!NOTE: George Thomas Rogers was sealed to Jane Fant and George Bucklar, 7 Jun 1875


This picture was taken at or about the time George Rogers and Ida May Milby were married in 1898. With them are her two daughters Eva and Mattie.
George Thomas Rogers 1874 - 1957

He was born Dec 6, 1874 in Salt Lake City to William A. and Jane Fant Rogers. They divorced after only a few months of marriage and he was raised by his mother and step father, George Buckler He was known as George Buckler until he married and then took his real name, but most people still knew him as Buckler for many years. Dad's birth certificate lists his surname as Buckler and he remembers grandpa getting mail with the name Buckler until his early youth. He married Ida May Milby in 1898. She died in 1914 and he married Mamie Porter in 1919. He suffered a stroke while visiting with Ben Rogers in 1957 and died in the Payson hospital a few days later.



SKETCH BY GEORGE THOMAS ROGERS WRITTEN MARCH 1950
I was born In Salt Lake City Utah December 6th 1874. My Father's name Is William Auson Rogers he was born September 19, 1835. He emigrated from England and lived In Salt Lake City Utah. His first wife was Mary Ann Gorton Rogers four children were born to them. After her death he married Jane Fant, my Mother. And when I was about six months old they separated and he married Emily Wilson Lindsey.
Later my mother married George Buckler and came to Arizona with Lot Smith's Company. They stopped and camped at the sight of the Old Fort just east of Joseph City on March the 24, 1876. I was about fifteen months old when President Brigham Young called the Company to settle on the Little Colorado River. The town was settled west of the Old Fort and was named St Joseph, and then in 1925 it was changed to Joseph City. I don't know how long my Step Father and Mother stayed here at the Old Fort, they move up to Round Valley near Eager Arizona and from there to a ranch on Silver Creek near Showlow Arizona, while living there I just can remember a log house and near the house was an open well of water, and I fell In the well and was nearly drowned, my small sister Mary Buckler went to the house and told my Step Father "Do die In well" she meant George. My step Father and a Mexican that happened to be In the house ran to the well, I was just coming to the top of the water when they rescued me from the well. They stood me on my heed to see if I was full of water then took me to the house. I have heard my Step Father and my Mother tell how Showlow got its name. At that time it seems it was a cow-ranch and two men got into a card game over the ranch. The one that showed the “low” card got the ranch, the one that showed the ‘high’ card didn't get it. Thus, it was named “Showlow". I think the next move was to Brigham City near Winslow. I know, there we lived In the United Order under Lot Smith's Company. I remember a little about leaving Brigham City with a wagon and a pair of white mules, to go to Fort Moroni to work for John. W. Young, eight miles north west of Flagstaff this place is now called Fort Valley. John Young built a big high stockade in Fort Valley some sixteen feet high out of hewed ties for protection against Indians. Later a big New York Company bought Fort Valley and cut the stockade down end stocked the range with cattle, the Company was called the AI Cattle Company the brand was AI.
While we lived In Fort Valley I went with my Step Father to help dig potatoes for a man near where Flagstaff Is now I ran upon a little hill to see the first train that ever came into what Is now call Flagstaff. It was a small engine with copper bands around it, and a big smoke stack, and as I remember it had one little passenger car, that was the end of the track at that time. There were two tents at that time, a man by the name of P. J. Branan had a store in one and his brother Doctor Branan had a drug store and Doctors office in the tent. They called it New Town and about a mile west of there at a spring was called Old Town, at that spring every one got their water and as the Old Town and New Town built by a man by the name of Tom Crocket hauled water from the spring and sold it to the people for fifty cents a barrel. Not far from the spring a Mr. Hawks known as "Daddy Hawks" had a large log house, he had a saloon in the front part end a restaurant in the back. He had quite a family of boys and girls, two of his boys were killed one night after the killing of a John Berry the owner of a saloon in New Town, there was terrible funeral the next day, the other boy was killed down south of Flagstaff somewhere, and as far as I know the girls went to the bed. My Step Father was at this log saloon in Old Town drinking with a man partly drunk that climbed up a pine tree that stood a few yards from the front of the saloon and put the U. S. Flag up in the top of the tree and called It Flagstaff, that’s how Flag­staff got Its name.
