Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Rogers, Uriah Benjamin December 30, 1899 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Nan Wheaton wheaton1624@yahoo.com November 18, 2020, 5:05 pm Ionia Sentinel - Thursday, Jan. 4, 1900 THE LAST SAD RITES. AUDITOR URIAH B. ROGERS LAID TO REST IN HIGHLAND PARK CEMETERY TUESDAY AFTERNOON REMAINS BROUGHT HERE BY A SPECIAL TRAIN, AND ACCOMPANIED BY D.,G.R. & W. OFFICIALS Auditor Uriah Benjamin Rogers, son-in-law of Mrs. Benj. Harter, of this city, committed suicide just before noon Saturday in his office in Grand Rapids. Death was instantaneous from a pistol bullet which went through his head. Despondency an account of long illness and severe nervous strain is reported as the probable cause. The Press says: Mr. Rogers had been appointed the auditor for the entire system of the Pere Marquette only day before yesterday, and had a brilliant career ahead of him as a railroad man. Mr. Rogers was auditor of the D., G.R.& W. and well known in Ionia and the terrible news was a great shock to all. The last words of respect were-said at 11 o'clock Tuesday morning over the remains of the late Uriah B. Rogers from the family residence, 144 Washington street, Grand Rapids. The funeral was private and the officiating clergyman was Rev. J. Herman Randall, pastor of the Fountain street Baptist church, of that city, which Mrs. Rogers and daughter are members. The interment was in Highland Park cemetery, this city, the remains being brought here by a D., G.R & W. special train of three coaches drawn by the fast engine. The special train came over the D.,G.R & W. road, arriving here at 2 o'clock and transferring to the local D., G.R. & W. depot. Besides the bereaved widow and daughter, Miss Cassie A very and other relatives of deceased, those accompanying the remains were President Charles M. Heald, General Superintendent J.K.V. Agnew, Superintendent of Tracker John Doyle, Chief Engineer J.J. McVean, General Freight Agent F.V. Davis, General Passenger Agent George DeHaven, Car Accountant Charles E. Fink, Assistant Superintendent J.E. Howard, Superintendent of Motive Power B. Haskell, James Thompson, George S. Daily, H.I. Broderick, a delegation of eight of the office assistants of deceased, and others. The pall-bearers were Seymour B. Gorham and Joseph T. Webber, of this city, and F.V. Davis, J.H.V. Agnew, B. Haskell and James Thompson of Grand Rapids. The touching testimonial of esteem, and one which shows the very high respect in which deceased was held by the D., G.R. & W. officers and citizens of Grand Rapids, was the great profusion of beautiful flowers which smothered the casket. The remains were received here by Director George H. Allured, and accompanied to the grave by all the officials, where the brief burial service was conducted by Rev. Randall. The special train returned on its own track vis. Grand Ledge. The tragic death of Mr. Rogers brings sadness to many hearts in Ionia. He was a highly respected resident of this city for a number of years when the D., G.R. & W. offices were located here and during that time he won the warm friendship of a host of acquaintances, who have since watched his career with interest. All were gratified to learn of his deserved advancement since the recent consolidation of the road. He was a frequent Ionia visitor and guest at the Harter home. It seems that Mr. Rogers went to his office in the morning of the tragedy, and after greeting his assistants in his usual cheerful way, attended to some correspondence. At about 10 o'clock, Mrs. Rogers and Belle, his wife ad daughter, spent half an hour with hi in conversation. Deceased stayed in his office after they left, and at 11:45 stepped into the outer office to get some letters from his stenographer. Returning to his own office he closed the door behind him and a moment later the fatal shot was heard. James F. Reekie, another gentleman well known in Ionia, was the first to reach Mr. Rogers' side, and he found the poor man lying on the floor almost double up, his head against the oak mop-board, with blood flowing in two holes on either side of his head, staining the Brussels carpet; and a smoking revolver, in his right hand. The revolver used was a handsomely mounted one, with the owners name engraved upon the handle, evidently a gift from a friend, James Thompson and others were in the office at the time. They summoned the family physician who was there five minutes later, but death was instantaneous. The ball passed onto one side of his head and out the other, breaking the electric globe in the next room. Poor health is the only reason that can be given for the tragedy. In a talk with Mr. Thompson Friday night Mr. Rogers said that with the fine prospects in view, having been appointed auditor of the Pere Marquette system, his only wish was to get back his health, and without that he was practically useless. The conversation was semi-confidential and Mr. Rogers took the opportunity to confide in his chief clerk some of the physical sufferings he was obliged to endure. He had spoken about his ill-health frequently of late, and at several different times had remarked that he could not stand it much longer. The deceased was 50 years of age. He was born in Dexter, Mich., in 1849, and moved to Detroit with his parents while very young. His childhood was spent in that city and his experience in railway offices began there, when he accepted a position in the office of the Detroit, Lansing & Lake Michigan railroad, which name was later changed to Detroit, Lansing & Northern in 1875. He remained with the company when the offices were moved to Ionia four years later, and was bookkeeper for the company in this city, when he met and married Miss Francis Harter, of this place, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Benj. Harter. In 1880 the officers of the company were moved back to Detroit and Mr. Rogers went with them. In 1882 he was made auditor of the C. & W. M., quartered in that road's offices in Muskegon, and seven years later, when the C & W.M. and the D., G.R. & W. railroads consolidated, he was promoted to the office of auditor over the entire system. The recent consolidation of the C.& W.M.,D.,D., G.R. & W. and F. & P.M. roads raised him another notch on the ladder, and he was holding that office when his tragic death occurred yesterday. Additional Comments: Age: 50 Services: Tuesday, 2 January 1900 Highland Park cemetery #6-7 b. 1849 VT son of Mathew P. Rogers married Frances Emma (Harter) April 16, 1879 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/r/rogers39062nob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/ File size: 7.0 Kb