a website at http://www.eleutherian.us/ where a copy of Minutes Book of Neal's Creek Anti Slavery Society 1839-1845 can be purchased, along with other publications of interest.
By at least 1850, Huxford and Sally Dunham moved to Graham Township, in Jefferson County where, on census records, son Jessie Dunham was living nearby. Sons Alpheus and Henry, living together in the same household in 1850, were still in Lancaster Township. Judging by the names of their neighbors on the 1850 census, it appears they are living in the same vicinity, probably the same farm, their father owned. Graham Township, where Huxford and family are living in 1850, is where my gg grandfather David Duncan was also living, nearby. After David's second wife Catharine Vaughn died, he married Huxford's daughter, my gg grandmother Susan Dunham on 6 Dec. 1856.
* These books are available for free download at American Libraries
