Lindsey William Dunham (1820-1899) what and how do I know it?

Name: Lindsey William Dunham, most records provide either Lindsey W or L. W.; his death certificate reads “Lindsey Wm Dunham.” The microfilm record may be found in the Wisconsin Pre-1907 Records Collection at the Wisconsin Historical Society Library, Madison, Wisconsin. Specific information: Oconto County, Volume 1, page 327, microfilm reel 101, index volume 1 and sequence number 90131.

Birth date and place: 26 March 1820, Pomfret, Windsor County, Vermont, see name record.

Father: William F Dunham, my main connecting record is testimony at Lindsey’s divorce case. “. . . the plaintiff is my son. . .”  Wisconsin, Manitowoc County. Court Records. CF16 #2189. "Lindsey W. Dunham plaintiff vs Esther A. Dunham defendant" 26 October 1858 granted 23 April 1861. 23 pages. Archives and Area Research Center #2401, Cofrin Library, UW Green Bay, 2420 Nicout Drive, Green Bay, WI 54311-7001.

Mother: Sarah Metcalf, this information is derived from her marriage to William F on 21 January 1819 in Pomfret, Windsor County, Vermont. "Vermont, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1732-2005," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F8R8-8Z8 : 6 April 2016), William F Dunham and Sarah Metcalf, 21 Jan 1819; citing Marriage, Pomfret, Windsor, Vermont, United States, town clerk offices from various counties; FHL microfilm 28,665. Accessed on Ancestry.com.

First marriage: Esther Ann Baldwin and Lindsey were married about 1 April 1847. This estimate comes from Lindsey’s divorce testimony. It is written that he stated the year as 1857, but one son had been born and the divorce was already in process. This is probably a misunderstanding. The divorce testimony states they were married by Pastor Lewis. Research by a hired certified APG person has identified a Pastor Lewis as the pastor of the Seventh Day Baptist church of Verona, Oneida County, New York about 1844-1848. After a trip to the church archives in Janesville, Wisconsin, at this time, no records are available verifying this marriage date. Several land deeds from New York for purchase of land by Lindsey and his wife, Esther, from Norman Baldwin are dated 1844 and 1847.

First marriage ended in divorce: In 1856, Lindsey published a notice for non-payment of others debts in the Manitowoc Herald newspaper. See Roots Digger tree on Ancestry for digital image with source. For divorce filings see the source for relationship of father above.

Second marriage: Esther James’ marriage to Lindsey date unknown at this time. The 1870 US census reads that Rebecca James “lives with daughter.” Rebecca and Esther are enumerated in the household with Lindsey Dunham.  Year 1870, Howard, Brown County, Wisconsin. Roll M593_1703. Page 274A. Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. 

Child: Jay Forrester Dunham was born 1 December 1852. In 1852, Jay’s biological mother would be Esther Baldwin and NOT Esther James.

There is no evidence that Lindsey William Dunham had any other biological children.

Death: 20 February 1899 see the death certificate source above with Name. Look at the Find a Grave Site, there are other Dunham family members buried in the Mill Centre cemetery, Howard, Brown County, Wisconsin.

My connection to Lindsey, at this time I have DNA matches to his siblings. Lindsey and Jane A, my maternal second great grandmother, worked together in 1844 in Rome, Oneida County, New York. Help me! I want to find this family connection!

As of this writing, I have recently found a DNA match for Metcalf, possibly Lindsey’s mother's line. 

Currently I do not know the parents of William F. Dunham.

Please send any comments or questions to sbgenealogy@gmail.com. Thank you.