John Rogers was born about 22 November 1684, in Salem, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony. His parents were Jeremiah and Dorcas (Unknown) Rogers. No birth record has been found for John; his birth date is based on secondary sources, and his birth location is based on his parents residing in Salem.
His parents were not wealthy, and in their later years they were dependent upon the town and John. In 1717 John bought their house in Salem and allowed them to continue to live in it, as a way of providing support[1].
John was admitted to Harvard but did not take up residence until the second quarter of sophomore year, when he obtained scholarship funds from the Brown legacy. He graduated from Harvard in 1705[2][3].
"In June, 1708, the town of Boxford invited Mr. Rogers to preach for four Sundays, and at the expiration of that time offered him 20s the week to continue for a quarter. Boxford, had recently separated from Rowley, and the duties of its inhabitants toward the Rev Payson of Rowley... were not as yet determined. Consequently, when Boxford announced Mr. Rogers was to be ordained... neighboring parsons refused... " Joseph Green describes a prayer meeting which was called two weeks later to seek guidance:
"Mr. Rogers began, and I preached... Mr. Symes began, and Mr. Barnard preached... The Church stayed and sent three men to thank us, and to desire our advice. We advised that they should not agree upon an ordination until... the neighboring ministers approved Mr. Payson... We advised Mr. Rogers to repair to the ministers either at Salem, or Ipswich for direction in order to his settlement"
"The ordination finally took place on Oct 19, 1709. Mr. Green recorded that it was a stormy day. Mr. Rogers preached and prayed. Mr. Payson gave the charge. Mr. Capen gave the right hand of fellowship. Mr. Barnard concluded. Sang 90th Psalm. I came home late..."
Rev. John Rogers married Susannah Marston, daughter of Manassah and Mercy (Pierce) Marston. Their intention was recorded in Salem on 30 December 1709: "John, Rev., of Boxford, and Susanna Marston, int. 30: xbr: 1709."[4][5]. They were married in Boxford on 24 March 1710: "John [2d Minister in Town Ordained 1709. B. C.], and Suesannah Maston of Salem, Mar. 24, 17--. [1705-09?]"[6][7]. Note that there are various interpretations of the intention and marriage records. For the intention, "xbr" is taken here as meaning the tenth month, December, in the calendar of that day. For the marriage, the year is thus assumed to be 1710. Many trees use the intention location, Salem, as the marriage location, which appears in Boxford vital records as occurring in Boxford.
John and Susannah had children, all born in Boxford[8]:
In about 1751 John and Susannah removed to Leominster, Worcester, Massachusetts Bay Colony, where their son John resided. The Rev. John Rogers died on 17 August 1755, and his widow Susannah on 23 October 1757, both in Leominster[9].
John Rogers was a liberal for his day, as was his predecessor Rev. Thomas Symmes. John followed his lead by also using the "popish" system of singing in parts from written notes. "He was a man honest, frank in conversation, one who held to his own opinion, and a man of power and forceable and earnest."
There is a (unverified) town record that the Selectmen purchased an hour glass to time Mr. Roger's sermons and it was the duty of a tithingman to set the hour glass on the pulpit when the minister began to preach. It is said the preachers would sometimes reverse the glass after an hour-long sermon and then a sigh would be heard throughout the meeting house as people tried to settle down again for an indefinite period.
During his 34 years as minister there were many disagreements between John and the parish over his living wages or lack of. Johns discontent with the situation increasing. In 1743 he suddenly abandoned his ministerial relation with them. He simply quit preaching, after never once, year after year having got his pay in full. He left the church up in the air but stated he would not return to the pulpit until the arrears he was owed were settled. They tried to dismiss him but could not since once ordained he was minister until he resigned.
