The Rogers and Graves families came to Texas in a wagon train in 1861, settling in Parker County; they left Missouri in order not to be conscripted into the Union Army, as it was their choice to join the Confederacy.

John Franklin Rogers was born in Green County, Missouri August 8, 1838; he located in Grayson County at the beginning of the Civil War. Shortly after arriving, J. F. married Mahalia Caroline Graves on January 1, 1862. Mahalia Caroline Graves, born 14 March 1845 in Green County, Missouri.

From this union, two daughters were born near Weatherford: Nannie Jane & Mary "Mollie" Elizabeth.  J. F. & Mahalia also raised a niece, Addie Counts, who married Prince Young.

John Rogers served in the Civil War under General McGruder.  After the war, he rode back to Parker County on an Army mule.  Arriving in Parker County, he branded over the Army brand and traded the mule for a cow horse.

The Comanches were coming out of Oklahoma, following the Cross Timbers and raiding the settlers.  On one of these raids, John Franklin's aunt was killed and two nieces were captured.  Mahalia took her two daughters out of the cabin and into some bushes to hide until the raid was over.

Several of the men trailed the Indians after the raid but were ambushed near New Castle on the Brazos River.  John was riding a mule and the others were on horses.  The Indians pursued them and killed the men on horseback, but John Rogers escaped.  Because of these constant Indian raids, the Rogers left Parker County and bought land about one mile east of Tioga, Grayson County.  

In 1873, J. F. farmed and raised draft horses, as well as being a part of the development of Tioga around the old public square.  He built the first two-story brick building on the north side of the square.  He was President of the First Guaranty State Bank of Tioga, school trustee, and a 32nd Degree Mason.  The couple were founding members of Shiloh Methodist Church, which was located on the northwest corner of their homestead.

John Franklin was a robust, hard-riding gentleman with a small white goatee. He reluctantly succumbed to riding a buggy to town in his later years.  J.F. died April 21, 1920 and Mahalia Caroline Rogers died several years later on May 23, 1931.


Ross Estes.  I Remember Things : An Informal History of Tioga, Texas.  c1977, pg.112
Frontier Village. "John Franklin Rogers" by Benny C. Reynolds. The History of Grayson County.  c1979, pgs. 561 -562.