Chicago Board of Trade Members: Henry W. Rogers & Brother

H. W. R. & BRO.

NOV. 8 1899

stamps on partial piece cut from a futures contrract

Langlois scan

Henry Rogers was President of the CBOT in 1881.

Members of the CBOT in Mr. Roger's firm included:

#1347 Henry W. Rogers

and his brother:

#1348 James C. Rogers

From The History of The Board of Trade of the City of Chicago, 1917:

Henry W. Rogers. — There is special gratification in being able to accord representation in this publication to the veteran and honored member of the Board of Trade whose name initiates this paragraph and who, though venerable in years, retains splendid mental and physical vigor and still takes active and loyal interest in the activities and affairs of the great commercial organization of which he is now one of the oldest members and his identification with which covers a period of more than half a century.

It has been the privilege and satisfaction of Mr. Rogers to witness and assist in the development of the Board of Trade of the City of Chicago from insignificant status and minor function to the vantage-ground as the greatest commercial body of its kind in the world, and its members of younger generations accord to him respect, veneration and nviolable esteem. His memory forms an indissoluble link between the early history of the board and the twentieth century of its gigantic activities and great influence, so that this publication may well pay to him a tribute of respect and take cognizance of his noble character and worthy achievement. He is to be designated as one of the veritable patriarchs in the business life of a city which has grown from small proportion to commanding metropolitan pre-eminence within the period of his residence within its gracious borders, and that he is in all things loyal to Chicago needs no further voucher than the mere statement itself.

Henry William Rogers, president of the Rogers Grain Company and senior member of the old and honored commission firm of H. W. Rogers & Brother, was born at Bath, Steuben county. New York, on the 27th of March, 1832, and is a son of Gustavus A. and Susan Ann (Campbell) Rogers, representative of families whose names became identified with America in the colonial era of our national history. To the common schools of the locality and period Mr. Rogers is indebted for his early educational advantages, and thus did he lay broad and deep the foundation upon which he reared in later years the fine superstructure of that seemly and symmetrical discipline that is to be gained only under the direction of that wisest of all head-masters, experience. 

As a young man Mr. Rogers established himself in business as a ship chandler in the city of Buffalo, New York, where he continued operations in this line until 1860. For a brief period thereafter he held prestige as a pioneer merchant at Clinton, Iowa, but in 1862 he established his permanent home in Chicago, where he engaged in business as a commission merchant in grain and where he became one of the virtually pioneer members of the Board of Trade. In his long career as one of the representative figures in the grain commission trade in Chicago he has kept pace with the advances made and has contributed his quota to bringing the city to the world's foremost position in connection with this all important phase of commercial and industrial enterprise, so that in the gracious evening of a long and useful life he may rest well content with the achievement that has been his and view with satisfaction the marvelous progress in which he has played a part.

His valued coadjutor in the firm of H. W. Rogers & Brother is his younger brother, James C, of whom individual mention is made on other pages of this work, and their effective business alliance has continued without interruption since the year 1863. The firm has controlled for many years a large and representative commission business, and none identified with the Board of Trade at the present time has a longer or more honorable history. In addition to being senior member of this veteran firm Mr. Rogers is president of the Rogers Grain Company.

As a member of the Board of Trade for more than half a century, Mr. Rogers has been one of those steadfast and loyal men who have held firm grasp upon the rudder of its destiny and have so ruled its affairs as to make its traditions and ethics a source of pride and distinction to the city of Chicago. He has served with marked ability and characteristic loyalty as president of this great commercial body, and has been called upon also to serve in subordinate official capacities. With all propriety he may be classified among those who have been the builders of the Chicago of the present day, and in the history of the city his name merits a place of honor.

He served for a number of years as a member of the board of directors of the Chicago Public Library and he has otherwise been active and influential in civic affairs, though never imbued with any ambition for public office. His political allegiance has been given without deflection to the Democratic party, and he is a zealous member of the Congregational church. Mr. Rogers is a bachelor.