Your TR Source
Theodore Roosevelt addresses the faked pictures in A. G. Wallihan’s book. When Roosevelt wrote the preface to the book, he vouched only for the pictures that he saw. Wallihan’s name is responsible for all of the pictures.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1898-03-28
Theodore Roosevelt sends George Bird Grinnell two letters. In one of the letters, A. G. Wallihan “practically admits that we didn’t do him any injustices.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1898-04-07
Edgar Alexander Mearns will be relieved from duty at Fort Totten, New York, and will report for duty in “connection with the operations of the Roosevelt Scientific Expedition to Africa.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-08-08
C. Hart Merriam is in the process of revising a review of Roosevelt’s Life Histories of African Game Animals. Merriam says that the book is “one of the most complete and useful works ever written on the game animals of any country.” The delay has been caused by the desire for books about the war.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1916-01-15
Edward William Nelson thanks Theodore Roosevelt for his letter and the copy of the Outlook, which included his review of Charles Sheldon’s book. He agrees that Sheldon should continue to work as a naturalist. Naturalist C. Hart Merriam expects to publish his book on bears and continue doing mammal work. Nelson would be pleased to visit Roosevelt during his upcoming visit to New York.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-12-09
Edward William Nelson sends Theodore Roosevelt some of his findings on the natural history of Alaska. He includes reports on the habits of birds and the material culture of the indigenous people of the Bering Strait. Nelson read Roosevelt’s “extremely interesting and valuable” article on animal coloration and agrees that Thayer and other naturalists “have gone beyond all reason” in their conclusions.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-12-02
Frank M. Chapman shares his congratulations with Theodore Roosevelt over Kermit Roosevelt’s successful expedition. Chapman also invites Roosevelt to visit the museum and have lunch with him whenever it is convenient for him.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-09-05
John Burroughs is spending the summer on his farm in New York and working on a collection of essays. Burroughs has not seen the Abbott Handerson Thayer article that Roosevelt mentioned, but believes that Thayer has let his “artistic temperament run away with him.” Burroughs praises Roosevelt’s article on Dante in The Outlook, and notes that he has not yet seen Roosevelt’s Chapman paper. Burroughs believes that “the race of nature fakirs has ceased to breed.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-09-06
Abbot Handerson Thayer rebukes Theodore Roosevelt and other naturalists who criticize something they will not investigate for themselves, namely animal adaptation and coloring. He invites Roosevelt to experience his imitation zebra and learn for himself.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-08-27
Charles D. Walcott, secretary of the Smithsonian, informs Theodore Roosevelt that the zoologist Edmund Heller has an opportunity to travel to northern British East Africa for eight months with the hunter Paul Rainey. The fauna there will supplement Roosevelt’s collections and Heller is willing to go, but hesitant because it would delay is report on mammals. Walcott asks Roosevelt whether he thinks a delay in the report is warranted under the circumstances.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1911-02-02
Recognizing Theodore Roosevelt as a fellow naturalist, W. S. Blatchley sends Roosevelt a copy of his recent work on “Coleoptera or Beetles of Indiana.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1910-12-07
Henry Earle Riggs tells President Roosevelt about William H. Brown, an American hunter and naturalist who has lived in South Africa for twenty years. Riggs hopes that Roosevelt will get the opportunity to meet him while Roosevelt is on his Africa trip.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1909-02-15
J. Alden Loring thanks Theodore Roosevelt for selecting him to serve as a field naturalist on the African scientific expedition. Loring describes his plans to publish articles on the expedition, saying “a two column article occasionally would in no way conflict with your literary work.” Loring is in need of the money from publishing such articles.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1909-01-01
Edgar Alexander Mearns is delighted to be reminded of his upcoming role as naturalist and medical adviser on Theodore Roosevelt’s trip to Africa. Mearns advises Roosevelt on approaches for sterilizing water, medical outfits, and equipment. Medicine for “native ‘boys’ and friends can be conveniently boxed.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-07-31
Edgar Alexander Mearns agrees to Theodore Roosevelt’s publication stipulations on the Africa expedition. Roosevelt’s publications must come first. In order to complete early preparations for the trip, Mearns requests an official order from the War Department outlining his duties. Mearns suggests other members of the American Museum staff who might be good candidates for the expedition. Mearns also asks Roosevelt whether he should make plans for the “systematic treatment of natives outside of your own party.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-08-04
Cyrus Adler, acting secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, would prefer if the final decision of who is to accompany President Roosevelt on his safari could be delayed until fall when Charles D. Walcott, secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, will be back from the field and could confer directly with Roosevelt. Adler suggests that Roosevelt consider taking Edgar Alexander Mearns as a naturalist who is also trained in medicine, and mentions Edmund Heller as someone to consider for the role of taxidermist. Adler does not presently think the arrangement suggested by Frank M. Chapman is a good one.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-07-09
George Palmer Putnam of G. P. Putnam’s Sons has not been able to acquire a copy of the edition of Zenas Leonard’s Narratives edited by W. F. Wagner which President Roosevelt had asked for, but will have a copy sent to the president directly from the publishers.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-11-07
Frederick Courteney Selous thanks President Roosevelt for allowing him to use Julius Fleischmann’s account of witnessing crocodiles attack a rhinoceros in his upcoming book, African Nature Notes and Reminiscences. Although Selous is dubious about certain details in Fleischmann’s story, he nevertheless believes in its overall veracity and shares his own recollection of attempting to chase after a cheetah while on horseback.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-10-25
Caspar Whitney, editor of the Outing Magazine, sends President Roosevelt the proofs for his upcoming article on nature fakers. He criticizes author and naturalist William J. Long’s supposed observations of wolf cubs. Whitney believes Roosevelt was right to attack Long as “one word from you will…reach every ear.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-16
Reporter Edward B. Clark shares with President Roosevelt the issues behind the “symposium” of the nature fakers controversy included in the upcoming publication of Everybody’s Magazine and some scientists’ responses to the editorial process.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-08-08