The other Spencer Rogers

I originally thought the Hamilton County TN family was another Spencer Rogers, with middle name Joseph. But it turns out my Great times four Uncle Spencer C. Rogers did apparently live there some of his life.

But there was also a Spencer J. Rogers in Giles County, TN.

Here's the other Spencer's marriage record (his second I think)

I may write more about Spencer Joseph "Monk" Rogers just because his records keep popping up. It's rather hard figuring things out, since my Uncle Spencer Clack Rogers lived at least in 3 counties of Tennessee.  But SJ "Monk" Rogers lived his whole 98 years in Giles County.

And another Spencer Rogers actually fought in the War of 1812, which was before both of these gentlemen were of age in Monk's case, or even born in Uncle SC's case.

 

Spencer Rogers, submitted by 2nd gr grandson David Rogers

abt 1880

Giles Co., TN

Spencer Rogers is in the buggy with his grandson, wife & daughter in law. One of his sons standing by the buggy

I think this photo is great of a family, to whom I'm probably distantly related. But it's not the Uncle Spencer who was Micajah Clack Rogers' brother.

And his parents were Joseph and Nancy Rogers (both from South Carolina), who Ancestry knows little about except that they died in Missouri or Arkansas, and apparently had no other chi

Spencer "Monk" J. Rogers was born 15 Dec 1814 in Giles County, TN. There's a detailed list of descendants compiled by his great great grandson David O. Rogers, 8 pages, which I've included on my ancestry site.  It unfortunately doesn't have any information about his parents either.

In 1906 Spencer J. applied for a pension for his service in the Mexican War, (discharged in 1846) and was denied. He was 91 when he applied for it.

He apparently married twice, and was a farmer. His first wife was Elizabeth Mitchell who died between the 1850 and 1860 census. Second wife was Arena B.McDonald who he married in 1865. So it it she who appears in the photo above.  But his 8 children were all with Elizabeth.

A news article when Spencer J. was just 92, saying he was the oldest surviving veteran of the Mexican war.

His obituary said:
 

October 24, 1912 Edition of the Giles Co. Record, Pulaski, TN

NINETY-NINE YEARS OLD

SPENCER ROGERS, OLDEST MAN IN GILES COUNTY, DIED AT RESIDENCE NEAR BODENHAM

    Spencer Rogers the oldest man at the time of his death in Giles County, died near Bodenham Thursday, aged ninety-nine years.

   

    There is little doubt in regard to the age of Mr. Rogers, he having a number of children who are past middle age, one son being more than seventy years old.  Mr. Rogers was a native of this county.  Mr. Gurdine Cox, who was a soldier in the Mexican war, and is himself ninety-four years old, knew the deceased when a small boy and says Mr. Rogers was several years older than himself.  Surviving the deceased is his second wife, several children, grand-children and great grand-children, a number of the later being grown.