McMillan, William Northrup, Sir, 1872-1925

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to John Jay White

President Roosevelt thanks John Jay White for the letter and advice about his upcoming Africa trip. Reverend W. S. Rainsford wrote to him along similar lines. Roosevelt has directed R. J. Cunninghame to hire the necessary support staff, and he mentioned the names White suggested. He hopes to begin the hunting expedition very soon after arriving in Africa, and will travel during the rainy season if at all possible. He invites White to come see him in Washington on his return from Richmond.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-02-04

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to R. J. Cunninghame

President Roosevelt places R. J. Cunninghame in charge of managing his safari caravan, and details his expectations for the trip. Roosevelt wants to begin hunting as quickly as possible after arriving in British East Africa and spending several weeks at Alfred E. Pease’s ranch to improve his physical fitness. Cunninghame should hire the necessary support staff and porters at his discretion. Roosevelt wants to hunt some of the “common game” near the railroad so that their skins can be easily transported, but he also hopes to kill big game and is willing to “go to any trouble” to do so.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-01-31

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to R. J. Cunninghame

President Roosevelt was pleased to learn from Frederick Courteney Selous that R. J. Cunninghame had been hired to lead his upcoming African safari. He explains his current plans for the trip, hunting through East Africa for eight or nine months and then meeting boats at Gondokoro and traveling down the Nile River. Roosevelt hopes to hunt some big game to be given as specimens to the National Museum, but does not wish to indiscriminately slaughter animals while he is there. He would also like to avoid hunting in the vicinity of Nairobi, as there are sure to be newspapermen, and instead plans to head to the ranches of Sir Alfred E. Pease and Sir William Northrup McMillan at first. Roosevelt asks Cunninghame to communicate with Smith, Mackenzie & Co., and Newland, Tarlton & Co. to find out when his supplies reach Africa, and to make any arrangements necessary.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-12-26

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to John L. Harrington

President Roosevelt thanks John L. Harrington for sending a map, which gave him exactly the information he wanted. Roosevelt is extremely eager to get to Africa for his safari, and appreciates all the assistance Harrington has given him in writing to various people.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-12-29

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Edward North Buxton

President Roosevelt agrees with Edward North Buxton regarding the cartridge size, and thinks Buxton is correct about sending him the rifle to try. Roosevelt sends Buxton his head measurements for a pith helmet, and asks him to order various other necessary supplies to have sent to Mombasa. Roosevelt recently spoke with Francis Richard Charles Guy Greville, Lord Warwick, who seemed to be “a good fellow.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-12-26

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frederick Courteney Selous

President Roosevelt provides Frederick Courteney Selous with an excerpt of a letter from Governor Frederick John Jackson which outlines a potential itinerary for his African safari. Jackson suggests starting at Alfred E. Pease’s ranch and staying close to Nairobi before going further afield. Roosevelt plans to amend the itinerary to make a loop into hunting grounds where J. H. Patterson hunted. Roosevelt expresses concern that reporters might try to arrange a caravan to follow him on his trip, and wonders if Jackson can prevent them from doing so.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-11-25

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frederick Courteney Selous

President Roosevelt is pleased to learn that Frederick Courteney Selous has engaged R. J. Cunninghame as head man for his upcoming hunting trip in Africa. He believes that they can get all the Shikari guides they need from William Northrup McMillan. He agrees with Selous’s suggestion of sending the boxes of provisions to Nairobi. Roosevelt notes that he would like to go straight to Alfred E. Pease’s ranch and not go to Nairobi until later, unless his friends think that would be inadvisable. He discusses several routes he might take to hunt.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-11-12

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to James J. Harrison

President Roosevelt thanks James J. Harrison for writing to Frederick Courtney Selous. He is interested in Harrison’s suggestion that he should not waste time hunting for elephants in British East Africa, and should instead go to Uganda, and then on the Nile.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-11-12

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frederick Courteney Selous

President Roosevelt is pleased to hear that Frederick Courteney Selous has written to R. J. Cunninghame about being head man on his upcoming trip to Africa. He is also glad to hear that William Northrup McMillan is willing to provide him with hunters for the trip. However, Roosevelt wants it made clear that Cunninghame has the final say on personnel on the trip. Roosevelt is glad he will have the opportunity to try to kill buffalo, but wants to make it clear that he is more focused on acquiring the main big game. He also clarifies that he does not aim to get record specimens but simply good ones.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-11-09

