Rachel Bridget Gillespie Rogers

Our subject is the mother of John Rogers (b 1863 in MI) who is the husband of Nellie Mae Albro.

In the 1870 census Bridget states her birthplace as Ohio and her birth year as 1843. She is listed as not being able to read or write. In the household are Robert Rogers age 29 a laborer of Canadian birth whose value of real estate is $300, nine year old John, 8 year old Ellen, 7 year old Robert Jr, 5 year old Margaret, 4 year old Alice Agnes and William who is just one year. We know from records that a daughter was born and died in March of that same year.

In 1880 she is going by Rachel and still says she is born in Ohio with a similar birth year. She lists her parents as having been born in Ireland. The children and husband are the same. Robert Sr. is now listed as a logger, no doubt making more than a laborer.
In 1880 relationships are listed in the census so we can confirm she is the husband of Roger and the mother of the children in the home. So far we have not been able to locate a marriage record.

Marriage records between some of the children indicate that Bridget was born in Ireland.
In 17 OCT 1895 a request for guardianship is filed by the Rogers children in Manistee at the Probate court.

In the matter of appointing a guardian of Bridget Rogers, an alleged incompetent married woman. The undersigned, John A Rogers, William Rogers, Robert Rogers Jr, Alice McDonald, Margaret Adams and Ellen Hansen your petitioners, would respectfully represent to the Court, that they are children of said Bridget Rogers, that said Bridget Rogers is of the age of Fifty-four years, and an inhabitant of, or resident in said county, and is possessed of personal and real estate, situated and being in said County, and the estimated value of the personal real estate the sum of sixteen hundred dollars, or there-abouts as your petitioners are informed and verily believe. Your petitioner further represent that it is necessary that a guardian be appointed, of the person and of the estate of said Bridget Rogers for the following specific reasons to wit; That said Bridget Rogers is now and has been for two years last sick and insane and wholly incompetent mentally and physically to take care of herself and to have the charge care and management of her property. Your petitioners further represent that her husband Robert Rogers, Senior is abdicted to the habit and use of intoxicant liquors and spends and squanders the most of his earnings and such property as he can get control of for drink, and has not and does not support said Bridget Rogers and furnish her the necessary medical attendance which she requires, and is therefore an unfit person to be appointed the Guardian of said Bridget Rogers.

The document goes on to say that all of her children reside in Manistee and Robert Rogers Sr resides in Wexford. It asks that John be appointed guardian. Just under a month later in November Bridget is dead. There is no indication of how she died but the application for guardianship that places Robert Sr in Wexford leads me to believe they are no longer living together.

At the start her estate is managed by a few people, among them John Rogers and John Albro. Margaret’s husband Adolf Adams appears to have been in charge of burial arrangements from seeing that the grave was maintained for the first year after her death to paying someone to dress Bridget for the burial. Eventually John Rogers becomes the sole executor and he spends a good deal of money on remodeling her home.

28 NOV 1898 Robert Sr. marries Eliza Logan in Wexford; they are still together in the 1900 census with Robert Jr living in the home, no less.

The 1920 census captures the Widowed Eliza living in the Wexford county poor house. Robert Jr. marries and lives with his own family after 1900 as do all of the children.