John Rogers (naturalist) facts for kids
John Rogers (1807–1867) was an English lawyer who loved nature, especially orchids. He was also a keen gardener.
Early Life and Education
John Rogers was born in 1807. His father was also named John Rogers, so he was often called John Rogers, Junior. He came from a wealthy family and was an only son. This allowed him to live a comfortable life.
He went to Balliol College, Oxford, a famous university, in 1826. He earned his first degree in 1830 and a master's degree in 1833. In 1836, he became a barrister, which is a type of lawyer who argues cases in court.
A Passion for Plants
John Rogers was very interested in plants. In 1839, he was chosen to be a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very old and respected group for scientists. He bought a large estate called Riverhill House in Kent in 1840. This is where he pursued his love for gardening.
He was also a member of the Royal Horticultural Society, which promotes gardening and plant science. Rogers supported people who traveled the world to find new plants. He grew many different plants, including a special one called Bessera elegans.
Rogers was especially known for his collection of orchids. Some plants were even sent to him from far-off places like Mexico. For example, a plant called Masdevallia floribunda was part of his collection by 1843. Even famous scientist Charles Darwin mentioned a plant collected for Rogers in one of his papers in 1862.
Family Life
In 1833, John Rogers married Harriet Thornton. They had a large family with five sons and four daughters. His second son, Reginald Wellford Rogers, became a vicar (a type of priest). His fifth son, Walter Francis Rogers, lived in Canada for a while.
The oldest son, John Thornton Rogers, continued the family line. The Riverhill House estate, where John Rogers lived and gardened, stayed in the family for many years, even into the 21st century.
