James Johnstone Rogerson (March 21, 1820 – October 17, 1907) was a businessman, political figure and

philanthropist Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives, for the Public good (economics), public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private goo ...

Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...

. He represented Burin from 1859 to 1861 and

Bay de Verde Bay de Verde ( 2016 population: 392) is an incorporated town in Conception Bay on the northern tip of the Bay de Verde Peninsula of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The first recorded inhabitants at Bay de Verde arrived in 1662. Bay de Verde b ...

from 1870 to 1882 in the

Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly The Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly is the Unicameralism, unicameral deliberative assembly of the General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It meets in the Confederation Build ...

. He was born in

Harbour Grace Harbour Grace is a town in Conception Bay on the Avalon Peninsula in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. With roots dating back to the 16th century, it is one of the oldest towns in North America. It is located about northwest ...

, the son of Peter Rogerson and Amelia Palmer. He apprenticed with a

Scottish Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including: *Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland *Scottish English *Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...

firm based in St. John's before joining his father's firm, which was involved in shipping goods and the seal fishery, in 1841. He was named to the Legislative Council in 1850 and to the Executive Council in 1858. He did not run for reelection in 1861 but was elected again in an 1870 by-election held after

John Bemister John Bemister (1815 – December 19, 1892) was a merchant and political figure in Newfoundland. He represented Conception Bay from 1852 to 1855 and Bay de Verde from 1855 to 1869 in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly. He was ...

resigned to accept a position as sheriff. Rogerson served as receiver general from 1874 to 1882. He was defeated when he ran for reelection in 1882. After he retired from politics, he was active in the Temperance Society. Rogerson established a home for fishermen and sailors and an agency to find employment for workers in winter. He also supported the education of poor children and juveniles in prison, and literacy programs for people living in remote locations on the island. Rogerson was married twice: to Emma Garrett Blaikie in 1845 and to Isabella Whiteford in 1879. He died in St. John's at the age of 87. His daughter Jessie Emma married A.J.W. McNeilly who also served in the Newfoundland assembly.

References

* Members of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly Members of the Legislative Council of Newfoundland 1820 births 1907 deaths Newfoundland Colony people 19th-century Canadian philanthropists {{Newfoundland-politician-stub