The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-07-28
JOHN ROGERS,
SCULPTOR, DEAD
The MOdeler of Household
Groups Dies at His Home.
He BEGAN AS A MACHlNiST
Love for Art outweighed All Other De-
sires, and He Studied
Abroad.
HE BEGAN AS A MACHINIST

NEW YORK. July 2S.-John Rogers
the sculptor. died on Tuesday at his
home in New Canaan. Conn.
He came into sudden fame during the
civil war period as the author of small
groups illustrative Of army life and typ
ical American life, of which plaster
replicas were made in great numbers
and obtained a wide popularity
throughout the North.
The Rogers Groups" as they came
TO be called. represented the acme Of
artistic achievement to thousands Of
American households.
Living in Retirement.
For several years Mr.. Rogers had
lived in retirement in Connecticut. Born
in Salem. Mass. in 1929. his parents in
tended that he should become mer-
chant like his father. His early lean
ing toward the fine arts was discour-
aged, and he was sent TO Boston to
learn the dry goods business.
Later he spent seven years in Man
chester. y. H, learning the trade Of
a machinist He went West. and II was
only when the railroad machine shop
in Hannibal. Mo, shut down during the
panic OF 1857 and he found himself out
OF work that he determined TO Guilt
vate his talent for sculpture.
After spending eight months in the
art galleries of Paris and Rome, Rogers
returned 10 this country 10 work as a
surveyor In Chicago. He had learned.
he said, that he had no taste for classic
art. but he continued his modelling.
First Group.
1T was in 1881 he says. in a short
sketch of his life published a few years
ago. that my first group OF statuettes
was modelled. Not the first that had
ever modelled. but the first that I dared
let pass out Of my hands
Il called IL the Checker Players It
represented two small figures, one an
old and one young man, seated at a
table imprOVised from a barrel. The old
mans face wore a broad smile Of tri-
umph. ! gave a copy of il to some young
ladies who had inaugurated charity
fair
This group, the first of his topical
sculptures. sold well, and he followed IL
with another. the Town Pump" which
was so successful that Rogers made
sculpture his business. and opened a
studio in New York He at first settled
at Broadway and Blocker Street. but
later moved to Fifth Avenue and Twen-
ty-siXth Street.
Civil War Themes.
At the outbreak Of the civil war he
produced the slave Auction" which
brought him 10 the attention Of Beecher.
Garrison, and others of the abolitionists,
and added greatly to his fame. This
was followed by the picket Guard, -
the Union Refugees" Camp Fire, %
''shary sLooters." News From the
War" Coming 10 the Parson," and a
host Of other groups, all OF the same
general style.
An equestrian statue Of General Rey-
nOlds, which stands before the city hall
in Philadelphia, was his first large work.
The l@st group he executed was called
Football"
Mr.. Rogers. in 1866, married Harriet
II. Francis, the daughter of a New York
publisher. He has one daughter and four
sons. All of the latter rOwed on Yale
varsity crews. and have been said TO be
the most remarkable Yale Oarsmen that
ever came from one family.
They were: John. 81; Derby. 80: Alex
ander. 81. and David. IS. They are all
living, and are residents OF this city.
Mr.. Rogers was member Of the Cen
fury Club. the Yale Club. and the Ma
tional Academy Of Design.