We lived In Flag-staff several times beck and forth to a homestead on the west side of the San Francisco Mountain fifteen miles from Flag­staff right on the foot of the Mountain on what Is called Heart Prairie, we lived one winter near Tuba City. We lived part of one winter in Circleville, Utah and the rest of the winter in Richfield Utah. About 1897 or 8 we came back to the homestead on the mountain where we had a few cows. I did some cow­boying for the AI but when the drought came somewhere about 1898 or 9 and most all the springs and waters went dry the AI Company had to ship their cattle to Kansas City. They were really poor and lost many cattle. They said they lost as many as fifty head out of a trainload from Flagstaff Albuquerque New Mexico. They clamed ten years before the drought to have had ten thousand head of cattle but when they shipped the last of them they only shipped between nine and ten thousand head.
When the Babbitt Brothers first came to Flagstaff and started a grocery store in a tent, I cleaned lamps and did odd jobs and went to school about four months. I was in fourth reader, but it was those days that was the end of my school I had to go home and go to work, the school at that time was in a little one room house near where the Flagstaff collage now stands the boys in the school was as mean and tough as the devil was. I was the only Mormon in the school and they called me Brigham young, and the boys would whip me every time they could catch me, Brigham Young's name in those days was pretty bad. When Babbitt Brothers had their store in their brick building in Flagstaff I drove the big wagon that transferred the freight from the depot to the store. I worked several times for the Babbitt's off and on. I was in charge of their livery stable for a long time. I hired out horses and buggies to people, and I also saddle horses for people to ride, that was before any of these fast cars. I also cowboyed a long time for them, and I cooked for the chuck wagon and I sold cattle to them and butchered for them. I also did a lot of trading with them. I found the Babbitt’s to be good men.
In 1898 November 22, I married Ida May Milby Yost a widow with two children Eva and Mattie. Ida was not a member of the church so the Justice of Peace married me. (J. C. Millegan) I was married in the name of George Buckler.
My mother said that wasn't my name and I was 24 years old and never knew any other name but Bucklar. Later in 1901 while in Salt Lake City I found my own Father Auson Rogers and he said my name was Rogers. When Ida my wife was baptized February 5, 1899 in Snowflake, we went to the Salt Lake City Temple and were sealed November 29, 1901 Eva and Mattie my two step daughters also our little boy George were sealed to us. At that time I was sealed as Rogers. The trip to Salt Lake City was made over the desert and over Lee's Ferry by team and a two seated buggy from Flagstaff to Richfield Utah then we took the train to Salt Lake City that was before the big bridge was built, I think the trip from Flagstaff to Richfield took about ten days.
After leaving Salt Lake City we came back to Flagstaff to live. We also lived in Snowflake. We were blessed with five children George William, Ruth, Maud, and Elsie. Maud died February 22, 1905. Elsie died February 24, 1939. George died March 17, 1940 George left his wife Melinda and five children. On the 9 of January 1914, my dear wife Ida died in Flagstaff. I was left with six children Eva, Mattie, George, William, Ruth, and Elsie. I was living on a homestead at that time fifteen miles from the Grand Canyon and fifty miles from Flagstaff. I took care of my children and did my work until 1919 September 26, when I married Mamie Teresa Porter in the Salt Lake Temple. We were blessed with seven children Clem, Ada, Rulon, Ben,,Locy, Lynn and Pearl. All of the children were born at the ranch east of Joseph City but Pearl she was born in town on account of whooping cough at the ranch. Then on the 23 of February 1947, my dear wife Mamie died. Then being almost alone I sold the ranch to Harvey Randall on October 5, 1948. I lived on the ranch about 29 years during that time I did the Butchering for the people of Joseph City and some for Holbrook. On the 24 of September 1938, I was set apart by Marshal H. Flake for the Hopi Indian Mission and was released the 31 of December 1941. I have had the plea­sure of going through the Arizona Temple several times. I also went through the Salt Lake temple three times, on the 4 of April 1950 on the way to April conference with my son Ben and his wife. We also went to two sessions in the Manti Temple. George bought a ranch in Chandler Heights Arizona on Aug. 7th 1950.





THE LIFE SKETCH of GEORGE THOMAS ROGERS
That was given at his Funeral 26 January 1957.
My dear friends and associates; it is truly a privilege to respond to the request of the family of Bro. Rogers to give his life's story on this day, January 26, 1957. This is a lonely experience for us, but the day of interment for the noble ones should never be a day of mourning.
The Prophet Jacob, in the Book Of Mormon declared "They who have en­dured the crosses of the world and despised the shame of it shall in­herit the Kingdom of God, and their joy shall be forever."
Brother Rogers has just com­pleted the most important period of his existence. Eternity stretches backward and forward through the countless eons of the ages but it is the small portion of time al­lotted to man in this life, which provides the crucial tests that determine his status in the great beyond. Behold this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God: Yea behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors. Alma 34:32.
