From "History of Wheeling City and Ohio County, West Virginia and 
Representative Citizens", by Hon. Gibson Lamb Cranmer, 1902.

Typed by E. J. Heinemann.

p. 616

HON. JAMES P. ROGERS, who has been a member of the bar of Ohio 
county, West Virginia, since 1863, is prominent in the legal profession 
and enjoys a large and lucrative practice in Wheeling and its vicinity, 
where he has been located for so many years.   He was born in this city 
April 29, 1839, and is a son of Alexander and Elizabeth (Johnston) 
Rogers.
	Alexander Rogers was born in County Armagh, Ireland, in 1803, and 
as a youth went to England, where he took up the trade of a linen 
draper.  He came to the United States and located in Wheeling, 
Virginia, in 1829, where he became identified with the merchant 
tailoring business, employing about 230 women and 30 men at a time up 
to the year 1857.  In 1851, he formed a partnership with John Hamilton 
in the Quincy foundry, the firm name becoming Hamilton & Rogers.  Mr. 
Hamilton who is now deceased, was the practical man of the firm.  The 
partnership was dissolved in 1858, and Mr. Rogers, with his son Thomas 
J. Rogers, engaged in the produce business under the firm name of A. 
Rogers & Son.  In 1864, the son died, and the business was closed out.  
The father then engaged in the hardware business with the firm of James 
McCulloch & Company, at the corner of Main and Fourteenth streets.  
After several successful years in this line, he retired from active 
business, and died January 3,1887.  He was united in marriage, at 
Wheeling, with Elizabeth Johnston, a daughter of Thomas Johnston: Mrs. 
Rogers died in 1897, at the age of eighty-one years.  Her father came 
to Wheeling in 1799, and conducted a general store on Main street, in 
what is now known as the old town.  He was a merchant throughout his 
life, and died in April, 1849.  Mr. and Mrs. Rogers became the parents 
of three children, namely: James P.:  Thomas J.. who died in 1864: 
Margaret J.. wife of Frederick Lange, who has charge of the Rogers 
estate and resides in Wheeling.  Mr. Rogers and his father-in-law  were 
justices of the peace under the old constitution of Virginia, prior to 
1850.  They were appointed by the governor, and were known as judges of 
the County Court.  In line of seniority, Mr. Johnston would soon have 
received an appointment as sheriff.
	James P. Rogers was reared in Wheeling and while yet a youth, 
assumed the management of his father's tailoring establishment, which 
he held until 1857.  He then entered Jefferson College at Canonsburg, 
Pennsylvania, graduating therefrom in 1860.  He was admitted to the bar 
of Virginia June 18,1863, just two days prior to the separation of 
Virginia and West Virginia.  He has since been engaged in the practice 
of the law in Wheeling with unvaried success, his offices for many 
years being at the present location, No. 1404 Chapline street.  In 
1866, he was elected prosecuting attorney of Ohio county, in which 
capacity he served one term.  He has also held other important offices.  
He was chosen to fill the vacancy left by Judge Good in the Municipal 
Court of Wheeling, but at the end of his term, refused the nomination 
for the office.  Judge G. L. Cranmer accepted the nomination and was 
elected.  Upon three different occasions, Judge Rogers has been 
nominated for judge, an honor which goes to show his high position at 
the bar.  
	Judge Rogers was united in marriage, in Ohio, with Miss M. J. 
Jackson, a native of that state, and one son and two daughters have 
been born to them, namely : George J., an attorney-at-law, who 
graduated from Harvard University; Elizabeth J., who is a graduate of a 
women's college in Baltimore : and Ledora K., who is attending school 
at Auburndale (Taselle Seminary), near Boston, Mass.  In politics, the 
Judge is a Democrat.  He is a member of the Masonic fraternity.  Since 
1898, he has resided at Woodsdale, but formerly made his home in 
Wheeling.