While the Paris family history dates from comparatively a recent period, that of the Rogers carries back to the early settlement of the colony of Rhode Island and the year 1638. The families are of English and German blood. The present family of Paris in Hudson Falls, New York, descend from Michael Paris, who came from Germany to the United States at date unknown. He married Catherine Dygert and reared a family of six children. He was of Herkimer and later of Lewis county, New York. Children:
- John;
- Nancy, married John Chickering;
- Julia, married Phineas T. Woolworth;
- George, deceased;
- Urias George, see forward;
- James A.;
- Jerome B.
(II) Urias George, fourth child and second son of Michael and Catherine (Dygert) Paris, was born in Fairfield, Herkimer county, New York, August 14, 1819, died September 15, 1892. When quite young he went to the town of Harrisburg, Lewis county, New York, and soon after to Glens Falls, Warren county, New York, where he studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1848. Shortly after his admission he settled at Sandy Hill, which was ever afterwards his residence. He was eminent in his profession and one of the leading lawyers of the county. From 1859 to 1867 he was surrogate of Washington county. He was prominently interested in other activities of the village and county as well. He was one of the organizers of the People's National Bank of Sandy Hill (now Hudson Falls) and was president from its beginning until his death. His legal ability, public spirit, sterling honesty and fearless courage won for him a large following of devoted friends, and the respect of the entire community. He was a Whig and later a Republican. He married, August 28, 1850, Cordelia E. Rogers, born August 24, 1828, died March 29, 1902, daughter of Hon. Charles Rogers, of Sandy Hill. Children:
- Charles R., see forward.
- Katherine, born September 19, 1855; married, August 24, 1898, Julius W. Walters, of New York City.
- Erskine Clark, born October 8, 1857, died October 22, 1858.
- Russel C., see forward.
- Preston, born July 6, 1862; treasurer of Standard Wall Paper Company; married, October 6, 1887, Florence Grace, daughter of Charles Dor and Mary Jane (Baucus) Kellogg.
- Lincoln, born January 24, 1865, died July 12, 1898; married Louise Judson; children:
- Erskine Clark, born August 5, 1888;
- Proal A., September 21, 1889.
- Susan Aurinda, born March 31, 1870; married Daniel L. Robertson, have one child, Alexander, born June 30, 1900.
- Cordelia Rogers, born October 19, 1872, died October 27, 1880.
(III) Judge Charles R. Paris, eldest son of Urias George and Cordelia E. (Rogers) Paris, was born at Sandy Hill, Washington county, New York, August 9, 1851. He was graduated at a union school, and for several years in early life engaged in farming. After a thorough preparation in law he was admitted to the bar, where he has risen to an unusual prominence. He was active in public life before his admission to the bar, having served as supervisor for the town of Kingsbury in 1878-79-80, the latter year being chairman of the board. From 1880 to 1894 he devoted himself exclusively to the practice of his profession. During the years 1894-95 he was president of the village of Sandy Hill, being elected without a single vote being cast against him. In 1897 he was elected to the state legislature and in 1898 re-elected. He served with credit in both sessions on important committees. In 1899 he was elected county judge, in 1905 was re-elected, and is now serving the latter years of his second term. His services on the bench have been of a high order and he has retained not only the high regard of his former brethren of the bar but their personal friendship. He is eminently qualified for the high position he holds, being learned in the law, while his unfailing love of justice and fairness render him the ideal jurist. He has acquired large and important business interests in his village and town. He is president of the People's National Bank, and interested in the Standard Wall Paper, Company. He was always interested in the Washington County Park Association, and was for two years treasurer of its successor, the Washington County Agricultural Society. He is a Republican in politics, but his supporters are not confined to that party. He married, in 1879, Alma Biggart, daughter of James and Lola (Goodspeed) Biggart. Children:
- Urias George, born August 17, 1883;
- Cordelia A., August 12, 1888;
- Lola K., May 28, 1894.
