John Haney Rogers facts for kids

John Haney Rogers was an American pioneer. He was born in Tennessee in 1822 and passed away on December 27, 1906, in Merced, California. John Rogers was part of the exciting California Gold Rush. He is especially known for being one of the first European-Americans to travel through Death Valley, California, in December 1849.

About John Rogers' Early Life

We do not know much about John Rogers' early life. Most of what we know comes from a book. This book is called "Death Valley in 1849." It was written by William L. Manly, who was Rogers' friend. There are no known pictures of John Rogers.

The Dangerous Journey Through Death Valley

John Rogers is famous for a brave rescue mission. In the fall of 1849, many people wanted to find gold in California. They gathered in Salt Lake City, Utah. They planned to travel to Southern California. They would use a path called the Old Spanish Trail.

This path would take them far south of the gold fields. But it was getting close to winter. Crossing the central Sierra Nevada mountains was too risky. A guide named Captain Smith showed them a map. It showed a "short cut" to California. This new path seemed to go closer to the gold fields. It also promised water and grass for their animals.

The groups of travelers argued about this new short cut. Some decided to stick to the old path. Others chose the short cut. The "short cut" group included families with children. This group is often called the Bennett-Arcane party. It also included single men like William Lewis Manly and John H. Rogers.

Lost in the Desert

Sadly, the "short cut" map was wrong. The mountains shown on the map did not exist. For three weeks, the travelers moved through a dry desert. There was little water and almost no food for their oxen and horses.

By the end of November, they reached some mountains. They thought these were the Sierra Nevada mountains. They believed California's Central Valley was just a few days away. But they were very wrong. These mountains were the Amargosa Range. They still had four more mountain ranges to cross to reach California.

Their path led them down a dry riverbed. Today, this place is called Furnace Creek Wash. It took them deep into the bottom of Death Valley. The Panamint Range mountains blocked their way west. They were completely lost. Both people and animals were very hungry and weak.

The group crossed the valley. They headed south along the Panamint mountains. They hoped to find a way out. They camped at a spring, now called Bennett's Well. They realized they had only one choice. They had to send a small group on foot. This group would try to find a way out and get help.

Manly and Rogers' Heroic Rescue

Two young men bravely volunteered for this dangerous task. They were William Lewis Manly and John Rogers. They took enough food for about two weeks. They also carried all the money the group had, about $30. This money was to buy supplies and animals if they found a settlement.

Manly and Rogers started walking southwest. For two weeks, they walked through the Mojave Desert. They had very little food and a simple water bottle made from old cans. Finally, they found a settlement. It was Rancho San Fernando, near Los Angeles.

There, they bought two horses and a mule. They also got more food. Then, they began the 250-mile trip back to Death Valley. They arrived back at Bennett's camp almost a month later. Only the mule was still alive. The two horses had died from being tired and hungry on the way back.

This amazing journey was nearly 500 miles long. They traveled through a completely unknown desert. Because of their bravery, almost everyone in the Bennett-Arcane Party survived. Only one person, Captain Culverwell, had passed away a day or two before Manly and Rogers returned.

Life After Death Valley

After the rescue, Manly and Rogers led the group safely back to Los Angeles. Then, they went their separate ways. John Rogers spent some time looking for gold. Later, he moved to Gilroy, California, in Santa Clara County. He became the town's first constable in 1852.

Later in his life, John Rogers settled in Merced, California. He owned a farm there and lived the rest of his life. Towards the end of his life, Rogers faced health challenges. He had problems with his feet, which needed surgery.