By Muriel Bristol | March 1, 2026
Caleb Wakeham, Jr., was born in Durham, NH, in 1754, son of Caleb and Mary Wakeham.
Father Caleb Wakeham, Sr., …
… sold the [Durham, NH] homestead of thirty-two acres to Samuel Smith, 8 July 1757. According to Tate’s Journal he perished in a storm, 20 Oct. 1770. He had son, Ebenezer, baptized 12 Oct. 1753, and probably son Caleb, who married at Rochester, 16 Oct. 1777, Sarah Clements.
… This was soon followed by quite a rush of settlers to the west side of town, Daniel Hayes, Caleb Wakeham, Enoch Varney, Samuel Nute, William Wentworth, William Tuttle, Ichabod Hayes, James Hayes, Ebenezer Coursan, and Stephen Meserve being among the first; Jeremiah Cook, Dudley Burnham, Jotham Nute, Otis Pinkham, Ephraim Plumer, John Twombly, James Varney, John Varney, William Mathes, and others coming soon after (Scales, 1914).
Caleb Wakeham’s West Milton homestead was described by a realtor as having been built in 1776.
The Caleb Wakeham Estate homestead, built in 1776 & on 3+ picturesque acres surrounded by rock walls, is a stunning testament to history (Zillow, 2024).
Caleb Wakeham was among the one hundred ninety-eight men who signed the revolutionary Association Test in Rochester, NH, June 1, 1776.
WE, the Subscribers, do hereby solemnly engage, and promise, that we will, to the utmost of our Power, at the Risque of our Lives and Fortunes, with ARMS, oppose the Hostile Proceedings of the British Fleets, and Armies, against the United American COLONIES (Batchellor, 1910).
Twenty-two Rochester men “refused” to sign. Another twenty-two Rochester Friends, i.e., “Quakers,” did not “choose” to sign, i.e., they were conscientious objectors.
Caleb Wakeham married in Rochester, NH, October 16, 1777, Sarah Clements, both of Rochester, NH. Rev. Joseph Haven performed the ceremony.
(The known children of Caleb and Sarah (Clements) Wakeham were Caleb Wakeham (177?-), Miriam Wakeham (c1780-182?), Benjamin Wakeham (1786-), Mary “Polly” Wakeham (1788-1854), Jonathan Wakeham (-), Ephraim Wakeham (-), and Ebenezer Wakeham (c1796-1860)).
Caleb Wankerum [Wakeham] headed a Northeast Parish, Rochester, NH, household at the time of the First (1790) Federal Census. His household included one male [himself] aged 16-plus years, two males aged under-16 years, and two females. Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of Enoch Varney and Tobias Ricker.
Son Ebenezer Wakeham was born in Northeast Parish, Rochester, NH, circa 1796.
Caleb Wakeham headed a Northeast Parish, Rochester, NH, household at the time of the Second (1800) Federal Census. His household included one male aged 45-plus years [himself], one female aged 45-plus years, one female aged 26-44 years, one male aged 16-25 years, one female aged 16-25 years, one male aged 10-15 years, two females aged 10-15 years, three males aged under-10 years, and one female aged under-10 years. (See Northeast Parish in the Second (1800) Federal Census).
Miriam Wentworth married in Rochester, NH, October 21, 1802, Daniel Wentworth, both of Milton. He was born in Milton, May 6, 178?, son of Samuel and Sarah (Stone) Wentworth.
Caleb Wakham [Wakeham] was among the greater Rochester inhabitants that signed one of two remonstrance petitions, of June 1804, which opposed incorporating a private company to construct and maintain a turnpike, i.e., a toll road, from Dover, NH, through the Norway Plains [in Rochester, NH], to Sandwich, NH. (Samuel Nute, Francis Nute, and Samuel Nute, Jr., Jotham Nute, and Samuel Bragdon, signed also).
Caleb Wakeham, Benjamin Wakeham, and Jonathan Wakeham were among the fifty-two Milton petitioners that sought to have Jotham Nute appointed as a Milton justice-of-the-peace, in August 1805.
Caleb Wakeham, Jona Wakeham, Benja Wakeham, and Ephm Wakeham were assessed in the Milton School District No. 4 of Dudley Burnham in 1806 (See Milton School Districts – 1806).
Son Caleb Wakeham married in Lee, NH, in 1808, Olive Edgerly, he of Milton, and she of Durham, NH. Rev. John Edgerly performed the ceremony.
Caleb Wakeham headed a Milton household at the time of the Third (1810) Federal Census. His household included one male aged 45-plus years [himself], two females aged 45-plus years, one male aged 16-25 years, two female aged 16-25 years, two males aged 10-15 years, one male aged under-10 years, and one female aged under-10 years. Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of Wm Matthews and Benj. Wakeham. (See Milton in the Third (1810) Federal Census).
Benj. Wakeham headed a Milton household at the time of the Third (1810) Federal Census. His household included one male aged 16-25 years [himself], one female aged 16-25 years [Mary (Wentworth) Wakeham], one male aged under-10 years [Hezekiah Wakeham], and one female aged under-10 years [Drusilla Wakeham]. Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of Caleb Wakeham and Ephraim Prumer [Plumer].
Mary “Polly” Wakeham married in Milton, October 25, 1812, James Goodwin. He was born June 24, 1790.
Mother Sarah (Clements) Wakeham died in 1817.
Ebenr Wakeham, James Goodwin, and Daniel Wentworth, all signed the Milton Anti-Division Remonstrance of June 1820. Caleb Wakeham, Charles Wakeham, Ebenr Wakeham, Danl Wentworth, and James Goodwin all signed the Milton Militia Division of November 1820. (See Milton Militia Dispute – 1820).
Daughter Miriam (Wakeham) Wentworth died in Milton, 182? Widowed son-in-law Daniel Wentworth married (2nd) in Milton Mill, January 10, 1824, Mary Cowell, he of Milton and she of Lebanon, ME. Levi Jones, J.P., performed the ceremony.
Caleb Wakeham headed a Milton household at the time of the Fifth (1830) Federal Census. His household included one male aged 80-89 years [himself], one female aged 60-69 years, one male aged 20-29 years, and one female aged 20-29 years. Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of Eben. Wakeham and Rose Roberts. (See Milton in the Fifth (1830) Federal Census).
Danl Wentworth headed a Milton household at the time of the Fifth (1830) Federal Census. His household included one male aged 40-49 years [himself], one female aged 30-39 years [Mary (Cowell) Wentworth], one male aged 5-9 years, and two males aged under-5 years. Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of Jas. Goodwin and Andrew Dore.
Eben. Wakeham headed a Milton household at the time of the Fifth (1830) Federal Census. His household included one male aged 30-39 years [himself], one female aged 30-39 years, two males aged 5-9 years, one male aged under-5 years, and one female aged 70-79 years. Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of Ira Howe and Caleb Wakeham.
Charles Wakeham died in Milton, in 1831, aged thirty years.
DIED. In Milton, Mr. Charles Wakeham, aged 30 (Dover Enquirer, March 29, 1831).
Daniel Wentworth headed a Milton household at the time of the Sixth (1840) Federal Census. His household included one male aged 50-59 years [himself], one female aged 40-49 years [Mary (Cowell) Wentworth], and one male aged under-5 years. Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of James H. Twombly and Hazen Duntley.
Ebenezer Wakeham headed a Milton household at the time of the Sixth (1840) Federal Census. His household included one male aged 40-49 years [himself], one female aged 40-49 years [Mary (Goodwin) Wakeham], two males aged 15-19 years, one male aged 10-14 years, and one male aged 5-9 years. Four members of his household were engaged in Agriculture. Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of Jonathan How and Elias S. Cook.
Daniel Wentworth, a farmer, aged sixty-nine years (b. ME), headed a Milton household at the time of the Seventh (1850) Federal Census. His household included Mary [(Cowell)] Wentworth, aged fifty-four years (b. ME), and George Wentworth, aged thirteen years (b. NH). Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of Joshua Jones, a farmer, aged sixty-one years (b. NH), and Asa T. Waler, a farmer, aged forty-five years (b. NH).
