The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-10-15
by HARVEY L. RHODES.

what was I'm 1904 tho ntth largest
privately owned autograph collection
in tho United States. ana which,
because OF its completeness at that
time, remains one Of tho most valu-
able collections In this country is
owned by II. Gale Rogers, agency
director of the Atlas Life Insurance
company.
The oldest signature Is that OF
Louis XIV Of France, which was
signed TO a document dated June .,
16i3-279 years ago. While there
are other collections that 30 back
further into history, few Of them
more thoroughly cover the period
represented I'm the Rogers collection.
The value of an autograph collection
is principally determined by its COM
plete inclusion Of all noted men ana
women who lived during the years
II covers
Grandfather Started IL.
The Rogers collection was started
by George Washington Rogers.
grandfather Of H. Gale Rogers. in
lS49, the year he was graduated
from Wesleyan university, Middle
town, Conn.
Immediately after his graduation
he entered politics, becoming priv
ate secretary 10 Secretary William
IT. Seward, member Of Abraham
Gincoln's cabinet. with this gov
ernmontal connection he was thrown
in constant contact with the men q
affairs Of all nations, among whom
were many of the most noted states
men of history.
His experience was not unlike that
OF others whose hobby Is collecting,
whether their efforts are devoted To
bugs stamps. furniture, paintings or
autoEraphs--h beginning "a"
small. LinColu's signature WAS the
first one he obtained.
The present owner Of tho Rogers
collection has made no effort TO de-
tcrmino the amount OF time and
money especially Of money
expended by his grandfather In
bringing 81 to a state Of complete
ness Here and there I'm tho dozen
boxes containing the collection may
be found slips OF paper on which Is
an explanatory notation stating how
certain autographs were obtained.
For one signature S75 was paid in
cash TO a contemporary autograph
collector. In numerous instances an
even trade was effected. Rogcrs
having more than one signature Of a
famous individual and being willing
10 trade one Of them for a sigma
turo not I'm his possession. In other
deals between Rogers ana fellow
collectors, there was a money con-
sideratiOn in addition 20 the cN-
change OF autographs, the amount
Of difference being determined by
the comparative relic value Of the
two. II was only by personally OBJ
tanning autographs by trading and
by purchasing outright that the col
lection finally ranked fifth In the
United states,
Kept II Up Until He Died.
The grandfather was appointed
postmaster Of Meridian Conn by
| Lincoln in 1861. He continued the
collection until 1880, the year Of his
death.
Having watched his fathers col
I lection grow, and also falling "a VIC
| tim to the colleCtin- hobby George
I p Rogers. father of n. Gale Rogers
| took up the work after his fathers
death. lie made numerous additions
| 10 the collection until 1904, when
| the condition OF his health became
poor. From that year until 1914,
/ the year he died only few auto
graphs were added,
Since then the collection has been
given virtually no attention, the
present owner having Detn engage"
since he grew 90 manhood in pur-
suits that prevented him from devol-
| ing time % IT'S enlargement
Included lu the collection are we
autographs OF ali presidents OF mo
| United states up tu the FIRST term OF
Woodrow Wilson, most of the cab
! met members OF all chief executives,
nembers OF parliament; statesmen
generals: writers, actors FeFolu-
tionary and Clyil war heroes, kings,
queens and educators,
Among the autographs ot AmeT-
can writer's are Ralph waldo Emer-
son. Henry Wadsworth LongteHow.
| William cullen Bryant samuel
| Clemens CMark Twain }, WlL.am
| Dean Howells. John Greenleat Whit
tier, william 7. Adams lollVer
| Optic). John Howard Payne, Francis
| scott Kcy, writer OF the star span
gled Banner, ), r. smith, writer or
America, Harriet Beecher stowe.
| whose book |'Uncle Toms cabin
was a prominent factor IN bringing
on the civil war, Washington irving
Peter Cooper and J, Trowbrldge'
Scott and Burns Included.
English writer's who con'rI nuted
| . 4. :. I- "a