Edward Rogers Esq. (abt. 1563 - 1627)

Born about 1563 in Cannington, Somerset, England

Ancestors

Husband of Catherine (Popham) Rogers — married 3 Jan 1585 in St Dunstan in the West, London, England

Descendants

Died 3 Sep 1627 at about age 64 in Newington, Middlesex, England

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Biography

He was born about 1563 in Cannington, Somersetshire, England and his parents were Joan or Jane (Winter) and George Rogers

Edward Rogers married about 1590 in Newington, Middlesex, England to Catherine or Katharine Popham. She was born about 1559 in Huntworth, Somerset, England and was the daughter of John Popham and Amy Games.

Edward Rogers, Esq. was allied through his wife's sisters to the Champernowns, Horners, Warres and the Malletts of Enmore. Through his father-in-law, he became involved in the attempt to colonize Munster, Ireland. Popham had been authorized to interest the gentlemen of the west country in the enterprise and three of his sons-in-law were among the undertakers. In June 1586, 19 seigneuries in Cork were granted to the Somerset undertakers, among whom Rogers was numbered. During the remainder of 1586 and in 1587 he was active in Irish affairs, making arrangements for defense and for the apportionment of land. By the end of 1587, however, he was disillusioned with t he Munster project, finally, with many others of the original undertakers, abandoning it by March 1588.

Another documented episode in Rogers' life was his quarrel with his brother-in-law John Harington, Queen Elizabeth's godson. Both men were hoping to secure for their children the estate of Lady Rogers, Edward's mother. In 1594 Harington sought redress against Rogers, who had reviled his wife, calling her names not fit to be spoken, while Harington and his servants h ad been physically attacked by Rogers and members of his household. In the event, when Lady Rogers died in 1598, her manors were divided among her Harington and Rogers grandsons.

The sole executrix was her daughter, Mary Harington, and this gave Rogers the pretext he needed for a renewed attack on his brother-in-law. In January 1603, in the Star Chamber, he claimed that Harington had consulted Lady Rogers's physicians just before her death, and, learning that she could not live above ten days, had hurried to Cannington and removed plate valued at Ð5 ,000, as well as destroying Rogers's evidences the title deeds of the property bequeathed b y Lady Rogers. He also alleged that, just before her death, Lady Rogers had accused Harington of robbing her and altering her will. Harington denied the charges, saying that he had acted only upon Lady Rogers's instructions, or in the manner proper to an executor, in right of h is wife. He claimed that the charges had been fabricated by Rogers with a desire rather than a hope utterly to disgrace him. If this was so, the hope was frustrated by the Privy Council, who referred the dispute to arbitration: as the parties are so near allied ... the King's will is that the arbitrament shall be speedily proceeded in, with all regard to preserve brotherly love and amity and to no prejudice to Lady Harington and her eldest son.

He died on 03 Sep 1627 in Newington, Middlesex, England.

“Edward Rogers, of Cannington, Somerset, Esq. Will dated Aug. 27, 1627, proved Nov. 19, 1627, by Catherine Rogers, widow. [116 Skinner.] My daughter Ellinor, wife of John Huddie, esq., 1,000 marks. Penelope Rogers, my youngest daughter, £1,500. My wife Catherine. My son George Rogers, my interest in the manors of Porlock & Borsington. My third son Edward, my grounds at Stynte, Somerset, & house of Knighton in Stogursey. Henry, my youngest son, £500. My brother in law Sir Francis Popham, Overseer. My wife Catherine, Exix. My son and heir Sir Francis Rogers, kt.” ^[1]

Children

1. Jane Rogers, b: 1591
2. Francis Rogers, b: 1592
3. Amy Rogers, b: 1594
4. Ann Rogers, b: 1596
5. George Rogers, b: 1598
6. Edward Rogers, b: 1600
7. Henry Rogers, b: 1602
8. Elinor Rogers, b: 1604
9. Mary Rogers, b: 1606
10. Penelope Rogers, b: 1608.

Research Notes

Wealthy people didn't have their children sent to Virginia as servants without some context. Edward Rogers I certainly didn't emigrate to Virginia himself. His son and heir at Cannington was Sir Francis Rogers who married Helena Smith (daughter of Sir Hugh Smith of Long Aston. See: Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry, Volume 2, pg. 1136 Rogers of Rainscombe: Lineage His daughter, Jane Rogers, married Sir Franics Hele of Wembury. See: The Western Antiquary; Or, Devon and Cornwall Note-book, Volume 12, pg. 34 Sir John Hele - Col. Rogers, per Google Books ^[2]

His 3rd son, Edward Rogers, was born about 1598 in Somerset, England and was educated at Oxford. It was the younger Edward who immigrated on the Ann in 1623 to Jamestown, Virginia. He was a headright for Captain Wm. Epes, as recorded on the 1626 muster (census), in Accomack County, Virginia. Edward II died about 1637 in Virginia. His wife was pregnant at the time of his death; family history states their son, John Rogers, was born ca. 1636/37. Alas, no primary documents survive.

See this cited source below for a modern account of the circumstances under which Edward Rogers Esquire's son [Edward Rogers II] was sent to Virginia. It erroneously confuses Edward II (Jr.), the emigrant, with his father, subject of this profile. Otherwise, it gives a good picture of what happened to ruin young Edward's chances in England. ^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ Abstracts of Somersetshire wills, etc., copied from the manuscript collections of the late Rev. Frederick Brown by Crisp, Frederick Arthur, 1851-1922; Brown, Frederick, 1815-1886. Second Series, 1888, p 91 Internet Archive.
2. ↑ http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/n/e/l/C-Nelson-Renton/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0762.html Rootsweb Family Tree
3. ↑ Scattered Leaves of the Ashley Family of Colorado:Information about Edward Rogers Esq on Genealogy.com

• Dictionary of National Biography v22

• Ancestral File #: 9T6W-LG

• http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:3281087&id=I118910