Bruce Rogers Historic Home One of Oldest in Lafayette

Gish-Rogers Historic House Now 180 Years Old

 

Journal & Courier (Lafayette, Indiana) November 5, 1955, by Mrs. Otto C. Baker

    This stately, old, red brick, two-story early Victorian house, built so many years ago in the little village of Linnwood before it was annexed by Lafayette in 1882, stands today as a gentle reminder of the gracious living of some of our forefathers. It is known to many as the Gish-Rogers-Leiter home at Twelfth & Roberts Street.

    Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Gish, born in Botecourt County, Va., came to Lafayette in 1829, making their home in a log cabin situated on the "old packet landing lot" at Second and Ferry Streets. In 1832, they purchased 40 acres of land in the Linnwood addition (a portion of which is now Greenbush Cemetery and the other the Gish addition. Before a suitable home could be built, Mr. Gish died in 1833, and it was not until 1844 that his widow built the house at Twelfth and Roberts Streets. Here, too, lived a daughter, Ann Eliza Gish, born April 1, 1832, who married George Rogers on July 11, 1855.

George Rogers (pictured left) was the son of Thomas Hill Rogers, who is said to have been one of the first steamboat captains to go up the river from Vincennes in the late 1830s, and it is said that "he was so pleased with the prospects of the then infant city of Lafayette that he moved his family and possessions there in 1840, a year after John Purdue arrived."

    Here Capt. Tom Rogers and his son, George, conducted a shipping and commission business on the river bank. Later, George became a partner with John B. Ruger in the confectionary and canned goods business and, before his retirement, he became an abstracter of titles connected with the office of William C. Mitchell.

  In this spacious, old house George and Ann Rogers reared a family of three sons, one of whom is the renowned Albert Bruce Rogers, born in 1870. Bruce Rogers was graduated from Purdue University in 1890 and went on to become one of the world's greatest typographers. His wife was the daughter of Dr. Moses                                                                     Baker.

    Rogers is considered by many to be the premier designer of books, and he has given to the American

Bruce Rogers

people the rarest of rare books, the two volumes known as the "Folio Oxford Lectern Bible." In the Congressional Library, Washington, D.C., passing through the golden doors to the rare book room, you will find these two precious tomes placed under glass for all to see. 

    It is said that it took Rogers five years to complete this work and that each book weighs 30 pounds. They were published by the Oxford University Press. It is said that this gift of Bruce Rogers "tells the story of the American people's awakening to the value and beauty of rare tomes; they represent, too, England's recognition of America as the homeland of the world's greatest living book designer." The late King George VI, commissioned Bruce Rogers to print a Bible for the Church of England. Rogers now lives in Fairbury, Mass.

    In 1921, after the death of George Rogers, this fine old property was purchased by Miss Maude Leiter, daughter of Dr. Edward and Florence Rizer Leiter, whose parents were early pioneers settling at Dayton. She now is a retired high school teacher. Few changes have been made in this old 13-room house, which originally was situated on a plot of ground bounded by Howell, Thirteenth, Twelfth and Roberts Streets. This property still consists of a half-block bounded by Howell, Robert, and Twelfth Streets.

    Two porches have been added by Miss Leiter. During the George Rogers occupancy, Rogers added a bay window so that his wife might more adequately display her house plants. Mrs. Rogers was an avid gardener, and the gardens were along the Thirteenth Street side of the property with a barn and other outbuildings.

    The original summer and winter kitchens and woodshed were located in the one-story, brickell. Much of the original woodwork can be seen throughout the house; the lovely walnut stairway with its beautiful newel post is still intact, as are the original small, square windowpanes. Miss Leiter has done much to preserve the loveliness and graciousness of this old home.

    Directly across the street, on the northwest corner, you will find an old house built by the Gish-Rogers familys and n ow owned by Mrs. Allen of Noblesville. Also, on the southwest corner, is the charming Gothic story-and-a-half cottage built by these pioneer families and now owned by the Brown Street United Methodist Church and used as a parsonage. Mrs. D. L. Curtner, wife of Prof. Curtner, Purdue University, is the great-granddaughter of the original Jacob Gish family. She lives at 1028 Heath Street.  (Note: Mrs. Ada Jane Curtner was a member of the General de Lafayette DAR Chapter.)

Below are photos of Ada Jane (Lane) Curtner of 1028 Heath Street and a present day photo of the home, which is now owned by Trent and April O'Brien.  

Ada Jane (Lane) Curtner
Great-Granddaughter of Jacob Gish, Lafayette Pioneer
& Aunt of the famous Bruce Rogers

1028 Heath Street