Micajah Clack Rogers, first mayor of Huntsville TX

My great great great grandfather Micajah Clack Rogers, (1795-1873).

 - son George Washington Rogers 

- son William Sanford Rogers 

- son George Elmore Rogers, Sr. 

- son George Elmore Rogers, Jr. 

- daughter, myself.

 History in Review: Huntsville's First Mayor

Since Huntsville was founded in 1836, there have been several mayors.  The first mayor of Huntsville was Micajah Rogers.  Micajah Clack Rogers was born May 17, 1795, in Sevier County, Tenn.  Before coming to Huntsville, Rogers served in the Mounted Gunmen of East Tennessee Militia in the War of 1812 as spies and fought under Andrew Jackson in the Creek Indian Wars.  Rogers and his family moved to Texas in 1842.  It is thought that the family settled in Huntsville due to their friendship with Sam Houston.  In 1843, Rogers served as one of the trustees to the Huntsville Male and Female Academy that Pleasant Gray and his wife Hannah had conveyed land to establish.  Rogers was elected the first mayor of Huntsville in March of 1845 and his son George Rogers was elected the first city treasurer on the same day.  Rogers was also one of the commissioners that served on the committee to secure lands for the first courthouse and jail to be located in Huntsville.  In 1850, Rogers became the postmaster.  He took his son’s, E. Lafeatte, place as postmaster after his death.  Over the years, Rogers also served as Justice of Peace and as Financial Agent of the Texas State Penitentiary.  The Walker County Census listed Rogers as a merchant and freight agent in 1870.  Micajah Rogers died February 15, 1873, and was buried in the old section of Oakwood Cemetery.  For more information about the Rogers’ family and other pioneers that settled Walker County, visit the Gibbs-Powell House and County Museum.  The museum is open from noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays.

 

- Lee Ann Wiseman, Director of the Gibbs-Powell Home and Walker County Museum

Micajah Clack Rogers (1795-1873)

I note that Mayor Rogers was only17 when the War of 1812 broke out. He was the oldest of 12 children of Rev. Elijah Rogers and Catharine Clack Rogers. 

His war records reveal he was in 2 units, being a private in both.

From 1812-Aug 1813 service.

1812 MAJOR JOHN PORTER'S SQUADRON, CAVALRY, EAST TENNESSEE MILITIA. Rank - Induction: PRIVATE Rank - Discharge: PRIVATE 

Roll Box: 178 Publication: M602 

Company: 7 REG'T (AUG., 1813,) NORTH CAROLINA MIL.Rank - Induction: PRI Disch PRI

He returned from his service to Sevier County TN, where he'd been born and raised. 

In 1827 the Governor of Tennessee granted him 100 acres in Hamilton County, TN (which is where Chattanooga is located) and 75 acres in Sevier County TN.  He also had many other ventures in Sevier County going before then. He owned the Sweden Iron Works or Short Mountain Furnace.

I saw a marker for the Sweden Furnace which read:

5 miles northwest, this was first called Short Mountain Furnace using local ore bank ore. Started about 1820 by Robert Shields. William K. Love and brothers operated it about 1830. Micajah C. Rogers bought it and changed its name in 1836. It closed in 1840, following the panic of 1837 and deterioration in quality of ore.

Micajah had owned several town lots in Sevierville, TN, a merchantile, and various other interests.

He lost his shirt, so to speak, in the economic crash of  (1837-42?) There are several legal documents by which he sold his holdings to various relatives (his younger  sisters' families.)