Jerry Nicholas Roscom, a flamboyant American who co-owned the prewar Davao Trading and Development Company, a plantation in Kibulan, Santa Maria, Davao Occidental, was a certified playboy, sowing wild oats outside of wedlock. His corporate partner was J. N. Carrigan, also an American.
In the Roscom family tradition, he was known to be an indefatigable worker, crediting with so many achievements yet to be fully appreciated. Among the claims are the development of the village of Jericho (Jerico), now barangay Agdao, the opening of the first movie house, ownership of the first horse-drawn carriage, and the introduction of the carousel. There are no accounts, however, in extant records that confirm the ‘town’ of Jericho.
In Brokenshire-born John Russel Frank’s On the Road Home: An American Journey (2010), Roscom is described as “a planter in the islands for forty-two years and originally from Mexico, Missouri, [who] was married to a Filipino who was free and living at home.”
Going by the blogs of his descendants, Jerry Sr. was the son of Henry Roscom of Slater, Missouri, USA. He had a daughter named Martha and a granddaughter by the name of Josephine, both interred at the Davao American Veterans and Masonic Cemetery.
Jerry Sr. had two sisters, Carrie and Nora, while Henry, the father, had a sister named Nealy, who was married to Sam W. Fisher.
Jerry’s granddaughter once wrote in her blog that Roscom only took care of his ‘original’ children (George, Paul Andrew, Jerry Jr., Thomas, and Carmen), while the illegitimate ones were ‘abandoned.’ But this claim is outside another assertion saying Jerry had another daughter outside of the three children mentioned, and had kids from other women, two of whom were Luther (still alive in 2016 at age 91) and Daniel. Jerry Jr. was married to Julia Sanchez.
In family lore, the late planter was actually a prolific progenitor given his wealth, personality, and macho features.
Joan Roscom Ferolino, Jerry’s granddaughter, related her father, Paul Andrew, married in Davao and had eight children. When he became a widower, he married Lena Calub, with whom he had three more kids (Jerry, Sheyla and James). Her family also carries the tradition that Jerry Jr. once lived in Reno, Nevada, before moving to Pensacola, Florida, where he died in 1985.
Overall, Paul had 14 children, namely: Sylvia, Ethel, and Nicholas (Pensacola, Florida); Joseph (California); Jusoph, Fernando, Haradji, Harold, and Marathol (Reno, Nevada); Belen and Paul Andrew Jr. (Philippines); and the late Hoover and Bryant. Presumably, he had also illegitimate children.
To quantify the extent of the Roscom clan in Padada, Davao del Sur, they even have a place known as Roscom Village. Some of Jerry Nicholas’ kin are already into construction and other diversified interests.
During the war, the Roscoms (the original), like many other families of expatriates living in Davao City, became prisoners of war, first at Davao Penal Colony and later at the University of Santo Tomas where Jerry Sr. was listed as 63 years old.
Elsewhere, J. N. Roscom, on July 2, 1913, was accused by a certain Casimiro del Campo before the Court of First Instance (CFI) in the municipality of Davao for attempted homicide, which resulted in his arrest. Upon arraignment, he did not plead guilty.
In the preliminary assessment, the justice of the peace found probable cause that Roscom was guilty. Following this, James R. Marlott, the acting prosecuting attorney of the Moro Province, presented a case (United States vs. Roscom) on September 3, 1912 against Roscom before Hon. Charles A. Low, but the judge found the evidence was insufficient to show the defendant was guilty of the crime charged.
Instead, the court ordered Casimiro del Campo and his son, Jose del Campo, be charged with the crime of false accusation, which resulted in the arrest of the two accused. In the end, the judge found the duo guilty as charged and sentenced to an imprisonment of two years four months and one day of prision correccional, and each to pay one-half the costs.
Casimiro is the son of Don Jose Maria del Campo, the Spanish governor of Davao (1867-69) whose father was Don Antonio del Campo, the Spanish governor-general of the Philippines.
The case, docketed as G.R. No. L-8306, was later elevated to the Supreme Court, coming out with a decision on November 3, 1913. The accused presented witnesses to rebut claims Roscom did not directly fire at the tandem. For the petitioner, his witnesses asserted Roscom fired four shots but “there were no other persons on the beach with him.”
Pressed for more comment, Casimiro “testified that he had presented the complaint before the justice of the peace upon information given him by his son and after he had consulted with the governor of the province. He declared that he had presented the complaint in good faith and without any malice whatever, believing that his son had told him the exact the truth.”
In view of this, the high tribunal ruled: “It not being made to appear, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the defendants knew that the accusation or complaint which they had presented was false, we are of the opinion that the sentence of the lower court should be, and it is hereby reversed, with costs de oficio.”
An interesting aspect of the case was the revelation that Casimiro’s daughter, Flora, was the paramour or querida of Roscom, which created animosity between the family of the accused and the petitioner. This, in a way, confirmed the colorful lifestyle of the American planter.
