William Charles Rogers (December 13, 1847 – November 8, 1917) was a Cherokee politician, Confederate veteran and farmer. He served as Principal Chief of Cherokee Nation from 1903 to 1917.
Accessed August 15, 2015. After serving as a representative and a senator in the Cherokee Council, he was elected

Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation Principal Chief is today the title of the chief executives of the Cherokee Nation, of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, and of the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians, the three federally recognized tribes of Cherokee. In the eighteenth ...

in 1903, defeating E. L. Cookson. He served during the final liquidation of the independent Cherokee government by the

United States of America The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguo ...

and the establishment of the state of

Oklahoma Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...

in 1906–7. He remained as principal chief, but with greatly diminished powers, performing largely ceremonial functions for the tribe until his death.

Early life

William Charles Rogers was the son of Charles Coody Rogers and Elizabeth McCorkle. After being educated in tribal schools, he decided to become a farmer like his father. He acquired a tract of land about north of present-day

Skiatook, Oklahoma Skiatook (Skī·ǎ·tōōk ''or'' Skī·ǎ·tǒǒk versus Skī·tōōk ''or'' Skī·tǒǒk) is a city in Osage County, Oklahoma, Osage and Tulsa County, Oklahoma, Tulsa counties in the U.S. state of Oklahoma located in the northeastern part of t ...

, and began his own farm. In 1877, he constructed a general store on his own land on

Bird Creek Bird Creek is a stream in northeast Oklahoma. The main creek is formed from the waters of North Bird Creek, Middle Bird Creek, and South Bird Creek, all of which rise in Osage County. The South and Middle branches of the creek converge at Blue ...

and established the original town of Skiatook. Rogers enlisted in the Confederate Army on July 12, 1861, and served as a private for the duration of the conflict in Company E in the First Regiment of Cherokee Volunteers. After the war, he returned to his farm.

Political career

Rogers began his career in tribal politics when he ran for election as a representative of the Cooweescoowee District of the Cherokee Nation in 1881. His bid succeeded and he won reelection in 1883.In 1889, he ran for the tribal senate from the same district, and was reelected in 1889. In 1903, the so-called "Downing Party" chose him as their candidate as principal chief to replace Chief Thomas Buffington. He was opposed by E. L. Cookson, the candidate of the National Party. He was elected as the last principal chief elected under the Cherokee Nation. At the final session of the Cherokee Council on November 9, 1904, he delivered the following message: Chief Rogers declined to call an election for members of the National Council in 1905. The decisions affecting the termination of the Cherokee Nation government had been made, and Rogers felt there was insufficient work remaining that would justify the cost of an election. Nevertheless, an election was held without his approval. The newly elected members remove Rogers as chief, replacing him with Frank J. Boudinot. Meanwhile, the U.S. Congress had made the Secretary of the Interior responsible for concluding the work of the Dawes Commission. The Secretary designated Rogers as the rightful chief to sign documents for the tribe. He remained in this semi-official position until 1917.Caywood, Elzie Ronald."The Administration of Chief William C. Rogers, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation (1903 - 1907). Chronicles of Oklahoma.
Accessed November 22, 2015. Rogers married Nannie Haynie on February 15, 1892, in Kansas City. After his four-year term of office was complete, he retained the status of chief, for purposes of dealing with matters of the handover of power to the United States. Rogers was a

Freemason Freemasonry (sometimes spelled Free-Masonry) consists of fraternal groups that trace their origins to the medieval guilds of stonemasons. Freemasonry is the oldest secular fraternity in the world and among the oldest still-existing organizati ...

and was buried in Hillside Mission Cemetery, about north of Skiatook, Oklahoma.

Notes

Sources

''Chronicles of Oklahoma''
, Volume 17, No. 2; June, 1939; by John Bartlett Meserve.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rogers, William C. 1847 births 1917 deaths American Freemasons Cherokee Nation Confederate States military personnel Native American tribal government officials in Indian Territory People from Skiatook, Oklahoma Principal Chiefs of the Cherokee Nation Principal Chiefs of the Cherokee Nation (1794–1907) 20th-century Native American people