John DONHAM, father of Margaret DONHAM, was born 7 April 1767, probably in Middlesex County, New Jersey.60 He was the oldest son of Nathaniel DONHAM Jr. and Mary SUTTON. Before 1792 he married Sallie JENNINGS and had four children. She died sometime before 1811 because on 5 February 1811 at Indian Creek Baptist Church, Clermont County, Ohio, he married Elizabeth BROWN, daughter of George BROWN and Margaret Rebecca CONRAD.61 They had seven children.
John DONHAM was often known as "King Donham" because of the vast amount of land that he owned. One history reports, "At the time of his decease, in 1858 (sic), he was the owner of some twenty-eight thousand acres of land, of which about three thousand five hundred acres were in Pierce, Ohio, and Monroe townships, Clermont County."62 The following is from the same history:
[John] DONHAM and a Mr. MASON were two of the hunters for the Columbia colony and were probably the first white men to visit Bethel, Ohio. On one of their big hunting trips, they killed several deer, near Deer Lick, not far from Bethel, which they hung in the trees out of reach of the wolves and other wild animals numerous at that time, after which they 'blazed' a trail so that a squad of men could be sent for the venison, from Columbia. They also broke the first ground for the colony at Columbia. John DONHAM was a man of few words and prompt action, as was illustrated upon one occasion when, needing flour badly, he put two bags of wheat on a horse which he led to a water mill at Ten Mile. Upon arriving at the mill, he asked the propietor's son to carry the bags into the mill for him, which the boy rudely refused to do, whereupon the gentleman turned away and taking his wheat with him returned home. He then sent one of his sons to Twelve Mile creek to locate a site for a grist mill, while he journeyed to Cincinnati to secure a mill wright. A tract of two thousand acres was secured and a mill erected on what is now the Francis WERST place. The business thus established flourished for many years, and was a great benefit to the community. Politically, Mr. DONHAM was a Democrat and served his party as a member of the State legislature of Ohio, from Hamilton county....63
The following abstracts of some of John DONHAM's land records were from Gary MOORE, of Grass Valley, CA.
LAND: Tract Record 1, page 100. United States to John DONHAM. Entry. 27 Jan 1837. Description: W.½-N.E.¼,20-11-7. 80 Acres. "Patent not of record... Book duly certified so... of State." [This land was later sold to Abijah and Margaret DONHAM.]
LAND: Deed Record F, page 574. John DONHAM, alone, to Abijah DONHAM, and Margaret DONHAM, his wife. Warranty Deed. $150 for this and other lands. Date of instrument 22 Aug 1842. Acknowledged on 22 Aug 1842. Date of recording on 24 Jan 1846. Description: W.½-N.E.¼,20-11-7. 80 acres, more or less. [This land was previously entered by John DONHAM on 27 Jan 1837.]
LAND: Deed Record S, page 272. Elizabeth DONHAM, alone, to Margaret DONHAM. Quit Claim Deed. $25.00 Date 29 Jan 1862. Recorded 22 Feb 1862. Description: W.½-N.E.¼-20-11-7. 80 Acres, more or less. [A handwritten note says there is some kind of error here. This same area of land was originally entered by John DONHAM and sold in 1842 to Abijah DONHAM and Margaret DONHAM. Now, 20 years later it is sold by Elizabeth DONHAM, John's wife, to Margaret DONHAM. Is the error something wrong with the dates or who is selling the land?]
An abstract of his will shows that it lists John DONHAM's wife Elisabeth, his oldest son Isaac DONHAM, son David DONHAM, son Jonathan DONHAM, daughter Sally DONHAM, daughter Margaret DONHAM, son Nathaniel DONHAM, daughter Janetta DONHAM, and daughter Elisabeth DONHAM. Executors were Nathaniel DONHAM, John PIERCE (son-in-law), and Isaac DONHAM. Witnesses were Ruben LACOCK, Robert DONHAM, and Zacariah DONHAM.64
John DONHAM died 15 August 1856 in Ohio Township, Clermont County, Ohio. Elizabeth (BROWN) DONHAM died 22 August 1878 in Clermont County. Both are buried at Donham Hill Cemetery, Fagin Run Road, Clermont County, OH.
