Birth: 1761 Philadelphia Philadelphia County Pennsylvania, USA Death: Oct. 29, 1848 Fines Creek Haywood County North Carolina, USA Revolutionary soldier Hugh Rogers was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1761 to Robert and Frances Russell Rogers. Robert's father, Samuel, came from County Cork, Ireland in 1758. Being a shipbuilder by trade, Samuel helped build the ship he sailed on in return for passage to the Colonies. Hugh moved with his family to Mecklenburg County, North Carolina about 1774. His father, Robert, worked in a plant that manufactured gunpowder used by the American Patriots in the Battle of King's Mountain on 7 Oct 1780 on the North Carolina & South Carolina border. Hugh enlisted as a private at age 20, fought in the Battle of King's Mountain and served under General Sumter in the North Carolina Militia (No. 3242). Thomas Jefferson called it "The turn of the tide of success." The battle of Kings Mountain, fought October 7th, 1780, was an important American victory during the Revolutionary War. The battle was the first major Patriot victory to occur after the British invasion of Charleston, South Carolina in May 1780. The battle of Kings Mountain lasted about one hour. American Patriots (Whigs) lost 28, while the American Loyalists (Torries) lost 225 killed and 716 captured. The dead were buried on the battlefield in unmarked graves, they have never been found. Hugh met Nancy Thornton on the final day of the battle as she carried water to the soldiers. She was the daughter of Colonel John Thornton and Jane Washington Thornton (more documemtation needed). After the Revolution, Hugh's father received a land grant in the area now located in Washington County, Tennessee. The Rogers family along with the Thornton family moved there near Bent Creek, Tennessee and a few years later Hugh and Nancy were married. In 1791 this area was later remapped and became a part of Buncombe County, North Carolina. Robert Rogers died during this time and was buried (likely an unmarked grave) on property of the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, Buncombe County, North Carolina. About 1800, Hugh and Nancy moved their family to Fines Creek in Buncombe County. In 1808 this area became a part of Haywood County, North Carolina. There Hugh and Nancy raised their family. Nancy died in 1843 and Hugh 5 years later in 1848. They are buried at the Thad Rogers Cemetery located in the Upper Fines Creek Community in Haywood County. At the time of the 1810 U S Census there were only between eight to fifteen families living in the area per the census taker's notes. More About HUGH ROGERS: After Military service in the Revolutionary War - North Carolina Line Hugh Rogers was appointed Constable of Washington County, North Carolina in 1787. Later, he was a Juror in the Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions of Washington County [1778-79]. "Robert, Frances and Hughey Rogers probably moved from Philadelphia to Rowan County, North Carolina. Land records in Rowan County show that they bought 279 acres in 1765. These records also state that Robert was a blacksmith and that they sold this land in 1774. It is not clear where they went from Rowan County, but since Hughey fought in the battle of Kings Mountain and Robert was a blacksmith (which would have been very much in demand by the army at that time) they probably followed the Revolutionary army to somewhere close to Kings Mountain. The marriage bond of Hugh and Nancy was dated October 28, 1789 in Greene County, Tennessee. Hugh was age 29 and Nancy was age 22. In the late 1700's Robert bought a lot of land in Buncombe County which at that time included Haywood County . It is believed that Hugh and Nancy moved to Buncombe County with Hugh's parents in the late 1700's and then to Fines Creek around 1800. After Robert Rogers death abut 1800, Frances Russell Rogers moved with her son David to Cullowhee, Jackson County North Carolina in 1826 and died there on March 3, the same year. She was 84 years of age and is buried in the Rogers cemetery in Cullowhee." submitted by John W Rogers (Rt 1, Box 266A, Clyde, NC 28721) The Chronicles of Haywood County, North Carolina. In a big log house, near where the Hiram Rogers School house used to stand, Hugh Rogers and Nancy Thornton Rogers spent the remainder of their days and reared their family.... who built their homes in different sections of Haywood county." ........."Nancy Thornton Rogers preceded her husband to the glory land by (5) years. Hugh remained at his old home until his death... The logs of this old house, which were hewn by his own hands, remain to be seen today (1932). Submitted by Sarah K Roberts Haynes - Annals of Haywood County, North Carolina @1935 Family links: Parents: Robert David Rogers (1741 - 1795) Frances Jackson Russell Rogers (1744 - 1828) Spouse: Nancy Augusta Thornton Rogers (1763 - 1843)* Children: John H. Rogers (1788 - 1852)* David F Rogers (1790 - 1882)* Jesse William Rogers (1791 - 1851)* James Bayless Rogers (1792 - 1882)* Thornton LaFontaine Rogers (1797 - ____)* Matthew Nathan Rogers (1798 - 1875)* Hugh Rogers (1801 - 1886)* Clark Powers Rogers (1801 - ____)* Robert Rogers (1805 - 1859)* Cyrus Judson Rogers (1807 - 1889)* George Andrew Newton Rogers (1811 - 1868)* Nicholas Powers Rogers (1813 - 1885)* Margaret Rogers Green (1822 - ____)* Siblings: Hugh Rogers (1761 - 1848) Jeremiah Rogers (1762 - ____)* Thomas Rogers (1764 - 1840)* Robert Thomas Rogers (1768 - 1819)* John Rogers (1769 - 1845)* James Rogers (1772 - ____)* Frances Mary Rogers Lavasque (1775 - 1863)* David Rogers (1780 - 1854)* *Calculated relationship Burial: Thad Rogers Cemetery Haywood County North Carolina, USA Maintained by: Past Hunter