Buxton, Edward North, 1840-1924

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frederick Courteney Selous

President Roosevelt has decided to follow Frederick Courteney Selous’s advice and hire a white man to head his African safari, despite objections from Edward North Buxton. Roosevelt would like Selous to hire either R. J. Cunninghame or William C. Judd for the job, if possible. He provides a list of the provisions that he would like to bring on the trip.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-10-12

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Alfred E. Pease

In spite of Edward North Buxton’s assertion that it is a “fearful instance of effeminacy,” President Roosevelt has decided to follow the advice of Frederick Courteney Selous and hire a man to manage his caravan on his African safari. Roosevelt tells Sir Alfred E. Pease that he would like to hire R. J. Cunninghame or William Judd. Roosevelt explains that he would like to hire someone because he wants to devote his time to hunting and studying animals, and because it would make things easier for him. Roosevelt also discusses where he would like to hunt.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-10-12

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to J. H. Patterson

President Roosevelt is finishing arrangements for his African safari with the help of Edward North Buxton and Frederick Courteney Selous. He discusses where he will hunt and notes that he would like to travel to where J. H. Patterson went last year, as he saw many animals there. He asks Patterson to tell him where it is and how long it would take to go there. Roosevelt hopes to see Patterson soon.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-10-12

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to National Bank of India

Edward North Buxton has sent another check to the National Bank of India, bringing President Roosevelt’s account total to $3000. Roosevelt instructs the bank to keep it for him until he arrives or to pay Sir Alfred E. Pease.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-10-12

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frederick Courteney Selous

President Roosevelt encloses for Frederick Courteney Selous a copy of an invitation from William Northrup McMillan. He explains that he has asked McMillan to contact Selous and Edward North Buxton when making arrangements. Alfred E. Pease has said that Sirdar F. R. Wingate could likely provide leather mosquito stockings, but Roosevelt would rather have Selous ask the outfitter Lawn & Alder to have them made and sent. William C. Judd seems like the best choice for managing the caravan.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-09-25

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Alfred E. Pease

President Roosevelt received Alfred E. Pease’s letter on the same day as an invitation from William Northrup McMillan, and he has asked McMillan to contact Pease, Frederick Courteney Selous and Edward North Buxton for making arrangements. Sirdar F. R. Wingate has offered a boat in Gondokoro, and from there Roosevelt will hunt for white rhinoceros before tackling game from the exhaustive list of creatures Pease has said can be found on the Nile. Roosevelt is glad he will be able to restock supplies in Nairobi. At present Roosevelt’s time is consumed by the political campaigns in the United States. He hopes to see Harry Johnston soon, with whom he has an ongoing intellectual correspondence.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-09-25

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Northrup McMillan

President Roosevelt thanks William Northrup McMillan for the invitation to stay at the farm in Nairobi, and says he will likely come after staying with Alfred E. Pease and before taking the trip McMillan suggested. Roosevelt will be joined by Kermit Roosevelt and General Edgar Alexander Mearns, and he will be shooting specimens for the National Museum. For further planning Roosevelt asks McMillan to be in contact with Edward North Buxton, Frederick Courteney Selous, and Pease. After going through British East Africa Roosevelt will go on to the Nile and meet Sirdar F. R. Wingate and Leigh S. J. Hunt.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-09-25

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Kermit Roosevelt

President Roosevelt informs Kermit Roosevelt that Edward North Buxton has sent the boots, and reminds Kermit that he absolutely must get back to Harvard by September 30. In Oyster Bay, Roosevelt and Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt went for their last row and had the townspeople over for a nice afternoon. The Winchester rifles arrived with improper sights, and Roosevelt has responded with a harsh letter.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-09-19

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Cecil Spring Rice

President Roosevelt found the letter that Cecil Spring Rice sent to Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt about safari dangers to be quite hilarious, as did she, in a morose way. Roosevelt felt it would not be right to stay on as President, and he is glad the Africa trip is ahead. Roosevelt expresses his interest in the complex political situation unfolding in Turkey and the surrounding countries. He hopes Spring Rice can come to England and discuss politics in person.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-09-17

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Kermit Roosevelt

President Roosevelt updates Kermit Roosevelt on preparations for their Safari and on family life. Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt has lately been exposed to commentary about the potential dangers of the trip, including letters from Cecil Spring Rice and an article in The Public Ledger. The Roosevelt family celebrated Ted Roosevelt’s birthday with a picnic, and Roosevelt feels strongly that Ted will be successful in his upcoming ventures. Soon Archie Roosevelt will be heading back to school and summer will give way to fall.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-09-14

