Background
John Ignatius Rogers was born in Philadelphia, the son of Matthew and Catharine (Dimond) Rogers, who had emigrated from County Kerry, Ireland
John Ignatius Rogers was born in Philadelphia, the son of Matthew and Catharine (Dimond) Rogers, who had emigrated from County Kerry, Ireland
He attended the public schools of his native city and graduated from the Central High School.
Later, he studied law and in 1865 was admitted to the bar.
Specializing in corporation and real-estate law, he was selected to administer the legal affairs of the Building Association League. In this connection he was largely instrumental in formulating and securing the approval of state laws dealing with the incorporation, and relief from certain taxation, of state building associations. In the year 1869 he was elected to the state House of Representatives, but was later defeated for the state Senate. Politically an ardent Democrat, in 1881 he was one of the founders of the Democratic Committee of Thirty-one which cooperated with the Committee of One-Hundred in electing a mayor of Philadelphia. In the year following, he declined nomination for the office of register of wills. From his youth he took an active interest in state military affairs, enlisting as a private in the Philadelphia City Troop in 1873 and seeing active service in the serious Pittsburgh labor riots of the year 1877. As poet of this celebrated local organization, he prepared and read an original ode at the troop's centennial celebration, November 17, 1874. In 1883 he was appointed by Governor Pattison colonel and judge-advocate general of the National Guard of Pennsylvania; and in 1887 and 1891 was reappointed to this office by succeeding governors. He was active in organizing the bureau of military justice and in securing adoption by the legislature of a revised military code (Act of April 13, 1887). At the time of his resignation, October 6, 1893, he was considered the foremost authority on military law in the state of Pennsylvania. For many years Rogers was connected with professional baseball, and in 1882, became the principal stockholder and directing head of the Philadelphia National Baseball Club. As counsel for the club, he secured many legal decisions affecting to this day the status of baseball players. Noted as an eloquent speaker as well as a facile writer, he was in much demand as an orator at banquets and public gatherings. He was one of the founders of the Catholic Club of Philadelphia, and an active member of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, and other local organizations.
He was one of the founders of the Catholic Club of Philadelphia, and an active member of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, and other local organizations.
Politically an ardent Democrat, in 1881 he was one of the founders of the Democratic Committee of Thirty-one which cooperated with the Committee of One-Hundred in electing a mayor of Philadelphia.
In 1883 he was appointed by Governor Pattison colonel and judge-advocate general of the National Guard of Pennsylvania; and in 1887 and 1891 was reappointed to this office by succeeding governors.
He was survived by his widow, Elizabeth (Henkles) Rogers, of Germantown, to whom he was married June 20, 1876, and four sons and a daughter.