JESSE ROGERS

 The following bio was taken from page 371 of the book entitled “Rusk County History” compiled and edited and used with permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission.

 Transcribed by Claudia Schuster

 Submitted by Gloria Briley Mayfield, Cemeteries of TX

 I, Jesse Rogers, was born February 11, 1913 in the south part of Rusk County.  My father and mother were Vee and Emoline Rogers.  My mother’s maiden name was Emoline Henry, daughter of Nelson Henry, prominent Negro landholder in south Rusk County.  Nelson Henry couldn’t read or write, but at his death he owned 645 acres of land.  When Nelson was emancipated from slavery, the man who owned him told him and his two brothers to get six or seven acres to make a living.  Nelson Henry said, “Well, if it took three hundred acres for that man, I feel like for me to make a living, it would take twice the land.”  The man who freed him had three hundred acres, so Nelson Henry got 645 acres of land.

 When I was five years old, I had an accident that put out one of my eyes, and when I was between eight or nine the other eye went out.  I attended Texas State School for the Blind and Deaf at Austin. I began at the age of ten.  When I was eleven, I learned to make brooms to sell so I went to the School Superintendent and asked if I could get some brooms to sell.  My friend and I sold $13.80 of which I got $11.80.  the other part taken from it was for bus fare to town.  I continued to make brooms until I finished school in 1933.

 I belonged to a club in Marshall, Texas, that had a shop set up.  It went broke.  I borrowed the machinery from a cousin in Cushing, Texas and the next summer I bought the club’s machinery.  It was shipped to me at Reklaw.  I worked in my own shop until I graduated from school and from then until now, I’ve been making brooms here in Rusk County.

 I did not have the money to finance what’s supposed to be done in business.  I asked the bank to loan me a little money, and recently they have come to the point of saying that they won’t loan me any money. Yet it is sad to think that this happened after Texas A & M said in 1943-1944 that I was the only Black in the State of Texas that had a broom factory for handicapped people here in Rusk County.  So far my plans in a broom factory have been a failure.

 I moved to Henderson July 1, 1940 and began buying my home in 1945.  I have been working and living here in this house since December 23, 1945. 

For a little time, I went to California and had training for a guide dog.  I was so devoted to that dog.  I had him eight and one-half years.  He was a fine dog. His name was Nero.

 I married August 23, 1941.  My wife loved that dog as much as I did.  In 1965, I discovered that I was a diabetic, and the doctors discovered in 1969 that I had heart problems.  I have since had a heart attack.

 I was so sick, but as soon as I feel better I go straight back to work as long as I can – making brooms.

 Excerpts from tape interview with Mr. Jesse Rogers