WI BIO - Dane Co - ROGERS, William Henry
Biographical Review of Dane County, WI. Chicago: Biographical Review Pub. Co. 
1893, Vol II, pp 469-470

Hon. William Henry ROGERS, an honored resident of Madison, Dane County, 
Wisconsin, who is widely and favorably known as an able lawyer and upright 
whole-souled man, was born in Mount Morris [Livinston County], New York, 15 
March 1850. His parents were John and Julia (BUCKLEY) ROGERS, both natives 
of Ireland, the former born near Armour [?] and the latter in County Cork. 
Of their four sons and three daughters, the subject of this sketch was the 
second in order of birth and the oldest son.

When Mr. [William Henry] ROGERS, of this notice, was but two years of age, 
his parents emigrated from New York State to the western wilds of Wisconsin, 
which was then on the frontier of civilization. Here they settled on some 
wild, unimproved land in Dodge County, Wisconsin, to the cultivation of which 
the older members lent their strenuous efforts. When the subject of this 
sketch was twelve years of age, the first break in the family was made by the 
father's [John ROGERS'] enlistment in the war, and during his father's 
absence he [William Henry ROGERS] attended to the work on the farm. After 
the close of the struggle and the return of the head of the household, the 
subject of this sketch attended the country schools. In 1868 he [William 
Henry] entered the Marshall Academy, in Dane County [WI], at which he 
graduated in 1871. He then entered the preparatory department of the State 
University at Madison [Dane County, WI], where he pursued a scientific course 
and graduated in the class of 1875. In the fall of the same year he [William 
Henry ROGERS] became a student in the law department of the same institution, 
where he completed his course in June 1876. He was afterward nominated by 
the Democratic party as District Attorney of Dane County, to which office he 
was elected by a majority of 700 votes, showing at once his popularity in the 
vicinity.

After serving his term of office, Mr. [William Henry] ROGERS began the 
practice of law in partnership with R. B. SMITH. He [William Henry ROGERS] 
was not, however, to be long relegated to private life, for in 1883 he was 
elected Alderman of the Second Ward, and by that body elected President of the 
Common Council and member of the Board of Education, which positions he held 
two years. In 1885 he was appointed Assistant United States Attorney of 
Wesher district, in Wisconsin, in which capacity he served with ability and 
honor four years. Having thus ascended in public office, he was, in the 
spring of 1891, elected Mayor of Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin, defeating 
his Republican opponent by a phenomenally large majority; and in 1892 he 
received the unanimous nomination of both parties for the same office.

Upon assuming the duties of his office in [the] spring of 1889, he found the 
streets of Madison unimproved and many of them in an almost impassable 
condition. He at once [p 470] made street improvements a specialty of his 
administration, and with skill, energy, and marked executive ability he had 
in a short time worked up a strong sentiment in favor of macadamizing the 
streets, and during the first season three miles of streets were thus paved 
and there existed a constantly growing sentiment in favor of continuing the 
work. Accordingly, the work was continued the second season with like energy 
and dispatch, and so on until now every principal street of the city, many of 
them extending to the outer limits of the corporation, are well macadamized; 
and no person can be found who is opposed to the enterprise.

It is also due to the foresight and energy of Mr. [William Henry] ROGERS that 
electric car lines have been established and are in full operation, and many 
other improvements made; so that Madison is now in the lead, in respect to 
municipal improvements, among the progressive cities of the Northwest. The 
parallel, indeed the work, of "Boss SHEPHERD in Washington during the days of 
GRANT, is so nearly perfect that Mr. ROGERS has actually been dubbed the 
"Boss SHEPHERD" of Madison.

In 1883 Mr. [William Henry] ROGERS formed a partnership with Mr. HALL, under 
the firm name of Rogers & Hall. Another member was added to the firm, in the 
person of Congressman BUSHNELL, in May 1891. Besides his professional duties 
and public offices, Mr. ROGERS has continued to retain his interest, assumed 
when a young man, with Levi GESSWOLD, of Dodge County, in the threshing 
machine business. In the fall of 1892, Mr. ROGERS accepted a flattering 
offer made him by the Equitable Life Insurance Company of New York, to become 
their general agent. His territory in the insurance field will include 
Illinois and Wisconsin. The Equitable company is the greatest insurance 
organization in the world, and has been in existence since 1859.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly