Elisha Dunham was born in Piscataway, Middlesex County New Jersey
16 August 1720. He married Sarah (unknown). Elisha and Sarah had 3 or 4 children: Jacob, Jehu, possibly Ephraim, Sarah.

While Elisha Dunham was a soldier during the revolutionary war, he was eyewitness to a military crime. His testimony is a part of a military trial and General Court-Martial of a Major Austin, Philipsburg, November 12, 1776.

The Major, who threw a Tory (loyal to the British Crown) family out of their home and burned their residence, was charged with wanton, cruel, barbarous treatment of helpless women and children.

Elisha testified that while “he was on guard, and stood as sentinel at the time the houses were burning, which was at about one hundred rods distance from him; that he heard the crying of women and children as he thought.”

(American Archives Series 5, Volume 3, Page 0654, Date Composed: 1776-11-12 American Archives, Documents of the American Revolution 1774-1776 Produced by Northern Illinois University Libraries.)

Elisha’s death date is unknown.