Roy Rogers

Birth Name: Leonard Franklin Slye

Date of Birth: November 5, 1911

Place of Birth: Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.

Date of Death: July 6, 1998

Place of Death: Apple Valley, California, U.S.

Ethnicity: German, English, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Dutch, distant Swiss-German and French

Roy Rogers was an American singer, actor, and television host. He was nicknamed “King of the Cowboys.” He co-founded the Western singing group Sons of the Pioneers, and was also billed as Len Slye. He often appeared with his wife Dale Evans, his Golden Palomino horse, Trigger, and his German Shepherd dog, Bullet. His films include Under Western Stars, The Arizona Kid, Dark Command, King of the Cowboys, Springtime in the Sierras, Pecos Bill, Trigger, Jr., and Son of Paleface.

Roy was the son of Mattie M. (Womack) and Andrew E. Slye. He was raised partly in Portsmouth and Duck Run, Ohio, on a farm.

He was reported to have Choctaw Native American ancestry on his mother’s side, and was named “outstanding Indian citizen of the year” in 1967, by a group of Western tribes. No Native American ancestry appears on publicly available family trees of Roy Rogers, and his mother and maternal grandparents are listed as “white” on U.S. Censuses. Roy was also said to have had Cherokee Native American ancestry. No Cherokee ancestry appears on his family tree, either.

Roy was married to Grace Arline Wilkins, until her death, and then to actress, singer, and songwriter Dale Evans, until his death. He had two children with Grace; and five children with Dale.

Roy’s paternal grandfather was Alonzo Leslie Slye (the son of Temarchus Tulley/Tully/Tulley Cicero “Tell” Slye/Sly and Cynthia A. Shope/Shoup). Alonzo was born in Portsmouth, Scioto, Ohio. Temarchus was born in Mississippi, the son of Jonathan Slye and Mary Martha Cox. Cynthia was born in West Virginia or Ohio, the daughter of Lawrence Shope and Polly Bennett.

Roy’s paternal grandmother was Mary Rebecca Wessel (the daughter of Herman C. Wessel and Eliza Droop). Mary was born in Ohio, to a Dutch and/or German father and a German mother.

Roy’s maternal grandfather was Archer/Archibald/Archie Womack (the son of William Womack and Jacintha Kibbe). Archer was born in Kentucky. William was the son of James Tignal Womack and Nancy Meadows Rudder, whose parents were English. Jacintha was the daughter of Moses Kibbe, Jr. and Sarah Everman.

Roy’s maternal grandmother was Patricia/Martha Adeline Hatchett (the daughter of William Archer Hatchett and Frances Elizabeth Womack). Adeline was born in Virginia. William was the son of William H. Hatchett and Mary Ann Womack. Frances was the daughter of James Watson Womack and Sarah C. Allen.

Sources: Genealogies of Roy Rogers – https://famouskin.com
https://www.geni.com
https://www.findagrave.com

Roy Rogers on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Roy’s paternal grandparents, Alonzo Leslie Slye and Mary Rebecca Wessel, on the 1880 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Alonzo Leslie Slye and Mary Rebecca Wessel on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Alonzo Leslie Slye and Mary Rebecca Wessel on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Roy’s paternal grandfather, Alonzo Leslie Slye, on the 1870 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Roy’s mother on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Roy’s maternal grandparents, Archer/Archibald/Archie Womack and Patricia/Martha Adeline Hatchett, on the 1880 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org