George Thomas Rogers was born in Salt Lake City, December 6, 1874. For a little more than 82 years he has been subjected to life’s' challenges and decisive trails. His proven integrity will merit for him rich rewards in the eternities, which are now opening up to him. His years have been event­ful and colorful. They have been filled with useful, exceptional and vigorous activity. He has witnessed Northern Arizona in all its rough and awesome primitiveness. He has been one who unassumingly contributed to its growth and settlement. He has seen mere campsites and rough forts grow into thriving villages, towns and cities. The lonely barren landscape known in his youth is dotted with the bustling evidence of civilization.
We shall always remember him as one o£ our own respected and beloved local pioneers. It was on that memorable 24th of March 1876 that the baby George with his Mother and Stepfather George Bucklar stopped with Joseph City's first settlers to make a settlement near the old fort site east of town. George was the only infant in the Company and the 15-month-old child, like the stepfather was known as George Bucklar.
The Bucklars lived for a time at the Old Fort, then they moved to Round Valley near Eagar. From Round Valley they went to Silver Creek not far from Showlow. Near the log house which the family occupied in Silver Creek was an open well and his little sister Mary, who had hardly learned to talk plain, made her father understand that George would die in the well. The stepfather and a friendly Mexican were able to rescue the lad just as he was coming to the top of the water.


From Silver Creek the Bucklars moved to Brigham City and Sunset. These settlements were early colonies located on the Little Colorado River not far from the present site of Winslow. At Brigham City, the Bucklars lived the United Order under the leadership of Lot Smith, later the father was employed by John W. Young and another move was made to Fort Moroni. Fort Moroni came to be Valley Fort and was situated 8 miles north of what is now Flagstaff. Flagstaff at that time was divided into two sections, one part was known as Old town and the other New town, each had a saloon, one night two of the sons of the saloon keeper in Old town were killed, the next day the wicked town held a terrible funeral for three as the saloon keeper in New town was also murdered.
One day George's stepfather was present when a half drunken man climbed a pine tree which stood in front of Old town's saloon, carrying a United States flag, the man fastened it to the top of the tree and called it Flagstaff, forever after the place bore the name Flagstaff.
The Bucklars had a homestead at Hart's Prairie situated close to the San Francisco Peaks. Some of the early years in Arizona were spent moving back and forth to the Homestead and the town site of Flagstaff. George remembers of going with his stepfather to dig potatoes for a man living in Flagstaff. One day they stopped their work and running to a hill witnessed the coming of the first train into the newly settled town. Flagstaff was then the terminal for the Santa Fe Railroad. To the people of that day the train was a wonderful sight although it only consisted of an engine and one little passenger car. The engine was small with copper bands going around it. Its smoke stack was big and impressive.
Georges opportunities to gain a formal education were few but for a time he did attend the school in Flagstaff. The characters going to this school were so rough and uncouth that no one could be hired to teach until a fearless lawyer by the name of Tom Ross decided he was a fearless match for the reck­less youths. Mr. Ross carried a rawhide quirt to school and some of the boys brought their six shooters. George suffered greatly because he was a Mormon. The toughs called him Brigham Young, and would whip him everyday if they could catch him. This was a pretty dear price to pay for an education, but it was exciting at the least.
Today John Bucklar, a half brother of George T. Rogers, from Circleville, Utah, is here to pay his last respect to his beloved relative. He has will­ingly contributed incidents that occurred in their family life during the rough and hard days of the frontier.
Brother John was born at Fort Valley near Flagstaff. Fort Valley was an Army garrison where some U.S. soldiers were stationed. John and George were often sent to round up cattle even when the weather was bitter cold. The boys would camp out in the timber and each morning they would take turns building a fire. One morning George ordered John to hurry and make the fire. John knowing it was his turn got up but turned so sick that George ordered him back to bed. Looking him over George exclaimed, "John you've got the measles, your broke out thicker than hair on a dogs back." George did the best he could to provide shelter. Taking a rope he stretched it from one tree to another and covered it with canvass. Bringing him food and water George tenderly helped the sick brother to the crude tent where he lay for three days. All day George would gather the cattle and re­turn in the evening to take care of the stricken brother, John.
Another time when gathering cattle the boys run their horses down and they needed a pack animal so decided to use a work ox to carry the pack. At first the work ox fought the pack idea but the boys were persistent, after a couple attempts the old ox yielded willingly and to their surprise would lie down while the burden was placed on his back.
