Roosevelt, Theodore, 1831-1878

Joyce M. Bisso opens this edition of “News and Notes” with a report on the effort to gather library books from the greater Oyster Bay, New York, area to build a library for the sailors aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt. The task fell to students from Oyster Bay High School and local public libraries. Bisso quotes the two sailors from the ship, Petty Officer Timothy L. Blackstone and Senior Chief Edward J. Tessier, who came to Oyster Bay to collect the books and other materials gathered by the community. The article also reprints a letter from Captain Paul W. Parcells, Commanding Officer of USS Theodore Roosevelt, to William Davison Johnston, the President of the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA). A photograph of students examining books; one of Blackstone and Tessier; and another of the two sailors with Oyster Bay High School students appear in the article. 

The section also contains a report on the natural history research grants awarded from the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Fund by the American Museum of Natural History in New York City for 1986. The report notes the members of the TRA who serve on the awards committee, lists the winner of the largest award, Mark L. McKnight, and it provides a history of the involvement of Theodore Roosevelt and his father with the museum. A chart listing the number of award applications, the number of awards, and the value of the grants from 1961 to 1986 appears in this section.

“News and Notes” also reports that Elizabeth E. Roosevelt of the TRA will volunteer at the Roosevelt Study Center in the Netherlands when it opens in the fall of 1986. The section notes that Edmund Morris will be one of the speakers at the Center’s opening, and it relays the purpose and the location of the Center. The section discusses the work of several Roosevelt historians and biographers, including Sylvia Jukes Morris, John Milton Cooper, and Kathleen Dalton. “News and Notes” closes with an obituary of Julian K. Roosevelt who was an accomplished yachtsman and a member of the International Olympic Committee.

This notice covers the research grants awarded by The American Museum of Natural History in New York City from its Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Fund for 1983. Fifty grants were awarded, with the largest grants given to three researchers highlighted in the article. The article lists the members of the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Committee which administers the fund, traces the growth of the program in numbers of applicants, awards granted, and value of the fund, and it traces the roles Theodore Roosevelt and his father played in the history of the museum.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1983

Creator(s)

Unknown

Paul Russell Cutright examines the donation of Theodore Roosevelt’s bird collection to the Smithsonian Institution and the American Museum of Natural History. Cutright focuses on the donation to the Smithsonian since it was very large, 622 bird skins, and he details how the collection was cataloged, where and to whom individual specimens were dispersed, and he highlights some of the more notable specimens like the Snowy owl.

Pictures of Theodore Roosevelt and his father and a copy of two pages of the accession records of the Smithsonian accompany the article. The cover of this issue features a picture of the Snowy owl shot, prepared, and donated to the American Museum of Natural History by Roosevelt.

A listing of the officers of the Theodore Roosevelt Association along with the members of its executive, finance, and Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace committees is on the second page of the article.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

John A. Gable provides a brief biography of Robert B. Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt’s uncle. Gable highlights Robert B. Roosevelt’s affiliation with the Democratic party and his conservation work in managing fish populations.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1983

Creator(s)

Gable, John A.

This notice covers the research grants awarded by The American Museum of Natural History in New York City from its Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Fund for 1984. Forty-eight grants were awarded, with the largest grants given to three researchers highlighted in the article. The article lists the members of the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Committee, which administers the fund, traces the growth of the program in numbers of applicants, awards granted, and value of the fund, and it highlights the roles Theodore Roosevelt and his father played in the history of the museum.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1984

Creator(s)

Unknown

John A. Gable reviews David McCullough’s biography of Theodore Roosevelt, Mornings on Horseback. He highlights subjects that he thinks McCullough has broken new ground on, and he discusses the book’s place in the historiography of Roosevelt, seeing it as part of a larger “Roosevelt revival.” Gable also compares McCullough’s biography with those of Carleton Putnam and Edmund Morris.

