Philip Sherman, Honorable
Philip Sherman (7), 1610-1687
Sarah Odding (7), 1610-16811610. Philip Sherman was born and baptized February 5th, 1610 in Dedham Essex County England, he was named after his mother Phillippa Sherman.
1633. Philip Sherman joined the great Puritan migration to the Massachusetts Bay Colony when he was in his early twenties. He settled near Boston in Roxbury in Suffolk County. He was a member of the Congregational Church. The established church in 1600 & 1700s, which was supported by township taxes, and the township buildings were used for both government and church functions. There were about 20,000 English who migrated to the New England Puritan colonies between 1630-1640. Philip became a Quaker later in Rhode Island.
1633. Records from the Church of Christ at Roxborough MA indicated: "Philip Sherman came into the land in 1633, a single man. The man was of melancholy temper. He lived honestly an comfortably among us several years.
1634. Philip Sherman married Sarah Odding in Roxbury MA in Suffolk County. Sarah was the daughter of George Odding and Margaet Lang (Odding) (Porter), Sarah Odding was the daughter of the of the wife of John Porter by a Former husband.
1634. Philip was made a freeman on May 14th. In Massachuset being a freeman meant common ownership in the town lands and the right to vote. Later it meant just the right to vote. A person had to apply, and have the approval of the governing body. In 1746 all freeman were required to take an oath against bribery and corruption.
1635. Philip Sherman returned to England for about a year, with the blessing of the church. To urge other of the Sherman relatives to come to America.
1637. The Anne Hutchinson Affair. Philip took the popular side with the Boston Puritan leaders Mr Wheelright and Mrs Anne Hutchinson, on church issues and procedures. Governor Winthrop took the opposite side, and after Anne Hutchinson defied the Governor she was put on trail, and was sentenced to banishment from the Church and the Colony of MA. Philip Sherman, after his father-in-law John Porter was so carried away with the opinions of familism and scims, he followed them and removed with them to the (Rhode) Island. He behaved himself sinfully in these matters... and was cast out by the Church.
1637. November 20th, followers of Anne Hutchinson, including Philip Sherman, were ordered by the court to give up their arms including guns, pistols, swords, powder, shot or match. In order to prevent armed opposition.
Anne Hutchinson was brought to trail for having broken the Fifth Commandment (Honor thy father and thy mother...) By bring reproach upon "the fathers of the commonwealth" On November 2, 1637 Anne Hutchinson was convicted and sentenced to banishment "as being a woman not fit for our society." Several of Mrs Hutchinson's followers, including Philip Sherman, saw fit under the circumstances, to follow her to the Providence of Rhode Island, where religious freedom existed.
xxxx. Philip had intended to settle in New Hampshire, but concluded the climate was too severe and the lands there were abandoned.
xxxx. An old saying about those who left Massachusetts colony was that, "if you were too good to stay you went to Connecticut, but if you were not good enough to stay you went to Rhode Island.
1638. One of the first settlers in RI was Roger Williams in 1636. He bought land from the Indians, and settled in Providence, then called Seekonk, Roger Williams was banished from MA Colony the previous year for similar reasons as Philip was. The group Philip was with was advised by Roger Williams to purchase the island of Aquetnet, also called Aquidneck, from the Indians. The island is in Narragansett Bay.
1638. March 7th Philip Sherman and others signed the "Bodie Politick," which was "the articles of incorporation" of the group who purchased the island. This was also known as "The Portsmouth Compact." On March 24th the purchase of the island from the Indians was completed. The town of Portsmouth, then called Pocasset, was established first and then Newport was established in 1639.
1638. March 12th, a summons was issued in MA for Philip Sherman's appearance in court. Although he had a license to depart and had already removed to RI, he was still formally banished from MA.
1638. May 13th, Philip Sherman attended the first Portsmouth town meeting.
1639. July 1st, a regular government was established for the colony of RI. Mr Wm Coddington was chosen as the first Governor and Philip Sherman as the first Secretary.
1640. Philip Sherman and four others were chosen to lay out lands.
1641. March 16th, Philip Sherman was made a freeman.
1644. The name of the island changed in 1644 to "The Isle of Rhodes," the island from which the State of Rhode Island derived its name.
