Jackson Rodgers
Benjamin Rodgers was born in Virginia, January 4, 1772, and at about twenty-two years of age removed to Kentucky; remained there two years, then came to Chillicothe, being one of eleven men who were the first to raise grain in Ross County. He purchased land about three miles from Chillicothe, but found the water facilities insufficient, and removed to Fayette County, prior to the organization of the same, finding it in a wild and chaotic state. He settled on a one thousand acre tract, a portion of which is now owned by our subject. Two hundred acres of the original tract were purchased by a brother of the elder Rodgers (Hamilton).
Some time after coming to this county, he was married to Elizabeth, daughter of Peter Jackson, who lived on Deer Creek, in Ross County. She was born August 26, 1780. The union resulted in eight children: Joseph, John, Jackson, Mary P., Hamilton, Eliza, Maria, and William; the deceased being John, Eliza, Mary, and Maria. Joseph resides in Mount Pleasant, Iowa.
Mr. Rodgers, sen., held some of the township offices, was in the war of 1812, in the company commanded by Robert McElwaine, and did his whole duty. He died February 12, 1849.
Jackson, the subject of this sketch, was born in Ross County, January 29, 1804, and when but a child, came to Fayette with his parents. He well remembers seeing Indians on the banks of Paint and Indian creeks, but they were generally peaceable.
November 7, 1837, he married Nancy, daughter of Amos Jones, of Vermont, and a niece of Norman F. Jones, first auditor of the county. Their union was blessed with four children: Harvey, Sina (now Mrs. L. C. Coffman), Almira (late wife of Judson McCoy), and Amos J., who is married to Mary J., daughter of John Simmison, and has three children. He and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church.
Mrs. Rodgers died October 26, 1853, and November 1, 1855, he married Rebecca, daughter of John Dunlap, who was a native of Washington County, Pennsylvania, coming to this state with his family, in 1817, and settled in Ross County, near Greenfield. Mr. Dunlap married Rebecca Donnelly, who bore him nine children. He died in 1841. She was a life member of the United Presbyterian Church, and died in that faith in 1843.
Mrs. Rebecca Rodgers was born in 1808, married Robert Rodgers August 13, 1828, and had three children: William A., living near Jamestown; John H., who resides near Kearney, Nebraska; Joseph, deceased. Robert Rodgers died June 29, 1844, and his widow remarried on the day above given. She has been a member of the regular Baptist Church since 1831, and is an exemplary member of Good Hope congregation.
Daring the late war, Harvey, oldest son of our subject, was mustered a member of Company A, 54tli O. V. Z., September 5, 1861. He served from private to orderly sergeant, in the line of promotion, and was instantly killed before Atlanta, July 22, 1864. He was a member of the Baptist Church, a brave soldier, and though he has long been sleeping under the cold sod, his heroic devotion to his country will never be forgotten. He engaged in the battles of Pittsburg Landing, Vicksburg, Raymond, Champion Hills, Big Black, Siege of Vicksburg, Mission Ridge, Resaca, Dallas, Kenesaw Mountain, and Atlanta. He had nearly finished the term of his enlistment, when death called him to a brighter land, where the scenes of bloody conflict will never be mentioned. One who saw him fall, says he could have saved his life by surrendering, but the gallant soldier preferred death to imprisonment.
Mr. Rodgers owns three hundred and thirty-six acres of land, nicely improved, and adorned by handsome buildings, which is located on Paint Creek and the Ohio Southern Railroad, and farms to grain and stock. He and his family enjoy a wide and favorable acquaintance.
From R. S. Dills' History of Fayette County