John Rogers, the eldest son of Rev. Nathaniel and Margaret (Crane) Rogers, was baptized at Coggeshall, Essex, England on Jan. 23, 1630 and at the age of six, had crossed the Atlantic with his parents to settle in New England.
He graduated at Harvard University in 1649 in theology and medicine, and commenced to practice the latter at Ipswich. But he afterwards became assistant to his father in the church of the same place, and abandoned medicine.
He was chosen the 5th President of Harvard in April 1682, to succeed Rev. Urian Oakes, and was inaugurated in 1683. After his death, he was succeeded by Rev. Increase Mather.
On Nov. 14, 1660, he married Elizabeth Denison in Ipswich, Massachusetts. Elizabeth outlived her husband by 39 years, passing away at the age of 82, in the year of 1723. She is buried in the Old North Burial Ground in Ipswich.
Elizabeth and John are known to have had the following children.
1. Elizabeth Rogers (1661-1754), m. Col. John Appleton (1652-1739) on Nov. 23, 1681.
2. Margaret Rogers (1663-1720), m. John N. Leverett (Harvard President).
3. Rev. John Rogers (1666-1745), m. Martha Whittingham (1670-1759) on Mar. 4, 1690.
4. Daniel Rogers (1667-1722), m. Sarah Appleton (1671-1755) in 1694.
5. Rev. Nathaniel Rogers (1670-1723), m. Sarah Purkiss (1680-1747) on Oct. 26, 1698.
6. Patience Rogers (1676-1731), m. Benjamin Marston (1650-1719) on Apr. 14, 1696.
Cotton Mather remembered Rogers as a sweet-tempered, genuinely pious, and accomplished gentleman given to long-windedness at daily prayers. With such personal charm and character, Rogers "might well have made a successful president," in the estimation of Harvard historian Samuel Eliot Morison.
Whatever his presidential gifts, Rogers had little time to display them... two years after his election, he died at the age of 54, on July 12, 1684, the day after Commencement, during a total solar eclipse. (Note: the day after Commencement was July 2 in the Julian calendar then used by English colonists).
He graduated at Harvard University in 1649 in theology and medicine, and commenced to practice the latter at Ipswich. But he afterwards became assistant to his father in the church of the same place, and abandoned medicine.
He was chosen the 5th President of Harvard in April 1682, to succeed Rev. Urian Oakes, and was inaugurated in 1683. After his death, he was succeeded by Rev. Increase Mather.
On Nov. 14, 1660, he married Elizabeth Denison in Ipswich, Massachusetts. Elizabeth outlived her husband by 39 years, passing away at the age of 82, in the year of 1723. She is buried in the Old North Burial Ground in Ipswich.
Elizabeth and John are known to have had the following children.
1. Elizabeth Rogers (1661-1754), m. Col. John Appleton (1652-1739) on Nov. 23, 1681.
2. Margaret Rogers (1663-1720), m. John N. Leverett (Harvard President).
3. Rev. John Rogers (1666-1745), m. Martha Whittingham (1670-1759) on Mar. 4, 1690.
4. Daniel Rogers (1667-1722), m. Sarah Appleton (1671-1755) in 1694.
5. Rev. Nathaniel Rogers (1670-1723), m. Sarah Purkiss (1680-1747) on Oct. 26, 1698.
6. Patience Rogers (1676-1731), m. Benjamin Marston (1650-1719) on Apr. 14, 1696.
Cotton Mather remembered Rogers as a sweet-tempered, genuinely pious, and accomplished gentleman given to long-windedness at daily prayers. With such personal charm and character, Rogers "might well have made a successful president," in the estimation of Harvard historian Samuel Eliot Morison.
Whatever his presidential gifts, Rogers had little time to display them... two years after his election, he died at the age of 54, on July 12, 1684, the day after Commencement, during a total solar eclipse. (Note: the day after Commencement was July 2 in the Julian calendar then used by English colonists).
John Rogers, the eldest son of Rev. Nathaniel and Margaret (Crane) Rogers, was baptized at Coggeshall, Essex, England on Jan. 23, 1630 and at the age of six, had crossed the Atlantic with his parents to settle in New England.
He graduated at Harvard University in 1649 in theology and medicine, and commenced to practice the latter at Ipswich. But he afterwards became assistant to his father in the church of the same place, and abandoned medicine.
He was chosen the 5th President of Harvard in April 1682, to succeed Rev. Urian Oakes, and was inaugurated in 1683. After his death, he was succeeded by Rev. Increase Mather.
