John Jacob Rogers

John Jacob Rogers
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 5th district
In office March 4, 1913 – March 28, 1925
Preceded by	Butler Ames
Succeeded by	Edith Nourse Rogers
Personal details
Born	August 18, 1881 Lowell, Massachusetts, U.S.
Died	March 28, 1925(1925-03-28) (aged 43) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Edith Nourse ​ (m. 1907)​
Profession	Attorney
Military service
Branch/service	United States Army
Years of service	September 12, 1918 – November 29, 1918
Rank	Private
Commands	Twenty-ninth Training Battery, Tenth Training Battalion, Field Artillery, Fourth Central Officers’ Training School
Battles/wars	World War I

John Jacob Rogers (August 18, 1881 – March 28, 1925) was an American lawyer and politician who served seven terms as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Massachusetts from 1913 until his death in office in 1925.

His wife, Edith Nourse Rogers, succeeded him in Congress and served for 35 years.

Early life and education

Rogers was born in Lowell, Massachusetts, and graduated from Harvard University in 1904 and from Harvard Law School in 1907. He practiced law in Lowell, starting in 1908.

Career

Rogers was a member of the Lowell city government in 1911 and school commissioner in 1912.

Congress

He was elected as a Republican to the Sixty-third and to the six succeeding Congresses and served from March 4, 1913, until his death.

World War I

During the First World War, Rogers enlisted on September 12, 1918, as a private with the Twenty-ninth Training Battery, Tenth Training Battalion, Field Artillery, Fourth Central Officers’ Training School, and served until honorably discharged on November 29, 1918.

Foreign Service Act

Rogers is remembered as "The father of the Foreign Service" due to his sponsorship of the 1924 Foreign Service Act, also known as the Rogers Act.^[1]

Death

Rogers died in Washington, D.C., of Hodgkins' disease on March 28, 1925.^[2] While a later biography would say that he died of appendicitis^[3] his obituary noted that "Rep. Rogers was operated on for appendicitis last July 14."^[2] He was interred at Lowell Cemetery in Lowell, Massachusetts.

Family

His wife, Edith Nourse Rogers, who would end up being the longest serving female of Congress for over 60 years, succeeded him in Congress.

Edith Nourse Rogers

See also

• List of United States Congress members who died in office (1900–49)

References

1. "In the Beginning: The Rogers Act of 1924". American Foreign Service Association. Retrieved 2016-09-06.
2. "Rep. John Jacob Rogers, Leader in Congress, Dies", The Springfield (MA) Union, March 29, 1925, p.1
3. "From Lowell Doughboys: John Jacob Rogers". Lowell Historical Society. Archived from the original on 2017-03-05. Retrieved 2016-09-10.

• United States Congress. "John Jacob Rogers (id: R000400)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Butler Ames	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 5th congressional district 1913–1925	Succeeded by Edith Nourse Rogers