Author: Michael (Matt) Mattox
CPT Edward Rogers began his military service in 1757 as an Ensign in the 10th Company of Branford, CT in the French and Indian Wars, his commission being bestowed upon him by the King George III of England. By 1759, he was a Lieutenant and presumably still in the 10th Company.

In 1776, he commanded the 3rd Company of COL Forest Gay’s 2nd BN of CT State troops, in which there were 25 to 30 of his fellow townsmen. The unit was raised to to reinforce GEN Washington at New York, and served from June until Christmas, taking part in the Battle of Long Island on August 27th. In the retreat from New York, GEN Washington having lost 3,000 men, many of CPT Rogers men were captured by the British about Sept 17th, and held prisoners in the most dire conditions. Most of the time aboard British ships. CPT Rogers and his men were taken to Milford, CT for exchange 1 JAN 1777. Many of the soldiers died on the way home or at Cornwall, or soon afterward. The cartel which carried them seems to have sailed Dec 31st, and after a severely cold and stormy passage of several days, arrived the 1st of January 1777. Some of the shipload of about 300 men died from contagious disease and were buried in a common grave.

Edward Rogers was the son of Noah Rogers 2nd and Elizabeth Wheeler. He was born in Branford, CT on 14 April 1735.

In 1760 CPT Rogers moved to Cornwall, CT, with his brother Noah 3rd, as well as the Johnson family came about thus time. Edward and Noah 3rd had sold their properties in Branford, CT and paid 1200 pounds for 600 acres in North Cornwall.

On Monday, August 22, 1774, the town of Cornwall passed the Boston Port Bill Resolution, which in effect provided a means by which the people of Cornwall could donate monies to Boston. The Boston Port Bill was an act by the British government to block the Boston harbor and port from receiving goods, since the Boston people refused to accept tea from Briton, due to it’s heavy taxation. This blockage caused havoc on the people of Boston, since they had no way of receiving supplies from ships. The monies collected by townspeople of Cornwall, as well as other towns, was sent to the “...inhabitants of the Town of Boston due to their Suffering in the Common Cause of Liberty, and it is our Duty to be Assisting towards their relief under their present Difficulties and Distresses. And to effect this benevolent Purpose, we do appoint ....Lieut Edward Rogers to a committee to collect such charatable donations and forward them to the poor and needy in Boston.”

There apparently was a rift between CPT Rogers and a Mr. Gold, over financial dealings at the First Church in Cornwall, CT which came to a head in 1780. CPT Rogers and other “Separatists” removed themselves from First Church, and started the Second Church. It is said that CPT Edward Rogers was “prominent in it”.
CPT Edward Rogers lived in Cornwall, CT most all his adult life. He was a farmer, merchant, and manufacturer. The Rogers family had a iron forge on their property. Is is known that he became well-to-do, and that he was able to pay the wages owed the men serving in his 3rd Company of about $2000 in gold, which neither he or his family was ever reimbursed by the government.

As for Edward’s political experience, he was elected nine times to the CT state legislature as a Cornwall representative.

Edward was married 18 July 1773 to Hannah Jackson and they had six children. He was very active in the town affairs of Cornwall, and gave of his time and financial support on a constant basis.

Edward died on 24 July 1813, in Cornwall, CT, having reached the age of 78 years and 3 months.