October 27, 2010
On this date in 1858, our 26th president was born in New York, New York. Theodore Roosevelt, Junior (the suffix Junior would be passed onto his firstborn son 29 years later) would go on to be our youngest president at age 42 when he came to the role after the assassination of President McKinley.
Two years later, John Hay, Roosevelt’s Secretary of State, wrote him this birthday message with a comment on Roosevelt’s notorious work ethic.
Transcript follows.
From the Library of Congress Manuscript division, the Theodore Roosevelt Papers. For the full digital record, go here.
Oct 27, 1902
My dear Theodore
May your birthdays grow brighter year by year. I can hardly wish your years grow more useful, or there would soon be nothing left for the rest of us to do.
Yours faithfully
John Hay