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frederick Courteney Selous

President Roosevelt thanks Frederick Courteney Selous for the recent letter containing travel suggestions and details changes he has made in light of it. He compares his own past adventures and future safari to Selous’s travels. Roosevelt responds to Selous’s comments on potential safari guides, and asks if Selous will confer with Edward North Buxton on the topic and send back his suggestions. In a postscript, he asks for Selous’s opinion on taking William C. Judd with him, specifically as a caravan manager and guide.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-09-12

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Whitelaw Reid

President Roosevelt agrees with Ambassador Reid’s assessment of the interviewing being done by Edward VII, King of England. He thanks Reid for the introduction to Phillip H. Percival. After conferring with Edward North Buxton, Roosevelt has decided not to shoot in the reserves, and rescinds his request to Lord Eyre Crowe. Instead he asks only for permission regarding restricted species. The Sirdar of Egypt, F. R. Wingate, has written to Roosevelt about Sudan.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-09-12

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Alfred E. Pease

President Roosevelt has received Alfred E. Pease’s letter, and has also heard from Edward North Buxton. As Pease suggested, he sent funds to Buxton and to Nairobi. A friend recently told him about the same lion country Pease mentioned, and Roosevelt thinks it is ideal. Currently, Roosevelt finds it “difficult to devote full attention to my Presidential work […] because I am looking forward so eagerly to my African trip!”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-09-05

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frederick Courteney Selous

President Roosevelt encloses the revised lists of supplies for Frederick Courteney Selous. He discusses his reasoning behind the revisions and provides Selous with his travel itinerary. Gerrit Forbes recently visited Roosevelt and recounted his recent hunt in Africa. Roosevelt is reluctant to hire a white man for the trip but will do so if Selous suggests it.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-08-19

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Arthur Hamilton Lee

President Roosevelt is looking forward to visiting Arthur Hamilton Lee while in England. If Roosevelt visits in the fall he would be pleased to visit Lee’s hunting lodge, and he details his experiences in deer stalking and fox hunting. Roosevelt agrees with Lee on international athletics and finds that such competition often ends in an unhealthy bitterness. Roosevelt will read The Quarterly, in particular the article on Germany, and he has things to say to Lee in person rather than on paper.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-09-17

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Percy C. Madeira

President Roosevelt tells Percy C. Madeira that he has sent exactly the information Roosevelt needs for his upcoming African safari. Roosevelt will follow Madeira’s recommendations about books to read, getting maps of the region through American Embassies, short trips to get into shape, and boats for navigating the Nile.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-07-31

Letter from William Loeb to Marcellus F. Berry

William Loeb acknowledges Marcellus F. Berry’s letter reporting the arrival of a package of books from Edward North Buxton. Berry should pay the duty as suggested and forward the package to Oyster Bay.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-07-30

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to F. R. Wingate

President Roosevelt asks F. R. Wingate several questions regarding his upcoming African safari, including where to find the best game, the best way to travel up the Nile, and when the best time would be to start writing to make arrangements for hunters, equipment shipments, and so on. Roosevelt emphasizes that he expects no special favors or treatment and that he is “no game butcher.” He intends to get hunting trophies for the National Museum of Natural History and perhaps a bull elephant of his own if “entirely proper.” Roosevelt is eager to see how the British are governing Egypt and East Africa, having recently read Modern Egypt by Evelyn Baring Cromer, and sympathises with the difficulty of colonial rule.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-07-29

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Alfred E. Pease

President Roosevelt heartily accepts Sir Alfred E. Pease’s invitation to stay at his ranch in Africa. Roosevelt gives many details and asks questions about his safari planning, including: his itinerary to Mombasa; game he would like to find; his lack of physical fitness and the necessity to start out slowly; how much money he should advance to various outfitters; pack horses and saddles; taxidermists and naturalists he plans to bring along; hunting rifles and ammunition for the trip.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-07-28

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frederick John Jackson

President Roosevelt consults Frederick John Jackson, Lieutenant-Governor of British East Africa, about his upcoming safari. Roosevelt plans to spend at least six months in British East Africa, and perhaps German East Africa, to collect specimens for the Smithsonian Institution. Roosevelt does not want to be a bother, but ventures to ask Jackson if he has any recommendations about where he should go to get porters, or which stores he should use for supplies. Roosevelt does not want any undue consideration when he is in Africa, as he will be a private citizen.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-07-16