Jess E. Hogans was born on August 28, 1905, in Rockford, Illinois, the son of Charles A. and Grace Michael Hogans. He married Grace Dobbs on February 14, 1925. Mr. Hogans was one of the foremost figures in the community in conservation and industrial safety for a number of years. He served on the Rock County Parks and Conservation Commission for nearly 27 years before retiring, and was vice chairman for six years. He was an officer and director of the Beloit Isaac Walton League for 23 years, serving as president for four years. He was vice president of the State Isaac Walton League for one year.

For nine years he was president of the Beloit Rifle Club and was a life member of the National Rifle Association. A fourteen-year member of the Rock County Conservation Congress, he was chairman for nine years. A frequent speaker at state and national safety seminars, he was a past president of the Beloit Safety Council and a past director of the Wisconsin Council of Safety.

During his 35 years at Fairbanks Morse and Company, Mr. Hogans was first in the automatic department and in later years was the firm’s safety director. He guided the safety program to several national awards. He was associated with the well-known state safety expert Voyta Wrabetz who served on the Wisconsin Industrial Commission. For eight years he was president of Fairbanks Morse Mutual Aid. He was a past president of the Fairbanks Morse Quarter Century Club. His service to the community included being a member of the Powers School Board.

During World War II he served three years on the Beloit Rationing Board. He was on the national committee of the American Society for the Testing of materials. In earlier years he was employed by General Refrigeration Company. He retired from Fair-banks in 1968. He and his wife moved to Buffalo, Wyoming, where they built a new home and spent several years there before returning to Beloit. An avid hunter and fisherman, he was involved for many years in conservation enterprises, such as the early raising, stocking and winter feeding of game birds, especially pheasants. Mr. Hogans was a member of Central Christian Church and of Morning Star Lodge #120 of the Masonic Order. With a keen interest in youth, he was a Boy Scout merit badge counselor for 18 years in the Stateline Council and served three years on the Girl Scout Camp Committee. He died at the age of 77 on August 13, 1983, at Beloit Memorial Hospital. He was buried in East-lawn Cemetery.