Father George Bucklar freighted from Albuquerque to Prescott. There were outlaws and renegades a plenty so there were always 3 or 4 outfits that traveled together. The men had been paid in silver currency and were on their way from Prescott to Flagstaff, nearing a wooded area called Turkey Tank, Brother Bucklar suggested to his fellow travelers that 'they had better hide their hard earned cash deep in the bags of grain they were hauling. Accordingly Bucklar safely hid his money, but the others thought it a need­less gesture. Sure enough on reaching the Turkey Tank area, ruffians came - out of the thick Cedars and demanded that the men give them their money. All were searched and the hard earned dollars taken. When they came to Brother Bucklar they found only a few cents of loose change, slapping him soundly on the face the robber exclaimed, "You're surely a wise old guy."
The Bucklars lived for a time at Tuba City, then in Circleville and Richfield, Utah. Later they came back to Flagstaff where George was married at the age of 24. He was married Nov. 22, 1898, by the Justice of the Peace to a handsome young widow by the name of Ida May Milby Yost. Mrs Yost was the mother of two small attractive daughters. At the time of his marriage Georges mother informed him that his name was not Bucklar as he had always thought. When he was only a few weeks old Mrs. Bucklar had separated from her first husband, William Rogers, and had married George Bucklar. It is to the everlasting credit of the stepfather that he always treated George as his own son.
George was employed as a cowboy for the A-1 Cattle Company but in 1898 and 99 most all the springs and water holes went dry. The drought became so severe that the company was forced to ship their cattle to Kansas. The company had commenced operation near Flagstaff with 10,000 head of cattle and after 10 years they managed to ship out between 9 and 10,000 head, the drought took all their increase and some besides. Most of the cowboys em­ployed by the A-1 cattle company were rough men who always found occasion to get drunk whenever they came to town. The cattle-shipping season became a nightmarish ordeal for George who found it very difficult to manage large herds of cattle when his fellow workers were too intoxicated to give him proper help.
George also worked for Babbitt Bros. in various fields of employment. As one of their cowboys he saw dishonest young men get a handsome start in cattle business by stealing from their employers. One time he saw one of the firms trusted employees receive a fat check, which Babbitt Bros. gave in payment for cattle they were buying. The man greedily pocketed the check saying as he did so, "Thanks for buying your own cattle, I got them all at your expense." This type of dishonesty rankled the forthright George who was always noted for his straightforward dealings.
He hauled freight from the depot with his team when Babbitt Bros. Grocery store was housed in a tent. He was also employed to take charge of the Company's Livery stable where horses and carriages were rented for the use of customers wishing to find means of conveyance. George always main­tained that the original Babbitt Bros. were honorable and just in all their transactions.
In 1899 George moved his family to Snowflake. A few months after their marriage his wife was baptized a member of the Church. They were sealed in the Temple at Salt Lake City, Utah, Nov. 29, 1901. The step­ daughters and their own small son George, were sealed to his parents at this time. While in Salt Lake City, George visited with his real father William Rogers, and his son ship to Mr. Rogers was verified, from then on our hero George Bucklar was known as George T. Rogers.
As the children grew there were winters spent in Snowflake where Eva, Mattie and George attended school. During his stay in Snowflake, Bro. Rogers served as first counselor in the Y.M.Y.I.A. He and his wife Ida were the parents of 5 children. George, laude, William, Ruth and Elsie. Maude
died when a small child, his wife Ida was a congenial and loveable companion for fifteen years. After a brief illness caused from blood poisoning, the beloved wife was taken from her young family. This great sorrow came in January 1914 while Brother Rogers was away from home. He hurried to Flag­staff to get to the bedside of his sick wife but the end came before he could reach her. He writes, "I was living at that time on a homestead 15 miles from Grandview Grand Canyon and 50 miles from Flagstaff and took care of my family of 6 children and did my work until Sept. 1919 when I married Mamie Teresa Porter."
At one time he freighted goods by team to the Grand Canyon and served as a tourist guide to travelers wishing to go down into the yawning chasm. Many were the entertaining and amusing experiences he enjoyed while acting as a guide.
The next time you cross the bridge spanning the Little Colorado River at Cameron it will be interesting to remember that George T. Rogers with his trusty team drew the heavy cables across the canyon as they were needed in the construction of that bridge. It was precarious labor and on one occasion the teamster and team were almost crushed to death.
While working out at Cameron, Bro. Rogers contracted a bad case of pneumonia. He was taken to the hospital. For some reason he had a horrifying dread of doctors and hospitals. Sick as he was he was strong enough to resist every effort of the nurses to give him a bed bath. During his last short illness he told his son Ben, who was giving him a bath in bed that it was the first bed bath he had ever had. He was still exultant over his former resistance to such an experience.
