Thomas ROGERS

Notes:

Name:
Thomas Rogers was born at Watford, Northamptonshire, England, circa 1571, the oldest son of William and Eleanor Rogers. Thomas and his oldest son Joseph Rogers were on the 'Mayflower'; Thomas died at Plymouth in the winter of 1620/21 'in the first sickness'.

Thomas rogers married at Watford 24 October 1597 Alice Cosford, who was baptized there 10 May 1573. She was the daughter of George and Margaret Cosford; George Cosford named both Alice and Thomas Rogers in his will (TG 10:138-49). Here date of death is unknown. She probably died at Leiden, The Netherlands; there is no evidence that she emigrated to Plymouth Colony.

Evidence from Dutch and New England primary sources establishes that Thomas and Alice rogers had at least five and possibly six children who were all baptized at Watford; Thomas Rogers (who died young), possibly Richard Rogers (who died young), Joseph rogers, John Rogers, Elizabeth Rogers and Margaret Rogers were born in that order (TG 10:138-49).

Thomas Rogers and his family had left England by 22 February 1617 when he bought a house on Barbarasteeg at Leiden for 475 guilders. In Leiden Rogers worked as a 'greyntrapier' (greyn weaver) or camlet merchant. On 1 April 1620 Rogers sold the house on Barbarasteeg to another English immigrant, Mordecai Cohen, for 300 guilders (Bangs' Strangers and Pilgrims 323-24, Dexter 632).

Later in 1620, Thomas Rogers and his oldest surviving child, Joseph rogers, came to Plymouth on the 'Mayflower (Badford's Hist 442). The 1622 Leiden poll tax list shows that his wife Alice, two daughters Elizabeth Rogers and Margaret Rogers, and younger son John rogers remained in Leiden in the household of Anthony Clements, one of the English Separatists who did not emigrate to Plymouth (TAG 52:110-13).

Thomas Rogers died in Plymouth in the first sickness; his son Joseph was still living in 1650 (Bradford's Hist 442,446). In the 1623 Plymouth Colony land division, Joseph Rogers was allotted two acres, one for himself and one on behalf of his late father Thomas Rogers (PCR 12:4). Joseph may have lived in the household of Governor William Beadford with whom he was grouped 22 May 1627 in the division of cattle; Joseph and twelve other inhabitants of Plymouth received "An heifer of the last yeare wch was of the Greate white back cow that was brough ouer in the Ann, & two shee goats" (PCR 12:12).

William Bradford wrote "The rest of Thomas Rogers' came over and are married and have many children' but did not give specific names (Bradford's Hist 446). Only one of Thomas Rogers' other children, John Rogers, can be authenticated from New England records. john Rogers probably arrived in Plymouth circa 1629/30 when the last of the Separatists arrived from Leiden as he first appears in the Plymouth Colony Records when he was taxed 25 March 1633 (PCR 1:11). In April 1640 Joseph Rogers and John Rogers, "his brother," were granted fifty acres each at North River (Marshfield), thus confirming John's identity (PCR 1:144).

Thomas married Alice COSFORD on 24 Oct 1597 in Watford, Northampton, England. Alice was christened on 10 May 1573 in Watford, Northampton, England; died in Leidon, Holland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Death: Between 12 and 25 Jan 1678
• Will: 02 Jan 1677/8
• Fact: 15 Jan 1677/8, Inventory of estate

Notes:

Came with his fathr to America in the 'Mayflower' in 1620, when a lad of 12 to 13 yrs old; and his father dying early in 1621, left the boy upon his own resources. He settled at Duxbury and later went to Sandwich where he resided for a time; and in 1655, he removed to Eastham, Mass., permanently locating thre - where he died.

Name:
Lieut. Joseph Rogers went to Eastham soon after the settlement opened, paid his proportion of the purchase money, and at once took a leading part in the affairs of the new township. He came over in the Mayflower, with his father,Thomas Rogers, and appears to have been the only member of his father's family that ventured in that famous vessel. At the time, it appears, he was a lad. He doubtless was the eldest of his father's children, and, perhaps, came to have care of his father, who, it is inferred from what Bradford has stated, was a widower. His father did not survive the first winter; he took the distemper which carried off so many of that noble band, died, and was buried, as is supposed, with the other victims on Cole's Hill. Some years afterwards the remaining portion of his family found their way to this country, where they married and settled. With whom Lieut. Joseph lived during that terrible winter and spring, after burying his father, does not appear. It certainly must have been a dreary winter to him as well as to the other survivors. the bill of mortality as given by Prince, the chronologist, as gathered from Bradford's papers, shows that the little band of worthies was incapable of doing much more than to attend to the sick and to bury the dead, for the first four months. the number of deaths occurring in December was six; January, eight; February, seventeen and in March thirteen. Elder Brewster and Captain Standish were among the very few that escaped the sickness. They have been highly spoken of by the Pilgrim historian for their great services during the sickness.....

In 1647, at the June session of the Old Colony court, he was proposed as a suitable person for a lieutenant at Nausett to "exercise the men" in arms, and was appointed. He held this position till 166, when his lieutenancy was revoked, and he was released from further duty as militia officer. He was however, reappointed lieutenant of the Eastham Company in 1664, succeeding Lieut. Wm Merrick or Myrick. In February, 1652, with other persons from various parts of the colony, he was appointed to la out the way fro Sandwich to near Eel River in Plymouth. In 1658, he was one of the Council of War, and that year had liberty to purchase tracts of meadow at Pottonumecot, near the mouth of the river.

Joseph married Hannah ? about 1632. Hannah died between 02 Jan 1677 and 1678. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Birth: Bef 1611
• Death: Bef 1691
• Will: 26 Aug 1691

Notes:

Plymouth County Probate Records: Mass. Genealogical Records, 1600s-1800s:

Will of John Rogers son of Duxborough dated August 26, 1691, he "Being sick and weak of Body."
To grandson John Rogers all houses and lands in Duxborough;
To grandson John Tisdall for the use of his mother Anne Terrey 1/2 of my land in Middleboro except my right in Majors Purchase;
To daughter Elizabeth Williams other half of said tract;
All Cattle to be divided between daughter Elizabeth Williams and grandsons John Rogers and John Tisdale.
To grandson John Rogers household stuff and money, he to pay his sister Elizabeth Rogers 40s, and 20s a pence to his other three sisters, Hannah Bradford, Ruth Rogers and Sarah Rogers.
To daughter Abigail Richmond, the 20s, a year which is my due for fourscore acres of land which I sold to my two grandsons. Joseph Richmond and Edward Richmond. Son John to be executor. Witnessed by Rhodolphus Thacher, Mary Wadsworth and Elisha Wadsworth, who made oath. Sept. 20, 1692

John married Anna CHURCHMAN on 16 Apr 1639 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA. Anna died after May 1664. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Name:
She may have married here and had children (Bradford's Hist 446). Eugene Stratton speculated in 'Plymouth Colony, Its History & People, 1620-1691", 288, that she might be Elizabeth, wife of SAMUEL EDDY; Clifford L. Stott in TG 10: 138-49, speculates that she may, alternatively, have returned to Watford from Leiden and m. there.

Notes:

Name:
She probably married here and had children (Bradford's Hist 446).