GENEALOGY OF THE LOWELL L ROGERS FAMILY

Contributed by Gwendolyn Rogers - 14 April, 1966

Courtesy of www.museum.bmi.net

The Rogers name means "ONE WHOSE WORD IS RELIABLE" - The Rogers Coat of Arms Motto:

"NOSTROQUE DEO" means "OURSELVES AND OUR POSSESSIONS TO GOD".

 In the year 1300 Aaron Rogers, a merchant of Rome, Italy, in consequence of religious persecution fled for his life and took p residence in London England.  He was the Great Grandfather of John Rogers who was the first martyr in Queen Mary's reign in England.

 James Rogers the grandson of John Rogers, the martyr, came to America in 1635.  He was a statesman and a baker of no small importance.  He also owned a small farm.  Between 1656 and 1660 he and his wife moved to New London, Conn.  He and his wife joined the church in New London and became prominent in Church affairs.  He was chosen by his townspeople to fill many important positions in church and state, proving more strongly then than it would at the present day, his high character and intelligence, and the esteem in which he was held in the community.  For many years prior to 1666 when he retired, he carried on by far the most extensive foreign and domestic trade of any man in New London.  His real estate holdings were very large.  He owned several acres of land in Great Neck.  This was one of the first grants of land within the Mohegan reservations.

 After being prominent in the community for years, James Rogers was one o his son John's early converts and a member of the church of which John was pastor.  James and his wife were baptized into their son's church in 1676.  For this offense they were summoned before the magistrate.  Throughout the rest of his life he was subjected to fines and imprisonment for non-conformity to the rules of the established church.  Being a man of unimpeachable integrity and adhering rigidly to his convictions of right and duty, regardless of sacrifice, he transmitted these traits of character to his children and they in turn to their descendants.

 James Roger I was born about 1615 and died in 1687 in New London, Conn. He had 5 sons and 2 daughters.  I will tell you about one of his sons.

 JOHN ROGERS, son of James Rogers.  John Rogers and his wife were zealous members of the Congregational Church (under the "Halfway Covenant") until 1674 when he was converted and study the Bible with great earnestness.  He came to the conclusion that certain doctrines and customs of the Congregational Church had no scriptural origin.  He was baptized by immersion late in 1674 and was soon after received into the Seventh Day Adventist Church of New Port, R.I.

His wife first agreed with him, and then opposed him and got a divorce on grounds o something he had done before he ever married her.

 In 1675 he became a pastor of the Baptist Church.  Believing that according to scriptures, Christian should be answerable to God alone and be guided by his word as revealed in the New Testament, the Rogers paid no attention to the Ecclesial Laws.  As a consequence they were heavily fined, imprisoned and otherwise punished.  He was fined for baptism by immersion.

 Conscientious and resolute opposition to the Union and State was the characteristic of this sect and was continued for a hundred years, until that Union was practically dissolved.  He wrote many books of able character.  He possessed a superior literary talent.  He was born Dec. 1, 1648 in Milford, Conn.; died October 17, 1721 in New London, Conn.  He also had a large land estate.  He disposed of most of it during his lifetime in gifts.

 Daniel Rogers, a nephew of John Rogers, also farmed.  At the age of 95 he could do a full days mowing in the meadow with a scythe. He lived to be 105 years old.

1. All down through the generations, the Rogers family have been interested in farming.  There have been a few lawyers, a Doctor or two, and merchants, but usually they had a farm also. A great many of them married sea captains' daughters etc., and so a great number down through the generations were interested in the merchant marines.

2. But all through they have been quite religious and have given generously to their Church and worked for it.
3. There has been quite a number of authors.
4. They haven't been a family who have moved all over. James Rogers I settled in New London, Conn., and most all of the descendants have been born close around there for six generation from 1600 to 1800. Jedediah (5) Rogers, Born Sept. 7, 1775 in Norwich, Conn, died August 2, 1853. He had the following children: Jedediah, Anson, Almira, Loomis, Ephraim and Orson Rogers.

Then Jededeah Rogers (6), born Aug. 24, 1800 in Ira Vermont, died 1863 in the war of the rebellion; married March 8, 1825 to Abigail Hart. He was a member of the 15th Iowa regiment.

He had the following children: 1. Anson Prentiss "Cousin Em is his daughter". 2. hart. 3. Marjory. 4. Sarah. 5. Jerard Lot.

