Rogers, Ezekiel

Rogers, Ezekiel, a Congregational minister, was born at Weathersfield, Essex, England, in 1590. He took the degree of B.A. at Benet College in 1604, and that of M.A. at Christ's College in 1608, becoming the chaplain of Sir Francis Barrington at Hatfield, Essex. After five or six years, Sir Francis bestowed upon him the benefice of Rowley, Yorkshire, where he exercised his ministry for about twenty years, when he was silenced for nonconformity, though he was allowed the profits of his living for two years longer, and the privilege of nominating his successor. Restless under the restraints upon his liberty, Mr. Rogers came to America in 1638, where he commenced a new settlement in April, 1639, and was ordained in the following December. He continued to labor in this parish until his death, Jan. 23, 1660. Mr. Rogers gave his library to Harvard College, and his house and lands to the town of Rowley for the support of the Gospel. See Sprague, Annals of the Amer. Pulpit, 1, 120.