Eugene Gets a Little Cleaning and Recognition

 

The mural in Highland Baptist Church

When  I last visited New England In 2013, I was determined to talk to as many elders in the Tapply family as I could and to check out the Fitchburg Historical Society. There, in the lobby (at the time-they've since moved) was a huge mural of the local dam and reservoir that served Fitchburg at the time my great granduncle, Eugene Rogers, was alive. It was a spectacular piece. They also owned a portrait of a local woman which was in storage at the time. Both were done by Eugene himself. Since then, I have discovered that Eugene also has work that lives in the Westminster Historical Society. I believe it was the nice lady at the FHS who said that there was also a piece at the Highland Baptist Church on Cedar Street in Fitchburg.

So I moved on to interviewing elders. One of those was Marjorie Dik. My aunt was with me and mentioned our visit to FHS and the work at the church. Turns out, Marjorie was a member. So it was Marjorie who smoothed the way for me. to visit the church and see the mural. I took pictures which came to the attention of my cousin Jill Rogers Pratzon. Jill is an illustrator and art restorer in New York City. (Pratzon Art Restoration) She visited the mural on her next trip to Fitchburg and thus began the quest to restore the mural.  

The title of the piece is, I believe, "The Banks of the River Jordan". Jill laughingly said, "That's not the River Jordan".  The maple trees in the mural are a bit out of place. And having been there, Jill has reason to know. It sits above the baptismal tank in the church and has seen some years of use. 

I strongly suspect that Eugene was actually a member of Highland Baptist Church. You might remember that in investigating his mother's name, Cassandria Hooper Harrington, I discovered a local evangelist named Cassandria Hooper Bliss. And I suspect that is the origin of the Winslow and Brainard names in the family. Cassandria was a stout member of the Baptist church, so it would only make sense that Eugene might be as well.

So time moved along, some fund raising happened and Jill announced that she would be restoring the mural.

Jill hard at work.

This last week that happened. Jill contacted the local paper, The Fitchburg Sentinel,  and they came out and did a very nice story.  You can check that out HERE. Much thanks to Danielle Ray for the coverage.  I anticipate that this attention may turn up more clues in the story of Eugene Harrington Rogers. I can't wait to see what happens next. Here's my next tantalizing clue from a book called The History of Worcester County Massachusetts : "Mr. Eugene H Rogers was born in Holden in 1858. He was educated in the schools of his native town and of Worcester. He early began to cultivate his natural artistic talent, studying by himself and receiving instruction from his father, also an artist." . Also an artist? WB Rogers? Oh boy! This is the rewarding part of genealogy.