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James Rogers was the Cherokee son of Captain John Rogers, a Scottish trader who lived among the Cherokee. He was also a nephew of John Jolly, and so kin Jolly's adopted son, Sam Houston. James Rogers went on to become a warrior and minor chief. His brother, John Rogers, Jr. became the last Chief of the Cherokee Nation. His half-sister, Tiana Rogers, was Sam Houston's wife for a time.
James Rogers in Trail of Glory[]
James Rogers was a Cherokee warrior. At the Battle of the Horseshoe Bend, Rogers saved John Ross from a Red Stick warrior. He later informed The Ridge that Ross acquitted himself reasonably, but would be a better politician than a warrior. Ross didn't disagree.
Expedition to Washington[]
Given his reasonably close ties to Sam Houston, Rogers was one of the people Houston tapped to go to Washington in 1814. Houston also asked Ross, who acted as a nominal head of the Cherokee delegation. James Rogers also brought his brother John, and his sister Tiana, who'd announced her intention to marry Houston three years before. Two other prominent Cherokee leaders, Sequoyah and Nancy Ward, traveled with the group; Ward only came as far as Oothcaloga, where they were to rendezvous with Houston.
The Cherokee were attacked by a group of Chickasaw as they traveled up the Tennessee River. After about four days, the Cherokee were able to kill off the Chickasaw band, arriving safely at Oothcaloga on June 28, 1814.
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