My Genealogy Hound

H. P. ROGERS, farmer of Gibbon township, is one of the oldest settlers of Buffalo county, and is one of that county’s most successful and highly esteemed citizens. Mr. Rogers located where he now lives, four miles northwest of the town of Gibbon, on April 7, 1871, and there he has since resided, and during all the years that have elapsed since that date he has been actively identified with the best interests of his community, and has succeeded far beyond the average of old settlers. Mr. Rogers came from Pennsylvania to Nebraska, coming directly from Bradford county, the place of his birth. He was born on the ninth day of April, 1846, and is next to the youngest of a family of five boys, born to Hiram and Mary (Chandler) Rogers, his mother having been previously married, and having had, by her former marriage, three sons. His father has resided all his life in Bradford county, where he has been engaged in the pursuit of agriculture. His mother died there in 1870. The subject of this sketch grew up in a household of eight boys; three half brothers — Daniel, Edwin and Marshall, and four brothers of the full blood — George, Lorenzo M., Murray and Frank; our subject, Horace P., being next to the youngest of the second set. Of these eight boys, five served in the Union army, namely — Edwin, George, Lorenzo M., Murray and Horace P.

Horace P. Rogers was reared in his native place, growing up on his father’s farm. On February 10, 1864, he entered the army, enlisting in Company K, One Hundred and Sixty first New York infantry. His regiment served in the department of the Gulf, was in the Red River campaign under Banks, and took part in all its engagements in Louisiana and Arkansas. Mr. Rogers served as a private, and was discharged December 12, 1865. He bears to this day, the marks of his service, having contracted a lung trouble in the performance of his duties.

Returning to Pennsylvania, when he was mustered out of the service, he resumed farming. On December 24, 1870, he married a neighbor girl, Miss Cassandra Crum, a daughter of Harrison Crum, of Litchfield, Bradford county, she being a native of New York state. The year following, that is, in the spring of 1871, Mr. Rogers came to Nebraska and settled as above noted in Gibbon township, where he has since resided. His beginning on settling, in accordance with his means, was modest enough, he taking only a homestead. He has added to this, however, by purchase, until he now owns three hundred and sixty acres in one body, one hundred and twenty acres of which he has under plow. It all lies on the banks of Wood river, and is highly productive. With that industry and commendable foresight which characterizes the good husbandman, Mr. Rogers planted out a large grove around his homestead when he first located on it, consisting of box elder, walnut, cottonwood, maple and ash, and this has become one of the handsomest artificial forests in the county, and is not only pleasant to the eye, but is a source of profit. Mr. Rogers is not only an intelligent, energetic farmer, but he is a progressive, public-spirited citizen. He has served his township in a number of local offices, and he has done it creditably. He is a stanch republican, and takes considerable interest in public matters, never to the extent, however, of seeking public office for himself. He has a pleasant home and a growing family of children, around whom he find’s his interests and sympathies drawing closer and closer as the years roll by. These are Virgil, Cora, Nora, Herman, Jennette, Lizzie and Roy and Gertrude. Of one son, Rutherford, he has been bereft.