Jerard Lot was the father of seven children. He was born June 2, 1834 in McHenry County, Illinois. He came to Oregon in 1854 and engaged in mining in Southern Oregon and California until 1863 when he changed to Baker County Oregon. He was married to Melissa Dudley, October 13, 1867. At the time of his death he was one of the partners of Johns and Rogers Butchers shop in Weston, Oregon. Died June 21, 1879. He met Melissa Dudley in Silverton, Oregon, where they were married. Two children, Laura and Lowell was born to them in Silverton, Oregon. They then came to Weston and took up a ranch of 160 acres near Weston, where the rest of the children were born. They brought 300 pigs up on a boat to Umatilla and then drove them the rest of the way on foot to Weston, Oregon. He first came up here to his mining interests. He liked the country so decided to move up. Their children are as follows: 1. Laura Arene Rogers, born Sept. 1, 1868 at Salem, Oregon; died May 2, 1937 at Pullman, Washington. She went to the public school in Weston, Oregon. Married George A McDonald on Nov. 5, 1890. She had known him since they were children. They were married on the home ranch near Weston. They moved to Tacoma, Wash. for a while, eventually moved to Pullman, Washington on a ranch. To this union were born three children.
1. Sylvia Margaret McDonald, born September 6, 1983, died Dec. 27, 1923. married to John Lindsey Knapp and two children were born t them; (a) Esther Lorraine, born April 9, 1913. married to Lee Witty and they have one child. (b) Donald Lindsey, born Dec. 20, 1916, who lives in Pullman, Washington.
2. Audra Melissa McDonald, born March 23, 1904, married to Kenneth White and lived in Pullman. Divorced and then Married Dillaboy and one child was born, Robin Dillsboy.
3. George Lowell McDonald, born Nov. 25, 1906. married Connie Oldham, lived in Wenatchee, Wash. for awhile. Two daughters were born to this union.

II. Lowell Lester Rogers, born October 18, 1869, died July 4, 1954. Went to school in Weston, Oregon then to Portland Business College. His mother made a down payment on 160 acres of land near Adams. It was bought from the government. She paid $3,000.00 , which was one-third. He married Minnie M. Dupuis, born Jan 22, 1872; died at Portland, Oregon May 9, 1950. They were married Nov. 5, 1893 at the home of the bride's parents in Weston, Oregon. They moved to the farm near Adams where Lowell farmed ever since. He was very prosperous. The Rogers Canning Company was started in 1935, where they canned peas. He was president of that concern until his death. To this union were born four children.
1. Lola Rogers, born March 12, 1896; died December 3, 1965 at her home in Pendleton, Oregon. She was born at Weston, Oregon. She married Harold Read Barnett of Walla Walla, Wash., Jan. 22, 1918 at the Presbyterian Church in Pendleton. To this union one daughter was born June 24, 1930, at St. Mary's Hospital in Walla Walla, Wash., Joan Catherine Barnett. She was married to Quentin Rugg in December 1949 at the Pendleton Presbyterian Church. To this union was born two daughters, Julie Catherine Rugg, born November 30, 1956 at St. Anthony's Hospital in Pendleton, Oregon. 2. Shari Jo Rugg, born Oct. 3, 1962 in Pendleton, Oregon at hospital. Joan and Quentin both went to Oregon State University. After marriage farmed near Adams, lived in Athena, Oregon.
2. One son born in 1898, died at birth
3. Gwendolyn Rogers, born July 4, 1900. Never married. After Whitman College lived at home and took care o her Father and Mother. Traveled a great deal. Born at Adams, Ore.
4. Mildred Maud Rogers, born Feb. 6, 1904 at Adams, Oregon. Died October 8, 1962 at St. Anthony's Hospital in Pendleton, Oregon. Married Berkeley A. Davis, November 28, 1926 in front of the fireplace at the bride's home in Pendleton, Oregon. They were both graduates of Oregon State College. Berk died February 1954 of a heart attack on the highway. To this union was born one son Berkeley Lowell Davis (called Pat always). Born March 17, 1930. He attended school in Pendleton, Oregon. Was in the Air Force after high school. Returned and attended Oregon State College. Married Marlene Lieuallen, August 1953 in L. L. Rogers' home in Pendleton, Oregon. Went back to school, came home to farm when his father died, near Adams. To this union three children were born: (1) Susan Marlene Davis, born Aug 12, 1954. (2) Berkeley Francis Davis, born Aug. 12, 1957. (3) Roger Lieuallen Davis, born March 18, 1959. All born at St. Anthony's Hospital in Pendleton, Oregon. They live on the farm near Adams and raise Wheat and peas.

