Wister, Owen, 1860-1938

Letter from Owen Wister to Theodore Roosevelt

Owen Wister thanks President Roosevelt for obtaining the definitive answer that Princess Sofia Grigorievna Kropotkina would not be allowed entry into the United States. The point of the inquiry was not to determine whether it was desirable for her to come, but rather to save her from having to cross the ocean to find she could not land. He is still waiting for the book that he wants to send, an epic poem about Abraham Lincoln.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-11-12

Creator(s)

Wister, Owen, 1860-1938

Letter from Owen Wister to Theodore Roosevelt

Owen Wister encloses papers from University of Pennsylvania Professor Morris Jastrow. Jastrow would like Russian princess Alexandra Kropotkin to be told before she sails for America whether she will be allowed into the country. Wister also brings the Reverend William R. Scott, a former Pennsylvania football team substitute, to President Roosevelt’s attention. Scott would like to be made a chaplain so that he can preach to soldiers and men. Although Wister has made it a rule not to ask Roosevelt for political appointments, he points out that a chaplaincy is not a political appointment. Roosevelt’s birthday gift is delayed by the publisher, but Wister will send it on when it is out. Wister is pleased with the election results, especially because William H. Taft will be able to appoint Supreme Court Justices.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-11-04

Creator(s)

Wister, Owen, 1860-1938

Sexless citizenship

In a handwritten note, Owen Wister tells President Roosevelt that this is a text he has written for a paper, and he believes Roosevelt will agree with him. The text describes men who fail to vote as “sexless citizen[s]” who should be fined or punished by law and calls for a list of men who failed to vote to be published along with their property values.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-04-15

Creator(s)

Wister, Owen, 1860-1938

Letter from Owen Wister to Theodore Roosevelt

Owen Wister invites President Roosevelt to a gathering of the Associated Harvard Clubs in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on May 9. Alumni from around the country will be in attendance. Wister asks if Roosevelt would be willing to say a few words on the topic of independence.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-03-12

Creator(s)

Wister, Owen, 1860-1938

Letter from Owen Wister to Theodore Roosevelt

Owen Wister is relieved that President Roosevelt does not plan to come to Philadelphia for its anniversary ceremonies, and says that they will attempt to use Roosevelt to his face and abuse him behind his back “to the limit of impudence.” The city’s government is celebrating the 225th anniversary of the city “entirely to keep the people in a good humor–as there have been signs of revolt.” Wister could write Roosevelt a long letter describing the bad things that Mayor John E. Reyburn is doing, but will tell him in person instead when he visits Roosevelt.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-02-25

Creator(s)

Wister, Owen, 1860-1938

Letter from Owen Wister to Theodore Roosevelt

Owen Wister sends President Roosevelt a recent statement by John E. Reyburn, the Mayor of Philadelphia. When Reyburn was elected, he claimed to be Roosevelt’s candidate, which Roosevelt tacitly reinforced by not denying it. Now, Wister says, Reyburn opposes Roosevelt, and Wister thinks it would be a bad idea for Roosevelt to appear with Reyburn by being at the celebration of the anniversary of Philadelphia’s founding, as it would appear to still give credence to Reyburn being his chosen candidate.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-02-22

Creator(s)

Wister, Owen, 1860-1938

Letter from Owen Wister to Theodore Roosevelt

Owen Wister sends President Roosevelt the authentic version of a speech he gave at Harvard, which the papers “energetically perverted.” He wishes the Roosevelt family happy holidays.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-12-27

Creator(s)

Wister, Owen, 1860-1938

Letter from Owen Wister to Theodore Roosevelt

Owen Wister, author of Lady Baltimore, congratulates President Roosevelt concerning the positive effect the book has had on Roosevelt’s thinking about “In God We Trust.” Wister will soon finish the biography of George Washington, on which he has been working hard.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-11-13

Creator(s)

