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Theodore Roosevelt writes to Belle Roosevelt and discusses, at length, the sadness over Quentin Roosevelt’s death. Roosevelt also discusses Archie Roosevelt’s injuries and the status of the rest of the family.
1918-08-11
Theodore Roosevelt updates Belle Roosevelt on the status of the family. Ethel Roosevelt Derby’s husband has been unable to travel to Europe, and her son is still recovering from surgery. Quentin Roosevelt’s fiancee Flora Payne Whitney recently visited for dinner.
1917-09-01
Theodore Roosevelt writes from his daughter’s home in Dark Harbor, Maine. He writes what a comfort it has been to him and Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt to be surrounded by family and especially notes the bond between the grandchildren and Edith. Roosevelt mentions that Flora Whitney, Quentin Roosevelt’s fiancée, is with them and is particularly brave. He both dreads and cherishes the letters from Quentin that keep arriving in the mail.
1918-08-10
Theodore Roosevelt writes to his sister during a visit to his daughter, Ethel Roosevelt Derby. He describes his grandchildren and how they have been a comfort to him and Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt. Roosevelt writes about the deaths of Quentin Roosevelt and Stewart Douglas Robinson and the tragedy of death at such a young age. Roosevelt mentions that he and Edith do not wish to publish Quentin’s letters.
1918-08-03
Theodore Roosevelt writes his son Kermit and daughter-in-law Belle to say he is happy and surprised they are able to live together. He tells Belle to take care of herself and says he is glad Kermit is with the artillery. Roosevelt says Ethel Roosevelt Derby and Quentin’s fiancee Flora Payne Whitney are coming down to stay with Mother who is heart-broken over Quentin’s death, and Archie Roosevelt will be sent home soon as well. He closes by saying he is asking for the money from his Nobel Prize back from Congress so he can give it to charities. Enclosed was a sheet of French stamps.
1918-08-22
Theodore Roosevelt writes his son Kermit about mourning Quentin Roosevelt and how upset he is Flora Payne Whitney was not able to go to Europe and marry him before he died. Roosevelt tells Kermit to write to Rudyard Kipling and that he will not give him any advice on machine guns or tanks because he trusts Kermit’s judgment. He is upset to have to sit and watch everything happen because he is too old to help.
1918-08-18
Theodore Roosevelt writes to his son Kermit about the amazing things American newspapers are saying about Roosevelt’s four sons and how they contrast them with German Kaiser Wilhelm II’s sons. He says Quentin Roosevelt’s grave has been discovered and his fiancee Flora Payne Whitney will stay with Ethel Roosevelt Derby. Roosevelt talks of letters from Belle Roosevelt and Aunt Emily Tyler Carow and how he is doing all he can to get people to speed up the war.
1918-08-10
Theodore Roosevelt writes his son Kermit to say nineteen of his letters arrived in one day. Roosevelt discusses his views on the author Thomas Hardy and literature in general. He writes about Quentin Roosevelt’s death and how Mother and Quentin’s fiancee Flora Payne Whitney are doing. He adds he wrote to General John Pershing regarding Kermit being assigned to machine gun work.
1918-08-04
Theodore Roosevelt writes his son Kermit regarding Quentin Roosevelt’s death and how everyone at Sagamore Hill is dealing with the news. He says he could not be prouder of his sons and would not have had it any other way. He says he and Mother went rowing to help ease their minds.
1918-07-21
Theodore Roosevelt writes his son Kermit and is concerned he has not been getting his letters so that he does not know he has been appointed a captain of artillery and must report to Madrid, Spain. He says Flora Payne Whitney has permission from her father to go to Europe and marry Quentin Roosevelt and Quentin is upset there are still no planes to fly over France. Roosevelt reports that Major Wadsworth is dead and the son of his friend Frederick Courteney Selous was killed.
1918-05-12
Theodore Roosevelt writes to his son Kermit about a letter from the British ambassador regarding getting Kermit a commission in the British military to serve in Mesopotamia. He says everything is up in the air so Kermit should try and get a commission in the United States army and see what happens. He also reports that Quentin Roosevelt is engaged to Flora Whitney and Archie leaving has been difficult for his wife, Grace Stackpole Lockwood Roosevelt.
1917-07-01
A narrative of Quentin Roosevelt’s air service with First Pursuit Group and subsequent actions leading up to his death in 1918. Narrative also includes notes on Flora Whitney, Roosevelt’s fiance at the time of his death, Ham Coolidge, a good friend to Roosevelt as well as Roosevelt’s life in Oyster Bay, New York.
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site
1918
One of last letters written by Quentin Roosevelt to his mother. Postmarked in Oyster Bay, Aug 5, 1918, three weeks after his death and forwarded to Edith Roosevelt in Maine. Quentin talks about his first weeks on the front and what life will be like when he gets back to the States.
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site
1918-06-25
Quentin Roosevelt describes his ill health and being put in charge of a squadron and having 600 recruits from the United States arrive in France where they are not prepared to train them. Also mentions how he is trying to see “action” on the front. Evidence of military censor on pages 5 and 6. The document is half typed, half handwritten.
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site
1917-12-17
Quentin Roosevelt writes to his mother about his tardiness in letter writing and his mild case of pneumonia that had him hospitalized.
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site
1917-12-18
Quentin Roosevelt’s prayer book from while he served in France during World War I. He wrote original prayers and poems on the inside pages and kept a photograph of his fiance, Flora Whitney, in it.
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site
1917
Quentin Roosevelt writes to his father about not receiving nor sending mail recently and worried mail from United States might have been lost at sea. He then discusses the state of the US air forces in France, seeing Archibald and Eleanor Butler Roosevelt and asks if his father has any news on why his fiance Flora Miller cannot come to Paris right now.
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site
1918-05-12
Quentin Roosevelt writes to his mother about managing a 200-truck convoy; working long hours, checking supplies for theft and loss. He also talks about how he is happy his mother likes Flora Whitney, his fiancee.
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site
1917
Quentin Roosevelt writes to his father about his busy daily activity as supply officer at the American Aviation School.
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site
1917-08-22
“Well love all especially Flora.”
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site
1917-08-15