Other Children

William Z.V. Rogers B. 8/9/1895
Thomas I. Rogers B. 1877 D. Madison Co, NC

Matilda Duckett (Aunt Sis) Rogers
Heritage of Haywood County, North Carolina article 261
When Matilda Duckett was a young girl her peaceful life here in the mountains
was disturbed by the sounds of Confederate Soldiers as they marched through the
countryside near her home. .... When she died in 1963 (at the age of 112) many
changes had taken place in the world. "A family of twelve children soon
followed. .... Her busy life was one of hardships and lots of work. The family
lived on a farm in the Upper Fines Creek Community on land that had been in the
Rogers family since the early 1800's. This land still belongs to members of the
Hayden Rogers family and Matilda and Robert Newton's home is still there."In
later years she always said that her faith and trust in God, and drinking a lot
of strong black coffee were among the factors that attributed to her longevity.

"I remember her as an elderly lady who walked with a cane and who wore her long gray hair in a bun. She had already 'broken up housekeeping' when I was a child and she spent her time living with several of her children. She spent a great deal of time with my grandparents Robert (Bob) and Effie Rogers Justice."She had an incredible memory and was able to tell about her family having to bury their food and other possessions, and about having to hide from the soldiers as they raided homes and farms during the Civil War. She would even sing songs for me that the soldiers sang as they marched through the area.

"When she was one hundred years old she decided that she wanted to move to town to meet more people and have some fun. So she went to live at a rest home in Waynesville. She lived there for the next thirteen years and enjoyed every minute.The matriarch of the Rogers family died in her sleep.... Even though she has passed away her influence will always be with us. Our family is reminded of this as we meet every year at the Belmont Baptist Church for the Rogers Reunion.
Robert Newton and Matilda Rogers gave the land for the church and are buried in the Family Cemetery that overlooks the church.....

submitted by: Gail Bradshaw Leatherwood, Box 477, Lake Junaluska, NC 28745
Chronicles of Haywood County, North Carolina

She inflated her age by three years and was 109 (almost 110) rather than 112 (almost 113) at the time of her death: https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/sources/LZFC-DFM