# Henry C. Rogers (politician) *Minnesota politician, Civil War officer and fourth Minnesota Secretary of State (1866–1870)* Henry C. Rogers (c. 1834 – May 8, 1871 or 1870), also written H.C. Rogers, was an early settler of [[Mower County, Minnesota]] who sat in both chambers of the [[Minnesota Legislature]]. He served in the [[Minnesota Senate]] and later the [[Minnesota House of Representatives]], and was the fourth [[Minnesota Secretary of State]], holding the office from January 8, 1866 to January 7, 1870.[^1] Between his legislative and executive service, Rogers was a Union officer in the American Civil War and a veteran of the American Indian Wars. He commanded the 8th Minnesota Infantry Regiment in 1864–1865 and was wounded at the Third Battle of Murfreesboro. His only source gives those wounds as the cause of his death.[^1] The only source for Rogers is a single Wikipedia article, and no primary record of his elections, commissions or death is cited. That article gives two death years: May 8, 1871 in its opening and May 8, 1870 in its account of his death. The record does not establish which is correct.[^1] ## Early life Rogers was born in 1834 in Danby, in Rutland County, Vermont. His parents were Aaron Rogers Jr. and Comfort Stimson Rogers. In 1856 he moved to Mower County, then part of [[Minnesota Territory]], where he farmed and worked in trade at Austin.[^1] Voters of the 13th District, made up of [[Dodge County, Minnesota]] and Mower County, sent him to the Minnesota Senate on October 8, 1858. In the 2nd Minnesota Legislature he chaired the Indian Affairs Committee and was a member of the Agriculture and Manufactures Committee.[^1] He won a House seat for District 15 in 1862. In the 4th Minnesota Legislature he chaired the ways and means committee and was a member of the Public Lands Committee.[^1] ## Military service On August 26, 1862, shortly after the Dakota War of 1862, Rogers joined the Union Army. He began as captain of Company C, 9th Minnesota Infantry Regiment. In that post he fought at the Battle of Wood Lake, the last engagement of the Dakota War.[^1] On November 14, 1862 Rogers received an appointment as lieutenant colonel of the 8th Minnesota Infantry Regiment, under Colonel Minor T. Thomas. Alfred Sully led a punitive expedition in response to the Dakota War, and the regiment took part in it from 1863 to 1864. With the regiment, Rogers fought at the Battle of Killdeer Mountain and the Battle of the Badlands.[^1] Late in 1864 the regiment was redirected south for the Franklin–Nashville campaign. Thomas was promoted to brigadier general and given the 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, XXIII Corps. Rogers then commanded the 8th Minnesota from 1864 to 1865. Wounds he received at the Third Battle of Murfreesboro led to his discharge on May 15, 1865.[^1] ## Postwar career and death Rogers ran for Secretary of State in 1865, beating John R. Jones. He took the oath of office on January 8, 1866. He was returned to the office in 1867 over Amos Coggswell.[^1] His health was declining from the Murfreesboro injuries, and he did not run again in 1869. The 1869 race went to [[Hans Mattson]], a Minnesota Republican. Rogers was named Minnesota's pension agent, a post he held from 1869 to 1870.[^1] Rogers died on May 8 of either 1870 or 1871. The source gives 1870 in its account of his death and 1871 in its opening, and attributes the death to the Murfreesboro wound. His grave is in Greenwood Cemetery, Brownsdale, Minnesota.[^1] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia contributors, *Henry C. Rogers (politician)* (revision 1379838930, retrieved 2026-10-25) — Rogers's birth, settlement, legislative service, Civil War commissions, Secretary of State tenure, pension agency, death and burial; gives both 1870 and 1871 as his death year. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_C._Rogers_(politician)>