During the winter of 1917 and 1918, Brother Rogers brought his children William and Ruth to live in the home of Jesse and Elva Bushman so that they might attend school in Joseph City. It was during the children's stay at the Bushman home that he became acquainted with Elva’s Sister, Mamie Porter. The acquaintance grew into a love affair that blossomed into a beautiful and satisfactory marriage. They were married in the Temple in Salt Lake City, Sept. 26, 1919. (If you turn to page 16 in this history you will see the picture of them taken at the home of George’s half sister Mary E. B. Jerkins. in Provo. Utah.)
Upon their return from Utah, the newlyweds stopped at his ranch near the Grand Canyon where they harvested a potato crop and sold all his cattle and property. They came on to Joseph City to care for William and Ruth who were attending school. The couple was fortunate enough to purchase the the ranch 11 miles east of town from Henry AT. Tanner. Here at Joseph City all their seven children were born, Clem, Ada, Rulon, Ben, Lucy, Lynn and Pearl.
For many years the Rogers' produced milk for the Joseph City Dairy. They raised turkeys, pigs vegetables and fruits. He did the butchering for the com­munity and also for a packing company located in Holbrook. He loved to ride the range and care for cattle, and was hired by neighboring cattlemen to help in the round up seasons. He was very neat in the care he gave his barns and corrals. The dairy inspectors always gave him a clean sheet.
Among his many experiences he became a competent "Chuch Wagon Cook." He found that his knowledge of cooking could very often serve him advantageously
One time he suffered a severe injury in one of his eyes and it was greatly feared that the eye would have to be removed. For many years al­though he kept his eye, reading was a real ordeal. Later his vision became so improved that he was able to read many books without man made helps.
The Rogers family were never selfish when it came to contributions or helping with community enterprises. They spent much of their frugal means for genealogical research and temple work. They knew how to live within their means and never flinched from performing the hardest kind of labor.
Brother Rogers was most faithful in the performance of all his church assignments. No one ever knows of him failing in the performance of his duties. He was regular and punctual in attendance to the Sunday A.M. Priest hood meetings He would walk or ride his horse from the ranch leaving the team and wagon for his wife and children to come later to Sunday School.
He was set apart by Marshall H. Flake, Sept. 24, 1938 to serve as a missionary to the Hopi Indians. He was released December 1941. On February 8, 1940, Brother Charles H. Turley ordained him a High Priest.
George Roger lost his faithful companion Mamie just 10 tears ago. Feb. 23, 1947. Again he was left to care for young motherless children. It was a most heart breaking parting for him, and he was heard to say through broken sobs, "That's the best woman that ever lived." The period of loneliness and sorrow which followed were pathetic. He was now an old man with no companion to ease the burdens of age. Twice he had been bereft of two good women and had to rear his little ones alone. His sister-in-law sympathetically referred to him as a "Poor Wayfaring man of Grief." Lonely as he was he kept a neat home for the children and was able to prepare their meals. After living on the ranch east of town for 29 years he sold out and moved to Chandler Heights in 1950. He came back home to Joseph City in 1952 and did some cowboying for Mr. Sapp He was hale and hearty and was able to rope calves that younger men could not handle.
In the autumn of 1953 he decided to buy a farm near Richfield, Idaho, on which he worked
on during the summer months of 1954 and 55. The last four months of his life he spent it Mapleton, Utah with his son Ben and family, and with his sister Rose who lives in Oregon. During the harvest season of 1956 he picked peaches, apples, and pears, making as much as $75.00 in two weeks. One day last October he picked 54 bushels of apples, and wishing to beat his own record he scored 59 bushels on another day.
He was always wondering what he might do to be useful. When the winter snows came he was out sweeping walks and making paths. In December he was ill for a few days with a terrific headache. On January 20th while at Ben's home the headache returned and the old gentleman slipped gently into a coma. Only once did he really recognize Clem and Lynn when they came to see him.
He passed quietly away at the Payson City Hospital at 9:20 P.M. Jan. 22, 1957. One who has had considerable dealings with the deceased paid him this lovely tribute.
"He was so very careful never to do anyone wrong or to take advantage of his associates in any way. Surely he has heroically met the many crosses of this world and has despised the shame of it, and has gone to the rich rewards of eternity where joy will be full forever."
Brother Roger's daughter has brought the life sketch of her father to a finish with this quotation.
I follow a famous father
Not known to the printed page
Nor written down in the world's renown
As a Prince of his little age
But never he stopped to shame:
He was bold and brave, and to me he gave
The pride of an honest name

I follow a famous father
And him I must keep in mind
Though his form is gone I must carry on
The name that he left behind
It was mine on the day he gave it to me
It shone as a Monarchs crown
And as fair to see as it came to me
It must be when I put it down