Biographical Sketch of

Jabez N. Rogers

Transcribed by Sandra Boudrou for the Marquette Co WI Pages


Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Green Lake, Marquette and Waushara Counties, Wisconsin, 
published 1890 by Acme Publishing Co., Chicago, Pages 698 - 700 


Jabez Nelson Rogers, an honored pioneer of Berlin, was born in Middlebury, Addison Co., Vt., on the 19th of February, 1807, 
and is a son of Jabez and Sarah Rogers.  His father, Jabez Rogers, was born in Connecticut in 1764, and was a son of Jabez 
Rogers, who was descended from an old New England family of English origin.  Jabez Rogers Jr. moved from Connecticut to 
Middlebury, Vt., in 1793, when that place was but a hamlet of a few dozen houses which were mostly built of logs.  He brought 
with him a stock of goods and opened the first store in that place, which was the first in Addison County.  He was married in 
Middlebury about the close of the eighteenth century to Miss Sarah Chipman, daughter of Col. John and Sarah (Washburn) Chipman.  
Mrs. Rogers was born in Salisbury, Conn., on the 20th of July, 1774, to Miss Sarah Washburn of that place, a daughter of Abisha 
Washburn.  The Chipman and Washburn families were among the most distinguished of the early New England people.  Col. John 
Chipman served as a volunteer under Col. Ethan Allen in the spring of 1775, and with him participated in the capture of Ft. 
Ticonderoga and Crown Point.  He also aided in the capture of St. Johns and Montreal and participated in the battles of 
Bennington and Hubbardton.  He was at Saratoga at the time of the surrender of Gen. Burgoyne in October, 1777, and afterwards 
had command of Ft. Edward and Ft. George successively.  He was taken prisoner at the latter point in October, 1780, and held 
captive until the summer of 1781, when he was exchanged and served as supernumerary until the close of the war.  In 1784, Col. 
Chipman returned to Middlebury with his family and took possession of the land from which they had been driven by the Indians 
during the war.  He was a man of commanding presence and superior ability, and served as Sheriff of Addison County for twelve 
years subsequent to his return from the field of battle.  His father, John Chipman, is certainly known to have been the first 
settler in Middlebury, and made the first clearing at that place in 1766.  His cousin, Daniel Chipman L. L. D., was an eminent 
jurist and member of Congress, and was speaker of the General Assembly of Vermont.  Another cousin, Nathaniel Chipman L. L. D., 
was United States Senator and Chief Justice of Vermont.
 
Jabez Rogers, the paternal grandfather of our subject, participated in the War of the Revolution and was an officer in the 
commissary department.  His death occurred in Middlebury at a ripe old age.  The father of our subject engaged in merchandising 
during the greater part of his life and died in Middlebury, in 1839, at the age of seventy-five years.  He survived his wife 
but two years, her death, having occurred in 1837, at the age of sixty-three years.
 
Jabez Nelson Rogers, whose name heads this notice, was educated in the common schools and at the Middlebury Academy, where he 
prepared himself to enter college, but he abandoned that idea and while still in his minority was engaged in merchandising in 
his native town.  He was married in Middlebury on the 29th of October, 1832 to Miss Esther E. Hagar, the second daughter of 
Jonathan and Mary Louisa (Trudeau) Hagar.  The lady was born in Montreal, Canada, Feb. 29, 1812, but her father was born in 
New England and was of English descent.  Her mother was a native of Montreal, born of French parentage.  Jonathan Hagar engaged 
in the leather business in that city, but when the War of 1812 broke out retreated with his family to Middlebury, Vt., where 
he engaged very extensively in merchandising.  He was a man of superior ability and purity of character, and soon took 
prominence in the community where he made his home.  He was chosen to various positions of honor and trust, which he filled 
with ability and fidelity, including that of Treasurer of Addison County, in which capacity he served many years.  He also 
represented his district in the State Legislature for three or four years and was Treasurer of Middlebury Savings Bank.  His 
death occurred in April, 1855, at the age of seventy-seven.
 
