William Penn Adair "Will" Rogers - Grave of a Famous Person on Waymarking.com

William Penn Adair "Will" Rogers was born on his fathers ranch northwest of Claremore, Oklahoma and went on to become one of America's the most beloved humorists and entertainers. At the height of his career he and aviation pioneer Wiley Post were killed in a plane crash near Barrow, Alaska in 1935. Will Rogers is buried at the Will Rodger Memorial in Claremore, Oklahoma.

Description: William Penn Adair Rogers was born on November 4, 1879 at Rogers Ranch in Oologah, Indian Territory (what is now Oklahoma). His parents, Clement Vann Rogers and Mary Schrimsher, were partly of Cherokee descent. The Rogers Ranch consisted of over 60,000 acres, so Will learned to rope and ride at a very early age. He dropped out in the 10th grade to become a cowboy. In 1902 and 1903, Will traveled in South Africa with "Texas Jack's Wild West Show," in which he played "The Cherokee Kid" and did roping tricks. He also traveled in Australia and New Zealand with the Wirth Brothers Circus. Back in the United States in 1904, Will appeared at the World's Fairs in St. Louis and New York City. Will extended his career in entertainment, touring vaudeville circuits in America, Canada and Europe from 1905-1915. In November 1908, Will married Betty Blake, with whom he had four children (Will Jr., Mary, Jim and Fred). During his years in the vaudeville circuits, as well as his time with Ziegfield Follies in 1917, Will's act evolved from the exhibition of his lasso skills that had launched his career to the development of his own unique. Will had always regretted quitting school, and enjoyed talking to people and reading. These two interests became the basis for his humor, which focused on intelligent and amusing observations about people, life, the country and the government in simple language that his audience could understand. Soon, audiences hankered for Will's humor more than his roping feats. Will's career broadened beyond the realm of show business, as well. He wrote 4,000 syndicated columns and six books, becoming a prominent radio broadcaster and political commentator. He called politics "the best show in the world" and described Congress as the "national joke factory." His folksy humor and honest, intelligent observations about the government and America earned the respect of the nation. Eventually, Will roped in some nominations of his own. He declined a nomination to be governor of Oklahoma and became honorary mayor of Beverly Hills in 1925. For the 1928 election, Life magazine formed the Anti Bunk Party, in the hope that their nominee for the Presidency of the United States would not talk "bunk," as other politicians did. Will's no-nonsense spin on the political "show" made him the obvious candidate for the spoof campaign. Will, promising that he would resign if he won, wrote his observations on the election in Life and became one of the country's foremost opinion leaders. As a result of his status as a nationally beloved figure and powerful political pundit, Will also came to know many world leaders. He was a guest at the White House and a friend of Presidents Calvin Coolidge and Franklin Roosevelt. On August 15, 1935, Will Rogers along with aviation Pioneer Wiley Post were killed in a plane crash near Barrow, Alaska. Initially, Will was buried in Los Angeles. However, his wife Betty built a memorial in Claremore, Oklahoma, which was dedicated in 1938 by President Franklin Roosevelt. In 1944 Will's body was moved to rest there. Betty died that same year, and rests beside her husband. (Source: http://www.cmgworldwide.com/historic/rogers/biography.htm) Date of birth: 11/04/1879 Date of death: 08/15/1935 Area of notoriety: Entertainment Marker Type: Monument Setting: Outdoor Visiting Hours/Restrictions: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Fee required?: No Web site: [Web Link]

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