Many of Rodgers' family emigrated to America from the British Isles in the years prior to the American Revolution.
Rodgers' father, Colonel John Rodgers, was born in Scotland in 1726 and was a proponent of the patriot cause.
He emigrated to America and married Elizabeth Reynolds from Delaware in 1760.
Born in 1742, she also was of Scottish ancestry.
They had eight children, four sons and four daughters, of which John Rodgers was among the oldest.
 Rodgers was born in 1772 on a farm in a village near the "Susquehanna Ferry" on the north shore of the Susquehanna River (flowing into the northeastern Chesapeake Bay near today's Perryville in Cecil County, where the tavern house still exists) where he was raised for the first thirteen years of his childhood.
While Rodgers was still a youth, the village on the south shore (in Harford County) was named "Havre de Grace" by the passing Marquis de Lafayette after a famous port of the same name in France.
The young Rodgers was an unusually strong and vital boy who spent much of his time fishing in the waters of the Susquehanna River and Chesapeake Bay near his home.
He attended school in this locale and read many books about seafaring life, fostering his love of ships and the sea.
He had often seen schooner-rigged ships Havre de Grace but longed to see the large square-rigged vessels he had always read about.
With a strong desire to see such ships he decided to go to Baltimore and, not revealing this desire to anyone, made his way on foot to the city.
Upon realizing that John was missing, Rodgers' father, Colonel Rodgers, set out on horseback and came upon his son just as he was entering the city, insisting that his son return home to the family.
But John, now in his mid-teens and with Baltimore in sight, ardently refused.
Realizing that his son had his heart set on seeing the large seagoing ships berthed at Baltimore and its famous waterfront neighborhood of Fells Point and even going to sea, Colonel Rodgers relented and arranged his son's apprenticeship with Captain Benjamin Folger, a master ship builder of Baltimore, a veteran of the American Revolution who had served aboard merchant ships and as commander of Felicity, the ship used in the capture of the notorious privateer 'Jack-o-the-Lantern'.
By the time the young Rodgers joined him, Folger was captain of his own ship, Maryland.
John Rodgers was put aboard a ship on which he would remain for the five years of his apprenticeship.
Upon bidding his son farewell, Colonel Rodgers requested that his son never indulge in strong drink, and to this request the younger Rodgers promised, and kept his word.
In adult life Rodgers did not indulge in spirituous drink.

Rodgers was married in 1806 to Minerva Denison  and had three sons, Robert, Frederick and John, and two daughters.
 His son John Rodgers Jr. was born in Maryland in 1812, and also entered the U.S. Navy as a midshipman, serving aboard the Baltimore-built USS Constellation and USS Concord in the Mediterranean Sea and later becoming a rear admiral during the Civil War.
Rodgers also had several grandsons and great-grandsons who became officers in the U.S. Navy.
Many of Rodgers' family emigrated to America from the British Isles in the years prior to the American Revolution. Rodgers' father, Colonel John Rodgers, was born in Scotland in 1726 and was a proponent of the patriot cause. He emigrated to America and married Elizabeth Reynolds from Delaware in 1760. Born in 1742, she also was of Scottish ancestry. They had eight children, four sons and four daughters, of which John Rodgers was among the oldest.  Rodgers was born in 1772 on a farm in a village near the "Susquehanna Ferry" on the north shore of the Susquehanna River (flowing into the northeastern Chesapeake Bay near today's Perryville in Cecil County, where the tavern house still exists) where he was raised for the first thirteen years of his childhood. While Rodgers was still a youth, the village on the south shore (in Harford County) was named "Havre de Grace" by the passing Marquis de Lafayette after a famous port of the same name in France. The young Rodgers was an unusually strong and vital boy who spent much of his time fishing in the waters of the Susquehanna River and Chesapeake Bay near his home. He attended school in this locale and read many books about seafaring life, fostering his love of ships and the sea. He had often seen schooner-rigged ships Havre de Grace but longed to see the large square-rigged vessels he had always read about. With a strong desire to see such ships he decided to go to Baltimore and, not revealing this desire to anyone, made his way on foot to the city. Upon realizing that John was missing, Rodgers' father, Colonel Rodgers, set out on horseback and came upon his son just as he was entering the city, insisting that his son return home to the family. But John, now in his mid-teens and with Baltimore in sight, ardently refused. Realizing that his son had his heart set on seeing the large seagoing ships berthed at Baltimore and its famous waterfront neighborhood of Fells Point and even going to sea, Colonel Rodgers relented and arranged his son's apprenticeship with Captain Benjamin Folger, a master ship builder of Baltimore, a veteran of the American Revolution who had served aboard merchant ships and as commander of Felicity, the ship used in the capture of the notorious privateer 'Jack-o-the-Lantern'. By the time the young Rodgers joined him, Folger was captain of his own ship, Maryland. John Rodgers was put aboard a ship on which he would remain for the five years of his apprenticeship. Upon bidding his son farewell, Colonel Rodgers requested that his son never indulge in strong drink, and to this request the younger Rodgers promised, and kept his word. In adult life Rodgers did not indulge in spirituous drink.
Rodgers was married in 1806 to Minerva Denison  and had three sons, Robert, Frederick and John, and two daughters.  His son John Rodgers Jr. was born in Maryland in 1812, and also entered the U.S. Navy as a midshipman, serving aboard the Baltimore-built USS Constellation and USS Concord in the Mediterranean Sea and later becoming a rear admiral during the Civil War. Rodgers also had several grandsons and great-grandsons who became officers in the U.S. Navy.
John Rodgers (1772–1838)