1644-57. Philip Sherman was chosen "Towne Clerke" of Portsmouth. Records started in 1639 were kept by another person. Philip started keeping records on Dec 223, 1644. There is no record of anyone being chosen to the position of clerk until Philip was chosen on June 2, 1649. The early records, prepared by Philip Sherman, still remain in Portsmouth, and shows him to have been very neat and expert penman, as well as an educated man.
1648-52. Philip Sherman was general recorder for the Colony of RI.
1648-72. Philip Sherman was Surveyor of Cattle for Portsmouth, two times.
1650-51. Philip Sherman was town recorder of Portsmouth.
1650-73. Philip Sherman was member of the Portsmouth "Towne Council" seven times.
1651-84. Philip Sherman was Tax Assessor thirteen times for the town of Portsmouth.
1656. Philip Sherman was Magistrate for the town of Portsmouth.
1656-67. Philip Sherman was Deputy to General Court (Assembly) of the Colony of RI three times.
1556-68. Philip Sherman was Town Auditor of Portsmouth three times.
1660. Philip Sherman was grand Juror at the RI Colony's General Court of Trails.
1675-6. King Philips War. King Philip was chief of the Wampanoag Indians, and was the son of Marsosoit from whom the Island of Rhode was purchased from. He rebelled against the English. He raided and burned settlements and towns, and many colonist were slain. The first attacks were about Narragassett Bay, then they spread throughout the New England Colonies. The Indians were subdued. The end of the war resulted in virtual end of tribal Indian Life in southern New England, and the end of the fur trade.
1676. April 14th Philip Sherman was one of the sixteen men, the most judicious inhabitants whose advice and concurrences was requested, by the Colony of RI and the Providence Plantations, to be a member of the Council for King Philip's War.
1679. April 23rd Philip Sherman became tax assessor for Portsmouth.
1681. Philip prepared his will.
1681. Sarah Odding (Sherman) died at Portsmouth RI.
1683. April 4th Philip Sherman was chosen to lay out a highway.
1684-5. Philip Sherman was a member of Committee of Adjudication.
1686. March, Philip Sherman died at Portsmouth RI, in Newport County. He was immensely wealthy as a planter, as a live stock owner, and as owner of hundreds of acres.
1686/7. March 22nd Philip Sherman's will proved: No records of an inventory in his estate records.
xxxx. On the geography of RI, Philip is remembered only in he fact that a pond in the Narragansett county is named Sherman Pond.
xxxx. Philip Sherman, Secy. of RI Colony, used arms: "On a Shield (Silver) a Lion rampart (legs elevated) sable (black lion), between three oak leaves (forest green) vertical. Motto under the shield was Virtute Vincere (conquer death by bravery). This shield was granted to the Shermans of Yaxley in County Suffolk in England by King Henry VII. Of many related Shermans of this emigrant generation who must have used their arms, Philip is the only one noted.
S V Talcott's Genealogical Notes of NY & New England Families, p680)
HTML Version Photographs relating to Philip Sherman Thirteen children of Philip and Sarah Sherman 1. Eber Sherman (8), 1634-1706 2. Sarah Sherman (8), born October 1636 in Roxbury MA, married in 1655 to Thomas Mumford of Kingston RI, she died 1687/92, 4 children 3. Peleg Sherman (8), born May 1638 in Roxbury MA, married July 26, 1657 to Elizabeth Lawton. He died 1719 in Kingston RI. 4. Mary Sherman (8), born November 1639, died young. 5. Edmund Sherman (8), born April 1641, married Docas Hicks, he died 1719. 6. Samson Sherman (8), born April 1642, married March 4, 1675 to Isabel Tripp, he died January 1718 7. William Sherman (8), born 1643, died 1646 8. John Sherman (8), 1644-1734 (lineage) 9. Mary Sherman (8), born 1645, married Samuel Shadrick Wilbur. 10. Hannah Sherman (8), born 1647, married William Chase 11. Samuel Sherman (8), born 1648, married February 23, 1680/1 to Martha Tripp. He died 1717. 12. Benjamin Sherman (8), born 16xx, married December 3, 1674 to Hannah Mowry. 13. Philippa Sherman (8), born October 1, 1652, married Benjamin Chase.
