Rev. G.W. Rogers
The following bio
was taken from page 372 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
OBITUARY
“Died, Rev. G.W. Rogers, on the evening of
the 20th instant, at three o’clock P.M., in his 78th
year. The deceased was born in
Barrow County, Georgia, June 16, 1811. He
lived in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana. He
came to Texas about 1850 and has resided in Rusk County ever since. He lived a faithful and consistent member of the Baptist
church for more than forty years. He
had a number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Probably no one ever suffered greater afflictions than he did.
He was an invalid for sixteen years from kidney trouble and at times
suffered intense misery which seemed almost unbearable; and for nine years was
afflicted with total blindness. Yet
in the midst of all these afflictions, he never for one moment forgot his duty
to his Creator. Like Old Job
he would often say, “I know that my Redeemer liveth,” and continued to warn
sinners and counsel them in their waywardness and point to them to “Him that
taketh away the sins of the
world,” About the last words he spoke were, “I know that Jesus is able and
will take care of me,” and without a murmur or any sign of uneasiness or even
a move of a muscle, he passed away in the full triumph of a Christian’s faithe
and his spirit was wafted into the heavenly portals where with all the redeemed
hosts of Israel he will join in singing happy anthems to Him that liveth in that
City of the Skies.
“Father, have you yet seen Jesus? Tell us then what did he say?
Did he take you by the hand And bid you welcome, welcome stay?
Me thinks I heard Him say to you As he drew
you to His breast, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant, Enter now and
be at rest.”
Then as I linger at the thought, Enchanted by
the heavenly sight, The crown is placed upon thy heard and thou are seated at
His right.
Then angels press around about, A smile
lights up thy face; A kinsman graps thee by thy hand For they are in the place.
Oh, Would I could but speak to you, And so do
all the rest, To tell you how we miss you, Father, But thou art with the blest.
In Heaven now loud anthems ring,
Congratulations are extended, And in the very self-same spirit, these lines,
they are appended.” ----Ollie
Poem obtained from Ollie’s son, Emil Rogers