Of all the Shaws who settled in New England before 1650, our Roger Shaw is the earliest, if he was in New England as early as 1630, as claimed. The Register of St. Peter's Church, Cornhill, London, has the following entry: "1594, September 1st, Sunday. Christening of Roger Shaw, sonne of Ralph Shaw, Vintnor, at the sunne on Conhill, born 26th of August." Our Roger Shaw was a vintnor and keeper of an ordinary in America. The similarity of occupation and the date of the Christening tend to suggest that the above Ralph Shaw was the father of our immigrant ancestor, Roger Shaw, but of course it is not proven, and, in fact, is widely dismissed.

Baptism records from the Gawsworth Parish Registers in Cheshire suggest Roger Shaw was from that area of England. Those records list baptisms for Margaret, Mary, Ann, and Joseph, all children of Roger Shaw (no mother listed).

Roger first settled in Cambridge, was in attendance on the general court in 1636, was made a freeman on 14 March 1638/9 having bought 100 acres of land and built a house on Arrow Street. He served the jury in 1639, was town clerk in 1640, and was selectman in 1641-1645.

In 1639, Roger was one of the petitioners for the incorporation of Hampton, NH, and, in 1640, bought land there of John Crosse. Around 1647, he sold his property in Cambridge and, on 15 November 1647, bought a house and land in Hampton, NH. After moving there, he received some grants from the town, bought other tracts of land, and became a large landholder. He was a selectman in 1647, and both a selectman and a constable in 1654; a commissioner for small causes in 1651; and he represented the town in the General Court in 1651, 1652, and 1653. He was chairman of a committee to re-examine the book of town land grants, and to lay out highways in 1658.

Roger's will, dated 25 August 1660, codicil 20 March 1660/1, names two sons, Joseph and Benjamin, four daughters, Margaret Ward, Ann Fogg, Hester, and Mary, and Daniel Tilton, son of his second wife.

Roger and his wife Anne Shaw had at seven children:

• Margaret, bpt. Gawsworth, Cheshire, England 4 July 1626; m. Thomas Ward.
• Mary, bpt. Gawsworth, Cheshire, England 8 Nov 1629; d. Cambridge, MA 26 Jan 1639/40.
• Ann, bpt. Gawsworth, Cheshire, England 22 April 1632; d. Hampton, NH 9 Dec 1663; m. Samuel Fogg 2 Dec. 1652.
• Joseph, bpt. Gawsworth, Cheshire, England 12 Nov 1635; d. Hampton, NH 8 Nov 1720; m. Elizabeth Partridge, daughter of William and Ann (Spicer) Partridge.
• Hesther (Esther), b. in Cambridge, MA, June 1638; d. after 25 Aug 1660.
• Benjamin, b. Cambridge, MA July 1641; d. Hampton, NH 31 Dec 1717; m. Esther Richardson in Hampton, NH 25 May 1663.
• Mary, b. Cambridge, MA, 29 Sept. 1645; m. Thomas Parker.