George Washington Rogers

Born in 1820 on 7 Feb, George Washington Rogers is listed in several places in the Rogers Family Bible.  

George Washington Rogers

As I wrote in a past post, the Sevierville, TN Rogers family somehow met and married with the Hiram Gibbs children from Union District, South Carolina. (See my past blog HERE which mentions LUCINDA BENSON GIBBS (1818-1884)  who married George Washington Rogers in 1848 in LA)

George Washington Rogers' sister Nancy Terissa Rogers (b.11.7.1826) married Thomas Gibbs (b. 06 JAN 1812, d. 18 MAY 1872), brother of his wife, Lucinda Gibbs.

The Rogers and Gibbs families traveled west, probably together, stopped in Louisiana to set up homesteads for the Gibbs families, where the marriages took place of Thomas and Nancy in 1847, and George and Lucinda in 1848.  Micajah Rogers (his father) and his family continued to Huntsville Texas.

A bit of record I just found: "Second Lieutenant George W. Rogers was listed in the General Staff of Texas Volunteers, which was received July 1846; discharged Oct.1846. Under Majr General Gov. James Pinkney Henderson, 1st regiment of Texas Mounted Rifle Volunteers - (received June and July, and discharged Sept and Oct 46)"  (Source: http://archive.org/stream/mexicanwarvetera00roba#page/74/mode/2up/search/Rogers)

Certificate my cousin has related to George W. Rogers' veteran status from the Mexican American War

So George W. Rogers fought in the Mexican War as a Texas Volunteer in 1846, 2 years before marrying Lucinda, back in LA.  Their first child, my great grandfather, William Sanford Rogers was born Feb. 9, 1850 in Huntsville, TX (W. Sam according to his son George E Rogers).  So that's the period of time that they moved to Texas.  By this time George W's father, Micajah would have been an elder of 55 years.  But he lived until 1873, another 17-18 years. This active man had leadership in Huntsville, Texas in the early years.

The Rogers Family Bible has an entry in hand writing, then transcribed by typewriter with carbon copies in 1954 by George E. Rogers, Sr. and copied to his 4 sons and their descendents "GEORGE WASHINGTON ROGERS, Son of M.C. & C. Rogers and Lucinda Benson Gibbs, daughter of Hiram and Sabra Gibbs, were married at the residence of Dr. Jasper Gibbs, in Bienville, Parish, Louisiana, by Rev. George W. Baines, Baptist Minister, on Thursday September 14, 1848."

North Portico of the house George Washington Rogers and Lucinda Benson Gibbs built on the 200 acres they purchased from Pleasant Gray in 1844.

George Washington Rogers died 26 Jan 1864, almost 44 years of age..  their children were:
William Sandford Rogers, (1850-1879), 
Laura Terrissa Rogers (1852-1922), 
Alice Luella Rogers Ross (1853-1925), 
George Henry Rogers (1854-1854), 
George Washington Rogers, Jr (1857-1875)
and Jasper Gibbs Rogers (1860-1861.)

More Notes on Colonel GEORGE WASHINGTON ROGERS(1820-1864). SOURCE: http://files.usgwarchives.net/tx/freestone/bios/gwrogers.txt

"G.W. Rogers served in the War in Mexico - under Captain Gillespie; Col. John C. Hays: 1st Regiment Texas Rangers, Gen. Zachary Taylor. He was wounded on
assault on Bishop's Palace, Monterrey, Mexico. His name is on the Gillespie
Monument in Huntsville, Texas. After the battle (from war department 1846) Col. George Washington Rogers lay wounded on battle field all night, during icy
storm. He contracted tuberculosis. After recuperating, he returned to his home
in Gibbsland, LA. Later he married Lucinda Benson Gibbs.

"George Washington Rogers and his wife, Lucinda Benson Gibbs purchased 600 acres of land in Walker county in 1844 from Pleasant Gray and his wife, Hannah.
(This being out of their Headright.) Mr. and Mrs. G.W. Rogers were said to be
the wealthiest family in town and their Greek-Revival style home on University
Avenue was the finest in its heyday. The aristocracy from East Texas were
entertained there. (G.W. Rogers was Huntsville's first Treasurer.) One feature
was a huge ballroom that occupied the southeast wing. In later years, the
house served as the president's mansion for the third president of Austin
College - Rufus Bailey. The house also became the home of H.H. Smith, the
second president of Sam Houston Normal Institute. Other owners made changes in the house, but it has been restored and is still standing today.

"Listed in 1850 Walker County Census as a merchant, 30 years old.

"Died near Cotton Gin, Freestone, Texas. (After remaining in Texas for 2 years,
remains were moved to Mount Lebanon, La., and interred by Mt. Lebanon Masonic Lodge #104.)

The Rogers Family Bible again says:

GEORGE WASHINGTON ROGERS, Son of M. C. & Cyntha Rogers, died near Cotton Jin, Freestone County, Texas Tuesday 26th January 1864 (after remaining in Texas 2 years, remains were removed to mount Lebanon, LA, and interred by Mt. Lebanon Masonic Lodge #104.

Was Lucinda Gibbs Rogers, the widow, living in Gibbsland, where her brother lived? Or was the re-burial for another reason?  Lucinda was buried in Huntsville TX, 20 years after her husband died.  She had 5 children when he died, the youngest 4, the oldest 14.