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frederick Courteney Selous

President Roosevelt tells Frederick Courteney Selous that Sir Harry Johnston has been staying with him and has advised that he should find some Gulf Arabs to accompany him on his African trip. Johnston also has recommended a man to serve as shikari. Roosevelt inquires as to which Cunningham Selous wrote him about.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-11-07

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Alfred E. Pease

President Roosevelt tells Alfred E. Pease that he will go to his ranch first upon arriving in Africa and afterward go to William Northrup McMillan’s. Roosevelt discusses Abel Chapman’s book on hunting and is concerned that he will have trouble getting wildebeest and hartebeest due to his poor skill at long-range shooting. He would also like to discuss with the Belgians the best locations for him to shoot a white rhinoceros.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-11-06

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frederick Courteney Selous

President Roosevelt has had a nice letter from William Northrup McMillan; he hopes that Frederick Courteney Selous will visit McMillan while he is in Africa, and that perhaps they can take the same steamer there. He will receive maps and itineraries from J. H. Patterson, Lieutenant-Governor Frederick John Jackson, and a German officer, all suggesting different trips and routes he can take. He sends Jackson’s and the German’s itineraries to Selous. Roosevelt will decide which exact trips he wants to take when he gets to Africa.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-11-02

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frederick John Jackson

President Roosevelt thanks Lieutenant-Governor Jackson for his letter and advice on which outfitters to use on his trip to Africa. Roosevelt outlines his initial travel plans, and encloses an itinerary from a German officer, on which he asks Jackson’s opinion. He discusses the many kinds of animals that he and his son Kermit Roosevelt would like to shoot, and assures Jackson that the majority of the trophies will be for the National Museum. Roosevelt asks advice on the types of formal clothes to bring to Africa.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-11-02

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Edmund Heller

President Roosevelt is pleased that Edmund Heller has agreed to join him and his son Kermit Roosevelt on the African safari. Heller will be joining J. Alden Loring and Edgar Alexander Mearns to work as a naturalist and collect zoological samples on the trip. Roosevelt clarifies that only he and Kermit will be shooting big game, as two rifles is the limit for a good hunt. Roosevelt also discusses the itinerary for the trip and the supplies that Heller, Loring, and Mearns will need to acquire for themselves.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-10-24

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Edward North Buxton

President Roosevelt tells Edward North Buxton that the zoologist Surgeon Major Edgar Alexander Mearns will be accompanying him on his trip. Roosevelt discusses his plans for hunting in Africa and notes that only he and his son Kermit will be shooting on the trip. He discusses the different boots, supplies, and maps that Buxton has written him about, and asks about the Earl of Warwick, Leopold Guy Francis Maynard Greville, who has been to Africa and says he knows Buxton. Roosevelt is heartened to hear that Greville is fifty-five and in good health and says he felt good and had fun in Africa.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-10-23

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

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

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

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

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

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

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from J. Franklin Fort to Theodore Roosevelt

J. Franklin Fort writes to Theodore Roosevelt to tell him that William Northup McMillan has returned to the country from British East Africa in order to visit his mother, Eliza McMillan. Fort is telling Roosevelt this information in case he wanted to meet with McMillan before he left the country again.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-08-29

Creator(s)

Fort, J. Franklin (John Franklin), 1852-1920

Letter from F. A. Clifford and Jacob A. Fagerlund to Theodore Roosevelt

F. A. Clifford and Jacob A. Fagerlund, two prospectors, ask Theodore Roosevelt to settle their argument about the name of the ranchman that he stayed with while in Nairobi. Clifford believes it was “McMillan,” while Jacob thinks it is “McAllister.” They send Roosevelt some dried specimens of desert flowers and a mesquite clipping to plant in his yard as a reminder of Arizona.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-07-30

Creator(s)

Clifford, F. A.; Fagerlund, Jacob A. (Jacob Alfred), 1866-1937