Document text
a. 4.fasery
i/4/36 1162 words.
A
41QC1114PHIM'a
ROGLR1
Tht* earliest settler and OW of thu outstanding business men of
tilt* LOwAtis J.J. hogers of Des ‘Moines, New:Lexie°. A self educated nen,
as he terms himself, coming hero when Des J4oinas was only a station on
the railroad, he perhaps has cl,,na more for the growth and development
of the town than any other one man there.
4r. Rogers, who was born northeast of Fort 7mrth, Texas, in
3eptemMer, 166 has live life enriched by a varistj of experienees.
At the u3a of five family moved to Jack County, Texas, where they
lived in u tent until the father could eroct a. log house. :Twin at this
ch.rly :a4. Ir. Eogers, who wam the only bozr in the family, helped his
futher look after their cattle.
It was duriiw their stay In Jack olinty that Ir. Rogers had his
most thrilliag eXparlane(1 tlth the Indians, who frequently one into
Jack ounty on raiding parties. ln this trip (1873) they had stolen near
1;7 Al u.he horaos in the neighborhood.
The settlers had joined the soldiers
an were in pursuit el' the Indians, trying to regain their stolen stock
berore the Indians could get ttvlm onto their reservation. Zr. Rogers
w:ho was just tht,n r3,s left t home with his mother end two
Esters. :4rly Jnu mlrnlnr! as he r„is raturni:Ig from taking the milk cows
to pasture, he saw his nother run out into the yard and heard her screaming,
"Ran, Jimsy, run! Run, Jimmy, run" He was use to his mother becoming
excited over little things, and never paid much attention when he heasd
her eulling thou. Me dismounted from his horse, and loaned down to plat
the hobbles on him; as he raised up a big Indian was reaching over the
ROgere
horse and -almost caught him by the shoulder. use Ur. Rogers' own
words "So one had to boll me to run then; 1 just flew."
Later *hen the
men returned with the horses oneof the horses had on a very beautiful
silver mounted bridle.
Vihen tr. Rogers was 14 years old his father died. The year following
his death was a fine orop year, following three years drottgiht. "Wars
then took his mother and three glisters to Mineral %ells to live, and he went
*lift to limatherford, Texas, and freighted from there for three years to
make a living for them. He then went beak to MeMinney, Texas, to live.
Here he began working in a store and planned to make this his life 'work.
Mr. Rogers dmalares he was eightoen years old before he knew that
there was such a ;hing as a man "beating his debts". His father as was
oustomary with all ranchmeo paid his bills once a year. It was during
his job in the store that he had his first experience of this kind. He
had hired out for a month, and if, at the vend of his time he had given
satisfactory service, he was to continuo working. At the end of the month
his employer asked him to take charge of 4111 store; doing all the buying
and selling. One day two well dressed men cane to the store and wanted
to open an aeoount, which Mr. Rogers refused to do, but gr. Pierce the
proprietor of the store did; taking a mortgage on the team and boggy
the men were driving, and duly recording the same at the court house.
eor several days the men bow:lit pig bills of goods each time buying
enough to run the ordinary raneh for three months. 2hen one 341arday they
came in and again bought a large bill of goods; that night they left for
the Indian Territory and vd4 never soon nor heard from again.
After five years of working in this store Mr. Rogers decided to
come further West; moving this tile to Dalhart, Texas. Being "broke" when
Rogers
he arrive° here, he hunted up an old friend who was working in a Supply house,
4144 through him got a job on the rip tracks. After working here for three
months he obtained work in the supply department of a grocery store. AS he
was an experienced olerk he tried to ret on in that line, but the owner of
the store was efraid he could not handle the trede. His opportunity oeme
to prove himself one day *hen ehe requler clerk vas out, and two of the
store's most important customers came n. 1r. Rogers, through his natural
tact and cleverness, sold each lady a large bill of groceries. The manager,
who had open watohing ehe sales, made him a regular clere, and the ladies
bloame his regular customers.
In itay 1907, Mr. Rogers filed on a claim near Des Moines, New Mexico,
thioh was then only a station on the Colorado and Southern railroad. In
ectoeer of the same year he Owe to New Mexico with the intentions of
opening a store for himself in the new settlement. His first work was thee
of hauling wood and water for the settlers: he then began erectieg shams,
as the people were coming into the new oommunity faeter than shelter could
be provided for them. eith in three months he had built seventy-five shacks,
and had eoquiree Ole sobriquet of "The %sect builder'. He also began looating
people from 2exas Fine other parts of the coentry on homesteads around 104111 Moines*
for uhich he %us paid five dollars per oleim. This was the nnclous for the
business he is stil: in, that ef Realtor.
for tee pest sixteen years dr. Reeers has held the mu:Won of
united etatos Oommeesioner: his eresent ene foarth term expiring July 16,
l946. He is aiso Justice of Ammo of DC3 doines, the only town in the
United States under "Petticoat Government*.
In June 1410, er. Rogers vas married to eerie Byword. This
wedding toot place on the very highest point on Sierra erande eountain,
with all the principals mounted on horseback. The ceremony was witnessed
by every one in the commanity who could possibly reaCh a.4 top of the
mountain; sous going on horssback, some walking, and othsrs going in
auggiss or isa.oxis as Cr 4111 possible thou climbing Oas remaining disitsnos.
Mr. howe and his wife live on uheir runah, a few miles from
-Des .4oinsts, in thu *UMW ma'Au; their home in town in au) winter.
he hus watched the Lon grow from iiLtle railroad station,
whose only inhutoltuns were the station agent 444 his family, to one of
the most prosperous towns in Union c;ounty; and 1144 also watched its dsclino
during thd recant yours of drought and depression; bat through it all
he has retained his jovial disposition and his fal611 in his to and
fellow men. cb ohuniotor‘ as iir. hogers, 4:4 Uhu rasa back -bone of
tkid dounLry.
ZkULOC.-.:
Rogers, J.J. Intsrview.te !AIRY, August 26, li36,
at Des ;Oines, **47 AAS100