Robert Empie Rogers
Encyclopedia
Robert Empie Rogers was a United States
chemist
.
, and for a time he acted as assistant in the survey of the Boston and Providence Railroad, but he abandoned this in 1833.
He graduated at the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania
in 1836, where he followed a full course of chemistry under Robert Hare
. The active practice of medicine not being congenial to him, in 1836 he was appointed chemist to the geological survey of Pennsylvania
being administered by his brother Henry
. He continued in this position for six years. In 1841-42 he was temporary instructor in chemistry at the University of Virginia
and was elected, in March 1842, to the professorship of general and applied chemistry and materia medica there. There he remained until 1852, when he was called to succeed his brother James
as professor of chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania
, where he became dean of the medical faculty in 1856. In 1877 he resigned these appointments to accept the professorship of chemistry and toxicology in Jefferson Medical College, which he then retained till 1884, when he was made professor emeritus.
During the American Civil War
, he served as acting assistant surgeon at the West Philadelphia military hospital 1862-63. There he suffered a serious accident which necessitated the amputation of his right hand.
In 1864, caught up by the “oil fever” sweeping the United States, he made a significant investment in the Humboldt Oil Company, of which he was one of the founders. By 1873, the investment turned out to be a total loss, his more than anyone's since he was the largest shareholder.
Rogers was appointed in 1872 by the United States Department of the Treasury
as one of a commission to examine the melters' and refiners' department of the United States Mint
in Philadelphia. He visited the mint in San Francisco in 1873, and in 1874 the assay office in New York, and subsequently until 1879 he was frequently engaged on government commissions for the various mints, making valuable reports, in addition to which he served on the annual assay commissions
from 1874 to 1879. From 1872 until his death, he was one of the chemists that were employed by the gas trust of Philadelphia to make analyses and daily photometric tests of the gas.
The degree of LL.D. was conferred on him by Dickinson College
in 1877. He was a fellow of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, member of various scientific societies, one of the incorporators of the National Academy of Sciences
, and president of the Franklin Institute
1875-79.
Besides various articles in the transactions of the societies of which he was a member, and in scientific journals, he was associated with his brother James
in editing Elements of Chemistry (Philadelphia, 1846), and edited Charles G. Lehman's Physiological Chemistry (2 vols., 1855).
In 1843 he married Fanny Montgomery. She died in 1863, and he married Delia Saunders in 1866. There were no children.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
chemist
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
.
Biography
The youngest of four brothers, he was educated first under the care of his father, and then by his elder brothers. It was intended that he should be a civil engineerCivil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
, and for a time he acted as assistant in the survey of the Boston and Providence Railroad, but he abandoned this in 1833.
He graduated at the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
in 1836, where he followed a full course of chemistry under Robert Hare
Robert Hare (chemist)
Robert Hare was an early American chemist.Hare was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on January 17, 1781. He developed and experimented with the oxy-hydrogen blowpipe, with Edward Daniel Clarke of Oxford, shortly after 1800. He married Harriett Clark and had six children...
. The active practice of medicine not being congenial to him, in 1836 he was appointed chemist to the geological survey of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
being administered by his brother Henry
Henry Darwin Rogers
Henry Darwin Rogers FRS FRSE was an American geologist.-Biography:Rogers was born at Philadelphia. His middle name was given him in honor of Erasmus Darwin, of whose poem “The Botanic Garden” his father was a great admirer...
. He continued in this position for six years. In 1841-42 he was temporary instructor in chemistry at the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
and was elected, in March 1842, to the professorship of general and applied chemistry and materia medica there. There he remained until 1852, when he was called to succeed his brother James
James Blythe Rogers
James Blythe Rogers was a United States chemist.-Biography:He was the eldest son of Patrick Kerr Rogers, who had graduated from the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania in 1802, and in 1819 was elected professor of natural philosophy and mathematics at William and Mary College,...
as professor of chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
, where he became dean of the medical faculty in 1856. In 1877 he resigned these appointments to accept the professorship of chemistry and toxicology in Jefferson Medical College, which he then retained till 1884, when he was made professor emeritus.
During the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, he served as acting assistant surgeon at the West Philadelphia military hospital 1862-63. There he suffered a serious accident which necessitated the amputation of his right hand.
In 1864, caught up by the “oil fever” sweeping the United States, he made a significant investment in the Humboldt Oil Company, of which he was one of the founders. By 1873, the investment turned out to be a total loss, his more than anyone's since he was the largest shareholder.
Rogers was appointed in 1872 by the United States Department of the Treasury
United States Department of the Treasury
The Department of the Treasury is an executive department and the treasury of the United States federal government. It was established by an Act of Congress in 1789 to manage government revenue...
as one of a commission to examine the melters' and refiners' department of the United States Mint
United States Mint
The United States Mint primarily produces circulating coinage for the United States to conduct its trade and commerce. The Mint was created by Congress with the Coinage Act of 1792, and placed within the Department of State...
in Philadelphia. He visited the mint in San Francisco in 1873, and in 1874 the assay office in New York, and subsequently until 1879 he was frequently engaged on government commissions for the various mints, making valuable reports, in addition to which he served on the annual assay commissions
United States Assay Commission
The United States Assay Commission was an agency of the United States government from 1792 to 1980. Its function was to annually supervise the testing of the gold and silver coins produced by the United States Mint to ensure that they met specifications...
from 1874 to 1879. From 1872 until his death, he was one of the chemists that were employed by the gas trust of Philadelphia to make analyses and daily photometric tests of the gas.
The degree of LL.D. was conferred on him by Dickinson College
Dickinson College
Dickinson College is a private, residential liberal arts college in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Originally established as a Grammar School in 1773, Dickinson was chartered September 9, 1783, five days after the signing of the Treaty of Paris, making it the first college to be founded in the newly...
in 1877. He was a fellow of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, member of various scientific societies, one of the incorporators of the National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
, and president of the Franklin Institute
Franklin Institute
The Franklin Institute is a museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and one of the oldest centers of science education and development in the United States, dating to 1824. The Institute also houses the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial.-History:On February 5, 1824, Samuel Vaughn Merrick and...
1875-79.
Besides various articles in the transactions of the societies of which he was a member, and in scientific journals, he was associated with his brother James
James Blythe Rogers
James Blythe Rogers was a United States chemist.-Biography:He was the eldest son of Patrick Kerr Rogers, who had graduated from the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania in 1802, and in 1819 was elected professor of natural philosophy and mathematics at William and Mary College,...
in editing Elements of Chemistry (Philadelphia, 1846), and edited Charles G. Lehman's Physiological Chemistry (2 vols., 1855).
In 1843 he married Fanny Montgomery. She died in 1863, and he married Delia Saunders in 1866. There were no children.
Further reading
- William S. W. RuschenbergerWilliam RuschenbergerDr. William Samuel Waithman Ruschenberger was a surgeon for the United States Navy and an author.-Biography:...
, “A Sketch of the Life of Robert E. Rogers, with Biographical Notices of His Father and Brothers,” in Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, v. XXIII (1886).