Esther (Dunham) Robins (abt. 1711 - abt. 1770)

Born about 1711 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Province of Massachusetts Bay [uncertain]

Ancestors

Wife of Lemuel Robins — married 15 Nov 1737 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Province of Massachusetts Bay

Descendants

Died about 1770 at about age 59 in Plymouth County, Province of Massachusetts Bay [uncertain]

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Biography

Esther Dunham was the daughter of Micajah Dunham and Elizabeth Lazell of Plymouth, Massachusetts. She was probably born at either Plymouth or Plympton, Massachusetts. She is mentioned fourth among the six children of Micajah and Elizabeth who were baptized at the Plymouth Church, August 15, 1731; four of whom, including a brother, two married sisters, and herself "were active in the Covenant themselves." She became a member of the church "in full communion," January 20, 1733-4." She may have been born about 1711. Another source cites a 1720 birth, which is probably based on her allegedly being "aged fifty years" on her death in 1770, although her death record has not yet been found. It should be noted that one of her children was baptized in 1757, when a 1711 birth would put her at about age 46.^[1][2][3][4]

She married Lemuel Robins of Plympton, Massachusetts, in Plymouth on November 15, 1737 (Intention published at Plympton, February 12, 1736).^[2][5][6][7]

Esther (Dunham) Robins died in 1770, "aged 50 years."^[2]

Children

Baptismal church records for their children are from:

• Plymouth, Massachusetts (1742).
• Uxbridge, Massachusetts - First Congregational Society (Unitarian) (1745-1747)
• Sutton, Massachusetts (1750-1757).

Children of Lemuel and Esther (Dunham) Robins for whom recorded information has been found:

1. Sarah Robbins, baptized October 10, 1742.^[8]
2. Elizabeth Robbins, baptized April 4, 1745.^[9]
3. Stephen Robbins, baptized July 5, 1747.^[10]
4. John Robins, baptized April 22, 1750; married Olive Knight.^[11][5]
5. Ephraim Robins, born March 7, 1752, baptized May 3, 1752.^[12][5]
6. Betty Robins, baptized October 13, 1754.^[13]
7. Abigail Robins, baptized August 21, 1757.^[14]
8. Lemuel Robins, Jr., birth unknown; married Rachel Bass; died March 3, 1842, in Augusta, New York.^[5]
9. William Robins, birth unknown.^[5]

Sources

1. ↑ Americana Illustrated. Vol. XXVI. October, 1931. Number 4. The American Historical Society, Inc. Somerville, New Jersey and New York City. Page 608. Citing: "IV. Esther Dunham."
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Americana Illustrated: Pages 582-583. Citing: "IV. Lemuel Robins (name so spelled), son of Jeduthan and Hannah (Pratt) Robbins, was born in Plympton, Massachusetts, April 20, 1715, and died in 1786. He was of Plympton, but record of his residence is lost between the years 1737 and 1757. Lemuel Robins married, in Plympton, Massachusetts, November 15, 1737, Esther Dunham, who was born in 1720, and died in 1770, aged fifty years. (Dunham IV). Children, only four recorded, although others were born at an earlier date: I. John, baptized April 22, 1750. 2. Ephraim. 3. Betty, baptized October 13, 1754. 4. Abigail, baptized, August 21, 1757."
3. ↑ Dunham, Isaac Watson, Dunham Genealogy: English and American Branches of the Dunham Family (Bulletin Print, Norwich, CT, 1907). Page 202. Citing: "5. MICAIAH."
4. ↑ Publications of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts. (1896-1920). Vol. 22 Collections (1920) Plymouth Church Records I 1620-1859. List of Baptisms, 1730-1731. Page 241. Citing: ""[1731] Augst 15 6 Children of Micajah and Elisabeth Dunham, Viz Joshua Dunham Abigail Tommas, Joannah Ward, Ester Dunham (these four were active in the Cov't themselves) Ephraim & Manasseh Dunham"
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4} Hall, Edwin. Commemorative Biographical Record of Hartford County, Connecticut. (J.H. Beers & Co, 1901). Page 267. Citing: "(IV) Lemuel Robbins."
6. ↑ Vital Records of Plympton: Marriages. Page 379. Citing: "Robins, Samuel [int. Lemuell Robens] of P. and Esther Dunham of Plymouth, Nov. 15, 1737, in Plymouth."
7. ↑ "Massachusetts Marriages, 1841-1915," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q28L-9L7Z : 28 November 2018), Lemuel Robens and Esther Dunham, 12 Feb 1736; citing Plympton, Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States, State Archives, Boston; FHL microfilm 910,372.
   Transcript of Image: ""Lemuell Robens of Plimpton and Esther Dunham of Plymouth were Published at Plympton as the Law ?? ffeb.ry 12 1736. Joseph Thomas Town Clerk."
8. ↑ Vital Records of Grafton, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849. (Franklin P. Rice, Worcester, Mass., 1906). Births. Page 111. Citing: "Robbins, Sarah, d, Lemuel and Esther, bap. Oct. 10, 1742. C.R. Plimouth."
9. ↑ Vital Records of Uxbridge: Births. Page 128. Citing: "Robbins, Elizabeth, d. of Lemuel and _____, bp. Apr. 4, 1745. C.R.I."
10. ↑ Vital Records of Uxbridge: Births. Page 128. Citing: "Robbins, Stephen, s. of Lemuel and _____, bp. July 5, 1747. C.R.I."
11. ↑ Vital Records of Sutton: Births. Page 147. Citing: "Robins, John, s. Lemuel, bap. April 22, 1750, C.R."
12. ↑ Vital Records of Sutton: Births. Page 147. Citing: "Robins, Ephraim, s. Lemuel, bap. May 3, 1752. C.R."
13. ↑ Vital Records of Sutton: Births. Page 147. Citing: "Robins, Betty, d. Lemuel, bap. Oct. 13. 1754. C.R."
14. ↑ Vital Records of Sutton: Births. Page 147. Citing: "Robins, Abigail, d. Lemuel, bap. Aug. 21, 1757. C.R."

See also:

• Lazell, Theodore Studley. John Lazell of Hingham and Some of his Descendants. (The Record Publishing Co., Haverhill, Mass., 1936). Page 7.

• Vital Records of Plympton, Massachusetts, to the Year 1850. (HEGHS, Boston, Mass., 1923).

• Vital Records of Sutton, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849. (Franklin P. Rice, Worcester, Mass., 1907).

• Vital Records of Uxbridge, Massachusetts, to the Year 1850. (NEHGS, Boston, Mass., 1916).

• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/127615988/esther-robbins: accessed 11 January 2023), memorial page for Esther Dunham Robbins (unknown–unknown), Find A Grave: Memorial #127615988; Burial Details Unknown, Death & burial unknown; Maintained by Rick Trommater (contributor 47911310). Notes: Contains Unknown Burial, No Dates and Unsourced Information. For Research Only.