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, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private good, focusing on material ...

Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the population ...

. He represented Burin from 1859 to 1861 and Bay de Verde 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 Bu ...

. 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 of ...

, 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 A legislative council is the legislature, or one of the legislative chambers, of a nation, colony, or subnational division such as a province or state. It was commonly used to label unicameral or upper house legislative bodies in the Brit ...

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 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

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