Robert Rodgers, "The Immigrant"

Birth record from Antrim Ireland, 1672. He would have been Presbyterian. He would have been older around 61 years when he came to America. He would have met Margaret Thornton in Londonberry, she was in North Ireland, too, in Cork Cty, Ireland.

Robert arrived and lived at first "on the Esturara" (Swatara) in 1733 (from Notes and Queries, Vol I , p 226) which is a place in Southern Hanover. "he died there prior to 1750" buried in "Old Hanover Church cemetery along with his wife." People generally lived in churches and they built new ones he likely moved with his congregation to Hanover. Had sons, George, Seth, Hugh, and Robert , and likely Joseph.- Robert (the son of this Robert) is likely the one who has the will of 1745 leaving widow, Elizabeth. Seth died in 1758, also, leaving will, and we know from Seth's will (Notes and Queries Vol II, p. 272) that George and Hugh were his brothers. Sons of Joseph, were Robert and Wiliam and those all went to Carolina (south Carolina or Nansemond/Surrey Co.??). In any event, the Joseph line was somewhere else when the will of Seth so maybe Joseph was already gone.

George might have married his brother's sister, the widow, Elizabeth? (deed showing sell of land by George and Elizabeth ). George would have been in his forties when he went to Augusta Cty, VA, and bought the 540 acres Betheny Manor.

Robert is affectionately referred to as "The Immigrant" as his first church membership records, Mennonite Church, indicate he came to Hanover Township in 1733 from (Northern) Ireland. An index card for this information had a footnote "Notes and Queries."

"Notes and Queries is a historical and genealogical record of Pennsylvania written by William Henry Egle a physician, author and historian who served as the State Librarian of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania from 1887 to 1889.

Additional family genealogy information is recorded in a 1865 hand written letter by Zeno Campbell, who's mother was Martha Ann Rodgers a daughter of John White Rodgers and Martha Rodgers. This couple were also first cousins. John's father was Joseph Rodgers (1695) and Martha was a daughter of Hugh Rodgers (1678). Zeno born Dec 1787 lived on Rogers/Rodgers land for 31 years before moving away. Joseph moved to Bladen Co and in 1753 that land was carved out to create Anson Co. In 1762 the same land was carved out to form Mecklenburg Co and in 1792 it became Cabarrus Co. In Zeno's letter mentioned above there are examples of how some of this family used Rodgers as their last name and others used Rogers.

After Joseph's death, Hugh traveled to Anson Co 1753 and obtained a NC land grant, land on which his younger children could be establish near their cousins from Joseph's family. Hugh never moved to North Carolina. He remained in Hanover Township with his parents and siblings. Hugh and daughter Elizabeth traveled back to Anson and sold his land. 300 acres on Lanless Creek (most likely Lantis Creek) to Hugh Kelly recorded in Anson deed book C1 page 147.

Michael Rogers
gedeckt@roadrunner.com
My 6th Great Grandfather