Rogers, John. Papers
Collection History
Please note that as of January 2022, the John Rogers papers, 1693-1714, and all future digital collections are now hosted on the library's new digital archive.
Rev. John Rogers (1666-1745) was born in July 1666 in Ipswich, Massachusetts to John Rogers (1630-1684), President of Harvard University. Rev. Rogers graduated from Harvard in 1684, and began teaching at the Ipswich grammar school. From 1686 until 1689 Rogers assisted his uncle, William Hubbard the minister of Ipswich, along with his cousin and classmate Denison. Ordained in October of 1692, Rev. Rogers took over for his sickly uncle in 1702 as minister until Hubbard's death in 1704. Rogers stayed on in Ipswich until his death from paralysis in 1745.
The digital collections below contain some of the personal papers of Rev. John Rogers. Included in the collection are some of the manuscript sermons he wrote while acting as the junior minister of the First Parish in Ipswich. Also included is a courtship proposal written by John Wise to Rev. Rogers regarding a union between their children, and a copy of Rev. Rogers' final will and testament.
For additional information please see the finding aid.
Digital Materials
These sermons, all preached by Rev. Rogers, primarily draw upon the books of Luke, Matthew, and Malachi. Inscriptions on the front pages suggest that they were reworked by Rev. Rogers for different audiences. There are two different sermons for the same scripture passage in each manuscript pamphlet, but they are presented here separately for ease of use.
- Malachi 3:16 (ver. 1) – "Then they that feared the Lord spoke often…"
first preached at Ipswich, 22 June 1689 - Malachi 3:16 (ver. 2) – "Then they that feared the Lord spoke often…"
first preached at a Christian Conference in Dedham, 15 December 1689 - Matthew 7:21 (ver. 1) – "Not every one that saith unto me Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven…"
first preached at Rowley, April 1693 - Matthew 7:21 (ver. 2) – "But he that doth the will of the Father which is in heaven…"
first preached at Ipswich, 21 February 1694/95 - Luke 1:68 (ver. 1) – "For he hath visited & redeemed his people…"
first preached at Ipswich, February 1698/99 - Luke 1:68 (ver. 2) – "For he hath visited & redeemed his people…"
first preached at a Court Lecture at Ipswich, 30 March 1699 - Luke 1:71-72 (ver. 1) – "That we should be saved from our enemies…"
first preached at Ipswich, 31 August 1699 - Luke 1:72 (ver. 2) – "…and to perform the mercy promised…"
first preached at Ipswich, 28 September 1699 - Luke 1:77 (ver. 1) – "To give knowledge of salvation…"
first preached at Ipswich, 13 March 1700/01 - Luke 1:77 (ver. 2) – "To give knowledge of salvation by the remission of sin…"
first preached at Ipswich, 10 April 1701
This proposal, dated June 14, 1714, was written by John Wise, to Rev. John Rogers, about beginning a formal courtship between John Wise Jr. and Mary Rogers. The letter is complimentary towards the Rev. Rogers and his family, and offers suggestions how a union between John and Mary might benefit the families involved. Evidently the courtship went forward, as Mary and John were married four months later on October 23, 1714.
This folder contains an unsigned copy of Rev. Rogers' final will and testament. In the will he enumerates how his property and money was to be split between his wife, sons, daughters, and sons-in-law.
