3. Sarah Highsmith, wife of Benjamin Rogers, mother of Annas Rogers and mother-in-law of Josiah Lee, was born about 1743.

Now here’s where the story gets quite interesting. These three generation 3 persons were siblings, they all were children of Daniel Highsmith and Ann Beck.

Benjamin Rogers was the father of Annas. The Bland/Lee book cites a letter from Anna Rogers Newton about Benjamin who was her grandfather. ”Benjamin (by some called Reuben) Rogers was born in England between 1735 and 1740. He came from England with two brothers, Tracy and William, and they settled near the Roanoke River in Bertie County, North Carolina. And it was here that he died. They were called ’Buckskin English“, a name given to colonists who sided with the Americans in the Revolutionary War. He married Sarah Highsmith which would indicate that the Rogers and Highsmith families may have been neighbors before removing to Duplin and Sampson County. About 1780 the widow of Benjamin moved with her family to near present Harrell“s Store. Anna wed Josiah Lee. Sarah later moved to a place on the Edisto River in South Carolina.• (See the Highsmith chapter for more on Sarah Highsmith.)

Benjamin Rodgers died 8 Aug 1778 in Bertie County and when his estate was divided, Annis Rodgers, orphan, received 211 pounds current money.