Simeon S. Wakeham, a shoemaker, aged twenty-two years (b. NH), headed a Milton household at the time of the Seventh (1850) Federal Census. His household included Ebenezer Wakeham, none, aged fifty-two years (b. NH), Mary [(Goodwin)] Wakeham, aged fifty years (b. NH), James H. Wakeham, a shoemaker, aged seventeen years (b. NH), and Samuel P. Deland, a shoemaker, aged sixteen years (b. NH). Simeon S. Wakeham had real estate valued at $700. Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of Ira F. How, a farmer, aged forty-three years (b. NH), and Joseph B. Wakeham, a shoemaker, aged twenty-six years (b. NH).
Elishu H. Hersom, a carpenter, aged thirty-eight years (b. ME), headed a Milton household at the time of the Seventh (1850) Federal Census. His household included Mary G. [(Ellis)] Hersom, aged thirty-two years (b. NH), George L. Hersom, a shoemaker, aged fifteen years (b. ME), and Polly [(Wentworth)] Wakeham, aged fifty-eight years (b. NH). Elishu H. Hersom had real estate valued at $1,000. Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of Ira Roberts, a carpenter, aged forty years (b. NH), and Betsy Hanscomb, a aged seventy-one years (b. NH).
Mary “Polly” (Wakeham) Goodwin died in Newmarket, NH, December 17, 1854.
Grandson Simeon S. Wakeham died in Milton, March 26, 1859, aged thirty-one years. He was a son of Ebenezer and Mary (Goodwin) Wakeham.
DEATHS. In Milton, March 26th, Simeon S. Wakeham, aged 31 years (Dover Enquirer, April 7, 1859).
Son-in-law Daniel Wentworth died in Milton, in April 1859.
Ebenezer Wakeham, a shoemaker, aged sixty-two years (b. NH), headed a Milton household at the time of the Eighth (1860) Federal Census. His household included Mary [(Goodwin)] Wakeham, aged sixty-one years (b. NH). Ebenezer Wakeham had real estate valued at $200. Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of Mary A. Wakeham, aged thirty-five years (b. NH), and Henry Wakeham, a shoemaker, aged twenty-eight years (b. NH).
E.H. Hersom, a farmer, aged forty-seven years (b. NH), headed a Milton household at the time of the Eighth (1860) Federal Census. His household included Mary [(Ellis)] Hersom, aged forty-two years (b. NH), Charles E. Hersom, aged nine years (b. NH), and Mary [(Wentworth)] Wakeham, aged seventy-one years (b. NH). E.H. Hersom had real estate valued at $1,200 and personal estate valued at $200. Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of B.F. Plumer, a shoemaker, aged twenty-one years (b. NH), and an unoccupied building next to Charles E. Ricker, a shoemaker, aged twenty-seven years (b. NH).
Son Ebenezer Wakeham died of consumption in Milton, October 22, 1860, aged sixty-three years. He was a married farmer.
Daughter-in-law Mary (Goodwin) Wakeham died in Milton, December 5, 1860, aged sixty-two years. She was a widowed farmer.
Grandson James H. Wakeham died in Portsmouth, VA, September 5, 1863, aged thirty-one years.
DEATHS. At Portsmouth, Va., 5th inst., James Henry Wakeham, 31. He belonged in Milton and was an excellent soldier of our 13th Regt. (Dover Enquirer, October 1, 1863).
Son-in-law James Goodwin died June 23, 1869.
Elihu H. Hersam, a carpenter, aged fifty-six years (b. ME), headed a Dover, NH, household at the time of he Ninth (1870) Federal Census. His household included Mary G. [(Ellis)] Hersam, keeping house, aged fifty-one years (b. NH), Charles E. Hersam, at school. aged eighteen years (b. NH), and Mary [(Wentworth) Wakeham, aged eighty-one years (b. NH). Elihu H. Hersam had real estate valued at $1,000 and personal estate valued at $400. Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of Charles C. Ricker, works for shoe factory, aged thirty-six years (b. NH), and John H. Glidden, a shoe finisher, aged forty-four years (b. NH).
Daughter-in-law Mary (Wentworth) Wakeham died in Dover, NH, November 25, 1874
References:
Stackpole, Everett S., and Thompson, Lucien. (1914?). History of the Town of Durham, New Hampshire (Oyster River Plantation).
Milton Observer 