(III) Dr. Russel C. Paris, third son of Urias George and Cordelia E. (Rogers) Paris, was born at Sandy Hill, New York, August 4, 1859. He attended the public schools there until he reached the age of fourteen years. Through the kindly offices of Hon. James S. Smart, congressman from the district, he obtained appointment to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland. He stood a competitive examination with twenty others, all older than himself, and passed so well that he received the appointment. He entered the academy in 1873 and was graduated in 1877 with honors and completed the extended course two years later. At the time of his graduation he was still under eighteen years of age, the legal age limit for entrance to the academy. During his course he served on the historic old wooden ships "Constellation" and "Dale," and afterward on the "Constitution" and "Hartford." While a midshipman on the "Constitution" he studied medicine with the ship's surgeon for one year. In 1880 he resigned from the navy and returned to Sandy Hill, where he continued his medical studies under the supervision of his great-uncle, the famous Dr. E. G. Clark, for one year. He then went to Albany, New York, where he placed himself under the preceptorship of Dr. John Swinburne, a surgeon of international fame, and at the same time attended lectures at Albany Medical College. In 1883 he passed the state regents' medical examination, and at once began practicing in Albany, continuing there until 1902 in the successful practice of his profession. In that year he again returned to Sandy Hill, where he is now firmly established as a skillful and popular physician and surgeon. In 1905 he was elected president of the village. In 1906 he assisted in the organization of the Commercial National Bank, which he served as president. On April 26, 1896, he joined Admiral Farragut Garrison of the Army and Navy Union, and for several years was commander. In June, 1900, he was appointed national vice-commander, promoted to national commander, and in 1901, at Buffalo, New York, was presented with a gold badge and button of the order. In 1903 he declined re-election. After installing his successor he returned to an honored place in the ranks of the Union, which owes a great deal to his untiring efforts. Though actively engaged in the practice of his profession, during his residence in Albany and since returning to his native village, Dr. Paris has devoted a generous share of his time to philanthropic labor, he also finds time to devote to all public matters that concern the welfare of his native village of Sandy Hill, which has yielded its time-honored name to one not more to his taste. Dr. Paris married, December 5, 1889, Jessie Nichols, of Albany, New York. Children:
- Grace, born August 26, 1890, married John H. Moore.
- Russel C., Jr., born November 4, 1900.
(The Rogers Line)
Cordelia E. (Rogers) Paris, mother of Judge Charles R. and Dr. Russell C. Paris, is a direct descendant in the eighth generation of James Rogers, of Newport, Rhode Island, born 1638, died 1676. Among the manuscripts preserved in England and printed in Drake's "Founders of New England" [i.e., Samuel Gardner Drake, Result of some researches among the British archives for information relative to the founders of New England: made in the years 1858, 1859 and 1860] there is a copy of a "licens to go beyond the seas" dated April 15, 1635, and among others "to be transported to New England imbargued in the Increase" is named "James Rogers, twenty years." This may have been James Rogers, who was admitted a freeman of Newport in 1640 and was an inhabitant in 1638. He was on the list of the town in 1655 and in 1661-63 was sergeant of militia. He married and had issue.
(II) James (2), son of James (1) Rogers, was born in Newport, Rhode Island, about 1650. There were many of his name in the early New England records, and it is difficult to separate him from the children of the Connecticut and Massachusetts families. James Rogers, of New London, likewise thought to be the James who came in the "Increase," 1635, had a multiplicity of persons by the name of James Rogers among his descendants. James (2) Rogers married and had issue.
(III) Captain James (3), son of James (2) Rogers, was born in 1685. Many of the family were seafaring men and masters of vessels. Captain James Rogers lived near Westerly, Rhode Island, where he died. He married and had issue, his son James, known as elder and Rev. James, founded the family in New York state, whose record follows. There was also a Captain James in the family of James Rogers, of New London.
(IV) Rev. or Elder James (4), son of Captain James (3) Rogers, of Westerly, Rhode Island, was born in 1720, died May 25, 1775. He was a member of the colony of Rhode Island's emigrants who settled in Saratoga county, New York, between 1760 and 1780. He came from near Westerly, Rhode Island. James, his son, settled in the town of Greenwich, Washington county, New York, in 1772, and the Elder came with him and occasionally preached to the people, but was not settled over any church. His farm lay in the town of Greenwich, at the junction of the Hudson river and Batten Kill. In 1777 General Burgoyne with his army encamped on the farm, while General Gates with his troops lay on the west side of the Hudson. To avoid the horrors of a battle that was momentarily expected, James Rogers, Jr., with his wife and children, in a wagon drawn by oxen, set out for Bennington, Vermont, arriving in time to witness the battle of Bennington, and as Mrs. Rogers expressed it, "jumping out of the frying pan into the fire." Rev. James Rogers married Mercy Tefft, born 1715, died March 25, 1781. Children:
- James (5), born 1746, died 1796;
- Thomas (see forward),
- Elizabeth.
