BIOGRAPHY OF DANIEL WILLIS ROGERS
Written by his great-great grand daughter, Linda Rogers Grinnell. Last revised September 13, 2005.

Daniel Willis Rogers was born ca 1818 and died on July 25, 1874. He was born in Tennessee--probably in Bedford County. He was the son of James Alfred Rogers and Susannah Sikes. He married Minta Keziah Maxwell ca 1837. Daniel and Keziah's children were: Samantha Elizabeth (1838-Sep 29, 1892); Martha K. (August 4, 1840-January 23, 1926); Sarah Green (January 21, 1843-January 5, 1905); Lavina C. (1844-bet. 1895-1926); William Jefferson (Jul 29, 1846-June 9, 1898); Susan Jane (Jul 12, 1852-Dec 9, 1916); James Franklin (May 5, 1854-Oct 9, 1943); John Thomas (May 1, 1857-Nov 9, 1936); Nancy Tennessee (Apr 13, 1860-Feb 25, 1933); and Newton Alfred (March 28, 1864-Oct 1, 1941).

In October of 1842, Daniel and his wife, Keziah, were received into the Enon Primitive Baptist Church in Bedford Co., TN "by experience." This was probably during a revival. Other relatives were also members of Enon including Daniel's mother, Susannah Sikes Rogers and Daniel's sister-in-law, Cynthia Maxwell Rogers.

Daniel lived for most of his life in Bedford County, Tennessee. For reasons yet undetermined, he moved his large family from Bedford County, TN to first Massac Co., IL (briefly) and finally Pope Co., IL. This move apparently took place in December of 1869. The family was enumerated in the Massac Co., IL census in 1870 but soon moved to Pope County. He was a farmer and died at the fairly young age of 56 years of unknown causes.

He may have called himself "Willis" because on his daughter, Nancy Tennessee Rogers Grisham's death certificate, it said her father's name was Willis Rodgers. In fact, Nancy named her first son George Willis Grisham. The George was probably for her husband's father and the Willis was probably for her father. Daniel's mother's mother had the maiden name of Willis so the name may have originated there.

Daniel owned land in Pope County, IL at least by 1871 as he paid taxes on it. Daniel's widow, Keziah, lived in Columbus Precinct in 1880. The people enumerated just before her were: 115/116 Lewis Cass Ellis and Susan Jane Rogers, 123/124, J. L. Lauderdale, 124/125 Wm H. Hopkins and Samanta, 126/127 Thos. Rodgers, 130/131 George Bullock and Mary. Right after her were: 132/133: William Walters and Nancy Ann, Wm Wiley Grisham and Nancy Tennessee at 133/134, and Morris A. Robininson and Martha Catherine Dickens at 136/137. The above information seems to indicate that several of Daniel's children were living on his land 6 years after his death (or they may have bought it from the estate).

When he died in 1874, his land was listed in the estate inventory as 25 acres but the person filing out the form didn't give enough information to indicate exactly where the land was except that it was in Township 13 South and Range 5 East. Indications are that his land was near the small village of Rock. The value given was $175.00 or about $7.00 per acre. His wife, Keziah, was the administrix of his estate and she filed the following inventory:

Three beds and bedstands, Eleven chairs, One lot of books, One lot of wearing apparel, Two tables, One Loom, One spinning wheel, One wash kettle, Two wash tubs and board, Two pair of gears, One grindstone, Thirty (hogsheads?) Tobacco, One lot of wool, One lot of lint cotton, One side saddle, One hundred thirty-four bushels of wheat, One lot of tools, One handsaw and lot of augers, Three plows and single trees, Twenty-eight head of hogs, One cow and calf, One heifer, Twelve head of sheep, One horse, One mare, One acre of growing tobacco, Seventeen acres of growing corn, One thousand binds of oats, and One lot of poultry. The value of the above was appraised at $487.60.

It is not known where Daniel and Keziah are buried. At least two or three of their children are buried at Mt. Zion Baptist Church near Rock. If Daniel and Keziah are buried there, their graves are unmarked.

It appears that Daniel and his children spelled their last name "Rodgers" but son James Franklin (my great-grandfather) took the "d" out and spelled it Rogers. With Daniel's parents, grandparents, etc. the last name was spelled Rodgers or Rogers depending what kind of record it was (i.e. court, census, etc.)

I have identified hundreds of descendants for Daniel W. Rogers and his wife Keziah. His descendants married into many Pope County families including: Hopkins, Farmer, Lauderdale, Linson (Tomlinson), Wiseman, Sistler, Harper, Grisham, Robinson, Ellis, Baker, Bowman, Wright and Ragsdale. For more information concerning descendants contact Linda Rogers Grinnell