James Shearman

James married Penelope Franklin 8 Sep 1748, Jamestown, RI. Penelope (daughter of Abel Franklin and Sarah Remington) was born 26 Jul 1730, Jamestown, RI; died 1752. [Group Sheet]

1. Abiel Shearman died 8 Oct 1788.

James married Hannah Fry 1755. Hannah was born Abt 1730. [Group Sheet]

1. Thomas Shearman was born 25 Dec 1755; died 10 Sep 1799.
2. Penelope Shearman was born 27 Jan 1758.
3. Dorcas Shearman was born 24 Jul 1760.
4. Hannah Shearman was born 23 Jan 1763; died 19 Nov 1836.
5. Sarah Shearman was born 11 Mar 1764; died 10 Sep 1791.
6. James Shearman was born 5 May 1765; died 15 May 1832.
7. John R. Shearman was born 11 Mar 1766; died 17 Jul 1848.

Abiel married Dorcas Gardner 20 Oct 1712. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Philip emigrated to New England in 1633 or 1634, first settling in Roxbury, MA, near Boston. Being involved in some of the religious controversy in Massachusetts Bay Colony at the time, he and others went south to Providence Plantations, where Roger Williams advised them to purchase Aquidneck Island (Rhode Island) from the Indians. This purchase was completed on 24 March 1638. Their government was established in July 1638, with William Coddington chosen as governor, and Philip Shearman secretary.

Thus, he was the first Secretary (or General Recorder) of the Colony of Rhode Island. The early records, still at Portsmouth, show Philip to have been a very neat and expert writer.

In Rhode Island, Philip joined the Society of Friends (Quakers). He was know for being a devout but determined man. (see "The Sherman Family" by Rev. David Sherman, p. 189)

The Portsmouth Society of Friends was founded in 1658. The present meeting house was completed in 1700. Now known as the Portsmouth Evangelical Friends Church, it is the oldest active Friends' Church in the country.

Some genealogies have the following ancestry for Philip Shearman:
parents -- Samuel & Philippa (Ward) Shearman, of Dedham, Essex, England
grandparents -- Henry & Susan (Hills or Lawrence) Shearman, of Dedham, Essex, England
gr-grandparents -- Henry & Agnes (Butler) Shearman, of Yaxley, Suffolk, England
gr-gr-grandparents -- Thomas & Jane (Waller) Shearman, of Norfolk & Suffolk, England
gr-gr-gr-grandparents -- John & Agnes (Fuller) Shearman, of Suffolk, England

His son Eber may have been born in England. Possibly Philip was already married when he came to America. Philip's will mentions his wife Sarah; sons Eber, Peleg, Edmund, Sampson, Samuel, John, & Benjamin; and daughters Sarah, Mary, Hannah, & Phelep.

Philip married Sarah ODDING Between 1628 and 1634, England or MA. Sarah (daughter of George ODDING and Margaret Unknown) was born 5 Feb 1609/10; died Aft 31 Jul 1681. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

The New England Historical and Genealogical Register Vol 167 p 152 says that Philip and Sarah were married in Roxbury, MA, c 1633.