Born 4 Oct. 1834 at Deep River, Middlesex Co., Connecticut.[1] Daughter of Orson Spencer and Catherine Curtis.[2] Baptized as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, summer 1843.[3] Mother died soon after the family left Nauvoo, Hancock Co., Illinois, to move west, 12 Mar. 1846.[4] Father appointed as president of the British mission and editor of the Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star; left children at Winter Quarters, unorganized U.S. territory (later in Omaha, Douglas Co., Nebraska), 28 Oct. 1846.[5] Migrated to the Salt Lake Valley in the Brigham Young pioneer company, arriving by 24 Sept. 1848.[6] Married Thomas Rogers, 27 Mar. 1851; twelve children.[7] Concerned about rowdy boys in the neighborhood; visited with Eliza R. Snow and EBW about the possibility of forming an association for them, 10 July 1878.[8] Set apart to lead the first Primary, 11 Aug. 1878, in Farmington, Davis Co., Utah Territory.[9] Honored by the children from the original Primary and officers from Primary organizations, 24 June 1892.[10] Attended the National American Woman Suffrage Convention in Atlanta and the Second Triennial Congress of the National Council of Women with EBW, 1895.[11] Attended a surprise birthday party for EBW, 29 Feb. 1896.[12] Husband died, 16 Sept. 1896, in Farmington.[13] Honored at a meeting of Primary officers from throughout the church with funds to publish her book, Life Sketches of Orson Spencer and Others, and History of Primary Work, 4 Oct. 1897.[14] Died 19 Aug. 1922 in Farmington; buried in Salt Lake City.[15]
[1] “Endowments of the Living, 1851–1884,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Endowment House, vol. A-A1, 20 Feb. 1851–24 Apr. 1854, p. 74, line 2093, Aurelia Rogers, 27 Mar. 1854, microfilm 1255545, DGS 7455862 (restricted access), FHL. “Family Tree,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org, accessed 9 Aug. 2019), Aurelia Read Spencer (KWJ6-C8S).
[2] “Endowments of the Living, 1851–1884,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Endowment House, vol. A-A1, 20 Feb. 1851–24 Apr. 1854, p. 74, line 2093, Aurelia Rogers, 27 Mar. 1854, microfilm 1255545, DGS 7455862 (restricted access), FHL. Missionary Department, Missionary Registers, 1860–1959, vol. B, 25 Apr. 1860–27 Apr. 1894, p. 6, line 206, George B. Spencer, CR 301 22, CHL.
[3] “Endowments of the Living, 1851–1884,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Endowment House, vol. A-A1, 20 Feb. 1851–24 Apr. 1854, p. 74, line 2093, Aurelia Rogers, 27 Mar. 1854, microfilm 1255545, DGS 7455862 (restricted access), FHL.
[4] Aurelia Spencer Rogers, Life Sketches of Orson Spencer and Others, and History of Primary Work (Salt Lake City: George Q. Cannon and Sons, 1898), 35.
[5] Aurelia Spencer Rogers, Life Sketches of Orson Spencer and Others, and History of Primary Work (Salt Lake City: George Q. Cannon and Sons, 1898), 47. British Mission Manuscript History and Historical Reports, 1841–1971, vol. 13, part 3, 1846–1847, LR 1140 2 box 7 folder 2, images 75–76/215, CHL. “Orson Spencer,” Go Ye into All the World (https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/missionary, accessed 15 Aug. 2019).
[6] “Aurelia Read Spencer,” Pioneer Database (https://history.churchofjesuschrist.org/overlandtravel/pioneers/2497, accessed 14 Aug. 2019). Aurelia Spencer Rogers, Life Sketches of Orson Spencer and Others, and History of Primary Work (Salt Lake City: George Q. Cannon and Sons, 1898), 76–79.
[7] “Sealings of Couples, Living and by Proxy, 1851–1889,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, vol. A-A1, 20 Feb. 1851–24 Apr. 1854, line 40, Thomas Rogers and Aurelia Curtis Spencer, 27 Mar. 1851, microfilm 183393, DGS 5270317 (restricted access), FHL. 1910 U.S. Census, Farmington, Davis Co., UT, ED 36, p. 16A. Aurelia Spencer Rogers, Life Sketches of Orson Spencer and Others, and History of Primary Work (Salt Lake City: George Q. Cannon and Sons, 1898), 163–164.
[8] EBW, Diary, 10 July 1878. Maureen Ursenbach Beecher, The Personal Writings of Eliza Roxcy Snow (Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 1995), 36–37. Aurelia Spencer Rogers, Life Sketches of Orson Spencer and Others, and History of Primary Work (Salt Lake City: George Q. Cannon and Sons, 1898), 205–212.
[9] Aurelia Spencer Rogers, Life Sketches of Orson Spencer and Others, and History of Primary Work (Salt Lake City: George Q. Cannon and Sons, 1898), 212. “Local and Other Matters,” Deseret News, 14 Aug. 1878, 5.
[10] Aurelia Spencer Rogers, Life Sketches of Orson Spencer and Others, and History of Primary Work (Salt Lake City: George Q. Cannon and Sons, 1898), 256–257.
[11] EBW, Diary, 25 Jan. 1895. Aurelia Spencer Rogers, Life Sketches of Orson Spencer and Others, and History of Primary Work (Salt Lake City: George Q. Cannon and Sons, 1898), 301–307. Carol Cornwall Madsen, An Advocate for Women: The Public Life of Emmeline B. Wells, 1870–1920 (Provo, UT: Brigham Young University; Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2006), 276–280.
[12] EBW, Diary, 29 Feb. 1896. Ellis R. Shipp to Aurelia S. Rogers, 27 Feb. 1896, Aurelia S. Rogers Collection, ca. 1891–1943, MS 6414, CHL.
[13] “Utah, Salt Lake County, Death Records, 1849–1966,” Death Records, p. 37 (1896), Thomas Rodgers, Salt Lake County Management and Archives, Salt Lake City. “Farmington Fractions,” Davis County Clipper, 18 Sept. 1896, 1.
[14] RoseAnn Benson, “For the Best Good of the Children: Aurelia Read Spencer Rogers,” Women of Faith in the Latter Days, Volume Two, 1821–1845, ed. Brittany A. Chapman and Richard E. Turley Jr. (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2012), 313. Aurelia Spencer Rogers, Life Sketches of Orson Spencer and Others, and History of Primary Work (Salt Lake City: George Q. Cannon and Sons, 1898), 327.
[15] “Utah State Archives Indexes,” database and images, Utah State Archives (https://archives.utah.gov/research/indexes/20842.htm, accessed 16 Aug. 2019); Utah Department of Health, Office of Vital Records and Statistics Death Certificates, series 81448, file no. 80/262 (1922), Aurelia Spencer Rogers. “Founder of Primary Dies in Farmington,” Davis County Clipper, 25 Aug. 1922, 1. “Utah Cemeteries and Burials,” database, Utah Division of State History (https://utahdcc.secure.force.com/burials/, accessed 16 Aug. 2019), Aurelia Spencer Rogers.