Enoch Milton Rogers-a history

(I had a very difficult time getting this document on here from the original so it is a very imperfect post but the history is there still the same!)

ENOCH MILTON ROGERS (1846-1927) ,

     Enoch Milton Rogers was born 23 October 1846, in Alexander County, North

Carolina to Jesse Turner and Leannah Chapman Rogers~. He was the second son and

child in a  family of ten children, seven boys and three girls.

     Enoch had acquired about two years of education when the Civil War broke out
and he suddenly found  himself the soul support of his mother and younger brothers
and sisters. His father end older brother,  were inducted into the Confederate army.
(Neither ever returned home). When Jesse Turner had fought about four years. he
wrote a letter to his son, Enoch, cautioning him to not let himself be caught up
in the war, saying, "This is not our fight ••• " However, Jesse went on to fight and
die an unheralded hero in the Spotsylvania Battlefield at Fredericksburg, Virginia,
and young Enoch was drawn into the Confederate Army, serving out the remainder of
the war as a  Home Guard.

     What Enoch lacked in academic training he made up for in determination and

dexterity. He became a carpenter as his father and grandfather had been before him.
He became an excellent Wheel-wright end blacksmith. Later, when he married and
started a family of his own, he settled down as a farmer, raising tobacco and wheat.  His success
in wheat production induced him to take up flour milling, at which he
became very proficient. But whether it was making caskets as a carpenter, shaping a
 plow share as a blacksmith, or turning wheat into flour, Enoch lived to the hilt
one of his favorite maxims, "Whatever is worth doing is worth doing right." he
took great pride in his work, whatever the nature of it.

     Enoch Milton married Margaret Jemima Reese, August 10,1871. To this union
nine children, were born. Gervacious Wayne, Erasmus Clay, Doctor Carr Vesta May,
Pearlie Effie and Texy Jane were born in Alexander County, North Carolina. Jesse
Franklin, Jacob Milton, and a baby girl who died in infancy were born in Manassa,
Colorado.

     Enoch, a quiet, profound man, loved the scriptures, and his well worn Bible

with it's multiple underscorings attested to that. So it. was, when his brother,
Doctor Carr, came for an over-night, visit with him, Enoch became excited as Doc
told about a pair of "preachers" he had entertained over-night, who were, in" his
word., "The most educated fellers I have ever seen. Why,  said he, "they could
quote the Bible from lid to lid!"

     But Doc, it would seem, was more interested in the ability of the young men

to quote scripture than he was in the content of their message, and found Enoch
asking all sorts of questions he could not answer. He couldn't  remember where they
came from except they had said something about living near 8 big lake that was very
salty .As for their church affiliation he said, "It had something to do with latter
days. When he took his departure Enoch requested Doc to send  the preachers out his
way the next time, he saw them as he would like very much to converse with them.

     About noon one days few weeks after Doc's visit, two Mormon elders knocked

at the Rogers' door. They were made welcome and invited to join the family for the
noon-day meal. The conversation quickly turned to religion and it was some time
after the meal before Enoch excused himself to his guests explaining that he was
in the middle of his wheat harvest and must get it done before the rainy season
came on, but if they would stay they would continue the discussion that evening, and
they were welcome to spend the night. The  Elders not only accepted the invitation:
but offered to assist in the wheat harvest.

     That summer night in 1885 was to be a turning point in the, lives of the Rogers

family. When the evening meal was cleared away Enoch brought out his Bible prepared
to do verbal battle with the strange visitors. The conversation continued well into
the Wee  hour. of the morning, as one by one his defences on such issues as: infant
and sprinkling baptisms were  put  down finally, Enoch closed his Bible, rose  to his
'feet and said, "Elders  you have convinced me, You have the truth I" •• ~.

     Persecution begen at once, even though it would be two years before they became

members of the Church. Then on  May,22. 1887, the little creek by the house was dammed
 off to form a pool where Elders John Dixon and John Harper baptized Enoch and
Margaret, and conrifmed them members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day
Saints.

