September 9, 1879

Betty Blake was born at Silver Springs (Benton County), later called Monte Ne; she moved to Rogers (Benton County) as a child. The wife of Will Rogers, one of the most beloved entertainers of the twentieth century, she was a partner in his career, encouraging him to start on the lecture circuit and helping him choose film scripts. On August 15, 1935, Rogers’s husband, along with aviator Wiley Post, died in a plane crash in Alaska. After his death, she concentrated on furthering his reputation. She contributed to the creation of the Will Rogers State Park at the Santa Monica ranch and the Will Rogers Memorial in Claremore, Oklahoma. She also wrote Will Rogers: His Wife’s Story, published in 1941.