CHILDREN OF JOHN DONHAM & SALLIE JENNINGS
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1 NAME: Isaac DONHAM
BORN: Abt 1792 PLACE: ,,OH
SPOUSE: Mary
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2 NAME: David DONHAM
BORN: PLACE: ,,OH
SPOUSE: Martha
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3 NAME: Jonathan DONHAM
BORN: 1804 PLACE: ,,OH
DIED: Abt Aug 1869 PLACE: ,Clermont,OH
SPOUSE: Mary SWEM
MARR: 2 Jan 1823 PLACE: ,Clermont,OH
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4 NAME: Mary "Polly" DONHAM
BORN: PLACE: ,,OH
SPOUSE: James FERGUSON
MARR: 21 Sep 1823 PLACE: ,Clermont,OH
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CHILDREN OF JOHN DONHAM & ELIZABETH BROWN
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 NAME: Sarah DONHAM
BORN: 16 Jan 1813 PLACE: ,Clermont,OH
DIED: 1849 PLACE: ,Clermont,OH
BUR.: PLACE: Donham Hill Cem,Clermont,OH
SPOUSE: Elisha FAGIN
MARR: 20 Sep 1829 PLACE: ,Clermont,OH
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2 NAME: Margaret DONHAM
BORN: 11 Jun 1815 PLACE: ,Clermont,OH
DIED: 29 Aug 1895 PLACE: Cory,Clay,IN
SPOUSE: Abijah DONHAM
MARR: 15 Aug 1833 PLACE: ,Clermont,OH
SPOUSE: Robert BENNETT
MARR: 15 Oct 1876 PLACE: ,Clay,IN
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3 NAME: Nathaniel DONHAM
BORN: Abt 1818 PLACE: ,Clermont,OH
DIED: 8 Sep 1881 PLACE: ,Clermont,OH
SPOUSE: Mary SWEM
MARR: 23 Aug 1838 PLACE: ,Clermont,OH
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4 NAME: Jennette DONHAM
BORN: 16 Apr 1820 PLACE: ,Clermont,OH
DIED: 30 Mar 1896 PLACE: ,Clermont,OH
SPOUSE: John PIERCE
SPOUSE: John COLVIN
SPOUSE: Joseph MOTT
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5 NAME: Elizabeth D. "Betsey" DONHAM
BORN: Abt 1824 PLACE: ,,OH
SPOUSE: James LEWIS
MARR: 23 Dec 1841 PLACE: ,Clermont,OH
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6 NAME: Robert DONHAM
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7 NAME: John Singleton DONHAM
BORN: 1828
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DESCENDENTS OF JOHN DONHAM & SALLIE JENNINGS, ELIZABETH BROWN
FOUR GENERATIONS, EXCLUDING THE DESCENDENTS OF
Abijah DONHAM & MARGARET DONHAM
1 - John DONHAM, BORN: 7 Apr 1767 Middlesex County, NJ
DIED: 15 Aug 1856 Ohio Twp, Clermont County, OH
BUR.: Donham Hill Cem, Clermont County, OH
sp- Sallie JENNINGS, BORN: Abt 1767
MARR: Bef 1792
DIED: Bef 1811
Dau of (unknown) JENNINGS
2 - Isaac DONHAM, BORN: Abt 1792 OH
sp- Mary
2 - David DONHAM, BORN: OH
sp- Martha
2 - Jonathan DONHAM, BORN: 1804 OH
DIED: Abt Aug 1869 Clermont County, OH
sp- Mary SWEM, BORN: 1804/1807
MARR: 2 Jan 1823 Clermont County, OH
Dau of Jesse SWEM & Mary LINDSEY
3 - John DONHAM, BORN: 1827
sp- Mary Ann ULREY, BORN: 1827
MARR: 3 May 1849 Clermont County, OH
4 - William Wayland DONHAM
sp- Grace PERIN
MARR: 1893
3 - Jonathan S. DONHAM, BORN: 29 Nov 1829 Monroe, Clermont Co., OH
DIED: 29 Apr 1901 Clermont County, OH
sp- Elsie KRATZER, BORN: 26 Feb 1836 Green, Brown County, OH
MARR: 13 Mar 1853 Clermont County, OH
DIED: 28 Jul 1915 Clermont County, OH
