Your TR Source
President Roosevelt congratulates Guy Murchie on the birth of his son John Donald, and says he would be glad to serve as godfather, provided he can do so by proxy. He is also pleased at what Murchie says about his own son, Ted.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-12-12
President Roosevelt would have to remove Frank W. Howbert to make room for Sherman M. Bell, and he cannot make promises without “full and thorough knowledge of the subject.” He is sorry he cannot immediately do as Howbert wishes. Roosevelt sends his regards to Bell’s wife, Mary Effie Hannon Bell, on the recent birth of their baby.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-01-21
President Roosevelt congratulates the Raynolds family and the stork.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1904-02-13
President Roosevelt was pleased to hear the good news that the stork brought and sends his regards to Mrs. McGaffey.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-11-08
President Roosevelt admires people who do their full duty; he compares the mother of many children, the soldier who fought well, and the man who worked hard. Roosevelt believes that a race that will not fight and “flinch from breeding” will bring about the death of their own race.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-07-19
“Three cheers for the mother and the baby boy!”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1903-03-15
William B. Hidden argues that race suicide would be prevented if women did not feel “an abnormal dread of the pangs of maternity” through the controlled use of chloroform. He sends Theodore Roosevelt an account to help overcome the belief that chloroform is a “dangerous drug.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-04-18
Cecil Spring Rice asks Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt if President Roosevelt would be his son’s godfather, which would simply give permission to use the name. He will be leaving for Stockholm, but Florence Spring Rice, who handled the pregnancy well, will of course be staying home.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-09-15
Lawrence F. Abbott thanks President Roosevelt for the letter and tells him that he had it read to his wife, Winifred Buck Abbott, and the nurse. He jokes that the Roosevelt proved that presidents can speak about non-government matters. He teases that his over nine pound baby boy and healthy wife make him strong on “race suicide,” even if he is weak on “nature fakers.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-07-10
King Alfonso XIII of Spain wishes to thank President Roosevelt for his note regarding the birth of Alfonso’s son.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-05-18
Ralph Delahaye Paine is proud to report that his wife had a baby and both are in good health. Paine and his wife sincerely appreciate the letter and note of congratulations from President Roosevelt. Paine’s book, The Praying Skipper and Other Stories, will be published this week.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-03-31
Eleanor B. Caldwell’s poem describes the pain and spirituality of childbirth.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-07-12
Drawing on examples of fish and bird reproduction, George B. Grant proposes that surrogate motherhood in humans is possible. If developed, the practice would ease “the educated and wealthy[‘s]” fears about death in childbirth, thus preventing race suicide.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-03-30
Since he last wrote, William Wingate Sewall has a new son. Mary Alice Sherman Sewall and the boy are doing well. There are 250 cows on the ranch and, even though some of them do not have calves, their herd is doing the best out of any along the Little Missouri River.
State Historical Society of North Dakota
1886-08-07
On behalf of President Roosevelt, William Loeb congratulates James Andrew Drain on the birth of his son.
1903-11-11
Theodore Roosevelt is overjoyed with the birth of Archibald Roosevelt’s son, also named Archibald. He regrets he was unable to see Grace Stackpole Lockwood Roosevelt before the baby was born, but Ethel Roosevelt Derby was there for the birth. After protests from William Emlen Roosevelt, Roosevelt has changed his mind about publishing Archie’s articles. He fears that the War Department could identify Archie as the author and cause him trouble. Roosevelt encloses a complimentary letter he received from one of the men in Archie’s company.
1918-02-25
Theodore Roosevelt was “overjoyed and relieved” to hear of the birth of Corinne Douglas Robinson. He is currently hosting Lispenard Stewart and Doctor Taylor at his ranch. They are getting along well but are very sore from yesterday’s long ride. Roosevelt gave a Fourth of July speech in Dickinson to a “great crowd of cowboys and grangers.” He is reluctant to accept Mayor William Russell Grace’s offer and if he continues to make long stays in Dakota Territory he may entirely give up his eastern life.
1886-07-05
Theodore Roosevelt announces the birth of his daughter, Alice Roosevelt. Alice Lee Roosevelt is “only fairly well.”
1884-02-14
President Wilson as a doctor stands at an open door labeled “63rd Congress,” telling Uncle Sam as an expectant father standing outside the door that it looks like “it’s going to be twins.” In other words, the 63rd Congress will pass legislation on tariff reform and currency reform, as Oscar W. Underwood, coming upstairs, brings a second bed labeled “Currency Reform” to place next to a bed labeled “Tariff Reform.” Caption: Dr. Wilson–Prepare yourself for a great joy. I think it’s going to be twins.
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
1913-07-16
Theodore Roosevelt writes to Anna Roosevelt Cowles to explain he has written to Theodore Roosevelt Jr., and everything went as well as possible with Eleanor Butler Alexander Roosevelt, who has given birth to her first child, Grace Green Roosevelt. Roosevelt received a letter from Grace Green Alexander, who told him that mother and child are doing well. Roosevelt and Edith Roosevelt are happy to be grandparents. Roosevelt is glad that Cowles’s doctor has encouraged her to go back to Mount Clemens. He is looking forward to her visit in the fall.
1911-08-25