HUGH ALLISON ROGERS. Hugh Rodgers (for so the name was originally spelled) came, in company with a sister, from his native Ireland to America, and made a settlement in Chartiers township, Washington Co., Penn. He participated in the Revolutionary war. He was twice married, his first wife dying soon after marriage; his second wife was Miss Mary Cowden, of Chartiers township, who bore him children as follows: Mary Ann, who died October 11, 1844, aged twenty-one years; John C., who died August 14,1845; Elizabeth, married to Rev. John Stream, of Columbus Grove, Ohio; Ebenezer Kerr, who died September 8,1886, and Caroline, matron of the Washington County Home. The father of this family died September 7, 1845. Ebenezer Kerr Rodgers was born October 17, 1828, in Washington county, Penn., and was reared to farming pursuits, which he followed for some time, but on account of ill health was obliged to abandon and seek some lighter open-air employment. During the remainder of his life he dealt in stock, and for a time was interested in a livery stable, which stood where Bane Bros. now are, in Washington. On March 4, 1850, he married Miss Margaret, daughter of Hugh Allison, of Chartiers township. John Allison, grandfather of Mrs. Ebenezer K. Rodgers, was a native of Scotland, whence he came with his family to America about the year 1780, and made a settlement in the wild woods of Washington county, Penn., which teemed with ferocious animals and hostile Indians. The settlers at that time never went abroad from their log houses without their trusty rifles, not even to church meeting, which was held in an old log edifice that stood near where is now the borough of Canonsburg. Serv ices were often held in the open air, but, later, another and a better church building was erected at Buffalo. John Allison married Jennette Brownlee, and by her had children as follows: Gavin, born January 29, 1759; Archibald, born September 29, 1760; William (I), born May 23, 1764, died in infancy; William (2) born September 23, 1765; James, born April 8, 1768; Thomas, born June 30, 1770, became one of the first ministers in Washington county; Ebenezer, born June 10,1771, died in infancy, and Hugh, born December 2,1773. The parents of this family both departed this life in Chartiers township, the father about the year 1790, and they now rest in the graveyard at Buffalo. Hugh Allison, son of John, was four times married; the first time before he was twenty-one years of age, to Miss Irwin, of Buffalo township, who died leaving one child, Jane, born July 12,1795, who married George Morrison, and lived to the advanced age of eighty-three years. Hugh Allison's second marriage was with a daughter of John Brownlee, and she died leaving two children: Eliza, born August 9,1800, married to William Scott and died in Ohio, and Annie, born December 3, 1801, deceased when young. Mr. Allison's third marriage was with Miss McBride, of Washington county, and by her he had children as follows: Maria Reed, born February 12,1805; Rebecca McBride, born September 2,1807, married to John Hanna; Hugh, born April 27, 1810, died young: John and Thomas, both deceased. Mr. Allison's fourth wife was Jane Gabby, born December 14, 1771, in Washington county, daughter of James and Jeanette Gabby. By this marriage eight children were born, of whom the following is a brief record: Jane, born August 11, 1822, is now the widow of Joseph McNary; James, born September 18,1824, is now in Nebraska; Margaret, born March 6, 1826, married Ebenezer Kerr Rodgers, and died October 9, 1892; Archibald H., born November 24, 1827, is now in Chartiers township; Hugh B., born April 20, 1830, lives in Des Moines, Iowa; a daughter (name not given), died unmarried; Ann Henderson, born June 27, 1833, lives in Chartiers township, and Ebenezer, born August 12, 1835, lives on the old home farm in Chartiers township. The father of these families died September 2,1853, at the age of eighty years. He was from early manhood an elder in the North Buffalo Seceder Church, was a prominent temperance advocate, and succeeded in having the first temperance society formed in his vicinity. He was one of the first to refuse liquor to farm hands while working in the field. He was a great reader, and had a large library of books. He was a man of strong will, of very pronounced opinions, and was an advocate of women's rights. At the time of his death, which occurred suddenly from an attack of colic in 1853, he was the owner of 400 acres of land in Chartiers township. His widow passed from earth December 14, 1870, aged eighty years. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Ebenezer K. Rodgers remained a year on the farm, and then removed into the borough of Canonsburg, where they resided sixteen years; thence, in 1867, moved into Washington, where their home has since been. The children born to them are seven in number, viz.: Jane A., at home; Hugh Allison and Ebenezer Allison, both in Washington; Mary, at home; John C.; in McDonald. Washington county; Frank F., in Indianapolis, Ind.; and Harry Hanna, a civil engineer engaged by the Pennsylvania Railroad. On September 8, 1886, the father of this family departed from earth, having for the last year of his life been confined to the house. He was a good business man, possessed of a very even, quiet disposition, and at all times exercised great patience. In his political preferences he was a Republican, and in religions sentiments a member of the U. P. Church of Washington. HUGH ALLISON ROGERS was born September 24, 1855, in Canonsburg, Washington Co., Penn., where he received a portion of his education at the public schools. About the year 1867 he came with the rest of his father's family to Washington, and there, at the public schools of the borough, and by a short attendance at Washington College, complete his education. He then commenced the study of law in the office of John W. & Alvan Donnan, and on finishing his studies was admitted to the bar of Washington county in 1882, prior to which he had been appointed a notary public. In 1884 he was appointed cashier of the People's Light & Heat Company, which position he is now holding. Politically lie is a Republican, a strong worker for his party, hot no office-holder. He is a member of the U. P. Church, and librarian in same; was at one time a lieutenant in the National Guards of Pennsylvania, serving some eight or nine years. On September 30, 1885, Mr. Rogers married Miss Mary J. Murray, who was born September 23, 1861, a daughter of John Murray, of Washington. One bright little girl has come to brighten their home, named Florence, born July 18, 1889, and one boy, named Hugh Donnan, born January 5, 1893. The family residence is on Jefferson avenue, In Canton township.

Text taken from page 279 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed August 1997 by Jean Suplick Matuson of Plano, TX as part of the Beers Project. Published August 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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