Rogers, Bill J

From Lane Co Oregon

Bill "B.J" Rogers had a bachelor of law degree from Missouri Institute in St. Louis. At the time of his election to Mayor, he was a sales manager for Willis H. Small Feed Company. He served in World War II and was in the Air Force Reserves. He was married to his wife Winnie and they had one daughter.

B.J. worked for the Oregon Broiler Association in the '50's and was instrumental in starting the Oregon Broiler Festival. The Springfield Broiler Festival held by the Jaycees every year until the late 1980s was one of our most popular Springfield Events.

He was long active in civic affairs serving on the Planning Commission, Recreation Council, Citizens Committee for Urban renewal prior to his election to Mayor from 1961 to 1964.

He was mayor when the election approved the annexation of Eastern Springfield under Ed Harms was challenged and had to go to the Oregon Supreme Court for a ruling. As a rresult of a positive ruling, B.J. oversaw one of the largest public infrustructures of the newly annexed area. He led the campaign for approval of a $3.5 million bond issue for sewers and storm drains. This issue continued to dog hiim throughout his term as rresidents unhappy with the annexation and the bond issue tried to recall him from office. He successfully fought off the recall election in 1962 but the voices of discord eventually caught up to him, resulting in his defeat when Rogers ran for a second term.

Mayors of Springfield

Albert S. Walker (1885-1886) • S.I. Lee (1887) • Albert S. Walker (1888) • Simon Tuttle (1888-1889) • T.O. Maxwell (1889) • Albert S. Walker (1889-1890) • Albert Wheeler (1890-1892) • L. Gilstrap (1892-1893) • Albert Wheeler (1893) • J H Van Schoich (1893-1894) • Albert Wheeler (1894-1895) • Eugene C Martin (1896-1899) • John B. Innis (1900-1902) • H.A. Skeels (1902-1903) • R.A. Jayne (1903-1907) • Mark M. Peery (1907-1909) • W.M. Sutton (1909-1911) • Welby Stevens (1911-1913) • Charles L. Scott (1913-1915) • Elmer E. Morrison (1915-20) • Charles F. Eggiman (1921-1924) • George G. Bushman (1925-1929) • Charles O. Wilson (1929) • Wilfrid P. Tyson (1930-1934) • Ernest H. Turner (1934-1935) • W.A. Taylor (few minutes, November 27, 1935) • Ed Waltman (1935-1936) • William H. Pollard (1936-1940) • Charles Chandler (1940-1945) • Claude T. Gerlach (1945-1949) • B.P. Larson (1949-1953) • Edward C. Harms, Jr. (1953-1961) • B.J. Rogers (1961-1965) • David L. Scofield (1965-1967) • John E. McCulley (1967-1970) • William Morrissette • Maureen Maine • Sid Leiken