THE FIRST 100 YEARS
OF
SACRAMENTO LODGE No.40
Pages
63-65
COLONEL
ANDREW FULLER RODGERS
Andrew Fuller Rodgers, one of the original petitioners of Sacramento Lodge was
born in Howard County, Missouri, on October 13, 1827, the son of Ebenezer
Rodgers, a Baptist Minister, and Permelia Jackson
(Rodgers). When Andrew was six years old his family moved to Upper Alton,
Illinois. His father was one of the first trustees of Shurtleff
College in Upper Alton and at an early age Andrew was sent there for his
education.
At
eighteen he left school and worked on the farm of his married sister, near
Upper Alton, for four months, leaving to volunteer in Company E. 2nd Illinois
Infantry under Col. Bissel for service in the Mexican
War. He took part in the famous Battle of Buena Vista where General Zachary
Taylor, with an army of 6,000 men, defeated Santa Ana with an army of 20,000
men.
Mustered
out at the end of his year enlistment in June 1847, he left Camargo
at the mouth of the Rio Grande and took ship for New Orleans. On the voyage he
was striken with fever and could barely walk on
arrival at New Orleans. From there he traveled by boat up the Mississippi to
Alton, again enrolling in Shurleff College. In the
spring and summer of 1848 he and his brother John farmed and made plans to
cross the plains to California.
In April
1849 the two brothers, joining a nine-wagon train, left St.Joseph,
Missouri. Traveling up to the Iowa line, crossing the Missouri at old Fort
Kearney, thence to Fort Hall they made their way, after many unusual and some
very exciting adventures, to Hangtown (now
Placerville), California, arriving in July. There the party divided their
supplies and separated, Andrew and his brother locating at Coloma on the
American River where gold was discovered. At the approach of winter the
brothers went to Cold Springs and built a cabin, later moving to Downieville where they worked during the summer. In the
autumn they built a cabin at Nevada City and mined during the winter of 1850
and the summer of 1851. Andrew then decided to return home but in Sacramento he
located a former schoolmate from upper Alton, sick & sorely in need of a
friend and money. Deciding to stay with his friend in need, Andrew obtained an
appointment as Deputy Sheriff under Benjamin McCulloch, serving until
expiration of the latter's term in the spring of 1852. Then again joining his
brother, the two returned to mining on Frenchman's Bar.
In the fall of 1852 the brothers started for home by way of the Isthmus
following the Graytown route to New Orleans.
From New Orleans they travelled by boat up the
Mississippi, arriving at Alton in November. John remained at home and studied
medicine but Andrew was anxious to return to California, and in January, 1853,
started his return by the same route the brothers had taken home. After
crossing the Isthmus he had the misfortune to board the ship INDEPENDENCE, leaving San Juan del Sur
for San Francisco on February 16, 1853. Off the coast of Margarita Island,
Lower California, she struck a rock, immediately starting to sink and catching
fire. Of the passenger list of 400, more than 150 were drowned, the rest
gaining the shore destitute. Andrew was instrumental in saving the lives of
many at his own peril. For three days they were without food and water but were
finally rescued by whaling vessels. On arriving at San Francisco, Andrew was
without funds but he finally made his way to Sacramento and was appointed
Deputy Sheriff under A. D. Patterson. At the expiration of Patterson's term of
office he returned to mining at Camptonville,
spending the fall and winter of 1853 and 1854. Receiving word of the death of
his father in May 1855 he left for home arriving in Alton during a cholera
epidemic. He remained for a time cultivating his father's land and in 1856
purchased an interest in a saw mill and cleared the farm which he had in the
meantime purchased from his father's estate. After a trip to New Hampshire he
arrived home in 1859 and started construction on a large frame house on his
farm. Upon completion of the house, he married on May 31, 1860 Jane Frances Delaplain taking her to their new home where they remained
for two years. Andrew's family consisted of five children - John Benjamin
Rodgers, Katherine Rodgers (Philips), William Langdon Rodgers, Sara Rodgers
(Burnett) and Henry Fuller Rodgers. It was through the kindness of Sara Rodgers
Burnett that this biographical sketch was made possible. At the outbreak of the
Civil War Andrew Rodgers raised nearly three companies for the Union Army and
received the rank of Captain of one of them and was ordered to Centralia,
Illinois. In 1862 the 80th Illinois regiment was organized and he was given
command with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He was wounded in the battle of
Perryville and confined to a hospital for a time but returned to his regiment
to lead it in a number of successful engagements against General Forrest, being
finally captured at Rome, Georgia. Colonel Rodgers was confined with other
officers in the notorious Libby Prison at Richmond, Virginia where he was kept
in a condition of filth for a year. He was removed to Macon, Georgia at the
time of the advance of the Union forces on Richmond. When he left home as a
Lieutenant Colonel of the 80th Illinois regiment his mother presented him with
a sword engraved with his name and the Square and Compass. When captured and
thrown into Libby Prison the sword was confiscated and some of his friends who
had been in the Southern Army attempted to recover it without success. After a
lapse of 42 years with hope for its recovery at low ebb the sword was returned
to him by a stranger, but a brother Mason. For many years it had been used in a
Masonic Lodge in Texas and after the death of the man who had taken it, his
brother returned it to the original owner. The sword is now in possession of
his daughter who lives in Alton. Col. Rodgers was finally exchanged with
others, for Southern officers and he arrived home in 1864. His commission as
Colonel was sent to him dated April 27, 1863.
After a
rest, he raised the 144th Regiment to 800 strong, armed them, and was offered
command as Colonel by Gov. Yates. He refused it however as he was broken in health
from his prison confinement and resigned to return to his home on the farm. In
1870 he was elected to the State Legislature of Illinois. He took an active
part in County Fair development and in the Farmer's Northwestern Fire Insurance
and for several years devoted much time and energy to the Piasa
Chautaqua. In 1896 he was Mayor of Upper Alton which
has since been incorporated in the larger City of Alton. Brother Rodgers was
initiated, passed and raised early in 1853 by Madison Lodge No. 101 of Alton,
Illinois which lodge is now defunct. He dimitted from
that lodge and was elected a member of Washington Lodge No. 20, of Sacramento,
on May 19, 1853. When Sacramento Lodge applied for its dispensation, Brother
Rodgers was one of the original petitioners and dimitted
from Sacramento Lodge No. 40 and on May 2, 1857 affiliated with Franklin Lodge
No. 25 of Alton, Illinois, serving that Lodge as its Worshipful Master during
the year 1861. Not only did Brother Rodgers take an active part in Blue Lodge,
he received all of the Royal Arch Chapter degrees in Franklin Chapter No. 15 R.
A. M. during the Grand Chapter year July 1, 1854 to June 30, 1855. He was
elected and served as High Priest of Franklin Chapter No. 15 R. A. M. during
the year 1869. At the consolidation of Alton Chapter No. 8 and Franklin Chapter
No. 15 on December 15, 1915, he became a charter member of the new consolidated
Chapter named Franklin Chapter No. 8 and was a member at the time of his death.
He was also a member of Belvidere Commandery
No. 2 Knights Templar, Alton, Illinois, receiving the Order of the Temple on
November 25, 1861. Brother Rodgers died on January 20, 1922 at the age of
nearly 95 years.
Transcribed
by Sally Kaleta.
Proofread by Betty Vickroy.
© 2007 Sally Kaleta.