A photograph of Roosevelt in 1876 accompanies the review.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1981

David McCullough looks at the relationship between Theodore Roosevelt and his father, Theodore Roosevelt, Sr. He notes the elder Roosevelt’s important role in establishing the American Museum of Natural History, and he outlines differences between the two, notably the elder’s robust health and the many childhood ailments of the younger Roosevelt. McCullough examines the younger Roosevelt’s time at Harvard, especially his interest in natural science, and he establishes that he led a life of privilege unknown to most Americans. 

Two pictures, one of each Roosevelt, accompany the article.

A listing of the officers and the members of the executive, finance, and Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace committees of the Theodore Roosevelt Association is found on the second page of the article.

Kathleen Dalton explores Theodore Roosevelt’s fascination with war and looks at episodes in his personal life and upbringing that may have led to his preoccupation with war. Dalton says that Roosevelt was greatly affected by the Civil War, especially by war stories from his uncle James Bulloch and from his father’s ties to Union leaders like Abraham Lincoln. She also says that Roosevelt’s need to overcome his childhood asthma and other health problems molded his fighting spirit.

Two pictures of Roosevelt with Leonard Wood are on the third page of the article.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1980

John A. Gable examines Theodore Roosevelt’s connections to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. He looks at its founding by Roosevelt’s father, notes the many specimens donated by Roosevelt, and highlights contributions made to the museum in various capacities by other members of the Roosevelt family. Gable details the design, construction, and contents of the museum’s Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Hall, including its murals and dioramas featuring scenes from Roosevelt’s life and work.

Photographs of the interior and exterior of the Memorial Hall as well as one of James Earle Fraser’s equestrian statue of Roosevelt outside of the museum accompany the article. A full page photograph of one of the dioramas, depicting a scene near Roosevelt’s Elkhorn Ranch, is also found in the article.

A listing of the officers of the Theodore Roosevelt Association as well as the members of its executive, finance, and Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace committees is found on the second page of the article.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

David McCullough looks at the relationship between Theodore Roosevelt and his father, Theodore Roosevelt, Sr. He notes the elder Roosevelt’s important role in establishing the American Museum of Natural History, and he outlines differences between the two, notably the elder’s robust health and the many childhood ailments of the younger Roosevelt. McCullough examines the younger Roosevelt’s time at Harvard, especially his interest in natural science, and he establishes that he led a life of privilege unknown to most Americans.

Two pictures, one of each Roosevelt, accompany the article.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1980

Wallace Finley Dailey, Curator of the Theodore Roosevelt Collection at Harvard University, describes in detail two exhibits of Theodore Roosevelt material on display in the Theodore Roosevelt Gallery in the Nathan Marsh Pusey Library in 1977. One exhibit covers Roosevelt’s long relationship with Harvard University from his undergraduate student years to his death. The other explores Roosevelt’s relationship with his daughter Ethel Roosevelt Derby. In both exhibit summaries, Dailey quotes extensively from Roosevelt’s letters and speeches and provides descriptions of the photographs used in the exhibits. 

Three photographs and one illustration accompany the article. One photograph shows Dailey examining the exhibit display cases. Another shows Roosevelt with a group of his Harvard classmates, and one shows Derby at the White House in 1902. The illustration is a drawing by Roosevelt’s classmate, Charles G. Washburn, that depicts a monument detailing Roosevelt’s many activities at Harvard. 

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Hermann Hagedorn uses quotes from various friends, family, and colleagues of Theodore Roosevelt to demonstrate that he had an active Christian faith that he nurtured with Bible study and regular church attendance. He employs these quotations to counter the argument that Roosevelt was not a Christian and because Roosevelt himself seldom spoke openly about his faith.

Reverend George E. Talmadge, the Rector of Christ Church in Oyster Bay, New York, provides a view of Theodore Roosevelt the parishioner. He provides a number of anecdotes about Roosevelt’s participation in Sunday services and his support of church ministries. Talmadge discusses Roosevelt’s religious roots in the Dutch Reformed Church, his work with the Boy Scouts, and the death of Quentin Roosevelt.

A picture of Christ Church in Oyster Bay, New York accompanies the Talmadge article.