4 - Lavina K. DONHAM, BORN: 19 Oct 1860 Clermont County, OH
DIED: 6 Dec 1905 OH
sp- Lewis M. CRIST, BORN: 23 Apr 1853 OH
DIED: 1928 Cincinnati, Hamilton County, OH
3 - Mary DONHAM, BORN: 1832
sp- John DILLON, BORN: 1828
MARR: 28 Mar 1850 Clermont County, OH
sp- David HARE
3 - David DONHAM, BORN: 1836
DIED: 1915
BUR.: Columbus, OH
sp- Elizabeth B. DOLEN, BORN: 1837
MARR: 27 Jan 1866 Clermont County, OH
DIED: 27 Nov 1927
BUR.: Columbus, OH
4 - Maurice DONHAM, BORN: 10 Nov 1866 Lindale, OH
DIED: 27 May 1948
BUR.: Union Cem, OH
sp- Anna THOMAS
MARR: 1897
DIED: 27 Oct 1955
BUR.: Union Cem, OH
4 - Annie DONHAM
4 - Frank DONHAM
4 - Harry DONHAM, BORN: 24 Oct 1870
sp- Elva LEWIS
4 - Jessie DONHAM, BORN: 26 Aug 1873
sp- George CROSWELL
MARR: 30 Oct 1895
4 - Albert DONHAM
3 - Jacob DONHAM, BORN: 1843
sp- Hester A. TEMPLE, BORN: 1844
MARR: 19 Dec 1866 Clermont County, OH
3 - Wilson T. DONHAM, BORN: 1847
sp- Celia F. CORBLY
MARR: 24 Feb 1869 Clermont County, OH
3 - Elizabeth DONHAM
3 - Catherine DONHAM
sp- Jacob Hugh LEEDS
MARR: 7 Nov 1844 Clermont County, OH
3 - Isaac DONHAM
3 - Sarah DONHAM
sp- Thomas Benton NICHOLS
MARR: 5 Feb Clermont County, OH
2 - Mary "Polly" DONHAM, BORN: OH
sp- James FERGUSON, BORN: 21 Dec 1798 Clermont County, OH
MARR: 21 Sep 1823 Clermont County, OH
DIED: 15 Apr 1868 Fountain County, IN
Son of Isaac FERGUSON & Elizabeth LEEDOM
3 - James FERGUSON, BORN: OH
sp- Polly Mary JENNINGS, BORN: OH
3 - Mary Elizabeth FERGUSON, BORN: 4 Sep 1836 OH
DIED: 7 Jan 1881 Wise County, TX
sp- Jeremiah Myer WYATT, BORN: 17 Jun 1826 Warren County, OH
MARR: 1 Apr 1852 Clay County, IN
DIED: 30 Aug 1879 Wise County, TX
BUR.: Wise, TX
Son of Dickerson WYATT & Jane ROZZIEL
sp- Elizabeth BROWN, BORN: 9 Oct 1792 Cabbin Creek, Lewis County, KY
MARR: 5 Feb 1811 Indian Creek Ch, Clermont County, OH
DIED: 22 Aug 1878 Clermont County, OH
BUR.: Donham Hill Cem, Clermont County, OH
2 - Sarah DONHAM, BORN: 16 Jan 1813 Clermont County, OH
DIED: 1849 Clermont County, OH
BUR.: Donham Hill Cem, Clermont County, OH
sp- Elisha FAGIN, BORN: Jul 1804
MARR: 20 Sep 1829 Clermont County, OH
DIED: Jul 1880
Son of Abner FAGIN & Mary F. DAY
3 - John Donham FAGIN, BORN: 31 Jul 1830 Clermont County, OH
3 - George Washington FAGIN, BORN: 18 Jan 1832 Clermont County, OH
DIED: 11 Mar 1860 Clermont County, OH
BUR.: Clermont County, OH
3 - Mary Jane FAGIN, BORN: 14 Feb 1834 Clermont County, OH
DIED: 20 Mar 1896 Clermont County, OH
sp- Benjamin Franklin STEWART
BORN: 12 Mar 1829 Mt. Pisgah, Clermont County, OH
MARR: 30 Jan 1857 Clermont County, OH
DIED: 26 Jul 1880 Clermont County, OH
4 - Tossie STEWART
BORN: 8 Mar 1870 Mt. Pisgah, Clermont County, OH
DIED: 3 Dec 1955 Cincinnati, Hamilton, OH
sp- Charles Francis LICHTENFELD
BORN: 16 Mar 1875 Schonenberg, Berlin, GERM
MARR: 25 Dec 1894 Cincinnati, Hamilton, OH
DIED: 29 Jan 1904 Cincinnati, Hamilton, OH
3 - Isaac N. FAGIN, BORN: Abt 1836 OH
3 - Margaret FAGIN, BORN: Abt 1838 OH
3 - Robert Lewis FAGIN, BORN: Abt 1840 OH
3 - Elizabeth FAGIN, BORN: Abt 1842 OH
3 - Elisha L. FAGIN, BORN: Abt 1847
3 - Sarah FAGIN, BORN: Abt 1845
