John H. Rogers (Arkansas politician)

John Henry Rogers (October 9, 1845 - April 16, 1911) was an attorney, a federal judge and a U.S. Representative from Arkansas.

Born near Roxobel, North Carolina, Rogers moved to Mississippi in 1852 with his parents, Absalom and Harriet (Rice) Rogers, who settled near Madison Station. His father became a wealthy planter, owning land worth more than $18,000 and 28 slaves.^[1] Rogers attended the local schools and was a student when the American Civil War began in 1861.

On March 15, 1862, Rogers and his brother William enlisted as privates in the Semmes Rifles, which became Company H of the Ninth Mississippi Volunteer Regiment. Rogers served in the same company until the end of the war, being wounded in action twice and receiving a commission as first lieutenant at age 19 for his bravery at the Battle of Franklin. At the war's end in May 1865, Rogers walked nearly a thousand miles from North Carolina to his home in Mississippi.^[2]

Rogers entered Centre College, Danville, Kentucky, but in 1867 transferred to the newly reopened University of Mississippi. After receiving his bachelor degree, he continued on and graduated from the law department of the University of Mississippi. He was admitted to the bar in 1868 and commenced practice in Canton, Mississippi.^[3]

In 1869 he moved to Fort Smith, Arkansas and practiced law in that city. Rogers was elected circuit judge in 1877. He was reelected in 1878 but resigned in May 1882.

Rogers was elected as a Democrat to the Forty-eighth and was reelected to the three succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1883-March 3, 1891). He served as chairman of the Committee on Mileage in the Fiftieth Congress. However, he then declined to be a candidate and returned to Arkansas to resume his law practice in Fort Smith.

Rogers served as member of the Democratic State convention in 1892 and was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention the same year.

He was appointed United States district judge for the western district of Arkansas by President Cleveland on November 27, 1896, and served until his death by an apparent heart attack in Little Rock, Arkansas, on April 16, 1911.

Survived by his widow, Mary (Dunlap) Rogers, and five children, John Henry Rogers was interred in Oak Cemetery, Fort Smith, Arkansas.

1. ↑ 1860 US Census: A. Rogers, 52, planter. Madison Co., Mississippi, page 50, dwelling #370
2. ↑ http://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=1753
3. ↑ http://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=1753

References

• John H. Rogers at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.