Early Life and Family Background

Job Bonney was born around 1712 in Pembroke, Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay Colony. He was the son of James Bonney (1672-1723) and Abigail Bishop (1675-1714), making him a grandson of Thomas "Goodman" Bonney, the first of the Bonney family in America. Job was one of nine children born to James and Abigail, including his siblings James (1696-1728), Elisha (1698-1776), Sarah (1700-), Abigail (1702-), David (1704-1724), Ebenezer (1706-1763), Abiah (1712-), and Elijah (1713-).

Job was christened on April 26, 1713, in Pembroke. Easter that year fell on April 16, placing his christening shortly after the Easter celebration. The timing suggests he was likely born in late 1712 or early 1713, which aligns with the estimated birth year of 1712.

Orphanhood and Guardianship

Job's father, James Bonney, died in 1726, when Job was approximately 14 years old. Since his mother Abigail had already died in 1714, Job was orphaned at a young age. Following his father's death, Job was placed under the guardianship of Nehemiah Cushing, along with his siblings Elijah and Abiah (recorded as "Abier" in the documents).

The guardianship records specifically noted that Job was a minor under the age of 21 at the time of his father's death in 1726. This means he must have been born after 1705, which is consistent with the estimated birth year of 1712. The appointment of a guardian was a common practice in colonial America to ensure the welfare and management of property for orphaned minors.

Marriage and Family

On May 9, 1733, Job Bonney married Ruth Bisbee in Pembroke, Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay Colony. Ruth was born in 1715, making her approximately 18 years old at the time of their marriage, while Job was about 21. The marriage occurred in Pembroke, where Job had been born and raised, continuing the family's presence in the region.

Job and Ruth had twelve children, establishing a large family that would continue the Bonney line:

• Jethro Bonney (1735-1824), who lived to the age of 89
• Jonathan Bonney (1737-1756), who died at the age of 19
• Benjamin Bonney (1738-)
• Levi Bonney Jr. (1743-1824), who lived to the age of 81
• Mary Bonney (1741-)
• Ruth Bonney (1745-1809), named after her mother
• Elizabeth Bonney (1747-)
• Job Bonney Jr. (1750-1801), named after his father
• Luke Bonney (1752-1807), who would become a delegate to the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention
• Charles Bonney (1752-), twin brother of Luke
• Mercy Bonney (1754-)

The large family reflects the typical pattern of colonial families, where children were valued for labor and the continuation of the family line. Notably, Job and Ruth had twin sons, Luke and Charles, both born in 1752. Luke would go on to become a significant figure in American history as a delegate to the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention.

Life in Colonial Massachusetts

Job Bonney lived during a period of significant development in colonial Massachusetts. When he was born around 1712, the Province of Massachusetts Bay had been established for over two decades, following the merger of the Plymouth Colony and Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1691. The region was experiencing growth and expansion, with new communities being established and existing ones growing.

Pembroke, where Job lived throughout his life, had been incorporated in 1712, the same year as his estimated birth. The town was established from parts of Duxbury and Marshfield, reflecting the continued expansion of settlement in the region. The Bonney family's presence in Pembroke demonstrates their continued connection to the Plymouth Colony region, where their ancestor Thomas Bonney had first settled in 1634.

Family Connections and Legacy

Job Bonney represents an important link in the Bonney family genealogy. He was the son of James Bonney, grandson of Thomas Bonney (the founding patriarch), and father of Luke Bonney, who would become a delegate to the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention during the Revolutionary War era.

Job's son Luke Bonney would go on to serve as a delegate to the convention that formed the Massachusetts State Constitution (1779-1780), the oldest functioning written constitution in the world. Luke also served as Clerk of the Baptist Church in Chesterfield, Massachusetts, and was described in his obituary as "highly respected, and beloved, as a parent, husband and neighbor."

Other notable children of Job and Ruth include Jethro Bonney (1735-1824), who lived to see the American Revolution and the early years of the republic, and Levi Bonney Jr. (1743-1824), who also lived into the 19th century. The longevity of several of Job's children suggests a family that thrived in colonial Massachusetts.

Historical Context

Job Bonney's life spanned the period from the early 18th century through the pre-Revolutionary era. When he was born around 1712, the colonies were still under British rule, though they were developing their own institutions and identity. By the time his children were born in the 1730s and 1750s, tensions between the colonies and Great Britain were beginning to emerge, leading eventually to the American Revolution.

Job's son Luke Bonney, born in 1752, would come of age during the Revolutionary War and participate in the formation of the Massachusetts Constitution, one of the foundational documents of American democracy. This represents a significant progression from Job's grandfather Thomas Bonney, who had emigrated from England in 1634, through Job's generation, to Luke's participation in the creation of American governmental institutions.

The Bonney family's continued presence in the Plymouth Colony region through multiple generations demonstrates the successful establishment and growth of the family in colonial America. Job Bonney's life, spanning from the early 18th century, represents the third generation of the Bonney family in America, building on the foundation established by his ancestors and contributing to the family's legacy in the region.

Sources: Missouri Bonney Family Genealogy by Gregory N. Bonney; Massachusetts vital records; Plymouth County probate and guardianship records.