Wister, Owen, 1860-1938

Letter from Owen Wister to Theodore Roosevelt

Owen Wister praises President Roosevelt for his letter to William Henry Jackson (Honore Jaxon), in which Roosevelt identified Charles H. Moyer and Big Bill Haywood as undesirable citizens.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-04-25

Creator(s)

Wister, Owen, 1860-1938

Letter from Owen Wister to Theodore Roosevelt

Owen Wister uses a bad-tasting meal analogy to tell President Roosevelt he and his friends see the poor treatment the Republican Party is giving him and how little of that treatment Roosevelt is accepting. Wister also asks how Roosevelt is doing.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-11-01

Creator(s)

Wister, Owen, 1860-1938

Letter from Owen Wister to Theodore Roosevelt

Western writer Owen Wister sends President Roosevelt his congratulations on the upcoming marriage of Alice Roosevelt to Nicholas Longworth, whom Wister has liked since first meeting him at Harvard’s Porcellian Club. Wister apologizes for not having written sooner, as he was laid up with sickness for a few months and is only just recovering at a resort in Browns Mills, New Jersey. Wister hopes to visit the Roosevelts soon, to discuss Russian Ambassador Vitte, matters in Philadelphia where his wife, Mary Channing Wister, has been active, and the unfortunate passing of their friend, former Rough Rider Woodbury Kane. Wister concludes by wishing the Roosevelts a merry Christmas.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-12-17

Creator(s)

Wister, Owen, 1860-1938

Letter from Owen Wister to Theodore Roosevelt

Owen Wister hopes to visit with President Roosevelt soon. Wister is also working on his next novel.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-08-28

Creator(s)

Wister, Owen, 1860-1938

Letter from Owen Wister to Theodore Roosevelt

Owen Wister writes at the request of Rowland Gibson Hazard, but he understands that President Roosevelt can probably not do what Hazard wants him to do.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-08-23

Creator(s)

Wister, Owen, 1860-1938

Letter from Owen Wister to Theodore Roosevelt

Owen Wister writes that this is his first letter since having his appendix removed. He thanks President Roosevelt for the invitation to visit but feels he would be a poor guest at the moment and advises Roosevelt to avoid getting his appendix removed if he can help it.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-06-08

Creator(s)

Wister, Owen, 1860-1938

Letter from Owen Wister to Theodore Roosevelt

Owen Wister thanks President Roosevelt for the kind note and informs Roosevelt that Senator Smoot will be visiting alone on Saturday afternoon.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-04

Creator(s)

Wister, Owen, 1860-1938

Letter from Owen Wister to Theodore Roosevelt

Owen Wister encloses a letter from his friend, who wishes that President Roosevelt would write a biography of Abraham Lincoln. Wister knows that he cannot persuade Roosevelt to do anything he does not have time for, but assures him that if he undertook the project he would have at least one reader.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908

Creator(s)

Wister, Owen, 1860-1938

Our country and the scholar

A publication of the address by Owen Wister, graduate of Harvard University class of 1882, originally delivered at the award of academic distinctions. Wister discusses the importance of developing scholarship in the United States and gives examples of fine American ingenuity. He exhorts the assembled students at Harvard to become well-versed in a variety of fields.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-12-23

Creator(s)

Wister, Owen, 1860-1938

Letter from Owen Wister to Theodore Roosevelt

Owen Wister notes that he has not seen President Roosevelt since 1907 and proposes to visit him in the upcoming weeks. Wister would like to talk about what Roosevelt has accomplished, discuss possible short biographies he hopes to write, and speak with Roosevelt undisturbed by callers and distractions.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-01-06

Creator(s)

Wister, Owen, 1860-1938

Letter from Owen Wister to Theodore Roosevelt

Owen Wister asks to see President Roosevelt and his wife Edith. He wants to discuss the “Negro question.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-04-09

Creator(s)

Wister, Owen, 1860-1938

Telegram from Owen Wister to Theodore Roosevelt

Owen Wister will visit President Roosevelt at 6:00.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-01-13

Creator(s)

Wister, Owen, 1860-1938