Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 49.djvu/140

 secession church, Rogers delivered before his own synod at Cookstown in 1808 a remarkable speech, in which he clearly explained the causes of the failure, and maintained that the Irish anti-burgher synod ought not to be dependent on the parent body in Scotland. The union was not effected until 1818. Rogers died on 14 Aug. 1814, leaving a son John, who was minister of Glascar.

He published, in addition to sermons and the works cited, ‘Dialogues between Students at the College, Monaghan,’ 1787.

[Reid's Hist. of Presbyterian Church in Ireland (Killen), 1867, iii. 364, 426; Witherow's Hist. and Lit. Mem. of Presbyt. in Ireland, 2nd ser. 1880, vi. 247; Latimer's Hist. of the Irish Presbyt. 1893, pp. 169, 173.] 

ROGERS, JOHN (1778–1856), divine, born at Plymouth on 17 July 1778, was eldest son of John Rogers, M.P. for Penryn and Helston, by his wife Margaret, daughter of Frances Basset. Rogers was educated at Helston grammar school, at Eton, and at Trinity College, Oxford. He matriculated on 8 April 1797, graduated B.A. as a passman in 1801, and M.A. in 1810. Having been ordained to the curacy of St. Blazey, he became rector of Mawnan, the advowson of which belonged to his family, in 1807. In 1820 he was appointed canon residentiary of Exeter. In 1832 he succeeded to the Penrose and Helston estates of about ten thousand acres, comprising the manors of Penrose, Helston, Carminow, Winrianton, and various other estates in Cornwall, including several mines. The Penrose lands had been acquired in 1770 by his grandfather, Hugh Rogers, and the Helston in 1798 by his father. Rogers resigned his rectory in 1838. He died at Penrose on 12 June 1856, and was buried at Sithney, where there is a monument to him.

Rogers married, first, in 1814, Mary, only daughter of John Jope, rector of St. Ives and vicar of St. Cleer; and, secondly, in 1843, Grace, eldest daughter of G. S. Fursdon of Fursdon, Devonshire; she survived him, and died in 1862 (Gent. Mag. 1862, i. 239). By his first wife Rogers had issue five sons and a daughter. His eldest son, John Jope (1816–1880), was M.P. for Helston from 1859 to 1865; the latter's eldest son, Captain J. P. Rogers, is the present owner of Penrose.

Rogers was a popular and energetic landlord, and a good botanist and mineralogist. As lord of the Tresavean mine, he took an active part in forwarding the adoption of the first man-engine, the introduction of which in the deep mines, in place of the old perpendicular ladders, proved an important reform. He contributed several papers to the ‘Transactions of the Royal Geological Society of Cornwall.’

He was, however, chiefly distinguished as a Hebrew and Syriac scholar. In 1812, when Frey prepared the edition of the Hebrew Bible published by the newly formed Society for Promoting the Conversion of the Jews, the general supervision of the work was entrusted to Rogers. His own works, in addition to sermons and occasional papers, were: 1. ‘What is the Use of the Prayer Book?’ London, 1819. 2. ‘Scripture Proofs of the Catechism,’ London, 1832. 3. ‘Remarks on Bishop Lowth's Principles in correcting the Text of the Hebrew Bible,’ Oxford, 1832. 4. ‘The Book of Psalms in Hebrew, with Selections from various Readings and from the ancient Versions,’ Oxford and London, 1833–4. 5. ‘On the Origin and Regulations of Queen Anne's Bounty,’ London, 1836. 6. ‘Reasons why a new Edition of the Peschito Version should be published,’ Oxford and London, 1849. A few days before his death he completed his last article on ‘Variæ Lectiones of the Hebrew Bible’ for the ‘Journal of Sacred Literature.’

[Burke's Landed Gentry, 1838, i. 299; Eton School Lists; Foster's Alumni Oxon. 1715–1886; Boase's Collect. Cornubiensia, c. 829; Boase and Courtney's Bibliotheca Corn. p. 586; Gent. Mag. 1856, ii. 248; Journal of Sacred Literature, 1857, iv. 243–4.] 

ROGERS, JOSIAS (1755–1795), captain in the navy, was born at Lymington, Hampshire, where his father would seem to have had a large interest in the salterns. In October 1771 he entered the navy on board the Arethusa with Captain (afterwards Sir) Andrew Snape Hamond, whom he followed to the Roebuck in 1775. In March 1776 he was sent away in charge of a prize taken in Delaware Bay, and, being driven on shore in a gale, fell into the hands of the American enemy. He was carried, with much rough treatment, into the interior, and detained for upwards of a year, when he succeeded in making his escape, and, after many dangers and adventures, in getting on board his ship, which happened to be at the time lying in the Delaware. For the next fifteen or eighteen months he was very actively employed in the Roebuck's boats or tenders, capturing or burning small vessels lurking in the creeks along the North American coast, or landing on foraging expeditions. On 19 Oct. 1778 he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant, and after serving in several different ships, and distinguishing himself at the reduction of Charlestown in May 1780, he was, on 2 Dec. 1780, promoted to the command of the General Monk, a prize fitted out as a