Verlin Eugene Rogers (1892-1919)

ROGERS, VERLIN EUGENE--ENGINEER, U.S.N.

Son of Mrs. Annie Rogers (Walker); born June 1, 1892, Paulding County, Ohio. Moved to Whitley County, Ind. in 1897. Served four years in U.S. Navy. Re-enlisted September 19, 1918, Philadelphia, Pa. Assigned to duty as 1st Engineer. Served in Mediterranean Waters in 1918. Died of pneumonia January 21, 1919, on board Destroyer Prairie, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Buried in Philadelphia, Pa. Survived by widow, Mary Rogers, and one son Joseph Verlin, Philadelphia, Pa.

Gold Star Honor Roll: A Record of Indiana Men and Women Who Died in The Service of the United States and The Allied Nations in The World War 1914-1918 (Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Commission, 1921) Page 720. Contributed by Meredith Thompson.

Columbia City Post ~ Saturday, January 25, 1919

A telegram was received Tuesday evening by Mrs. John Walker of Brownwood, stating that her son, Verlin Rogers, had died of influenza at 1 o’clock Monday. The young man was a sailor on board the U. S. S. Prairie in Panama bay in Cuban waters and it was on that vessel that his death took place. Mrs. Walker had not heard from him for a few weeks, owing to the fact that the ship was on a cruise, and did not know that he was sick. Consequently news of his death came as a great shock to her. Mrs. Walker immediately, upon receiving the word, telegraphed to the naval authorities of the ship asking that the body be sent to Columbia City for burial.

Verlin Rogers was a son of Mrs. Anna Walker, who was formerly Mrs. Anna Rogers, and was born on June 1, 1882, in Spaulding county, Ohio, and was 26 years, 7 months and 19 days old a the time of his death. He enlisted in the navy when but twenty-one years of age and served for four years, re-enlisting for like period of time when his term of enlistment expired. The young man was well known in this city, having served in Company “G” here for a year or more.

There are no brothers or sisters surviving. No funeral arrangements will be made until Mrs. Walker hears from the navy department.
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Note: Verlin was a half-brother of Amos Walker who died in France on July 22, 1918 of wounds received in battle.