On Nov. 14, 1660, he married Elizabeth Denison in Ipswich, Massachusetts. Elizabeth outlived her husband by 39 years, passing away at the age of 82, in the year of 1723. She is buried in the Old North Burial Ground in Ipswich.
Elizabeth and John are known to have had the following children.
1. Elizabeth Rogers (1661-1754), m. Col. John Appleton (1652-1739) on Nov. 23, 1681.
2. Margaret Rogers (1663-1720), m. John N. Leverett (Harvard President).
3. Rev. John Rogers (1666-1745), m. Martha Whittingham (1670-1759) on Mar. 4, 1690.
4. Daniel Rogers (1667-1722), m. Sarah Appleton (1671-1755) in 1694.
5. Rev. Nathaniel Rogers (1670-1723), m. Sarah Purkiss (1680-1747) on Oct. 26, 1698.
6. Patience Rogers (1676-1731), m. Benjamin Marston (1650-1719) on Apr. 14, 1696.
Cotton Mather remembered Rogers as a sweet-tempered, genuinely pious, and accomplished gentleman given to long-windedness at daily prayers. With such personal charm and character, Rogers "might well have made a successful president," in the estimation of Harvard historian Samuel Eliot Morison.
Whatever his presidential gifts, Rogers had little time to display them... two years after his election, he died at the age of 54, on July 12, 1684, the day after Commencement, during a total solar eclipse. (Note: the day after Commencement was July 2 in the Julian calendar then used by English colonists).
He graduated at Harvard University in 1649 in theology and medicine, and commenced to practice the latter at Ipswich. But he afterwards became assistant to his father in the church of the same place, and abandoned medicine.
He was chosen the 5th President of Harvard in April 1682, to succeed Rev. Urian Oakes, and was inaugurated in 1683. After his death, he was succeeded by Rev. Increase Mather.
On Nov. 14, 1660, he married Elizabeth Denison in Ipswich, Massachusetts. Elizabeth outlived her husband by 39 years, passing away at the age of 82, in the year of 1723. She is buried in the Old North Burial Ground in Ipswich.
Elizabeth and John are known to have had the following children.
1. Elizabeth Rogers (1661-1754), m. Col. John Appleton (1652-1739) on Nov. 23, 1681.
2. Margaret Rogers (1663-1720), m. John N. Leverett (Harvard President).
3. Rev. John Rogers (1666-1745), m. Martha Whittingham (1670-1759) on Mar. 4, 1690.
4. Daniel Rogers (1667-1722), m. Sarah Appleton (1671-1755) in 1694.
5. Rev. Nathaniel Rogers (1670-1723), m. Sarah Purkiss (1680-1747) on Oct. 26, 1698.
6. Patience Rogers (1676-1731), m. Benjamin Marston (1650-1719) on Apr. 14, 1696.
Cotton Mather remembered Rogers as a sweet-tempered, genuinely pious, and accomplished gentleman given to long-windedness at daily prayers. With such personal charm and character, Rogers "might well have made a successful president," in the estimation of Harvard historian Samuel Eliot Morison.
Whatever his presidential gifts, Rogers had little time to display them... two years after his election, he died at the age of 54, on July 12, 1684, the day after Commencement, during a total solar eclipse. (Note: the day after Commencement was July 2 in the Julian calendar then used by English colonists).
Inscription
The following Epitaph upon his tombstone, in the burial ground at Cambridge, (of which at this day no traces are visible) is supposed to have been written by one of the students, Dr. Cotton Mather.
Mandatur huic Terroae & Tumulo Humanitatis AErarium, Theologiae Horreurm Optimarum Literarurm Bibliotheca, Rei Medicinalis Systema, Integritatis Domicilium, Fidei Repositorium, Christianae Simplicitatis Exemplar, NOOUCOP MY & ETWV Inoavgos. Se. Domini Reverendissimi D. JOANNIS ROGERSII 'ROGERSII DOCTISSIMI IPSUIENSIS IN Nov -ANGLICA, FILII DEDHAMENSIS, in veteri Anglia per Orbem. Terrarum. clarissimi, nepotis Collegii Harvardani Lectissimi, ac merito dilectissimi PRESIDIS Pars Terrestior Caelestior, a novis erepta fuit Julii 2d A.D. M.DC.LXXX. IV, AEtatis suae, LIV, Clara est pars restans nobis & quando cadaver.
Gravesite Details
His marker is no longer on the grounds.
