PATRICK RODGERS. Prominent among the most respected and the wealthiest citizens of Donegal township is found this well-known retired agriculturist. He is the son of Francis Rodgers, a native of County Donegal, Ireland, who when a young man came to America, and to Washington county, Penn., making a settlement in Donegal township, about one mile northwest of where is now Coon Island postoffice, and where Franklin Rodgers, his grandson, is at present living. Here he hewed for himself a home out of the unbroken primeval forest, and naturally then began to look around him for a suitable helpmate. Her he was fortunate to find in the person of Elizabeth Hupp, a member of one of the oldest families of the county and first settlers of Donegal township. To their marriage were born children as follows: John, who was a farmer in Washington county, and died at the age of forty-five years; Patrick, the subject of this memoir; Rosanna, wife of Joseph Cox; Nancy, wife of Samuel Cox; Isabel, married to Jacob Stoolfire; Margaret, Wife of Thomas Davis, all now deceased except Patrick. The parents died on the old home farm, the father in 1829, and the mother in 18__. When Francis Rodgers came to America he was but a poor boy, and his success in life was due to the characteristic thrift, energy and good management of himself and his faithful wife. In his political life Mr. Rodgers was a lifelong Democrat, a useful, reliable man in his party.
Patrick Rodgers was born in February, 1808, in Donegal township, this county, where, on his father's farm, he was well trained to the manifold duties pertaining to agricultural pursuits, while his education was secured at the subscription schools of his day. At the early age of sixteen the care of a large farm fell on him, thus putting an end to his opportunities of attending school any longer; but the manner in which his extensive and trying duties were performed gave evidence of ideas far beyond hid years, and promises of a brilliant future before him in his state of life.
Mr. Rodgers has been twice married, first time to Harriet, a daughter of Jerry Linville, of Donegal township, to which union there were born children as follows: Johnson, who died at the age of twenty-eight years, and Franklin, a farmer in Donegal township. The mother of these children dying in 1846, Mr. Rodgers afterward married Jane, daughter of Robert and Eleanor (Mitchell) Mehaffey, of Donegal township, and she bore him the following named children: Elizabeth, now the wife of J.O. Scott, of Washington, Penn.; Mary, at home with her parents, and Emma, now the wife of Avery Counselman, of Brooke county, W.Va. After his first marriage Mr. Rodgers continued on the home farm, engaged in general agriculture and stock raising, until 1870, when he removed to the old Cracraft farm, situated near Dunsfort, in Donegal township, on Buffalo creek, where he has since resided, now several years retired, the farm being operated by others. This property he had purchased some years before. In his political affiliations Mr. Rodgers is a stanch Republican, formerly a Whig, and has held numerous township offices pressed upon him by appreciative friends. In religious sentiment he is a member of and liberal contributor toward the Dutch Fork Disciple Church.
Text taken from page 754 of:
Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893).Transcribed April 1997 by Jack McNatt of Valrico, FL as part of the Beers Project.
Published April 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.[ [Back to Beers Table of Contents] [Back to Beers Project Page]