Roosevelt, Belle, 1892-1968

Natalie A. Naylor offers a detailed survey of the contents of Cove Neck: Oyster Bay’s Historic Enclave and less in the way of analysis or scrutiny though she admits that the book demonstrates “the value of local history.” In her review, Naylor demonstrates how the book places Theodore Roosevelt’s life at his home, Sagamore Hill, in a larger context of his neighbors and relatives who lived nearby in the village of Cove Neck. Naylor relates information about numerous Roosevelt family members and highlights the prominence of Sagamore Hill to the history of the area.

Four photographs, a drawing, and a map, all taken from the book, join the work’s front and back covers in illustrating the review.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Theodore Roosevelt writes his son Kermit that Mother received a letter from Belle about the christening of Joseph Willard and he has heard of Kermit’s part in the latest war action. Roosevelt gives updates on Archie Roosevelt and says he heard Ethel Roosevelt Derby’s husband Richard has aged a great deal in the war.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1918-12-03

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Theodore Roosevelt tells his son Kermit that Bridges wanted some articles from Kermit about his time in Mesopotamia. Roosevelt says it is his sixtieth birthday and he has a lot of happy memories to look back on. He lists several guests he has had the past few days and criticizes President Woodrow Wilson for accepting any type of peace just to end the war.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1918-10-27

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

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.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1918-08-18

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

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.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1918-08-10

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Theodore Roosevelt writes his son Kermit to say he wrote General Peyton March to get orders for Kermit. He reports that Quentin Roosevelt shot down a German plane and Eleanor wants Belle to join her in Paris. He recounts a visit from his friends Chapman and Cherrie and a story about Cherrie’s sons enlisting. Roosevelt says he and Mother ride horses and row and he was a pallbearer at former New York Mayor John Mitchell’s funeral.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1918-07-13

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Theodore Roosevelt writes his son Kermit to say how proud he is of all four of his sons and what they have achieved during the war. He wants to know if Kermit is over his attack of malarial fever. Roosevelt says Edmund Heller came for a visit and will be married soon. He adds he is sending Kermit the American Museum journal with an article he wrote containing pictures Kermit took.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1918-07-07

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

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.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1918-05-12

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Theodore Roosevelt tells his son Kermit that his transfer from the British army to the American army is all set. Kermit will be sent to Madrid, Spain, to receive his orders and he can spend some time with his wife Belle and their children. Roosevelt encloses a newspaper article about himself.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1918-04-28

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Theodore Roosevelt writes his son Kermit about the lack of equipment at military training camps for which he blames President Woodrow Wilson and his administration. He says Ted and Archie Roosevelt have been praised for their work in the trenches and Ethel Roosevelt Derby is staying at the house.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1917-12-10

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Theodore Roosevelt tells his son Kermit about a letter from Ted Roosevelt’s wife Eleanor and about walking across the frozen harbor to the light house. He says he keeps making speeches and writing in an effort to produce more activity from President Woodrow Wilson’s administration toward the war. Roosevelt writes about playing with the grandchildren as well.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1918-01-07

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Theodore Roosevelt writes his son Kermit to express his joy at the birth of Kermit’s son Joseph. He reports that railroad congestion reached such a point that all factories, theaters and such were shut for five days to save fuel for the trains. He criticizes President Woodrow Wilson and the War Department for their lack of preparation for the war and says he continues to make speeches about following the war through to the end and creating a policy of obligatory military training.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1918-01-20

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Theodore Roosevelt writes his son Kermit to congratulate him for his duty in battle. He questions whether they will see a German offensive. Roosevelt says he continues to say unpopular truths and many call him a scold but he will not stop until the war is won. He closes by saying he is going to write Belle.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1918-02-02

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Theodore Roosevelt writes his son Kermit to say Archie Roosevelt has written from the trenches and Ted has handled his battalion admirably. He gives updates on friends and family back home and says Belle has not received half his letters.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1917-12-02

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Theodore Roosevelt writes his son Kermit and describes life with five grandchildren in the house and the fall foliage.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1917-10-30

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Theodore Roosevelt writes his son Kermit to tell him about his current speech tour highlighting his feelings toward President Woodrow Wilson’s administration and those who do not support the war. He says he loathes giving speeches but was happy Mother could accompany him.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1917-09-28

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Theodore Roosevelt writes his son Kermit to say they know he is at Port Said and to give updates on Belle, Ethel, Ethel’s husband Richard and the grandchildren. Roosevelt says he is glad all his sons were able to go abroad and fight and that the military training camps suffer from a lack of preparation. He has been speaking, writing and spending time with Mother.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1917-09-11

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Theodore Roosevelt writes to his son Kermit about letters he has received about him including one from Rudyard Kipling. He says he is over his disappointment about not being in the war and makes speeches about carrying it on to a triumphal conclusion. He reports National Guard troops are reporting to military camps. Roosevelt adds he is publishing a new book and is being paid to write for some periodicals.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1917-09-01

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Theodore Roosevelt writes to his son Kermit to say he is disappointed President Woodrow Wilson did not allow him to raise a volunteer cavalry troop to take to the war in Europe. He talks about prospects in the military for Kermit, Archie and Quentin Roosevelt.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1917-05-26

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Theodore Roosevelt writes his son Kermit about the commission Kermit just received to serve as an officer in the British military. Roosevelt advises him to act as though he expects nothing and not to bring his family with him.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1917-07-03

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919