(V) General Thomas, second son of Rev. James (4) and Mercy (Tefft) Rogers, was born 1746 (twin of James), died 1816. He settled in the town of Moreau, Saratoga county, New York, about 1783, where he purchased and resided on the Jones homestead, the former home of David Jones, betrothed of the unfortunate Jeanie McCrea. It is now one of the most beautiful residences on the river and is owned by a descendant. General Thomas Rogers was the first supervisor of the town of Moreau, serving in 1805-06-07-08. He married Abigail ————. Children:
- Thomas, died 1805;
- James (see forward);
- Halsey, born 1783, died 1857;
- Mary, married John Payn;
- Abby, married Samuel Berry.
(VI) James (5), son of General Thomas and Abigail Rogers, was born in 1776, died at Fort Edward, New York, in 1810. He came to Fort Edward, Washington county, New York, where he was one of the pioneer settlers. He was a man of prominence and owned a great deal of land in Saratoga and Warren counties, New York, his holdings extending for miles up the river. He also had large mercantile interests in Fort Edward. He married Betsey Berry, born March 18, 1781, died 1876, daughter of Colonel Sidney Berry, of Northumberland. Children:
- Walter, graduate of Union College; prominent business man of Fort Edward.
- Charles, see forward.
- Thomas, born 1810, died February 6, 1874.
- Abby, born 1814, died 1873; married Colonel Abraham Fort.
(VII) Hon. Charles Rogers, son of James (5) and Betsey (Berry) Rogers, was born in the town of Northumberland, Saratoga county, New York, April 30, 1800, died January 13, 1874. He was a permanent resident of Sandy Hill for half a century, and at the time of his death was one of the very oldest residents of that village. He was refused admission to Yale on account of his youth (fourteen); graduated from Union College, 1818; read law, but having an independent fortune, never practiced. In 1832 he represented Washington county in the fifty-sixth session of the New York legislature, and was re-elected in 1836. In 1842 he was elected a member and served in the twenty-eighth national congress, representing the Fourteenth New York Congressional District, composed of the counties of Washington and Essex. It was this congress (the twenty-eighth) that voted to return to General Jackson the fine imposed upon him for acts committed while in command at New Orleans. Although an ardent Whig, Mr. Rogers was strongly in favor of the measure and often referred to his vote in favor of it as "an act of justice" and one of the pleasantest recollections of his long public life. He was untiring in his advocacy of the "right of petition," another question that occupied the attention of the twenty-eighth congress. His speeches during the long and spirited debate were regarded as among the most forcible and eloquent of the session. He was held in high personal regard for the purity of his life, his strict integrity and fidelity to principle. These well known characteristics gave him prominence and position not only among his neighbors and friends but among men themselves high in public life in both state and nation. He was fond of botanical and geological research, and was a welcome contributor to political and literary periodicals. He was a brilliant orator, his commanding figure, rich, sonorous voice, choice and brilliant language, both charmed and convinced. He married, April 18, 1827, Susan A. Clark, born 1805, died January 18, 1885, daughter of Dr. Russel Clark, a prominent physician of northern New York. Children:
- Cordelia E., born August 24, 1828, died March 29, 1902,: married Urias George Paris (see Paris II).
- Charles J., born December 6, 1830, died April 28, 1891; married, December 20, 1860, Augusta Maples, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; child, Charles H.
- Susan Abby, born September 16, 1833; married, May 24, 1876, Dr. James Taylor, of Cincinnati, Ohio.
- Clarence, born February 6, 1836, died August 17, 1837.
- General James C., born October 29, 1838; he entered the army soon after the civil war began and rose to the rank of brigadier-general; he was a member of the New York state assembly in 1866: a lawyer by profession; married, January 20, 1875, Elizabeth, daughter of William and Miriam Coleman; children:
- Susan Abby, born August 15, 1876;
- Erskine Clark, born April 17, 1878, district attorney of Washington county, New York;
- Henry Gerder, born October 30, 1879, died November 6, 1879;
- Bessie Clark, born February 14, 1883;
- Rosamond, born May 10, 1887;
- Thomas, born July 5, 1889.
- Randolph, born February 24, 1841; married, December 16, 1882, Jessie Boone Harris; child, Ethel, born November 5, 1900; he enlisted in the Union Army, Twenty-second Regiment, New York Volunteer Infantry; was lawyer, orator, poet and farmer; member of the Presbyterian church; Democrat, and an effective campaign orator; his wife is a descendant of Moses Harris, who served with distinction under General Schuyler in the revolution, and her mother descends from Daniel Boone, the Kentucky pioneer and patriot.
- Clara, born December 28, 1845; married, October 5, 1869, William M. Collin (see Collin). Children:
- Jennie Robbins, deceased.
- James Rogers, married Jennie Durkee.