Person:Judith Unknown (21)

Who was Judith, wife of John Rogers?

Theory #1: French

In the book, "The Ancestry of Eva Belle Kempton 1878-1908/Part 1 The Ancestry of Warren Francis Kempton 1817-1879" by Dean Crawford Smith, it reads:

Deacon John Rogers, linen weaver, born say 1610; died Weymouth, MA 11 Febraury 1660; married Judith (___), living 30 April 1660 when her husband's will was proved (Suffolk Probate #264). It has been suggested that Judith was the Judith French, age 20, who embarked for New England at Weymouth 20 March 1635/36 with Joseph Huss, minister of Somerset, in whose family she was a servant (Hotten's Lists, 285). If this is the case, then John Rogers must have met and married her in a very short time after his arrival in New England. No independent evidence supports this identification.

When John and Judith's eldest daughter, Mary, took administration on her late husband John Rane's estate, she was joined by her brother John Rogers, and Stephen French, of Weymouth, as surety. The involvement of Stephen French has fuelled speculation that Judith was a French.

Speculation from The Great Migration Begins and The Ancestry of Eva Belle Kempton, summarized by Janet Bjorndahl:

It has been suggested that Stephen French, Jacob French, Mary (French) Randall and possibly Judith (____) Rogers of Weymouth, Massachusetts were the children of Richard French of Misterton, Somerset, England. Records, including the wills of Stephen and Jacob, imply that at least the first three were siblings, half-siblings or otherwise closely related. Given that their names are the same as the names of four of Richard French's children baptized in Misterton, it seems a reasonable speculation that the four in Weymouth may have been the children of Richard French of Misterton.

According to The Great Migration Begins, another possible sibling is Margaret (____) Sales, wife of Edward Sales, although it seems more likely that it was Edward's third wife (name unknown) who was a sibling (given that the reference in Stephen French's will was made in 1678/9, long after Edward's first wife Margaret had been banished). If John Rogers' wife Judith was one of the siblings, it is possible that she was also Edward's third wife, since she was widowed in 1660/1 and Edward's second wife died in 1664.

However, the identification of John Rogers' wife Judith with Judith French, daughter of Richard French of Misterton is a bit problematic. Part of the basis for the speculation that Judith (____) Rogers was a French is that there was a Judith French who immigrated to New England as a servant in the family of Rev. Joseph Huss, minister of Somerset, in 1635/36. This Judith's age was given as 20 in 1635/6. Richard's daughter Judith was baptized 1605/6 and therefore would have been 10 years too old to be the Judith French who immigrated, unless there was an error in the age of the immigrant. It is, of course, possible that the Judith French who was baptized 1605/6 died and a younger sister was given the same name, but there appears to be no record of this, and a younger sister would have had to be a twin of Jacob French (baptized Aug 1615) in order to be 20 in 1635/6.

Theory #2: King

The only reference to the "King" family is with John Rogers of Marshfield. His son John Rogers Jr, married Rhoda King. In searching the records in searching "History of Weymouth, Massachusetts Weymouth, Mass.: Weymouth Historical Society, under direction of the town, 1923, 1845 pgs." in the family genealogy section under the King Family there is no mention of a Judith King. In the same publication one can find Stephen French with a sister Mary Randall and sons Stephen and Josiah. Again no mention of a Judith.

Therefore, there is no confirmation of Judith's last name.

In "The John Rogers families in Plymouth and vicinity " Page 8, It says Judith is probably John Rogers 2nd wife. Then his son John Rogers marries Mary Bates who dies Bef. 22 Oct 1683, then John Rogers jr marries a Judith. "it is probable that she was the daughter of his stepmother" Page 9.

Sources to Review

• Savage, James. Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England
• Drummond, Josiah H. The John Rogers Families in Plymouth and Vicinity. Read before Maine Historical Society, Dec. 19, 1895; 26 pp.

Page: pp. 7-9

• Chamberlain, George. History of Weymouth

Individuals Researching this Family

• Earl Sgarzi <evsinfla@@yahoo.com>
• Jillaine Smith <jillainedc@@yahoo.com>
• <pi3rk4@@verizon.net>
• <DRW1041@@aol.com>
• <JeffreyW39@@aol.com>

1. ↑ Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States. Suffolk County Wills
   31:375.

   Will of Deacon John Rogers, dated "8: 12: 1660"

2. ↑ Smith, Dean Crawford, and Melinde Lutz Sanborn. The Ancestry of Eva Belle Kempton 1878-1908. (Boston, Massachusetts: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1996-2008)
   1:399, 401, 402.

   p. 339: 'Deacon JOHN ROGERS ... died Weymouth, MA 11 February 1660[/1] (WVR 2:334); married JUDITH (___), living 30 April 1660 when her husband's will was proved (Suffolk Probate #264).'
   p. 401: 'The last Will and Testament of Deacon John Rogers this 8:12:mo:1660 ...'
   p. 402: '(Proved 30 April 1660 [sic], Suffolk Probate #264)
   20:12:1660
   A True Invoice of the Estate of Deacon John Rogers Lately Deaseased ...'

   NOTE: It would appear that there is an error in the date the will was proved - it must have been 30 April 1661, based on the other dates (will written 8 Feb 1660[/1], death 11 Feb 1660[/1], inventory of estate 20 Feb 1660[/1]).

3.   Anderson, Robert Charles. The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633. (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995)
   1:702, entry for Stephen French.

   'BIRTH: Possibly the Stephen French baptized at Misterton, Somersetshire, 26 December 1600.'
   
   'ASSOCIATIONS: On 29 July 1669 administration on the estate of Jacob French went to Stephen French, Sr., "on behalf of himself and his sisters" [SPR Case #500]. This Jacob French of Weymouth, who died 12 April 1669 ... was certainly a brother to Stephen French, Sr. Stephen mentioned "my sister Mary Randol" in his will, and "my brother Searle" as well. Mary was likely the second wife of Robert Randall of Weymouth. "Brother Searle" was almost certainly Edward Sales of Weymouth. ... Edward Sales's wife was Margaret _____. This family strongly resembles that of Richard French of Misterton, Somersetshire, who had (among others) Steven and Margerie with his first wife, and Mary and Joseph [sic - should this be Jacob? - JB] with his second. None of these children is mentioned in the 1638 will of their father [Abstract of Taunton Archdeaconry Court Wills, by H. R. Phipps, 1937].'

4.   Smith, Dean Crawford, and Melinde Lutz Sanborn. The Ancestry of Eva Belle Kempton 1878-1908. (Boston, Massachusetts: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1996-2008)
   1:399.

   'Deacon JOHN ROGERS, linen weaver, born say 1610; died Weymouth, MA 11 February 1660[/1] (WVR 2:334); married JUDITH (_____), ...'

5.   Spear, Burton W. Search for the passengers of the Mary & John, 1630. (Toledo, Ohio: B.W. Spear, c1985-)
   25:32, 1996.

   Judith French bp 2 Feb 1605/6 Misterton. She m. Dea. John Rogers, who d. 11 Feb 1660/1 Weymouth, MA. She came as a servant of Rev. Joseph Hull of Crewkerne, Somerset (adjacent to Misterton), aged 20 (actually she was 29 and a 0 and a 9 look a lot like), in 1635. This shows that the French family was close to the Puritans in Crewkerne. (published 1996)

6. ↑ Birth year estimated based on estimated birth year of son John (1638) and estimated birth year of husband (1610), and rounded to nearest 5.