Biography of Austin L. Rogers
FROM OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE
A DESCRIPTIVE WORK ON JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK
EDITED BY: EDGAR C. EMERSON
THE BOSTON HISTORY COMPANY, PUBLISHERS 1898

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Rogers, Austin L., proprietor of the extensive seed house of Rogers Brothers of Chaumont, is a son of Charles A. and Harriet (Wilson) Rogers, and was born in the town of Cape Vincent in 1855. His education was obtained in the public schools of his native town, at Watertown High School and Eastman Business College of Poughkeepsie. His father dying when he was two years old, his mother removed to the village of Cape Vincent. Her death occurred at Chaumont in 1893 after a residence there of ten years. Mr. Rogers's first business enterprise was started at the homestead farm, town of Cape Vincent, in connection with his brother, Everett E., the two starting a green house and engaging in market gardening and seed growing. which they successfully carried on for five years. Afterward for one year they were associated with R. B. Hungerford at Adams as seed growers, when they came to Chaumont in 1882 and erected the substantial three-story building which serves as a seed warehouse. Disposing of the Cape Vincent farm in 1887, they purchased a fine tract of land of 360 acres, known as the Backus-Comins farm, being situated on the north side of Chaumont river and bounded on the west by the R., W. & 0. Railroad and village limits, which they named "Elm View," using it as a seed farm in connection with their extensive wholesale seed business, of fancy peas, beans and sweet peas, as many as forty acres of this popular flower in different varieties having been planted in a single season, and from this fact is commonly known as the sweet pea farm, and is much admired during the summer season. It was in 1890 that the large business career of the brothers was interrupted by the death by accident of Everett E. Rogers. who received injuries which caused his death while crossing in his carriage the tracks of the R., W. & O. Railroad. Since his brother's unfortunate death Mr. Rogers has conducted the business on his own account, but in the original firm name. In 1882 Mr. Rogers married Della M, Guile, daughter of George H. Guile of Lyme, and they have two children, Mabel and Inez. Mr. Rogers is an exponent of that class of men who have won success because they deserved it. His business, which is one of the largest in Chaumont and has few superiors of its kind in the county, is the result of the pluck of two country boys who began and continued from small beginnings until a business has accumulated to such extensive proportions that it is only bounded by the confines of the United States and Canada. To the courtesy of Mr. George R. Warren, formerly of Cape Vincent, son of G. W. Warren, who has been with the firm for sixteen years, the patrons and visitors feel deeply indebted for the interest taken in each caller. Mr. Warren holds a close place in the confidence of his employer and has proven himself all efficient where efficiency is most needed.