The house and land that had been settled onto him had been given under the same conditions as for the previous minister. According to the agreement, it was to go back to the town for use of the next minister. John, holding them to the £1268 that was due in back salary, would not give it up. The parish put forth every plea and persuasion and then threatened to take this matter to the courts but John still would not budge. They eventually did attempt to bring charges against him, but what exactly these charges were is unknown. The courts offered the parish no recourse and John remained. Neither could come to an agreement and the town of Boxford went without a minister for 15 years
John did eventually remove to his sons house, in Leominster, but left another son, Benjamin, entrenched in the parsonage, and the ongoing conflict continued through the exchange of letters. One, dated Jan. 8, 1751 contains some interesting choice of words - below are some partial quotes;
"Beloved brethren: In yours of Dec. 21, 1750, you say 'we should be glad to be informed what council you esteem to be regular & I will make you glad. Such a council is one chosen... according to the platform of the Word of God... to judge of the Christian conduct of the members... receive and forgive the penitent, eject obstinate offenders or heretics..."
"I desire you may have the preeminence to choose first for you are many. I will take your leavings to fill up the council, to be held in Boxford when and where you please..."
"As to the charges (they want him to share expenses towards court) I don't think it hard for you who are rich to bear them, but it would not be prudence for me, who have little, or nothing, to promise to pay till you pay me..."
"...Nor do I see any reason for the poor accused to oblige himself to help the potent accusers to defray the charges of their prowess against him. Some, it may be, will say 'if you will not join with us in bearing the charges as well as the result of the council, we will have none.' But, I say, where then is your zeal for purging out the Old Leaven, for the reclaiming or punishing the scandalous brother..."
"But seeing you love to skip or stride over to the council I am willing they should hear all those things my visible accusers lay to my charge, and if the accusations be proved... I will bear the reproof due to me, for 'if the righteous smite me it shall be a kindness...'" Amen and amen. jan. 8, 1751.
P.S. "Though I would pay due deference to your letter of the 21 of Dec, 1750; yet I must be excused if I say such is my dulness of apprehension that I see not the least shadow of reason to alter my opinion expressed in my letter to you..."
We cannot find records that any council was held. Their disagreement was continued year in and year out, neither party coming to terms. The parish-clerk wrote "our long perplexed and distressed circumstances" Mr. Rogers died in 1755, leaving the matter unsettled, it was continued by his widow, until her death, two years later, it was finally settled by sons John and Nathaniel Rogers of Leominster.
It was said John Rogers that more persons were admitted to the church, during his ministry of 34 years than during the ministry of any other in Boxford. His only known published sermon was "The Nature and Necessity of Repentance... a Discourse Occasion'd by the Earthquake, preached at Boxford in part on the Publick Fast, Dec 21, 1727." Boston, 1728, 78 Pages BA, LC, MHS. Like most he believed that the earthquake of 1727 was one of God's rebukes. "The great God has sent this Earthquake that Men might fear before him; and if we will not fear him, he will send it again in more astonishing manner."
In 1744 the College awarded him and his classmate Gershom Rawlins of London the degree of Master of Arts, which they had failed to take with the rest of the Class in 1708
---THE--FOLLOWING--ARE--COMMON--ERRORS---
Genealogy of John Rogers of Boxford, MA (stated he was b in England, he was not)
Quote "LATE BAPTISMAL DATE IS EVIDENCE HIS FATHER JEREMIAH WAS AGAINST INFANT BAPTISM" (not evidence - supposition)
Pedigrees using Jeremiah (1670–1730) are unfeasible; it is doubtful that John's father was fourteen or that his siblings were Ichabod, Love and Abigail with wife Abigail Trescott.
Mr. Rogers was (not) the eighth generation from Rev. John Rogers the English martyr at Smithfield whose descendants claim to possess the partly burned Bible he had carried to the stake Savage in A Genealogical Dictionary... p. 569 discusses this further
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R > Rogers > John Rogers of Boxford
Categories: Leominster, Massachusetts | Boxford, Massachusetts | Salem, Massachusetts | Evergreen Cemetery, Leominster, Massachusetts
edited by Gail Smith