Hell Hound Rogers or The Great Town Benefactor: Who Was Henry Huttleston Rogers?

Abstract

The Gilded Age was a period in American History from the end of the Civil War lasting until around 1900, known for big business ruling the country. Henry Huttleston Rogers was a prominent figure in the Gilded Age but has seldom been talked about because other figures of the period such as John D Rockefeller have overshadowed him. Rogers was the Vice President of Standard Oil, the most powerful trust in United States history. The lack of scholarship on Rogers and his historical significance created the need for him to be researched. Rogers’ business dealings helped lead to comprehensive legislation that regulated business, particularly President Theodore Roosevelt’s square deal. This research project sought to investigate who Henry Huttleston Rogers was and his role in the Gilded Age. 
 Sources on Rogers either portray him in a positive light and talk about him as The Great Town Benefactor of his native town, Fairhaven, Ma or as a robber baron who cared solely about his own wealth. Primary sources on Rogers include first hand accounts published in book form by Thomas Lawson, letters between Rogers and Mark Twain, which were published, political cartoons and archival research materials that included personal correspondence, newspapers, and building deeds. Secondary sources include a biography on Rogers and various sources published by local writers from the town of Fairhaven. With all of this taken into consideration it became evident that there was a dual personality to Rogers but that he cared about his wealth more than anything else.