John H. Rogers (Arkansas politician)
Encyclopedia
John Henry Rogers was an attorney, a federal judge and a U.S. Representative
from Arkansas
.
Born near Roxobel, North Carolina
, Rogers moved to Mississippi in 1852 with his parents, Absalom and Harriet (Rice) Rogers, who settled near Madison Station. His father became a wealthy planter, owning land worth more than $18,000 and 28 slaves. . Rogers attended the local schools and was a student when the American Civil War
began in 1861.
On March 15, 1862, Rogers and his brother William enlisted as privates in the Semmes Rifles, which became Company H of the Ninth Mississippi Volunteer Regiment.
Rogers served in the same company until the end of the war, being wounded in action twice and receiving a commission as first lieutenant at age 19 for his bravery at the Battle of Franklin
. At the war's end in May 1865, Rogers walked nearly a thousand miles from North Carolina to his home in Mississippi.
Rogers entered Centre College
, Danville, Kentucky
, but in 1867 transferred to the newly reopened University of Mississippi
. After receiving his bachelor degree, he continued on and graduated from the law department of the University of Mississippi.
He was admitted to the bar
in 1868 and commenced practice in Canton, Mississippi
.
In 1869 he moved to Fort Smith, Arkansas
and practiced law in that city. Rogers was elected circuit judge in 1877. He was reelected in 1878 but resigned in May 1882.
Rogers was elected as a Democrat
to the Forty-eighth
and was reelected to the three succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1883-March 3, 1891). He served as chairman of the Committee on Mileage in the Fiftieth
Congress. However, he then declined to be a candidate and returned to Arkansas to resume his law practice in Fort Smith.
Rogers served as member of the Democratic State convention in 1892 and was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention the same year.
He was appointed United States district judge for the western district of Arkansas by President Cleveland on November 27, 1896, and served until his death by an apparent heart attack in Little Rock, Arkansas
, on April 16, 1911.
Survived by his widow, Mary (Dunlap) Rogers, and five children, John Henry Rogers was interred in Oak Cemetery, Fort Smith, Arkansas
.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
.
Born near Roxobel, North Carolina
Roxobel, North Carolina
Roxobel is a town in northwestern Bertie County, North Carolina, United States. It dates to 1724 and was originally known as Cotten's Cross Roads. After several name changes, it has remained Roxobel since 1849. The population was 263 at the 2000 census...
, Rogers moved to Mississippi in 1852 with his parents, Absalom and Harriet (Rice) Rogers, who settled near Madison Station. His father became a wealthy planter, owning land worth more than $18,000 and 28 slaves. . Rogers attended the local schools and was a student when the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
began in 1861.
On March 15, 1862, Rogers and his brother William enlisted as privates in the Semmes Rifles, which became Company H of the Ninth Mississippi Volunteer Regiment.
Rogers served in the same company until the end of the war, being wounded in action twice and receiving a commission as first lieutenant at age 19 for his bravery at the Battle of Franklin
Battle of Franklin
Battle of Franklin may refer to three battles of the American Civil War:* Battle of Franklin , a major battle fought November 30, 1864, at Franklin, Tennessee as part of the Franklin-Nashville Campaign...
. At the war's end in May 1865, Rogers walked nearly a thousand miles from North Carolina to his home in Mississippi.
Rogers entered Centre College
Centre College
Centre College is a private liberal arts college in Danville, Kentucky, USA, a community of approximately 16,000 in Boyle County south of Lexington, KY. Centre is an exclusively undergraduate four-year institution. Centre was founded by Presbyterian leaders, with whom it maintains a loose...
, Danville, Kentucky
Danville, Kentucky
Danville is a city in and the county seat of Boyle County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 16,218 at the 2010 census.Danville is the principal city of the Danville Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Boyle and Lincoln counties....
, but in 1867 transferred to the newly reopened University of Mississippi
University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. Founded in 1844, the school is composed of the main campus in Oxford, four branch campuses located in Booneville, Grenada, Tupelo, and Southaven as well as the...
. After receiving his bachelor degree, he continued on and graduated from the law department of the University of Mississippi.
He was admitted to the bar
Admission to the bar in the United States
In the United States, admission to the bar is the granting of permission by a particular court system to a lawyer to practice law in that system. Each U.S. state and similar jurisdiction has its own court system and sets its own rules for bar admission , which can lead to different admission...
in 1868 and commenced practice in Canton, Mississippi
Canton, Mississippi
Canton is a city in Madison County, Mississippi. The population was 12,911 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Madison County, and situated in the northern part of the metropolitan area surrounding the state capital, Jackson....
.
In 1869 he moved to Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith is the second-largest city in Arkansas and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County. With a population of 86,209 in 2010, it is the principal city of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area, a region of 298,592 residents which encompasses the Arkansas...
and practiced law in that city. Rogers was elected circuit judge in 1877. He was reelected in 1878 but resigned in May 1882.
Rogers was elected as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
to the Forty-eighth
48th United States Congress
The Forty-eighth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1883 to March 4, 1885, during the last two years...
and was reelected to the three succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1883-March 3, 1891). He served as chairman of the Committee on Mileage in the Fiftieth
50th United States Congress
The Fiftieth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1887 to March 4, 1889, during the third and fourth...
Congress. However, he then declined to be a candidate and returned to Arkansas to resume his law practice in Fort Smith.
Rogers served as member of the Democratic State convention in 1892 and was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention the same year.
He was appointed United States district judge for the western district of Arkansas by President Cleveland on November 27, 1896, and served until his death by an apparent heart attack in Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
, on April 16, 1911.
Survived by his widow, Mary (Dunlap) Rogers, and five children, John Henry Rogers was interred in Oak Cemetery, Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith is the second-largest city in Arkansas and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County. With a population of 86,209 in 2010, it is the principal city of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area, a region of 298,592 residents which encompasses the Arkansas...
.