After his marriage, Mr. Rogers continued in the mercantile business in Middlebury until 1834, when he removed to Ypsilanti, 
Mich. and thence to St. Joseph, in the same territory, in 1833.  At that time, Michigan was but sparsely settled and in some 
portions of the State, especially the south and west, which are now the most populous sections, wagon roads were not open and 
Indian trails were the only guides to the adventurous traveler.  In the spring of 1834, Mr. Rogers visited Chicago, which was 
then but a small hamlet, situated in a low swampy region and not at all inviting as a place of residence.  He was familiarly 
acquainted with the leading citizens of that place for the succeeding fourteen years.  He decided, however, to remain in St. 
Joseph, and at once entered upon the study of law at that place and was admitted to practice in the courts of Michigan.  He 
engaged in practice in St. Joseph until June 1848, when he crossed the lake to Milwaukee, where he continued the practice of 
his profession until the fall of 1849.  He then removed to Strong's Landing, now the city of Berlin, and engaged in merchandising 
with Charles and John Shumway and also purchased a sawmill in what is now Wautoma, Waushara County, where he engaged in the 
manufacture of lumber.  The partners owned and laid out the town site of Wautoma.  Soon after becoming interested in the lumber 
business it was found necessary to have a post-office established at that point and Mr. Rogers was chosen to go to Milwaukee and 
make the necessary application through Gen. King of the Milwaukee Sentinel, which he did, choosing the name Wautoma for the new 
office.  The name was formed by affixing the Indian word "wau" to the name of a well known Indian chief, Tomah.  In this way Mr. 
Rogers had the honor of naming the city of Wautoma.  In the summer of 1850, not being satisfied with his partnership relations, 
he withdrew from the firm.  Two years later he was elected Justice of the Peace for the town of Berlin and being re-elected again 
and again held the office for twenty consecutive years.  He was appointed municipal Judge for the city and town of Berlin in 1870, 
which office he held seven years and in 1879 was elected Mayor of Berlin and discharged the duties of that office four years.  
While a resident of Michigan, upon being nominated for the Legislature against his will, as he was unable to leave home if 
elected, he began making speeches and working in the interest of his opponent and helped to secure his election.
 
In early and middle life, Mr. Rogers was an anti-slavery Whig and took an active part in political matters.  He was personally 
acquainted with William H. Seward and Horace Greeley, the great anti-slavery leaders, whom he much admired.  On the formation 
of the Republican party he was among the first to join that organization, to which he has ever since belonged.  In 1872, however, 
he supported Horace Greeley for President but has never swerved from his allegiance to the party principles.
 
To Mr. and Mrs. Rogers have been born eight children, four sons and four daughters, of whom three sons and two daughters are 
now living:  Sarah, the eldest, is single and has devoted her life to the care of her parents; Harriet is an invalid and is 
now an inmate of St. Mary's Hospital of Milwaukee; Mary died in childhood; Edward Gordon, the eldest son living, is a practicing 
attorney of St. Paul, Minn.  He wedded Miss Mary Esther McCord, and has one child, a daughter, Julia McCord; Josias Nelson, the 
second son, who is also engaged in the practice of law in St. Paul, married Miss Belle J. Dorr and they have three children, 
sons--Jay Nelson, Frederick William and George Dorr, all born in St. Paul.  The youngest son, Frederick L., is single and was 
for several years engaged in the practice of the legal profession at St. Paul.  He was compelled by increasing deafness to 
abandon this and now resides, being broken down in health, with his parents.  Mr. Rogers has led a very active and useful life; 
possessed of a remarkably strong constitution and vigorous health, he has hardly known what sickness means from his own experience. 
Energetic, earnest and decisive, he never missed an opportunity through indecision or dilatory action.  Gifted with superior 
mental force and quick perception, he has made good use of his more than fourscore years of experience of men and things and is 
ripe in the knowledge of the world and its people.  While now in his eighty third year, Mr. Rogers is still vigorous, both 
mentally and physically, and impresses an ordinary observer as being at least twenty years younger than he is.  He still resides 
in the home that he built forty years ago, and among his old neighbors who have known him all these years, both in private and 
public life, he commands the utmost confidence, respect and good-will.  His estimable wife who for more than fifty-seven years
has been his loved and trusted companion, although an invalid, is still bright and entertaining in conversation and continues 
to grace his home with her kindly presence.
 






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