3 - Jasper N. FAGIN, BORN: Abt 1846
2 - Margaret DONHAM, BORN: 11 Jun 1815 Clermont County, OH
DIED: 29 Aug 1895 Cory, Clay County, IN
sp- Abijah DONHAM, BORN: 30 Jan 1812 Clermont County, OH
MARR: 15 Aug 1833 Clermont County, OH
DIED: 16 Oct 1864 Clay County, IN
BUR.: 1864 Conaway Cem, Clay County, IN
sp- Robert BENNETT, BORN: 3 Dec 1813 Clermont County, OH
MARR: 15 Oct 1876 Clay County, IN
DIED: 25 Apr 1890 Cory, Clay County, IN
2 - Nathaniel DONHAM, BORN: Abt 1818 Clermont County, OH
DIED: 8 Sep 1881 Clermont County, OH
sp- Mary SWEM, BORN: 21 May 1821 Clermont County, OH
MARR: 23 Aug 1838 Clermont County, OH
DIED: 21 Jan 1891 Clermont County, OH
Dau of John SWEM & Bathia CORD
3 - Elizabeth DONHAM, BORN: 4 Sep 1840 Clermont County, OH
DIED: 30 Apr 1898 Corbin, Sumner County, KS
BUR.: Corzine Cem, Sumner County, KS
sp- Isaac Ferguson DONHAM, BORN: 8 Apr 1840 IN
MARR: 31 Mar 1864 Clermont County, OH
DIED: 20 Jul 1919 Caldwell, Sumner County, KS
BUR.: Corzine Cem, Sumner County, KS
Son of Nathaniel DONHAM & Mary Maria LEE
4 - Cyrus Clayton DONHAM, BORN: 20 Mar 1866 Clermont County, OH
DIED: 16 Mar 1935 Caldwell, Sumner County, KS
sp- Oakey S. SIMONS, BORN: 20 May 1872 Oakmont, PA
MARR: 23 Nov 1888 Sumner County, KS
DIED: 11 Aug 1956 Caldwell, Sumner County, KS
4 - Edgar Benton DONHAM, BORN: 2 Jan 1868 Terre Haute, Vigo, IN
DIED: 5 Nov 1949 Great Bend, Barton County, KS
BUR.: Caldwell, Sumner County, KS
sp- Jessie Francis ATKINSON, BORN: 9 Dec 1877 Osco, IL
MARR: 2 Jun 1897 Caldwell, Sumner County, KS
DIED: 5 Mar 1957 Great Bend, Barton County, KS
BUR.: Caldwell, Sumner County, KS
Dau of John ATKINSON & Mary Elizabeth WHITE
4 - Hallie DONHAM, BORN: 26 Sep 1870 Vigo County, IN
DIED: 27 Jun 1940 Blackwell, OK
sp- Charles COFFELT
4 - Nathaniel "Bud" DONHAM, BORN: 1873/1876 Riley, Vigo Co., IN
DIED: 18 Feb 1906 Corbin, Sumner County, KS
BUR.: Corzine Cem, Sumner County, KS
sp- Alma
4 - Berlin DONHAM, BORN: 20 Oct 1882 Riley, Vigo County, IN
DIED: 12 Dec 1962 Caldwell, Sumner County, KS
sp- Eva PIERCE
MARR: 1913 Caldwell, Sumner County, KS
sp- Pearl WATTS
3 - Bethiah DONHAM, BORN: Abt 1842 OH
3 - Alvender DONHAM, BORN: Abt 1846 OH
3 - Benton DONHAM, BORN: Abt 1850 OH
2 - Jennette DONHAM, BORN: 16 Apr 1820 Clermont County, OH
DIED: 30 Mar 1896 Clermont County, OH
sp- John PIERCE
3 - E. B. PIERCE, BORN: of Norwood, OH
sp- John COLVIN
3 - Cynthelia COLVIN
sp- J. D. LEEDS, BORN: of St. Louis, St. Louis County, MO
sp- Joseph MOTT, BORN: 5 Oct 1826 Vincennes, IN
DIED: 18 Dec 1904
3 - Charles H. MOTT
3 - J. V. MOTT /Dr., BORN: 26 Jul 1863 Pierce Twp, Clermont Co., OH
sp- Nina GILLASPIE, BORN: 18 Feb 1867 Mt. Pisgah, Clermont Co., OH
MARR: 26 Sep 1883 Mt. Pisgah, OH
Dau of J.B. GILLASPIE & Jane COX
4 - Victor Cleveland MOTT, BORN: 30 Jun 1884
DIED: Abt Feb 1885
4 - (infant) MOTT
4 - Myrtle S. MOTT, BORN: 27 Feb 1887
sp- F. C. LEEDS /Dr.
4 - Anna G. MOTT, BORN: 1 Oct 1880
2 - Elizabeth D. "Betsey" DONHAM, BORN: Abt 1824 OH
sp- James LEWIS
MARR: 23 Dec 1841 Clermont County, OH
2 - Robert DONHAM
2 - John Singleton DONHAM, BORN: 1828
