Patterson, J. H. (John Henry), 1867-1947

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to William Northrup McMillan

President Roosevelt happily accepts the invitation to visit William Northrup McMillan on his African safari. First, he is going to stay at Alfred E. Pease’s ranch, but he hopes to do shorter hunts on both Pease’s and McMillan’s properties before the rainy season ends and he leaves for longer trips. Roosevelt and his son Kermit hope to shoot a male and female of each of the big game animals for the Smithsonian Institution. He discusses several proposed itineraries, but will put off making final decisions until he arrives in Africa.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-11-02

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frederick Courteney Selous

President Roosevelt encloses several proposed itineraries for his upcoming African safari. He thinks it wise to wait to decide on an exact plan until he arrives in Africa.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-11-02

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frederick Courteney Selous

Theodore Roosevelt provides Frederick Courteney Selous with an excerpt of a letter that Frederick John Jackson sent another American about Roosevelt’s upcoming safari. The letter included various recommendations about suppliers and itinerary. Roosevelt likes the itinerary, but is concerned about whether he can prevent the press from following his caravan. He asks if the government could refuse to issue them licenses to travel.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-11-25

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Alfred E. Pease

President Roosevelt informs Alfred E. Pease that he expects to be in Mombasa around April 22 and 23, and would like to accept the invitation to hunt on his ranch during the rainy season. Roosevelt is out of shape and hopes to become more fit at Pease’s ranch. He asks for advice about how much money to send for horses and supplies, which saddle to get, and which guns will be the best.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-07-28

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Edward North Buxton

President Roosevelt tells Edward North Buxton that his son Kermit wants the same shoes that Buxton ordered for him. He also asks Buxton to forward an enclosed unsealed letter to Alfred E. Pease. Roosevelt discusses travel plans for his upcoming safari. He is debating whether to start at Pease’s ranch, or to take a trip into the desert. Although he appreciates Buxton’s suggestions, he believes he will not go to Uganda.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-07-28

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Edward North Buxton

President Roosevelt thanks Edward North Buxton for being willing to go see Lord Crewe. He assures Buxton that he and his son Kermit will be the only two in the safari party who are shooting, and they will largely only shoot animals for the National Museum. They may bring back only a dozen personal trophies between the two of them. Roosevelt discusses his itinerary for the trip, and lists all of the animals he hopes to shoot, in order of most important.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-07-21

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Frederick John Jackson

President Roosevelt apprises Frederick John Jackson, Lieutenant-Governor of British East Africa, of his upcoming safari. Roosevelt plans to spend at least six months there hunting, to collect specimens for the Smithsonian Institution. While he does not want to be a bother, Roosevelt asks Jackson if he has any recommendations about where he should get porters, which stores he should use for supplies, and the best locations for shooting. He does not want any undue consideration or ceremony while he is in Africa, as he is traveling as a private citizen.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-07-16

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Alfred E. Pease

President Roosevelt has spoken with a number of people about his upcoming African safari, and informs Alfred E. Pease of his plans as they now stand.

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 Percy C. Madiera

President Roosevelt returns the letter from Frederick John Jackson to Percy C. Madeira. Roosevelt is concerned about a newspaper getting together a caravan to follow him on his African safari, and asks if Jackson or the British authorities could deny them permits to travel. He tells Madeira that he intends to follow Jackson’s plan, with the modification that he will take a shorter loop to go through J. H. Patterson’s hunting ground. He is touched to find that Jackson is one of the people who has given him an elephant gun. Roosevelt intends mostly to use his Winchester 405 on the trip.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-11-25

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Kermit Roosevelt

President Roosevelt celebrates Harvard’s victory over Yale in the football match. He tells his son Kermit that J. H. Patterson, who killed the man-eating lions of Tsavo, spent Friday at the White House. Carl Ethan Akeley, who has hunted elephants and rhinoceros, came to lunch the next day. Both gave valuable advice, and Roosevelt tells Kermit that they must be extremely cautious in Africa until they are used to what is being done. The arrangements are all made. Roosevelt also says that Kaiser William II has “come an awful cropper,” and been a “perfect fool.” The German people are finally angry about it. Roosevelt has finished the lectures he will be giving at Oxford and the Sorbonne. He hears that Senator Joseph Benson Foraker is preparing an attack against him, but he is indifferent.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-11-22

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Abel Chapman

President Roosevelt writes glowingly to Abel Chapman about his book on hunting in Africa. However, the book makes him feel concerned that he will only get a wildebeest or hartebeest by sheer luck. He was reassured, though, that Chapman was over fifty when he took his trip. Roosevelt does note that he has had “an absolutely sedentary life” and that his trip to Africa will be “a very elderly-gentleman’s performance.” He hopes to see Chapman in 1910 when he gives the Romanes Lecture at Oxford.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-11-08

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 William Northrup McMillan

President Roosevelt thanks Sir William Northrup McMillan for his letter, and the invitation to stay at his ranch while on safari in British East Africa. Roosevelt outlines his initial travel plans and arrangements, and believes he will stay with McMillan after he visits Alfred E. Pease’s ranch. He discusses the different types of big game he would like himself and his son Kermit to shoot, but clarifies that his intent is to collect specimens for the National Museum, rather than to butcher game.

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 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 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 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

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Edward North Buxton

President Roosevelt sends Edward North Buxton a pair of Kermit Roosevelt’s shoes to use as a pattern for new boots for the upcoming African safari. Roosevelt believes it would be good to accept Alfred E. Pease’s invitation to hunt at his ranch in Africa, unless Buxton advises otherwise. Roosevelt suggests a short one week trip to get himself and Kermit Roosevelt in shape and accustomed to the safari staff before the main hunt. Roosevelt appreciates the information on Uganda, but thinks if he can get the game he wants in Sudan or British East Africa, he will not visit Uganda. Roosevelt appreciates all that Buxton is doing for him.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-07-28

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Edward North Buxton

President Roosevelt describes his plans for his upcoming African safari to Edward North Buxton. Roosevelt does not want to be given any special consideration and only wants access to reserves that anyone else might have access to. Roosevelt assures Buxton he only intends to take specimens for the National Museum and for food, and only taking half a dozen trophies for Kermit Roosevelt and himself. Roosevelt lists the types of animals he wants to shoot.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-07-21

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919