Sullivan County PA Archives Biographies.....ROGERS, Moses Austin 1833 - 
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  File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
  Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com August 6, 2005, 5:07 am
  
  Author: Biographical Publishing Co.
  
  MOSES AUSTIN ROGERS, whose portrait the publishers present on the opposite page,
  is the oldest merchant in Sullivan County, Pa., having established himself in
  business in the town of Forksville in 1855, and it may be easily said that no
  other store in the county excels his. He is the senior member of the well known
  firm of M. A. Rogers & Son, which was formed in 1882, his son, William C., being
  junior member, and he is respected as one of the valued men of his community. He
  has been a life-long resident of Forksville. He was born March 22, 1833, and is
  a son of Moses and Jane (Sadler) Rogers, and grandson of Samuel Rogers.
  
    The Rogers family is of English descent and our subject traces his ancestral
  history back to William Rogers, who was a grandson of John Rogers, the martyr,
  who was born in 1505. The next in line of descent was Joseph, born in 1732; then
  Samuel, born in Standah, England, May 1, 1760; the next was Samuel Rogers, Jr.,
  the grandfather of our subject, who was born December 6, 1762, at Bramley, three
  miles west of Leeds in Yorkshire, England. He learned the trade of a weaver in
  his early days and followed it in his native country until the summer of 1801,
  when he and his family joined his oldest son, Samuel, who had come to America in
  1800, and had located in the city of Philadelphia, Pa. He rented a small farm
  near that city, but, wishing to make a larger settlement for his family, he went
  north and at the forks of Loyalsock Creek, in Sullivan County, Pa., he purchased
  of Dr. Joseph Priestley, a tract of land consisting of 124 acres, the price per
  acre being but $2.50. He then returned to his family, sending his son, Jonathan,
  to his new home to erect a log cabin and prepare for their coming; there he
  cleared a part of his land and in addition to farming and working at his trade
  manufactured neatsfoot oil. His estate is now in the possession of his grandson,
  John W. Rogers. Samuel was married June 1, 1782, to Ann Gaunt, who was born in
  1762, and they reared the following children: Samuel, born December 6, 1782,
  died February 14, 1857; Joseph, born August 1, 1784, died April 3, 1847;
  Jonathan, born October 7, 1785, died August 20, 1830; John, born February n,
  1787, died March 1, 1858; William, born March 17, 1788, died November 19. 1872;
  Hannah, born February 13, 1790, died October 13, 1848; Richard, born July
  15/1791, died November 15, 1875; David, born January 9, 1793, died February 10,
  1840; Abram, born February 28, 1794, died March 6, 1794; Elizabeth, born April
  9, 1795, died on the day of her birth; Martha, born May 8, 1796, died February
  1, 1798; Benjamin, born September 28, 1797, died May 7, 1851; Reuben, born
  December 8, 1798, died July 24, 1850; Jacob, born January 31, 1800, died in
  June, 1801; George, born December 9, 1802, died October 24, 1804; Isaac, born
  July 26, 1804, died February 15, 1856; Moses, our subject's father; and Martha,
  born May n, 1808, died February 18, 1879. Our subject's grandfather died January
  29, 1828, and his grandmother died in 1823.
  
    Moses Rogers was born on his father's homestead April 14, 1806, and worked
  with his father during his youth, assisting him in farming and the lumber
  business. He also worked in the woolen factory which was erected in 1803 by his
  brothers, Jonathan and Samuel. It was the first factory of its kind in that
  section of the state. They bought their wool in Philadelphia, hauled it over the
  mountains by teams, and manufactured it into cloth, which was then taken back to
  Philadelphia where it was made into clothing for the soldiers of the War of
  1812. In 1817 the factory was destroyed by a flood and was never rebuilt. Moses
  later took possession of the homestead upon which he built a fine house and
  outbuildings and increased the acreage of the farm to 400 acres. He died
  February 18, 1879. His wife was Jane Sadler, a daughter of Joseph Sadler, and
  she was born August 20, 1810, and died February 6, 1892. The following children
  resulted from this union: Zilphia, born August 2, 1829; Samuel S., born
  September 22, 1831; Moses A., our subject; Isaac, born August 19, 1834; William,
  born October 8, 1836, was killed at the battle of Spottsylvania, May 12, 1864;
  Mary Jane, born February 8, 1838; and John W., born January 2, 1845. In politics
  Mr. Rogers was a Republican.
  
    Moses Austin Rogers attended the common schools and then started in business
  as a clerk in the store of Alonzo Potter, who owned the first store in
  Forksville, and later was with W. J. Eldred, remaining with him for four years.
  In June, 1855, he erected a building and buying a complete line of general
  merchandise began business for himself; in 1874 he built on a new front to the
  store and to-day has one of the most complete general stores in Sullivan County;
  his store occupies two floors, both being stocked with all the articles which
  tend to make his stock of goods complete. He gives his customers the closest
  attention and by honesty and courtesy to his patrons has built up a very large
  trade. In 1882 he took his son William C. into the business, and the firm has
  since been known as M. A. Rogers & Son. In 1866 our subject erected a handsome
  home in the town; he also owns considerable other property in the township. Mr.
  Rogers is one of the most enterprising and progressive business men in the town
  of Forksville, always interested in any movement which tends to advance and
  build up his adopted town.
  
    Mr. Rogers was wedded to Abigail Potter, a daughter of George W. Potter, a
  retired machinist of Towanda, and this union resulted in the following
  offspring: William C.; Charles S.; Josephine married R. W. Stephens, by whom she
  has two children, Leon-and Carlton; George Arthur; and Mary Eva, deceased.

    William C. Rogers was born December 4, 1859, and was educated in the high
  school at Vineland, N, J., and at the Poughkeepsie Business College, graduating
  from the latter institution in 1882; upon returning home he entered the store of
  his father as a partner. He married Mary E. Wright, a daughter of John Wright,
  and to them one child has been born, Guy W., born March 31, 1884. He is a member
  of Evergreen Lodge, No. 163, F. & A. M.; No. 161, R. A. M., of Towanda; and No.
  16, K. T., of Towanda. He served in the State Legislature in 1887-88 and has
  also served in the town council. He is vice-president and a director of the
  National Bank of Dushore.
  
    Charles S. Rogers is a dentist of Towanda and married Mary Marsden, by whom he
  had three children: Stanley, Marsden, and Helen. George Arthur Rogers was born
  March 28, 1873, and is a graduate of the School of Electricity of Washington, D.
  C. In 1897 he bought out B. W. Fawcett of Forksville and now conducts a jewelry
  store. He is a member of Lodge No. 522, I. O. O. F., and is also past grand of
  the same. On January 17, 1899, he was united in marriage with Mazie Shafer, a
  daughter of Jesse Shafer of Forksville.
  
    Our subject is a strong Republican in politics, as are all his sons, and
  served as postmaster thirty-one years; he has also been .school director and
  overseer of the poor. He was treasurer of the Home Insurance Company, but
  resigned in 1897, having held that office for eighteen years. In 1876 he was
  elected associate judge of Sullivan County and held the office for a period of
  five years. His associate on the bench was F. B. Pomeroy of Dushore, now
  deceased. In 1884 he was alternate delegate to the national convention in
  Chicago which nominated James G. Elaine. Religiously he is a member of the
  Methodist Church and has served as trustee, steward and superintendent of the
  Sunday School. Socially he is a member of I. O. O. F.
  
  
  Additional Comments:
    Extracted from:
      
      Book of Biographies of the Seventeenth Congressional District
      Published by 
      Biographical Publishing Company of Chicago, Ill. and Buffalo, NY (1899)
  
  
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