James Rogers (politician)

James Rogers (born October 24, 1795 in Union County , South Carolina , †  December 21, 1873 ) was an American politician . Between 1835 and 1843 he represented the state of South Carolina twice in the US House of Representatives .

Career

James Rogers was born in 1795 on the family-owned Orange Hall plantation; today this area is part of Goshen Hill Township . After a good primary school education, he studied at South Carolina College in Columbia until 1813 , which later became the University of South Carolina . After a subsequent law degree and his admission as a lawyer, he began to work in York in his new profession. In the following years he held various local offices in his home country. He was also a member of the South Carolina State Militia, where he made it to major general.

Politically, Rogers joined the movement around President Andrew Jackson and became a member of the Democratic Party founded by him . Unlike most of the politicians in his homeland, Rogers did not join John C. Calhoun and his separatist movement during the nullification crisis . Rogers remained a supporter of the Union and Jacksons. For this reason he had to give up his general post in the state militia.

In the congressional elections of 1834 - despite his attitude during the nullification crisis - he was elected to the US House of Representatives in Washington, DC in the eighth constituency of South Carolina . There he took over from Richard Irvine Manning on March 4, 1835 . Since he was defeated by John Peter Richardson in the elections of 1836 , he was only able to complete one term in Congress until March 3, 1837 . Two years later, in the elections in 1838, he succeeded in regaining his seat in the House of Representatives. So he could again represent the eighth district of his home state in Congress between March 4, 1839 and March 3, 1841. In 1840 he was elected to the ninth district, which he represented in the House of Representatives between March 4, 1841 and March 3, 1843. He was the last representative of this district, which was then dissolved. Its last legislative term was determined by discussions about the possible annexation of the Republic of Texas , which had been independent of Mexico since 1836 . In 1842, Rogers decided not to run in any other district.

After leaving the US House of Representatives, James Rogers retired to his plantation, which he managed until his death in 1873. Politically, he no longer appeared. The house on his plantation fell victim to a tornado in 1929.

Web links

• James Rogers in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)

• James Rogers in the database of Find a Grave (English)