Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1911-09-02
NORWICH MAN WAS THE
SETTLER OF SHERIDAN
Eugene G. Rogers, Who Went to Cali
fornia in 1854, Passed Away There
Aug. IA.


Word has been received here of the
death at Sheridan Placer county, Cal.
of Eugene c. Rogers at the age of S8
Mr.. Rogers was son of Samuet
Rogers, late of Wauwecus Hill, Nor
witch, and was born there Feb. 4, 1928
In 1854 heswent to California overland
and in 1855 settled at place now
named Sheridan. in Placer county. Mr.
Rogers was the first to settle upon
this locality. The townsite is located
near historic pIaee-that wayside
hosiery so well and favorably known
to all old-time travellers as Rogers
shed. The shed" Union she'd,
as afterwards called, was built by Mr..
Rogers in December, 1857, and COM
pr1sed one-story house, 24xS0 feet,
and the uninclosed shed in front, 40x40
feet and 20 feet high, under the shelter
of which the monstrous freight teams
then thronging the roads could repose
and be sheltered from the summer s
heat or from the winters rain. A large
barn and corral were also an attach
ment of the premises, upon the oppo-
site side of the road. Situated as the
shed was upon the old Sacramento and
Nevada road, and there being also four
other roads 'diverging therefrom, it be-
came in those early days quite a noted
place. The road was then travelled by
all teams going to Grass Valley, Ne
vada, North San Juan, Forest City,
Downieville, and other places in the
mountains in that direction, and as
they here laid in supply of feed to
last during the round trip, the shed
became the market place at which the
farmers of the surrounding country
congregated for the purpose of dis
posing of their hay and barley. And
then the shed became q place where
the people of both valley and noun
tain resorted for amusement During
those lively days there were two
ex-n in devoted
dancing school, while as regularly as
the months rolled round. was there a
public ball held-one every month-at
which the people fiocked from all sides,
from the very suburbs of Sacramento,
Marysville Auburn Grass Valley and
other places. A fine race track and
frequent trials of speed attracted
many stock breeders to the place, some
of whom brought and matched blooded
horses and lost or won considerable
sums of money.
Mr. Rogers was an enterprising man
and he desired people with families to
settle about him. An objection to this
was raised because there was no school
in the vicinity To obyiate this. MIR.
Rogers applied for and was successful
in the establishment of a school dis
trict-ealling it Norwich district
from a portion of Manzanita district,
in 1864 OF Norwich district he was
elected one of the trustees. There
was no schoolhouse in which to hold
a school, nor school money with which
to pay a teacher; but all this did not
daunt Mr.. Rogers, who hired Mrs.
Reynolds as teacher, gave the use of
his ballroom at the shed as a school
house, boarded her and paid her $50 a
month for two months out of his own
pocket Thus was the school districts
at Sheridan established, and for IA
years did Mr.. Rogers retain the posi-
ton of trustee. In 1860 there was a
voting precinct established there called
Union Shed precinct, now changed to
Sheridan. as is the name of Norwich
to Sheridan school district.
Business was good at the old shed
on the road until 1866. when the rail-
road was constructed through as far as
Wheatland, and a great change was
the consequence. Finally in 1859 the
entire establ -hment, together with a
large quantity of hay, grain. etc, was
destroyed by fire, by which Mr.. Rogers
lost $4,000. there being no insurance
The first depot building constructed
at Sheridan was in 1856, near the shed !;
it was removed some so rods to where
it new stands in the village, by Messrs
Rogers and Dougherty. The post
office was first established in 1868, with
Mr.. Dougherty as postmaster. to which
position Mr.. Rogers soon succeeded
and held until about 1892
Mr.. Rogers married Sept. 10, 1871
Adelaide Stanclift of Erie, Pa. He
had a ranch of 1900 acres