Rodgers, G. W.

RODGERS

Posted By: Joyce Hickman (email)
Date: 10/6/2008 at 13:50:12

G. W. Rodgers

(From the 1883 History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, by J. H. Keatley, p.193, Neola Twp.)
G. W. Rodgers, stock-dealer, Neola, was born in Ohio County, W. Va., May 28, 1831; his father was born in West Virginia March 28, 1799, was a farmer and blacksmith and died in his native county June 15, 1845. The mother of our subject, Mary (Taylor) Rodgers, was born February 14, 1804, and died in 1879; the parents had nine children, seven of whom are living. When fifteen years of age, Mr. Rodgers moved from West Virginia to Illinois, where he worked three years as a hired man and then rented a farm till March, 1860, when he came to Appanoose County, Iowa; he remained there till September 1, 1860, when he moved, with an ox-team to Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie County; there he spent two years on a farm owned by Joseph Foreman, then two years on Thomas Coplan's farm; there, April 8, 1863, he lost his first wife, Ellen (Miller) Rodgers, born in Illinois in 1836; she was the mother of five children. After spending a short time in his native State, visiting friends, Mr. Rodgers returned to Iowa, and worked for two years, at $25 per month, for Dr. Robert McGovern, of Harrison County. After spenind three months in Virginia, Mr. Rodgers worked four months for William Keline, of Iowa, at $40 per month. He then went into farming and stock-raising for himself. April 1, 1875, Mr. Rodgers located on his present farm; From March 1 to July 18, 1882, he shipped, from Neola, 1,500 head of cattle and about 5,000 head of hogs; he has at present 300 head of stock cattle; he owns 1,030 acres of inclosed land in one body, valued at about $25 an acre. Mr. Rodgers was married a second time, November 28, 1878, to Miss Amelia Ward, born in England February 22, 1850, daughter of George and Martha (Warton) Ward; he was born in England and died in this country; she died at the home of our subject, February 22, 1882. Mr. Rodgers has six children - Martin L., Mary C., George C., Nancy E., Charlies and Viola. The family are members of the M. E. Church. Mr. Rodgers is a Republican.