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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Thomas F. Rogers one of three to help shape Kennedale

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(Information from the ?History of Texas Together with a Biographical History of Tarrant and Parker County,? Lewis Publishing Company, 1895) excerpt published in Kennedale News, July 10, 1997 on Kennedale 50th.
 

Thomas F. Rodgers, a resident of Kennedale, is one most prominent farmers and stock raisers of Tarrant County, Texas. While he carries on general farming, he makes a specialty of fruit and vegetables, and in this industry has attained success. {{more: Read More …}}

 
Thomas F. Rodgers was born in Stewart County, Georgia, April 20, 1835 and until he was twenty-one his life was spent on the farm there with his parents.? Rodgers was the second of seven children born to David and Mary (Aduolph) Rodgers.
 
Upon reaching his majority in 1856, he went west to the Territory of Kansas, and located on a tract of land seven miles from Topeka, where he developed a small farm. He was there during the Kansas trouble, and, as a member of Clayton?s company, was in the raid after John Brown, not, however, being with the party that finally routed him and drove him from the state. Few men are better posted on early Kansas history than is Mr. Rodgers.

With Kennedale about to get a hotel,

the Rodgers operated Kennedale?s first hotel in the late 1800?s

In 1857, he married May A. Adams, who was born in Kentucky, January 19, 1842. In 1858, the Rodgers sold the claim in Kansas and came to Texas in a two-horse wagon, where they purchased 160 acres of state land at 50 cents and acre. By the time the Civil War broke out, the Rodgers had a portion of the land under cultivation and had a herd of cattle.

In 1862, Rodgers enlisted in the 14th Texas cavalry under Colonel Johnson and was sent to Little Rock, Arkansas. The regiment was dismounted there and sent on to Corinth, but Rodgers was of five designated to return the horses to Texas. Because of ill health, he was discharged from the service before leaving Arkansas, but almost died after returning home.
 
After his recovery, Rodgers built his holdings to 1,272 acres and continued his interest in growing cotton, vegetables and fruit. He reported, in 1895, to have 1,000 peach trees and raise more cotton than any other farmer in the locality, his crop amounting 175 bales. He and his wife also ran a hotel in Kennedale.”
 
addendum …
 
The Rodgers had five children: James, who married and moved to Colorado; John and David, who both engaged in farming in Tarrant County; Thomas, who died at the age of two years; and Mary, who died at the age of four.
 
Thomas died in 1906 and his wife, Mary, died in 1912. They are buried in the Rodgers Cemetery which received an official Texas Historical Marker in June, 1987.
 
Son, John, was county commissioner, post mail deliverer, and one of the men along with Matt Estes who ran the Bank of Kennedale. He and his wife, Medora Poole, had six children. Henry died in 1937 and Medora several years later. They are also buried in Rodgers cemetery.
 
Jessie Rodgers Richardson, daughter of John and Medora served as postmistress in Kennedale for 18 years.
 
Ben Middleton, grandson of John and Medora, also served as postmaster of Kennedale until his retirement.
 
The Rodgers Farm Park opened in 2008 off of Sublett Road in Kennedale on land that had been in the Rodgers family for over 200 years.
 
 

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