Bio - Rogers, Calvin Otis, Delta County, Colorado http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/delta/bios/rogersco.txt Donated by: Stephen Freeman Moeser February 10, 2001 My great great grandparents, Calvin Otis & Martha Jane (Hurt) ROGERS moved to North Fork Valley, Delta County, Colorado in the summer of 1882 and settled near the Enos Hotchkiss and Henry Roberts families. (it was Gunnison County at that time. Delta County wasn't created until 1886) Calvin Otis ROGERS was born near Adrian, Lenawee County, Michigan on March 18, 1841. He was a direct descendant of Thomas Rogers, Stephen Hopkins, and James Chilton, all of whom were Pilgrims who sailed to Plymouth, Massachusetts on the Mayflower in 1620. His great grandfather, Benjamin Rogers, fought in the American Revolution, and Calvin was a veteran of the Civil War. He married Martha Jane Reynolds in Bynumville, Chariton County, Missouri on January 3, 1861. Calvin & Martha had 11 children in all, two of whom were born in Colorado. The family eventually migrated to Beulah, Pueblo County, Colorado circa 1880 where Calvin operated his own sawmill, mercantile, and grain mill. In 1882 the Rogers family migrated to the new settlement in Delta county. In September of 1882 this new settlement totaled 36 American pioneers The ROGERS' homesteaded what became known as "Rogers Mesa", which is just one mile west of Hotchkiss. On January 25, 1883 Calvin & Martha's last child, Edward J. Rogers, was born. He was the first baby to be born in this newly established pioneer community. By October of 1883, Calvin had established a sorghum mill and he was processing the sorghum, which he grew on his land, into sweet amber syrup. The Rogers homestead also produced apples and peaches from 1800 fruit trees, barley, buckwheat, Indian corn, oats, wheat, pulse, 200 gallons of milk, 500 pounds of butter, eggs, poultry, and beef on his 160 acre homestead. Calvin also owned a sawmill, a box factory, and a planing mill 16 miles from Hotchkiss on Leroux Creek which he operated with two of his sons. Calvin also owned the "American Livery" stable in Hotchkiss, and his son, George Leonard Rogers, owned a butcher shop in Hotchkiss where he sold the family's beef. On April 25, 1885, Calvin Otis Rogers, Jr, the ninth of eleven children born to Calvin & Martha, died of a bowel inflammation and was buried in the "Upper Cemetery", which was situated on the Rogers homestead. He was only 7 years old. A handsome carved headstone marks his grave, and it was still standing in 1985. In 1902 Calvin & Martha migrated to Anacortes, Skagit County, Washington (north of Seattle) along with my great grandparents, Charles Henry & Theresa Catherine (Rogers) Freeman. Calvin Otis Rogers died in Anacortes on November 24, 1916. He was 75 years old. Virginia Harriet Rogers, the seventh child of Calvin & Martha, married Victor M. Harpst. They built a two story home which was adjacent to the "Upper Cemetery" and supposedly stills stands today. There are numerous members of the Rogers and Harpst families buried in the "Upper Cemetery". In fact, I believe that it was the family burial plot. =================================================== Contributed for use by the USGenWeb Archive Project (http://www.usgenweb.org) and by the COGenWeb Archive Project USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access.