Descendants of Andrew Bohonon

1. Andrew Bohonon b. Apr 11, 1709, Scotland, (son of _____ Bohonon and _____ Johnson) m. Sep 26, 1736, in Rumford, NH, Tabitha Flanders, b. Apr 7, 1711, Salisbury, Essex, MA, (daughter of Deacon Jacob Flanders and Mercy Clough) d. Feb 18, 1810. Andrew died 1803, Salisbury, Merrimack, NH.

Contoocook, NH was settled in the Spring of 1734 by twenty-seven people and the fourth name on the list of settlers was Andrew Bohonon. He is presumed to have come there from Salisbury or Newbury, MA, and family tradition has it that he was a native of Scotland and belonged to a respectable and well-to-do family. The names of his parents are unknown except that his mother's maiden name was Johnson. He was impressed for duty at sea at the young age of fourteen years. It is said he was enticed on board a ship anchored in the harbor and when the vessel set sail, restrained from going ashore, instead of being regularly impressed. The ship carried him to Boston, MA and he decided to stay for a while in America.

In early life he frequently talked about returning to his homeland and it's comforts, but he found frontier life fascinating. He married, then his wife and children afterwards persuaded him to postpone his plans until they were ultimately abandoned.

Born in 1709, he married in 1736, Tabitha Flanders, first child of Deacon Jacob Flanders and Mercy Clough, early settlers of Boscawen, NH from South Hampton. On January 22, 1736, their first child was born, Sarah, the second female white child born in Boscawen. The following year, August 11, 1737, Andrew Jr. was the first male child born in that town.

Andrew was but little above medium stature, but in excellent physical condition having remarkable energy and great power of endurance; a courageous man with above average intelligence, modest, companionable, full of quaint humor and sparkling ready wit. He was a favorite with all and his witty sayings were quoted for many years.

He served in the company organized for Indian defense in 1743-1744, afterwards in the French and Indian Wars, again in 1754 in Captain Joseph Eastman's company, and in 1755 in Colonel Blanchard's regiment in the expedition against Crown Point. He also served in at least one campaign against the French and Indians in 1756. After his return he made a permanent settlement on Salisbury south road, having begun living there some years before, and was active in public affairs. At the beginning of the Revolutionary War he was too far advanced in years for continuous military duty, but with his old zeal rekindled, he was enrolled in the alarm list and performed some service in that campaign. He reared a family of devoted patriots who did efficient service in their country's struggle for independence. After a long and useful life, Andrew died in Salisbury, NH in 1803. His wife, Tabitha, a devoted Christian wife and mother, died in Salisbury February 18, 1810, having reached the remarkable age of ninety-nine years. The New Hampshire Patriot of March 6, 1810 said, "Three of her children attended her funeral whose ages aggregated two hundred and thirteen years, one being seventy-four, one seventy-two and one sixty-seven years of age. A great-grand-child of Mrs. Bohonon was buried at the same funeral."

The name multiplied with succeeding generations but has now become nearly extinct in Salisbury. Occasionally, to this day, some remote descendant visits the town to pay loving tribute to the memory of a patriotic and honored ancestry.

Children: