The early genealogy and various lines of the Rogers/Rodgers family have been presented in the previous editions of this column. A descendant, Faye (Rodgers) Travis has provided additional history that permits this current column as well.

To date, the genealogy has covered the earliest ancestor, Daniel Rogers, Sr. and a couple of generations of his descendants. Primarily, his son Daniel Jr. and wife, Lucretia (Harris), and their children were outlined. Then the lineage followed their son, Littleberry, and his wife, Anna (Bozeman) through their children and grandchildren. An additional generation was presented for Littleberry’s son, Patison/Patterson Rogers who was married to Jane (Reddick) Soloman. Several of their grandchildren were also named.

It is significant to note that the records presented previously used the spelling of the name as Rogers. There are some in this family who are currently residing in this county who claim that those using this spelling are unrelated to those using the Rodgers spelling. However, the material used for today’s writing, uses the Rodgers spelling for Daniel Rodgers, Jr. and his descendants. In other records he is listed as Daniel Rogers, Jr. The distinction between those claiming the Rogers spelling and those, the Rodgers spelling is unclear at this point.

Today, the coverage begins with the descendants of Daniel Rodgers III and his wife, Nancy King Stallworth, daughter of William and Jemima (Tripp) Stallworth of Edgefield County, South Carolina. Daniel III was born in 1796 in South Carolina. He used the Rodgers spelling, but all of his children have been listed with the Rogers spelling. This family moved to Butler County during the 1820s.

Daniel III and Nancy Rodgers reared the following children: David; William; Ophelia S.; Sarah; Jane Sarah; Daniel IV; Lucretia Harris, b. 1822, d. 1907, m. Wright Pigford of Lauderdale County, Miss.; James R., b. 1830; and Augustus McNamarra, b. 1834.

Next, there is a return to the descendants of Littleberry Rogers, brother to Daniel III. Littleberry and William F. Rodgers were customers who had accounts at the historic James B. Parker Store in the Rose Hill area during the 1830s. At the time, the community was called Cauleyville and was located on the old Three-Notch Road in the vicinity of the current Bill Butler place. The road was also called the Rose Hill-Burnout Road. A post office for Cauleyville was established at the Parker Store in 1839.

Some of the grandchildren of Littleberry’s son, David Daniel Rodgers, and his wife, Callie Caroline (Harrison), will be outlined next. Most of their children were married and lived in the Leon community of Covington County, which later became a part of Crenshaw County. Most of them were farmers. Their second oldest son, William Daniel, was married first to Kitty Rodgers and second to Lessie Holland. He and Lessie had one daughter, Rebecca Rodgers, who was born circa 1911.

Another son, Green Harmon Rodgers, was born in Dozier in 1865 and died in that area in 1945. He was married in 1893 to Narcissis E. Laird (1877-1952) who came from the Buck Creek community near Red Level. Green was a farmer and owned his own home in the Leon community. They reared the following children: John Thomas, b. 1894, m. Ethel Jones; William D. “Willie,” b. 1895, m. Carlye G. Kimbro; Henry Green, b. 1897, m. Buena I. Compton; Annie Caroline “Callie,” b. 1899; James Burnett, b. 1901, d. 1984, m. Alice Agnue Rawls; Levi R., b. 1903; and Joe Lee, b. 1905, d. 1986, m. ?.

Green Harmon’s oldest son, John Thomas Rodgers, was married to Ethel Jones, a native of Arkansas. John T. was a farmer, and they lived in Cass County, Texas, when their children were born. They lived near several Peacock families, so there might be a relationship between them. They had the following two children: Hazel, b. ca 1938; and George Harmon.

The next son, William D. “Willie” Rodgers, was also a farmer, but he remained in the Leon and Theba communities. He was married to Carlye G. Kimbro who was born in Dozier. They reared the following children: Sarah K., b. ca 1922; Joe H., b. ca 1926; Ray C., b. 1929, m. ? Kimbro; Laurice, m. ? Goodbreed; and Dru.

Another son, Henry Green Rodgers, was also a farmer who resided in the Leon and Theba area. He was married to Buena I. Compton who was from the Ivy Creek community. They reared the following three children: Mary Ellender, b. ca 1918; James E., b. ca 1922; and Susan R., b. ca 1925.

The next son, James Burnett Rodgers, was a farmer who resided primarily in the Gantt and Red Level communities. He was married to Alice Agnue Rawls, daughter of John Morgan and Julia (Ridlehoover) Rawls. They reared the following four children: Julia Faye, b. 1928, m. (1) Walter E. Murphy (2) 1957 Emmett Lamar Travis; Lloyd Sampson, b. 1931, m. Marianne Harville; James Morgan, b. 1935, m. Rebecca Moon; and Alice Eloise, b. 1940, m. Joseph Thomas Faircloth, a native of Daytona Beach, Florida.

The youngest son, Joe Lee Rodgers, was married and followed his wife’s family to California. Her name is not known, but they reared the following three children: Eugene “Gene;” Joyce; and Edna Jo.

A number of the James Burnett Rodgers family continues to reside in Covington and Conecuh Counties. The oldest daughter, Julia Faye, lives near the Herbert community. Her first husband, Walter E. Murphy, was killed in a car wreck during the late 1950s. They had one daughter, Linda Diane Murphy, who was married first to Jack Jeffcoat and later to Henry Clay Williford. Following Walter Murphy’s death, Julia Faye was married to Emmett Lamar Travis who died in 2003. He was buried in the Welcome Cemetery of the Travis Bridge community of Butler County.

The oldest son, Lloyd Sampson Rodgers, has been engaged in large farming operations in the Red Level community. He and his wife, Marianne (Harville), reside currently in Clearview. They reared three children: James Lloyd, m. Susan Turner; Vickey Lynn, m. Timothy Marian Plant; and Melissa Ann, m. Kenneth Varner.

The youngest son, James Morgan Rodgers, has been in farming operations with his brother. He and his wife, Rebecca (Moon), reside in the Red Level area where they also reared three children: Rebecca Ann, m. Lynn Ryals; Larry Morgan; and Jane, m. Tim Easterling.

There is still another Rodgers line in the area, but they claim to have no known relationship to the family presented in this writing. It is hoped that some genealogy of the other family line will become available to allow it being presented in the future.

The source for today’s column was the records of Faye (Rodgers) Travis. Appreciation is expressed to her for sharing her family’s genealogy.

Anyone who might have any additional information on either the Rogers or Rodgers family is requested to contact this writer, Curtis Thomasson, at 20357 Blake Pruitt Road, Andalusia, AL 36420; 334-222-6467; or Email: cthomasson@centurytel.net

HISTORICAL MEETING:

The Covington Historical Society will meet at 7 p.m. in the Dixon Memorial Room of the Andalusia Public Library on Thurs., Oct. 30. Sherry Johnston, genealogist at the Evergreen Public Library, will present a program on genealogy.