Help research a Rough Rider/WW2 Japanese prison camp survivor

Question

Lee or Leo George Rogers was a Spanish-American war veteran, and a survivor of the Japanese prison camp in Manila, Philippines during World War II. You can see a picture of him shortly after being freed from the camp here, however, be aware that he was suffering from starvation and the image may be disturbing.

According to a newspaper article about his daughter-in-law, Lee was one of Roosevelt's Rough Riders, and indeed, there is a Leo G. Rogers, saddler, on the roster of the Rough Riders. I found a lot about his military history but try as I might, I can't connect him to his birth family. His records are consistent that he was born in 1875 in Bagwell, TX. There are a couple of Rogers family in that town in 1880 and 1900, but I can't find Lee/Leo anywhere. He enlisted in the military in the 1890s and may have been overseas for the 1900 census. His death certificate from the Philippines doesn't include his parents' names or stateside relatives.

Can anyone help connect Lee/Leo to his family?

Comments

Jessica, he's got a findagrave memorial which includes an image of a death record; that record includes names of wife and children.

• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/135658875/lee-rogers: accessed 27 January 2023), memorial page for Lee Rogers (5 May 1876–6 Jul 1948), Find a Grave Memorial ID 135658875, citing Municipal Cemetery, Cavite, Cavite Province, CALABARZON, Philippines; Maintained by Jack Williams (contributor 46856865).

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Found him in 1900-- he was already in the Philippines by then; note the birth place; search 1880 census for Rogers in that birth place; I'd help but I gotta go catch a plane:

"United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-DYW9-1L5?cc=1325221&wc=9BQP-GR9%3A1030549501%2C1030668101%2C1030693101 : 5 August 2014), Armed Forces - Foreign Countries > Philippines > ED 161 Pasay Calvary Barracks Field Staff & Band 4th Calvary > image 2 of 41; citing NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

Answer 1

The database entitled "Philippines, Select Marriage, 1723-1957" at ancestry.com has the following information:

Name: Lec (sic) Rogers

Gender:  Male

Age: 28

Birth Date: 1875

Marriage Date: 20 May 1903

Marriage Place Batanga City, Batangas, Philippines

Father: Jolin 

Mother: Sale Rogers

Spouse: Rivarda Malalos

It cites FHL File Number 1720599.

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/2701474:60130?ssrc=pt&tid=109938623&pid=410081523870 

There is ancestry tree that, on the basis of that source, makes him the son of John K. Rogers, who was born ca. 1810 in Kentucky and died in June 1879, in Bagwell, Texas, and his wife Sarah "Sallie" Evans, who was  born ca. 1847 in Texas and died ca. 1887/1888 in Bagwell, Texas.

https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/109938623/person/412268594695/facts

P.S. John and Sarah have familysearch.org profiles:

https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/KC1R-CSL

Comments

Thank you, Roger, you found the record that allows us to connect Lee/Leo with his birth family!