Person:Matthew Rogers (8)

MYTH BUSTED: This Matthew Rogers was NOT the son of Peter Rogers, nor was he born in North Carolina. This Rootsweb.com webpage on Col. James Rogers Ancestry, and do a FIND for Peter Rogers. Peter Rogers of North Carolina in his will did not name a son named Matthew. And given that Matthew Rogers bought land on Patterson Creek, Frederick, Virginia in 1748 the roadway network between Patterson Creek and North Carolina was virtually non-existent. It's more likely most of the early settlers came to the Patterson Creek area via the Great Philadelphia Wagon Road a distance of 260 miles versus 400 miles.

The will of William Hogg [Frederick Co. VA Will Book 1, p 338. Written] dated 18 April 1729, Chester Co. PA. has as one of the witnesses William Rogers. However William Hogg did not die in 1729 as he thought. He moved to Frederick Co. VA and died there in 1749. The original will of 1729, named his children, wife etc. is listed in 1749, There is an addition in 1749 (naming present wife) with his son George Hogg who's named as Executor. MATTHEW ROGERS is listed as security along with George Hogg, George Right. These two sign their name. Matthew Rogers signed with an X.The date for the addition to this will is 15 Nov 1749.

This places Matthew Rogers and a probable father / brother William Rogers as migrating into Hampshire Co. VA. (now Mineral County, W.V.) from Pennsylvania via the Great Wagon Road to Philadelphia. This William Rogers would have been born by or before 1708 to have been 21 years of age to witness a will, which means William Rogers father was born by or before 1687.

Chester, PA is also where the Scots-Irish started emigrating to in large numbers after 1718. They settled first in the western Chester County area (later Lancaster county) and moved west over the Susquehanna River valley and Cumberland Valley area and later pushed into the western Pennsylvania counties of Westmoreland, Fayette, Washington, Greene, and Allegheny.

Bob's Genealogy Filing Cabinet [1] has a page on name patterns wherein it states: "17th century southerners tended to name their eldest sons for paternal grandfathers and their second son for the father. Kulikoff’s study of Prince George’s County, Maryland showed that roughly 80% of all eldest sons were named for one or the other. In the late 17th century, the great majority of eldest sons were named for their fathers. " Matthew Rogers eldest son was named William Rogers. NOTE: This DOES NOT constitute genealogical proof that Matthew Roger's father was William Rogers, but for those who claim Peter Rogers was Matthew Rogers's father it should be noted that none of Matthew Rogers children were named Peter or Armistead as the Peter Rogers of Halifax Co. VA. did.

There's also the issue that Peter Rogers 1696-1785 wife, Elizabeth, mother of Armistead Rogers 1762-1835, was still alive in 1812 when she sold her widows dower to Roger Adkinson's estate [Halifax Co., VA DB 23, p.373] on 13 June 1812 which her husband Peter Rogers had bought from William Harrelson the 1 Feb 1768. For her to be the mother of Matthew Rogers 1714-1767, she'd have to have been born abt. 1700 making her 112 years old. Unlikely!

Early Land Acquisition in Virginia

Acquisition of Land from Virginia Northern Neck Land Grants:

• G-156: Mathew Rogers of Frederick County, 379 acres. Surv. Mr. James Genn. Tract No. 13 in Plat on Patterson's Creek of Potomack River. 10 June 1749. [Virginia Northern Neck Land Grants, 1742-1775, Vol. 2, Gertrude E. Gray, pg. 30].

• K-431: Mathew Rogers of Hampshire County, 115 acres adj. Lot 14 on Patterson's Creek in said County. Surv. David Vance. 19 May 1762. [Virginia Northern Neck Land Grants, 1742-1775, Vol. 2, Gertrude E. Gray, pg. 133-34].

Other Land Records in Virginia

• Frederick County Deed Book 3, pp. 72-75 By this indenture, Jacob Good sold 290 acres of land on Patterson's Creek (Lot No. 14 to Matthew Rogers (Sr) on 29 Dec 1752 for 75 lbs current money of Pennsylvania. Apparently, Jacob Good obtained this tract from the Proprietor in a grant earlier, and a lease and release was involved in the purchase.

• Land grants 1757-1762, Boo K, p. 431 By this grant, the Proprietor of the Northern Neck of Va conveyed 115 acres of land adjoining Lot No. 14 on Patterson's Creek to Matthew Rogers (Sr) on 19 May 1762.

• Hampshire County Deed Book 1, pp. 359-360 By this indenture, William Rogers and wife Sarah conveyed 264 acres of the 379 passed on 10 June 1749 to Matthew Rogers Sr to James Rogers on 14 April 1767. (Note: Since William Rogers owned this tract this date, one can discern that Matthew Rogers Sr died sometime between 19 May 1762 and 14 April 1767).

• Hampshire County Deed Book 2, pp. 163-165 By this indenture, William Rogers sold by lease and release 115 acres of land to Matthew Rogers (Jr) on 14 March 1770. This tract of land was the same for which Matthew Rogers (Sr) deceased obtained a deed from the Proprietor of the Northern Neck on 19 May 1762.

• Hampshire County Deed Book 2, pp. 161-165: By this indenture, William Rogers sold by lease and release 115 acres of land to Jonathan Rogers on 14 March 1770. This 115 acre tract was part of the original 379 acres conveyed by the Proprietor to Matthew Rogers Sr on 10 June 1749.

• Hampshire County Deed Book 3, pp. 231-232. By this indenture, James Rogers and wife Martha sold 220 acres of land being part of the original tract patented by Matthew Rogers Sr (Lot No. 13, 379 acres) to Nathaniel Parker on 25 March 1771.

Records in Virginia

• 8 August 1749 - On the petition of James Ross, Edward R[?]th, Thomas Rumsey, Jasper Sutter, Francis Ross, John Parker, Simon Irishman, Peter Peterson, John Cunningham, John Ross, William Castleman, Oliver Creamer, Thomas McGuire, Matthew Rogers, John Baur, Nicholas Crist, Power Hazell, John [?]anel, Richard Hazell, William Tallor, George Tebalt, Joseph Robinson, Abner Anderson, William Johnston, John Large, Richard Doston, Jacob Good, Robert Bennett, Caleb Dowd, Christopher Barr, Charles Keller, George Undergrest, William Anderson, Peter Hart, Bagman, Rogers, Frederick Ice, Thomas Hide, Jacob Willf, Michael Teebolt, and Ebearm Baud for a road from the lower part of Patterson's Creek by Power Hazels into the wagon road which leads from the Courthouse [in Winchester] to the South Branch. It is ordered that the said Power Hazel view, mark, and lay off the said road, and when laid off, that the petitioners clear and work on the same under the said Power Hazel, who is hereby appointed overseer thereof. And it is further ordered that the said Power Hazell cause the said road to be kept in good repair according to law. [Source: Frederick County Road Orders, 3:120].

• P-235: Mr. Matthias Bush of the City of Philadelphia, 403 acres on Patterson's Creek in Hampshire County. Surv. John Moffett. Adj. Nathankel Parker, Matthew Rogers dec'd. 19 Nov. 1773. [Virginia Northern Neck Land Grants, 1742-1775, Vol. 2, Gertrude E. Gray, pg. 223].

Citations

http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/s/c/h/Gary-and-jean-Schneider/GENE27-0001.html

1. ↑ International Genealogical Index. ( The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint, 1999-2008).
2. ↑ Based on land transactions cited in the narrative.