Spencer J. Rogers

24 October 1912 Edition of Giles Co. Record Pulaski, Tn.

99 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 99 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 70 years old. Mr. Rogers was a native of this county. Mr. Gurdine Cox, who was a soldier in the Mexican war, and is himself 94 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.

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Spencer was a farmer. On 1860 he is a common laborer with personal value of $250. On the 1870 census he was a farm hand. He and Aurina appear on the 1910 census living on Weakley Creek. Index to Mexican War Pension Files lists Spencer J served in Knight's Co. 3rd Tenn Vols. as a private. He applied for that pension in 1906, being 91 years of age. Pension was denied. He says in this application he went to the Gulf of Mexico, fought in two battles, and went home on furlough for 60 days. The war ended before his leave was over. He was discharged in Nov 1846. The last file is dated Sept of 1906 and he was living at #70 W 13st street in Columbia TN. On his pension he says he is also called Monk.

In an article written March 1, 1906 in the Pulaski reporter it states he was possibly the oldest survivor of the Mexican War. He did not wear glasses, never had a tooth pulled, not hearing impaired. He still cut his own firewood, planted his garden and picked cotton. He lived with his son Henry. He had been married three times. He had worked as a distiller for Elisha Bennett, and an overseer for Shelby Marsh at Brick Church.

Circuit Court Records, Divorce from Rosanne Ray granted Dec 19, 1865. Grounds were adultry. She was given sold custody of daughter Henrietta J Rogers.

Possible that Spencer and Josiah Rogers are brothers and the father is Joseph.