Your TR Source
Theodore Roosevelt writes his son Kermit regarding a letter Kermit had written months earlier and telling him if he does not like his commission as captain of artillery, perhaps he can be transferred. He says Mother is proud of her sons but feels anxiety. He adds that Robert Perkins visited and his friend William Beebe is sick.
1918-07-16
Theodore Roosevelt writes to his son Kermit and daughter-in-law Belle about his trip to the West Indies with Edith, specifically about spending time with William Beebe and three other naturalists. Roosevelt gives updates on the family and says he and Edith smile every time they think of Kermit, Belle, and baby Kermit.
1916-03-04
Theodore Roosevelt sends a personal letter of thanks to Charles Beebe, expressing great esteem for Beebe’s son William and William’s wife, Blair.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1912-07-18
Theodore Roosevelt introduces Richard Achilles Ballinger to C. William Beebe, curator of ornithology at the New York Zoological Park. Roosevelt praises Beebe’s work in collecting American birds and supports his request to collect migratory birds near lighthouses for the park’s collection. He urges Ballinger to grant permission and facilitate communication with the appropriate bureau.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-09-08
Theodore Roosevelt writes to Frank M. Chapman about the Popular Science article and a criticism of Roosevelt’s “Appendix E” by Thayer, in a letter to the Tribune. He also finds Chapman’s Trinidad article very interesting and disagrees on several points about the birds of Trinidad, although he concedes that Chapman’s experience and training is greater than his own. Roosevelt further discusses his arguments about the coloration, cover, behavior, and habit of birds in the United States, Africa, and Latin America. He thanks Chapman for the interest in his article, thoroughly enjoyed his visit the other day, and will take his notes on the galley sheets into advisement. He returns The Awk and Osborn’s copy of Nature. In the addendum, Roosevelt answers Thayer’s criticism in the Popular Science magazine.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-06-29
On behalf of Theodore Roosevelt, his secretary invites Frank M. Chapman to lunch at Oyster Bay next Saturday. He suggests Mr. Chapman bring Mr. Beebe, since he has been out for pheasants, and that they take the 11 a.m. train from Pennsylvania Station. As an alternative, he suggests lunch at The Outlook office on Tuesday at 1 p.m.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-06-20
Theodore Roosevelt cautions J. D. Haseman that Haseman’s personal experience with piranhas is not enough to ignore the facts regarding piranhas attacking men and animals. If this is Haseman’s state of mind, he is not fit to “write a scientific book worth reading.” Scientists with more experience have stated that piranhas attack people. Roosevelt has personally viewed attacks while in South America. Haseman has a reputation for having a bad temper and ignoring facts. If he ignores the facts about piranhas, his scientific work cannot be taken seriously.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1915-08-30
Theodore Roosevelt comments on William Beebe’s situation by writing that a man who takes another man’s wife should be held to instant account.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1913-09-05
William T. Hornaday thanks Theodore Roosevelt for the letter which was sent to William Beebe. Hornaday believes Beebe is the world’s greatest ornithologist in part because, like Hornaday, he is committed to “making interesting zoological knowledge available to the millions who are interested in birds.” Hornaday would like Roosevelt to attend the opening of the Heads and Horns Collection in the Spring of 1918.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1916-10-10
William T. Hornaday clarifies the circumstances regarding the divorce of Curator of Birds William Beebe. Rather than a marriage of cruelty as reported, it appears that his wife fell in love with another man.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1913-09-04
Tweed Roosevelt examines five different types of books about Theodore Roosevelt, ranging from biographies to other works in which he plays only a marginal role, and Roosevelt cites several examples of each. Roosevelt also identifies four “really, really bad books” about Theodore Roosevelt, but he focuses on James Bradley’s The Imperial Cruise: A Secret History of Empire and War. Roosevelt details some of the shortcomings of Bradley’s book, including unnecessary numbers of footnotes, unsubstantiated claims against Theodore Roosevelt, and selective use of quotations. Roosevelt also considers how authors manage to publish and publicize such bad books, and he cites the unwillingness of reviewers to write negative reviews and the historical ignorance of those who interview the authors.
Eight photographs and two illustrations supplement the text.
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal
2010
Theodore Roosevelt suggests that William Beebe get a Ford car to travel to hunting grounds from his research station in Guyana.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1916-05-03
Theodore Roosevelt was depressed to hear that Tommy Hitchcock was captured by the Germans. Various information has been received regarding Archibald Roosevelt. It appears that he has been wounded and received the Croix de guerre from the French. Roosevelt encourages Quentin Roosevelt to write to Flora Whitney and her family to ask if Flora could go overseas to marry him. Roosevelt approves of them getting married, even with the potential for death and serious injury. He is confident that Flora wants to marry Quentin under any conditions. William Beebe has returned from France where he was allowed to do some “flying and bombing.”
1918-03-17