Alpheus F. Rodgers

RODGERS, BURK, HURLBURT, CULTON

Posted By: Marthann Kohl-Fuhs (email)
Date: 5/13/2009 at 16:00:46

1889 BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF
SHELBY AND AUDUBON COUNTIES, IOWA
W. S. DUNBAR & CO., PUBLISHERS
113 ADAMS STREET, CHICAGO

pages 766-767

ALPHEUS F. RODGERS,a model
farmer of Leroy Township, section 9,
was born in the State of Michigan,
Cass County, near Dowagiac, February 15,
1839. He is the third child of Samuel and
Margaret (Burk) Rodgers. The mother was
a native of Virginia, and a daughter of
William Burk. The father was born in
Preble County, Ohio, October 13, 1810.
He grew to manhood in his native State,
and at an early day removed to Michigan,
where he carried on farming and milling
as a business. He served as a soldier in the
Black Hawk war. He received land war-
rants, with a portion of which he located land
adjoining his home. He is still living, and
is a resident of Benton harbor, Michigan.
A. F. Rodgers passed his early boyhood in
Michigan, receiving the advantage of a good
common-school education. In the year 1854
he removed with his parents to La Salle
County, Illinois, and worked on the farm
with his father until he reached his majority;
he then began life on his own account, fol-
lowing farming until 1864, when he started
for the mines of Idaho and Montana. He
left Omaha the 3d day of May, and arrived in
Virginia City the 10th day of July. He
engaged in mining in Last Chance and Hard
Scrabble gulches, built a cabin, and the first
hotel building in what is now Helena, the
capital of Montana. Returning to Seneca,
Illinois, he opened a meat-market and dealt
in live-stock. Afterward he went into the
lumber business, which he conducted suc-
cessfully until 1878. In March, 1879, Mr.
Rodgers went to Audubon County, Iowa, and
in March of the following year be moved his
family to Audubon. October 21, 1880, he
moved on his present farm, and devotes his
time to general farming. He endeavors to
raise good grades of stock, believing that it
costs no more to raise a good animal than a
poor one. The place is well provided with
buildings for the protection of live-stock. Mr.
Rodgers was married August 23, 1859, to
Miss Caroline Hurlburt, a daughter of Will-
iam and Laurinda Hurlburt, of La Salle
County, Illinois. Mr. Rodgers is a member
of Veritas Lodge, No. 392, A. F. & A. M.; of
Amity Chapter, No. 93, R. A. M.; and of
Blaney Commandery, No. 5, K. T., at Morris,
Illinois. In politics he is a Republican.
Mrs. Rodgers's father was born and reared in
Massachusetts; her mother was a native of
New York State. Her parents were married
in Ohio, and afterward removed to Illinois.
The grandfather of A. F. Rodgers was Alex-
ander Rodgers, who married Miss Margaret
Culton, a native of Rockbridge County,
Virginia.