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President Roosevelt tells his son Kermit Roosevelt about a recent trip he took with Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt on the Presidential Yacht Sylph. He also writes briefly about some of the humorous activities Kermit’s brothers Archie and Quentin have gotten up to.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-04-30
President Roosevelt was interested to read John B. Goff’s letter and is pleased that Goff is on good terms with Major John Pitcher, Superintendent of Yellowstone National Park. Roosevelt is sorry that the elk have had a bad winter but recommends not killing cougar off unless they are in the neighborhood of where the deer and sheep are. He was also interested in a story that Goff told him of a bear running for cover inside Yellowstone to escape hunters. Roosevelt finally remarks that he was glad to hear about Goff’s dogs and mentions that Skip is doing well and stays with his son Archibald B. Roosevelt much of the time.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-05-02
President Roosevelt updates his son Kermit Roosevelt on some of the goings-on of the family, and reports that Kermit’s brother Ted’s eye surgery went well. The egg-rolling at the White House on Easter Monday was great fun for the children, and the white house grounds are looking nice in spring. Roosevelt relates a humorous story involving Kermit’s younger brother Quentin Roosevelt, who “is a funny small person if ever there was one.” Roosevelt is trying to send aid to California, still reeling after a recent earthquake, and has been continuing his fight for a rate bill and the Panama Canal issue.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-04-22
President Roosevelt wishes doctor Joseph Gaston Baillie Bulloch a happy Easter, and sends him a check to cover any expenses incurred by the recent illness of Roosevelt’s son Archibald B. Roosevelt.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-04-18
President Roosevelt tells Endicott Peabody that he and Edith both felt that their son Ted should not leave Groton a year early, but were unable to convince him to stay. Ted has served as a strong example to Kermit, who feels similarly. They have made their arguments to Kermit, but they do not want to flat-out refuse him if he really does not want to stay. Roosevelt believes that his son Archie will stay the full six years.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-03-10
President Roosevelt is glad about what Endicott Peabody said about his son Archie Roosevelt’s enrollment at Groton. He thanks Peabody for his long letter regarding his opinion on football and a conversation with his son Ted Roosevelt. Roosevelt is glad that Peabody and his wife Fanny Peabody will attend Alice Roosevelt’s wedding, and hopes that they will have time to eat dinner with him. Roosevelt’s wife Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt is concerned about missing their son Kermit Roosevelt’s confirmation due to a scheduling conflict, and asks if they could move the confirmation earlier.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-02-02
President Roosevelt informs Endicott Peabody that he does not believe his son Archie Roosevelt could pass the examinations to attend Groton this year, and asks if he could defer for a year. Archie is small, not good at his studies, and would be six months younger at age of entrance than his brothers Theodore and Kermit Roosevelt.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-01-29
Isabella Hagner responds to the letter that George W. Hodgkins wrote, which most likely invited Kermit Roosevelt and Archibald B. Roosevelt to join an organization. As a rule, no members of the President’s family accept membership in any organizations.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-01-24
President Roosevelt has to decline the invitation to speak at the Sidwell Friends School this year. He tells Thomas W. Sidwell that he intends to visit and make a few remarks before his son Archie leaves it, but he would rather do so next year.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-01-26
President Roosevelt sends his childhood nurse, Dora Watkins, twenty dollars and wishes her a merry Christmas. He describes his sons Archie and Quentin playing in the snow with their cousins behind the White House. He shares his plan to play hide-and-seek with the children and their friends inside the White House on Saturday.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-12-19
President Roosevelt tells Alexander Lambert that his son Archie has his heart set on having either the picture of Skip on the snow or Skip on the horse. He asks whether it was Lambert or Philip Battell Stewart who took them. He also discusses the recent Harvard football game.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-11-27
President Roosevelt agrees with his son Kermit’s thoughts on Nicholas Nickleby, and says that in general, he prefers novels that have joyous and noble aspects, rather than ones that are depressing and have sorrow, shame, and suffering in them. He updates his son on the activities at the White House, including a visit from African big game hunter Frederick Courteney Selous, and Quentin Roosevelt’s birthday celebrations.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-11-19
President Roosevelt is glad that his son Theodore Roosevelt visited Kermit Roosevelt at Groton School, and is glad that Kermit had a chance to play football this fall. He encourages him to “peg away” at his studies. He is having his “usual number of difficulties” that any President has, and has taken scramble walks in Rock Creek Park and gone riding with Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt. Roosevelt discusses the books that Edith is reading to Archibald B. Roosevelt and Quentin Roosevelt, and the books that he plans to read them in her absence.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-11-12
President Roosevelt sends his son Kermit Roosevelt a copy of his book and discusses Kermit’s grades, which he would like to be a little higher. He also discusses his trip through the South, and in particular highlights a boat accident he was in off the coast of New Orleans. Alice Roosevelt Longworth returned home from her trip to Japan with fencing armor for Archibald B. Roosevelt and Quentin Roosevelt; Roosevelt describes their antics.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-11-01
President Roosevelt hopes that his son Theodore Roosevelt gets to play in the football game between Harvard and Yale. He asks about the athletic achievements of his classmates. There is nothing of interest to report from the White House, although Archibald Roosevelt went hunting with Presley Marion Rixey, took two shots at a rabbit, and missed. Robert Bacon is doing well under Secretary of State Elihu Root.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-11-06
President Roosevelt tells his son Kermit about a surprise weekend visit from Ted Roosevelt. Ted, who brought a friend, is enjoying Harvard even though he will not make the freshman football team. Roosevelt leaves tomorrow for his southern trip, and looks forward to it being over, when he will be done with “tours of speech-making.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-10-17
President Roosevelt gives his son Kermit Roosevelt advice about his sleeping bag. He tells him about the upcoming meeting he is to have with the “football men” of Harvard, Yale and Princeton in his efforts to make football a cleaner sport. He also updates him on the activities of the family, including Quentin’s reading and Archie’s football playing.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-10-09
President Roosevelt tells his sister-in-law, Emily Tyler Carow, that he has taken steps to have her friend restored to his position. He also updates her on the Roosevelt family’s summer activities at Oyster Bay and talks about how all of the children are doing.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-09-23
President Roosevelt’s son Archie still remembers Matthew Hale. Roosevelt is pleased that Hale is on the Harvard Law Review. He tells Hale that he has asked the State Department to make “that appointment” to Adams if it is possible.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-09-25
President Roosevelt encourages Kermit Roosevelt at the start of a new year at Groton School, confident that he will do well but reminds him that it is important to play football alongside his studies if he can. He updates his son on the activities of the Roosevelt family and reflects on the upcoming three and a half years as president, which he anticipates will not be easy.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-09-27