| Notes |
- Jeff Anthony Rogers born 1856 in
Tippah Co MS and died there after 1935 and his second wife Norma Gertrude
Thompson born 1871 in Monroe Co MS and died in Tippah Co MS--believed after 1930.
Jeff's parents died when he was small. He was cared for by his Uncle Joel,
who soon won the loving confidence of the lad to the extent that to this day,
he delights to refer to that uncle in terms that will be most honoring.
(Source: A MINSTER OF CHRIST by A. M. Overton, p. 41, "A Personal Word" by R. A.
Cooper) In 1879 at the age of 23 he went to Cherry Creek to work in the store
of his Uncle Nathan. He was a good salesman and won many friends for his
uncle's business and established himself as a good, level-headed business man. In
1886 he married Vada Setzler but she died when she died only four years
later. They had no children. In 1890 in spite of his young age he was elected the
Missionary-Colporter and began his work in that field as
preacher-missionary-colporter, preaching his first sermon at Central Grove church house in
Monroe County in February 1891. In 1892 he was called to his first pastorate,
Smithville in Monroe County. In 1895 he bought a home outside of Amory
Mississippi and developed a splendid farm, with no indication that he allowed his farm
work to interfere with his services unto the Lord.
In 1898 he married Norma Thompson of Amory, the daughter of Johnson and Ella
Thompson, both born in Mississippi. Johnson R. Thompson served as a
Confederate in Company E of the 14 Mississippi Infantry. He enlisted as a Private
and was a First Sergeant when he was discharged. Her grandfather William
Thompson was born Mar 1,1807 in South Carolina, moved to Monroe County Mississippi
by 1840 and died Jan 1, 1869 in Smithville, Monroe County Mississippi. He
and his wife Elizabeth are buried in the Caldwell Cemetery in Smithville.
Jeff and wife Norma Thompson Rogers had six children, four boys and two
girls. Jeff A. Jr. died at eleven months. The other children were Lucille,
Halbert T. , Daniel Ray, Joel Berry, and Camille.
Brother Rogers' ministry was long, wide and extensive. For more than forty
years, he preached and taught all over Northeast Mississippi, as well as in
Tennessee, Arkansas, Alabama, Kentucky, etc. His work was always said to be
solid and thought provoking. He was known as a country preacher who settled down
on a little farm and devoted himself to the work in reach of him. He did not
measure his success on going to a bigger and better church but stayed where
he was planted and a missionary to the core.
Sometime after 1935 when he performed the marriage of his son Daniel Rogers
and his bride Mabel Jean Adams, Jeff Rogers died in the pulpit of the church
where he preached for many years. He was conducting a funeral service, and he
had just completed the prayer at the end of the funeral service, turned to
sit down, and fell dead in the pulpit. (Source: Son Daniel Rogers in an
interview in 1994)
|
1856 - 1938 (81 years)
