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Will Rogers: A Man of Many Talents Will Rogers was a talented man who shaped and provided many people with laughter throughout the early 1900's abroad and here in the United States through his many careers he chose. The rope-twirling vaudeville monologist, salty political commentator, silent film actor and New York Times columnist was the son of a former slaveholder and Confederate veteran, but he was also one-quarter Cherokee and the tribe vividly remembered Andrew Jackson's massive betrayal of the Cherokees (Yagoda). Will Rogers was born on November 4, 1879 in a home his father had built near the Verdigris River bottom lands in the Cooweescoowee District of Indian Territory. His parents were Mary and Clem Rodgers. They named there first son William Penn Adair Rodgers after a distinguished Cherokee, William Penn Adair, who served as his people’s delegate in Washington. Will attended several schools during his childhood, including Kemper Military School in Boonville, Missouri from 1897 to 1898. He dropped out in the 10th grade to become a cowboy. As he grew older, Will Rogers' roping skills developed so special that he was listed in the Guinness Book of Records for throwing three lassos at once: One rope caught the running