Francis Lee Rogers, a 63-year-old artist known as the “Grandma Moses of Central Park,” was found dead on Sunday, September 27. Law enforcement sources told the New York Post that Rogers, who was unhoused, had been beaten to death under the gazebo she called home. The New York Police Department could not confirm the individual’s identity to Hyperallergic due to the ongoing investigation.
Rogers became a familiar presence in the park as an avid birdwatcher and painter of its flora and fauna, especially in the Ramble, the heavily wooded section she frequented most often. Her work captured the park’s creatures and landscapes in a style that drew comparisons to folk art.
The Artist’s Home in the Park
Rogers lived in Central Park, spending her days observing birds and painting the scenes around her. She was known for her detailed renderings of the park’s natural world, which earned her the nickname “Grandma Moses of Central Park.” That comparison came from Robert “Birding Bob” DeCandido, who spoke to Hyperallergic about her work.
“We used to call her the Grandma Moses of Central Park,” DeCandido said in a phone interview. “But she probably wouldn’t want all this sympathy. She didn’t call attention to herself.”
Her gazebo was her home, and it was there that she was found.
A Life Marked by Hardship
Rogers had a complicated past. She went by multiple names throughout her life, and one of those names was Elise Bainbridge Hill. In 2007, she was the subject of Karen Gehres’s documentary Begging Naked, in which she recounted running away from home as a teen, surviving as a sex worker, persevering through a heroin addiction, and finding space for her art in between.
Her art emerged from those difficult years. Even as she struggled with addiction and homelessness, she kept making work, finding moments of creation amid the chaos of her life.
What the Investigation Is Still Working Out
The NYPD has not yet confirmed the identity of the victim. The department declined to identify the person involved while the case remains open.
Law enforcement sources told the New York Post that Rogers was found beaten to death. The details of the crime remain under investigation, and authorities have not released further information about the circumstances of her death.
| Detail | What Is Known |
|---|---|
| Victim’s name | Francis Lee Rogers |
| Age | 63 |
| Status | Unhoused |
| Cause of death | Beaten to death, per law enforcement |
| Confirmation | Pending, through ongoing investigation |
A Beloved Figure’s Final Chapter
Rogers was more than a local fixture. She was a person whose art brought joy to others, even as her own life was marked by struggle. DeCandido’s remark about her not wanting sympathy speaks to a sense of humility that ran through her work.
Her paintings captured the park’s natural world without seeking attention. They simply documented what she saw.
The loss of Rogers removes a beloved presence from the park she loved. Her work reflected a deep connection to nature.
The investigation continues.
Rogers’s life was defined by hardship and resilience. She survived a troubled youth, addiction, and homelessness, and she found meaning in her art. Her death is a reminder of the fragility of life and the strength of spirit that can endure through it.
The park will miss her. So will anyone who knew her work.
Source material: “Francis Lee Rogers, Painter and Avid Birdwatcher, Found Dead in Central Park,” Hyperallergic.
Get the Notebook.
The day's best stories and every fresh verdict, in plain English, in your inbox by seven. One email a day, no more.