III. Fred B. Rogers, born June 11, 1872 on ranch near Weston, died May 1935. Went to school in Weston and then to Portland Business College. Married Margie Matlock in 1895. Lived on a ranch near Colfax, Washington, and then in Colfax. Farmed and was a grain buyer. To this union was born one daughter Wannie Marie Rogers, born 1898, died. She married Bill Haynes. To this union two children were born, Bobby and Jimmy. They lived in Lewiston, Idaho. Bill Haynes was a Jeweler.

IV. Frank Orson Rogers, born Nov. 1, 1873; died June 2, 1921 of cancer. Graduated from Weston Normal School and taught five years. After that was interested in farming and the buying and selling of grain. Married Carrie Hill July 23, 1903. Lived in Athena, Oregon and then moved to Pendleton, Oregon. Three children were born; (1) Clayton, (2) Francis Laura, born March 31, 1906, unmarried. (3) Merle Eileen, born Feb. 3, 1909.

V. E. Chance Rogers, born July 12, 1875 on the home ranch near Weston. He was educated in the grade and normal school at Weston. After school he farmed with his brother Fred in Colfax region for a few years. He returned to Weston and married Grace Phillips of Weston on Dec. 16, 1899. They were married by Mr. Pruitt who married most tof the Rogers boys. They remained with Fr. Phillips for a few months and then farmed near Adams on the Johnny Winn Place. From there he farmed on the reservation for a few years, then farmed near Weston. In 1914 he went into the hardware business. To this union was born six children; (1) Eugene Dudley Rogers, born Aug. 31, 1905, named after Uncle Jinks. He married Margaret Gross in Nov. 1928. Two children were born to this union; Robert Dudley born Feb. 10, 1931. A girl was born later. They farm in Creston, B.C. Canada. (2) A girl was born, and died in February 1907. (3) Grace Genevieve was born July 10, 1908. She married a man in Seattle and lived there. (4) Emery Marvin Rogers, born Nov. 29, 1913. Married Bonnie Alkire, November 1934. Several children were born to them. He has a small farm near Hermiston, Oregon. (5) Kenneth Chance Rogers, born Nov. 7, 1916. Married a girl from Alaska. They have one daughter. He has a small ranch near Hermiston, Oregon. (6) Helen Louise Rogers, born Sept. 4, 1921 at Athena. married and had several Children.

VI. Lina A. Rogers, born Nov. 25, 1876 on a ranch near Weston. Went to grade and normal school in Weston, Oregon. Taught school for six years. married Edwin E Sauze of Walla Walla, Wash., Sept. 1900. She has lived in Walla Walla ever since her marriage. Lina lived in her home for 36 years, then moved near her daughter. Her husband was a patent lawyer. To this union was born 2 children: (1) Frank E. Sause, born May 4, 1902. he married Nora Rape of Texas. he graduated from Whitman College, then went to Texas and has worked for the telephone Company ever since. To this union was born a pair of twins, Dorothy Jean and Dorothy June, born Dec. 26, 1929. (2) Marjory L. Sauze, born May 29, 1905. Married George C. Williams of Walla Walla, Wash., June 19, 1932. One daughter was born, Betty. Marjory worked with the Telephone company for years. She was a graduate of Whitman College.

VII. Jerard Lot Rogers, born May 16, 1878. Went to Weston grade school and to Normal. Married to Eva Clarke 1898. Lived in Milton and then returned to the home place and lived until it was sold. They then went to Garfield, Wash. and bought a wheat ranch and farm. Later he moved to Creston, B.C. Canada where he farmed. Later moved to Walla Walla, Wash. To this union three children were born.
1. Jerard Clark Rogers, Born Sept. 16, 1904, married Genevieve and to this union were born four children Jean, Jared, June and Joan.
2. Opal Linna Rogers, born Sept. 16, 1904, married Bill Priest of Genesse, Wash. To this union was born two children; Donavan and .... They moved to California where Opal taught in the schools.
3. Evelyn Morean Rogers, born May 28, 1910; died Sept. 17, 1959. married to Melvin Leuker of California in 1931. To this union were born four children; Larry, Patsy, Micky and Tot.
Malissa Rogers Price, the mother of the 5 boys and two girls, raise her small children after the death of her husband Jerard Rogers and gave each of her children a financial start.
This back information came from a book "JAMES ROGERS OF NEW LONDON, CONN. AND HIS DESCENDANTS" copyrighted 1902 James Swift Rogers, Boston, Mass. Our branch leaves the book on page 226 no. 462 where it says there may have been others (Jerard Lot Rogers).
This is all the information. Each will have to carry their own family out. Sorry I didn't get this information to you all sooner. Finished April 14, 1966.
Gwendolyn Rogers.