Person:Roger Deering (2)

Source:Stackpole, Everett Schermerhorn. Old Kittery and Her Families, p. 338 suggests that Roger's father was the "Roger Dearing" that bought Nonsuch Farm, and that this Roger's first wife was "Sarah Scammon(?)". He also gave Roger a son William and "probably" Humphrey. These facts are still seen on many Internet websites, and all of them are wrong.

Regarding the children, the will of Roger in 1741 does not mention either. Both were alive at the time. Additionally, William named a son "John Bray Deering" which makes an alternative identification of his parents as Joseph Deering and Mary Bray more likely. Humphrey Deering was a selectman of Arundel in 1719 which suggests his birth was sometime bef. 1700, and his will of 1747 describes himself as "now far advanced in Years", so he was probably too old to be a child of Roger.

In Source:York, Maine, United States. York Deeds, vol. 14, p. 582-6, the deed names the wife of the Roger Dearing who bought the farm as Sarah, a granddaughter of Robert Jordan. This shows that it was the younger Roger Dearing who bought Nonsuch Farm (i.e., not the older Roger Dearing, whose wife was Mary).

This same deed rules out that his wife was Sarah Scammon as well. Humphrey Scammon Jr. married Elizabeth Jordan. This Elizabeth was listed in the deed as a granddaughter of Robert Jordan herself, so any of their children would not be grandchildren, but great-grandchildren. In any event, Humphrey Jr.'s daughter Sarah married Joseph Hanson, and Humphrey Sr. was not known to have a daughter named Sarah. (See, for example Source:Putnam, Eben. Putnam's Monthly Historical Magazine, p. 1:121. Note: even Stackpole does not show any Sarah in the family of Humphrey Sr., and also shows the daughter of Humphrey Jr. marrying Joseph Hanson.)

Source:Coleman, Emma L. New England Captives Carried to Canada between 1677 and 1760, during the French and Indian Wars, p. 2:147, describes the incident where Roger's first wife was killed in an Indian raid, and identifies her as Sarah, d/o Dominicus Jordan. Besides the fact that this references the deposition of one of the captives after he was returned, this fits well with the above deed. Sarah would have inherited a share of Nonsuch Farm, but her husband bought out all the other heirs to own the whole thing.

1. ↑ Sargent, William M. (William Mitchell), and Maine) Maine Historical Society (Portland. Maine Wills, 1640-1760. (Portland, Me.: Brown Thurston, 1887)
   434.

   Will of "Roger Dearing Esq'r of Scarborough" dated 3 Nov 1741, proved 12 Jan 1741[/42], lists beloved wife Eliz'a Dearing [sole executrix], but no children. Also leaves gifts to the Church of Scarborough and to "the Religious industrious poor" at the discretion of his executrix.

2. ↑ The estimated birth date of abt. 1678 is taken from Descendants of Roger Deering which seems to have done a fairly thorough job of surveying sources.