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Will Rogers was born November 4, 1879, the last of eight children to Mary and Clem Rogers in Indian Territory, USA (presently Oklahoma). There were eight children born to Will’s parents, but only four reached adulthood in the rugged Indian Territory.
His mother died when he was ten.
Will Rogers was taught by a freed slave how to use a lasso as a tool to work Texas Longhorn cattle on the family ranch.
When Will was older he developed his roping skills to the point he could throw three lassos at once. One rope caught the running horse’s neck, the other would hoop around the rider and the third swooped up under the horse to loop all four legs. His expert roping got him jobs trick roping in Wild West Shows and on stage. Will Rogers’ lariat feats were recorded in the movie “The Rop'in Fool”.
Will married Betty Blake of Rogers Arkansas in 1908. In 1899 or 1900 Betty moved to Oologah where her sisters husband was a railroad station manager. Will and Betty became acquainted. Will was traveling the world doing wild west shows. They met again at the St. Louis World’s Fair and contained letter writing as Will was playing Vaudeville in mid 1900’s.
Betty and Will had four children:
Fred Rogers 1918 - 1920 (died of diphtheria when he was two)
Will Rogers Jr. 1911 - 1993
Mary Rogers 1913 - 1989
Jim Rogers 1915 - 2000
During Will’s lifetime he traveled around the globe three times, was star of Broadway and 71 movies of the 1920’s and 1930’s, a popular broadcaster, a writer including over 4,000 syndicated newspaper columns and six books. He was the top-paid star in Hollywood and one of the best liked Americans.
He enjoyed horseback riding on his ranch in Oklahoma and California, and roping steers and playing polo.
An airplane accident August 15, 1935 at Point Barrow Alaska claimed the life of Will Rogers and his friend and pilot, Wiley Post. Post made the first solo flight around the world in 1933.
Betty Blake Rogers died nine years later of cancer at their California ranch overlooking the Pacific Ocean. She is also buried at the Will Rogers Memorial in Claremore.
Will Rogers Jr. was in the newspaper business, served in the US Army, was an actor, and in Congressman. He retired in Tubac, Arizona was laid to rest at the age of 81.
Mary Rogers stared in stage and movies and died in California in 1989.
Jim Rogers after some acting and being in the newspaper business, became a full time rancher. He died in 2000 at the age of 84 and is buried with his parents at the Will Rogers Memorial in Claremore.
The family of Will Rogers gave the Pacific Palisades ranch to the State of California known as Will Rogers State Historic Park, and the Will Rogers State Beach in Santa Monica.
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