Ref NEHGR114:115. He was a deputy of the Plymouth General Court 1639-54; a member of the Council of War, and Deacon of the Church. There exists a fair amount of controversy regarding John Dunham's place on the Mayflower. By my Grandmother's account -- " He was born in Scroby, Notinghamshire, England, in 1588 or 1589, and married Abigail Wood, a distant relative in Leyden,
Holland, where his parents had fled on account of religious persecution, October 16 (or17), 1619, and their son JOHN was born near the time of the departure of the Pilgrims to America in the mayflower in 1620. "The mother and child joined him later. He shipped as John Goodman, for political reasons, dropping that name in 1621 and assuming his proper name thereafter, though being known by both." At least one historian/genealogist has stated that the Dunham/Goodman story is preposterous. There is also question as to whom he married in Leyden, Holland -- One researcher has him marrying Abigail Balliou wheras my grandmother's account has him marying Abigail Wood. d. 2 Mar 1668 -- as transcribed by Nathaniel Bradstreet Shurtleff, M.D. for "The Passengers of the Mayflower in 1620" (excerpt published in "Mayflower Source Records" by The New England Historical and Genealogical Register), also printed in "Records of Plymouth Colony 1633-1689" d. 2 Mar 1688/89 age about 80 -- copied from the original by the Hon. Elijah Hayward for The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. "Will Jan 25, 1668, to sons John (eldest), Benajah, Daniel, and son in law Stephen Wood; and wife Abigail." -- ref. Mayflower Source Records -- Excerpted and reprinted from "The New England Historical and Genealogical Register" -- Abstracts of the Earliest Wills in Probate Office, Plymouth. (communicated by Justin Winsor)

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m. (2) Oct. 22, 1622 in Holland Abigail Barlow (Thomas); made his will Jan. 25, 1669; d. Mar. 1, 1669 [Plym. Ch. Rec., 8:144; "Mar. 2", Plym. Col. Rec., 8:32]. Plymouth church records note that "on the first of March dyed, John Dunham, the godly & well esteemed Deacon of the [church], one of 80 yeares old" [Plym. Ch. Rec., 1:144]. Colony records note that "Hee was an approved servant of God, and a usefull man in his place, being a deacon of the church of Christ att Plymouth" [Plym. Col. Rec., 8:32]. Administration of his estate was granted to his widow, Abigail, on June 1, 1669 [Plym. Col. Rec., 5:22].