In addition to providing a summary of four of the articles published in this issue, John A. Gable uses the highlights the opening of Bulloch Hall in Roswell, Georgia, which was the childhood home of Theodore Roosevelt’s mother, Martha Bulloch Roosevelt. He notes the passing of Reginald Rose, a longtime member of the Theodore Roosevelt Association, and he talks about the lecture series celebrating the twenty-fifth anniversary of Sagamore Hill as a public house museum. He closes with a plug for the Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal. 

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1978

Creator(s)

Gable, John A.

Article about the purchase of Bulloch Hall in Roswell, Georgia, by the city and plans for its use and preservation. The article describes the involvement of the Theodore Roosevelt Association in the process, notably its financial support. Bulloch Hall was the childhood home of Theodore Roosevelt’s mother, Martha Bulloch, and the site of her marriage to Theodore Roosevelt, Sr., of New York City in 1853. The article provides background on the Bulloch and Roosevelt families, traces the ownership of the home, examines its architectural design, and discusses plans for its future use.  

A photograph of the front of the home accompanies the article.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Edmund Morris argues that “the more one analyzes Theodore Roosevelt in the harsh light of historical research, the more authentic an American hero he becomes.” Morris looks at different episodes in Roosevelt’s life, such as his service during the Spanish-American War, to make his case, and he compares Roosevelt’s life to heroic figures from mythology and literature such as Hercules, Beowulf, and King Lear.  

Homer Davenport’s famous cartoon, “He’s good enough for me,” featuring Uncle Sam and Theodore Roosevelt is on the first page of the article.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Architectural historian James Sanders gives a detailed report on the East 20th Street Revitalization Project which aimed to reinvigorate the neighborhood surrounding the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site in New York City. Most of the work involved cleaning and painting buildings, planting trees, and installing new signage. Sanders gives a history of the Roosevelt Birthplace, detailing the neighborhood’s decline as the area moved from residential to light industrial use. He looks at the plans to revitalize the neighborhood and credits the various individuals, private entities, government bureaus, and corporations that contributed to the project.

The article has two accompanying photographs: one shows the exterior of the Birthplace at 28 East 20th Street in New York City and the other shows Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt IV with their son on the front steps of the Birthplace.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1977

In this Danish magazine sent to President Roosevelt by Ambassador Maurice Francis Egan, a profile of Roosevelt by Berthold de Linde appears on pages 14-22. The article details President Roosevelt’s life and accomplishments from his time at Harvard through becoming President. It particularly focuses on his strong moral character and good qualities.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-11-15

Creator(s)

De Linde, Berthold, 1876-1945

An English translation of a flattering article about President Roosevelt published by the Danish magazine Varden. Berthold De Linde describes his first encounter with President Roosevelt as an infantryman in the Spanish-American War. He then details Roosevelt’s life and accomplishments, from his time at Harvard to his ascendance to the presidency. De Linde particularly emphasizes Roosevelt’s strong moral character and tireless battle against corruption.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-11-15

Creator(s)

Unknown

Mattie Griffith Satterie asks William Loeb to direct President Roosevelt’s attention to the periodical she sent containing an article she wrote about Roosevelt’s father, Theodore Roosevelt, who was her friend.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1905-05-10

Creator(s)

Satterie, Mattie Griffith, 1852-1917

The Bismarck Tribune reports on the death of Theodore Roosevelt at his home in Oyster Bay, New York, early on the morning of January 6, 1919. His secretary Josephine M. Stricker, who reported it to the press, received the news from Roosevelt’s wife Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt. It is believed that Roosevelt passed away painlessly, and that his death was due to inflammatory rheumatism. News of Roosevelt’s death quickly drew a large number of telegrams expressing condolence and sympathy, and both houses of Congress adjourned out of respect for Roosevelt. Following this article, The Bismarck Tribune also presents a brief biography of Roosevelt’s life and political achievements. Apart from news of Roosevelt’s death, the paper also has several articles related to North Dakota politics, a brief mention of troop movements occurring in Europe, and a comment on the success of a recent Liberty Loan drive for the Ninth federal reserve district.

Collection

Dickinson State University

Creation Date

1919-01-06

Creator(s)

Unknown