Godfrey Dearborn is said to have been born in Exeter, County of Devon, England, about 1600. Little, "Genealogical and Family Histories of the State of Maine," p. 769. Another source says he was born in Hannay, and was baptized 24 September 1603, in Willoughby, Lincolnshire, England, son of William and Agnes (Hay) Dearborn. Noyes, Libby, & Davis, "Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and New Hampshire", p. 189. Godfrey Dearborn died in Hampton, NH 4 February 1685/6; married in England, the date of marriage and name of his first wife is not known. His first wife died in Hampton, NH, date unknown, but the town records show that she was living in the early part of 1651 and that she had died before or during 1662. Godfrey married (2) probably in Hampton, NH 25 November 1662 Dorothy Dalton, widow of Philemon Dalton. She probably died before 1696.

Godfrey was a weaver. In 1639, he, along with the Rev. John Wheelwright and his followers, moved from Boston to Exeter, "in the province of New Hampshire, and founded a settlement." Here, he and 34 other persons, signed a social compact, or combination, in 1639, thereby establishing their community. He was elected one of the selectmen of Exeter, NH. His farm is said to have been within the present town of Stratham, NH. In 1644, he received a grant of meadowland "on the second run, beyond Mr. Wheelwright's creek," and in 1645, he, with two others, had a grant of meadow, "at the head of the Great Cove Creek, about six acres, if it be there to be found." About 1648, he moved to Hampton, NH, where he spent the remainder of his life and where he served as a selectman. Here he settled at the West End, so called, on a farm later occupied by his descendants.

Godfrey and his first wife had six children:

• Thomas, bpt. Hannay, England, 1 Nov. 1632; d. Hampton, NH 14 April 1710; m. Hannah Colcord, daughter of Edward Colcord.
• Henry, bpt. Hannay, England, 22 March 1633/4; m. Elizabeth Marrian.
• Esther, place and date of birth unknown; m. Richard Shortridge of Portsmouth, NH.
• daughter, mentioned in her father's will, but not by name.
• Sarah, b. probably in Exeter, NH in 1641; d. 21 Aug. 1714; m. Thomas Mudd or Nudd of Hampton, NH.
• John, b. probably in Exeter, NH, ca. 1642; d. 14 Nov. 1731; m. Mary Ward, daughter of Thomas Ward. They are ancestors of General Henry Dearborn of Revolutionary War fame.

Henry was a child when he came to America with his family, was about six years old when the family moved from Boston, MA to Exeter, NH, and was about fourteen to sixteen years old when the family moved from Exeter to Hampton, NH, where he lived the rest of his life. He was a selectman in Hampton in 1676 and in 1692. He was one of the signers of a petition to the King in 1683, usually called "Weare's petition."

Henry and his wife Elizabeth (Marrian) Dearborn had seven children, all born in Hampton, NH:

• John, b. 10 Oct. 1666; d. 22 Nov. 1750; m. Abigail Batchelder, daughter of Nathaniel Batchelder and his first wife Deborah (Smith) Batchelder. John and Abigail were the grandparents of General Henry Dearborn, who was a physician, a captain at Bunker Hill, and the famous Major General in the American Revolution.
• Samuel, b. 11 Jan. 1670; m. Mercy Batchelder, daughter of Nathaniel Batchelder and his second wife Mary (Carter) Batchelder.
• Elizabeth, b. 13 Dec. 1672; died young.
• Sarah, b. 9 Nov. 1675; m. Philemon Blake.
• Abigail, b. 1679; d. 19 May 1747; m. Samuel Palmer.
• Elizabeth (again), b. 19 Nov. 1681; m. William Sanborn.
• Henry, Jr., b. 28 Oct. 1688; d. 26 April 1756 "fell dead in the road"; m. (1) Hannah Dow; m. (2) Mary Robie, daughter of Samuel and Mary (Page) Robie; m. (3) Esther Fogg, widow of David Fogg.

Samuel settled in Hampton, NH in that part which became North Hampton and was a "pioneer of North Hampton, NH" where he lived, probably, the rest of his life. However, he is named in the charter of Kingston (or Kensington?) NH where his sons settled, but we have not found any record of his living there.

Samuel and his wife Mercy (Batchelder) Dearborn had twelve children, all born in Hampton, NH:

• Mary, b. 23 April 1695; m. John Blake.
• Twins:
  • Mercy, b. 21 Feb. 1697; died young.
  • Mehitable, b. 21 Feb. 1697; m. Thomas Berry.
• Sarah, b. 17 June 1699; m. Edward Tuck.
• Mercy (again), b. 18 Feb. 1702.
• Jeremiah, b. 1 April 1704; m. Sarah Taylor.
• Elizabeth, b. 9 Nov. 1706; d. 30 Nov. 1706.
• Nathaniel, b. 21 Jan. 1710; m. Mary Batchelder.
• Henry, b. 27 Dec. 1712; m. Margaret Sherburne.
• Samuel, Jr., b. 1 Nov. 1715; d. 736.
• Elizabeth (again), b. 11 Oct. 1717; m. Robert Drake.
• Abigail, b. 19 Oct. 1720; m. Abraham Drake.

We do not have any information about this couple other than that, "his house, now gone, was on right side corner across of Dearborn Rd. He gave this place to son Jeremiah." Sawyer, "History of Kensington, NH."

Nathaniel and his wife Mary (Batchelder) Dearborn had ten children, all born probably in Kensington, NH:

• Mercy, b. 1732.
• Samuel, b. 1734.
• Henry, b. 1736.
• Mary, b. 16 Jan. 1740; m. Moses French.
• Nathaniel, Jr., b. 1741.
• Jeremiah, b. 1743.
• Elizabeth, b. 1745.
• Nathan, b. 1746.
• Edward, b. 1749.
• Rebecca, b. 1751.