       Persecution immediately intensified with warnings and threats added to scornful

insults. Margaret's family openly disowned her, and at the little country school

Wayne, Clay and Carr were pushed, buffeted and derided. Even the teacher was abusive.
Enoch and Margaret saw the futility of trying to cope with such adversity, and in
1889 sold their home, land and everything they owned, and prepared to join the Saints

 in the Manassas Colorado settlement. Their possessions, needless to say, sold for

very little as their former friends end neighbors took advantage of' their situation.
Brother Doc and Uncle Tom, an elderly colored' man who had been with the Rogers
since before the war and still made his home with Doc, accompanied Enoch and family
to the train, and wept,as they said their farewells. They arrived in the San Luis
Valley on the sixth day of April 1888. How barren the Valley must have looked to
them, arriving as they did in a cold, high country six days after leaving the verdant
hills of North Carolina. Manassa Saints met them at the Romeo siding, greeted them
warmly, and offered housing until Enoch could provide a home of their own••••
Enoch bought a lot in the Northwest corner of town and built a small two-room ·
house where Jesse was born in 1889 and Jake in 1892.  In 1895 (22 November) Margaret
gave birth to a baby girl, Margaret Ann, both mother and baby died that same day.

      Enoch was a good father and kept his family together until each of them married
and made a home of his/her own. When Jake married, however, another room was added

to the little house, and Jake brought his bride home to live. Enoch's sons all raised

their families in Manassa, and so did daughter Pearl. May's first child was born in
Manassa, the others in, Utah and Idaho, but May was never happy until she returned to
Manassa with her family in 1921. Texy went to Oregon when she married, and remained
there throughout her life.

     When the Rogers family migrated to Manassa Enoch built a blacksmith shop on Main

Street, which he operated for many years. He also farmed North of town. After he no longer
had family responsibilities he turned the blacksmith shop over to Clay then built
a cabin on the Conejos River near the Ranger Station where he spent each summer
for the rest of his life. He raised potatoes and other vegetables which grew fast in
the fertile mountain soil and possessed outstanding flavor. He enjoyed fishing~in
the Conejos, and always had fresh trout for company, but never was he guilty of catching
over his limit or more than could be eaten at a specific time.  He returned each fall to spend the winter months in the old home with Jake and Artie. Artie was very kind to him. She baked biscuits for him every day because Enoch said he did not like light bread, and she always prepared his favorite foods. On the morning of November 7, 1927, Jake went to his father's room to start a fire
for him to dress by, but found him not feeling well. Enoch departed this life that
 day going as he had lived, quietly
.

      As Enoch's daughters grew up and began dating they became aware that and elderly neighbor, a
widower, was making a habit of following them and spying on them as they walked home with
their beaus after dances and parties. When they reported this to their father, Enoch marched over to
the neighbor and reminded him, among other things, that if there was a repeat of the incident that he
would have him to answer to. The neighbor went to the Church authorities and complained that

Enoch threatened him. Enoch was summoned to "come in and settle his differences." His reply was,
"I said nothing I did not mean. I am not sorry for what I said, and 1 will not apologize
for saying something I did mean." He did not attend the meeting and as a result
his name was withdrawn from the Church records. He never sought reconciliation,

but never denied the principles of the Church, nor criticized the authorities.

It was a very happy day, indeed, 1932 when members of his family met at the
temple end and his and their mother's work, and were sealed to them as a family for
all time and eternity.

      Enoch Rogers was noted for his honesty, integrity, withdrawn quietness, and sly
humor. He lived by his motto, "If you can't say anything good about a person, don't say anything." He left a large posterity now scattered throughout the United States.

(Foot notes)

  Previous to Donald Haynie' s research it was commonly believed that Jesse Turner Rogers died in the Battle of Wilderness, like the Spotsylvania Battle,
was hand to hand slaughter in which so many were killed they were buried in a
common grave.

•• In later life Wayne was to tell how he had sat with his mother, spellbound,

as the Spirit testified to him of the truthfulness of the Elders' message as they
answered his father's questions and explained the gospel. He said he did not once let
one of his heels drop from the rung of the chair over which they were hooked for
fear of disrupting the tranquility of the communication •

... Their first home in Manassa was the little log house, remodeled, but still lived in, known as the Jim and Lizzie Jenson home, on Main Street.

(Recorded by Margaret'Smith Chapman from talks and records of members of the Rogers family.)