Smithsonian Institution

Letter from Franklin William Hooper to Theodore Roosevelt

Franklin William Hooper requests Theodore Roosevelt attend a meeting to establish the National Association for the Preservation of the American Indian. The association will especially seek to preserve the North American Indians in Arizona and New Mexico who live in isolation but whose traditions, arts, industries, and towns are “historic monuments of an ancient culture.”

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-12-16

Creator(s)

Hooper, Franklin William, 1851-1914

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles D. Walcott

President Roosevelt congratulates Charles D. Walcott on his new position as Secretary of the Smithsonian, and tells him how much he will miss having him as a member of his administration.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-01-25

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Henry Cabot Lodge to Howes Norris

Senator Lodge has only one of the documents Howes Norris has requested, the second part of the 1901 Smithsonian report.

Collection

Sagamore Hill National Historic Site

Creation Date

1904-12-14

Creator(s)

Lodge, Henry Cabot, 1850-1924

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Kermit Roosevelt

Theodore Roosevelt writes his son Kermit to say he is glad to hear about the success of his mountain sheep hunt and that he did not encounter an insurrectos. Roosevelt says his latest book African Game Trails is selling moderately well and he is in futile correspondence with the Smithsonian concerning Kermit’s New Brunswick trip.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1911-08-22

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to John Callan O’Laughlin

Theodore Roosevelt acknowledges receipt of John Callan O’Laughlin’s letter and updates him on the status of the safari. The group has killed a great deal of game to be mounted in the Smithsonian.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1909-07-16

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Elisabeth H. Gazin to Chester L. Brooks

No photographs of the 1873 Stanley expedition were found at the Smithsonian Institution or the National Archives.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Creation Date

1953-04-13

Creator(s)

Gazin, Elisabeth H.

Letter from Edmund Heller to Theodore Roosevelt

Edmund Heller spoke with Charles D. Walcott, Secretary of the Smithsonian, and decided at the last minute to join Paul James Rainey’s expedition to Africa on behalf of the National Museum. He did not realize that Theodore Roosevelt had intended to write to Walcott requesting that Heller not go so that he could focus on writing reports on the specimens collected from his own African expedition. Heller explains that no other qualified man is available to go, and lists the ways that this expedition will assist him in finishing his work with Roosevelt’s collection. The paper on the white rhinoceros will be published before Heller goes, and he assures Roosevelt of his dedication to the work.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-02-09

Creator(s)

Heller, Edmund, 1875-1939

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Gifford Pinchot

Vice President Roosevelt asks Gifford Pinchot if there is an opportunity for the son of Jacob A. Riis to go on “some government trip” out West as a handyman. The boy does not require “any but the smallest wages,” and would like the chance to go on an outdoor government trip.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1901-04-16

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Secretary of Theodore Roosevelt to Harry David Kerr

On Theodore Roosevelt’s behalf, his secretary thanks Harry David Kerr for his letter and for sending a copy of a song. Roosevelt’s secretary suggests Kerr may obtain a photograph of Roosevelt from Pach Brothers or Underwood & Underwood.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-06-06

Creator(s)

Secretary of Theodore Roosevelt

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Zélie Colvile

Theodore Roosevelt and Zélie Colvile discuss their families and the future career moves of their children as well as a theft suffered by Lady Colvile’s son.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-06-04

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles D. Walcott

Theodore Roosevelt expresses his joy that the giant eland and netted giraffe are being mounted at the Smithsonian Institution.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-03-25

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Secretary of Theodore Roosevelt to O. B. Reed

Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary explains to O. B. Reed that all of the specimens Roosevelt obtained during his safari have been sent to the Smithsonian Institution and, therefore, he cannot comply with his request.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-11-20

Creator(s)

Secretary of Theodore Roosevelt

Letter from Secretary of Theodore Roosevelt to Mrs. A. S. Buckman

Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary explains to Mrs. A. S. Buckman that all of the specimens Roosevelt obtained during his safari have been sent to the Smithsonian Institution and, therefore, he cannot comply with her request.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-11-02

Creator(s)

Secretary of Theodore Roosevelt

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Le Baron Russell Briggs

Theodore Roosevelt explains to Le Baron Russell Briggs, the dean of Harvard College, that his son Kermit Roosevelt has been asked by the Smithsonian to gather certain specimen of moose, caribou and beaver in New Brunswick for the National Museum. In order to fulfill this request, Kermit will need to be a few days late in reporting at Harvard, so Theodore Roosevelt asks Briggs if he can excuse his son’s absence.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-09-01

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to J. Holz

Theodore Roosevelt writes to J. Holz about specific specimens in the Smithsonian Museum, some of which are being mounted by the museum, including the big lion in question. He notes that the process is slow, in part because Congress failed to allocate the necessary funding.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-06-24

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles Doolittle Walcott

Theodore Roosevelt writes to Dr. Charles D. Walcott about Congress’ refusal to appropriate the necessary monies for mounting of the larger animals and birds. He mentions that Mrs. Kennedy has written to him “in anything but an enthusiastic frame of mind” and will be sure to put anyone with an interest in natural or botanical works in touch with Walcott.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-06-20

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Henry V. D. Spicer

Theodore Roosevelt attempts to answer Henry V. D. Spicer’s questions about his safari, saying that he was in Africa for eleven months, but could only give the precise number of days by carefully going through his diary. His book, African Game Trails, gives a rough statement of all the specimens collected, but he recommends Spicer contact the Smithsonian Institute to find out if an exact catalog has been published yet.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-06-13

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles D. Walcott

Theodore Roosevelt tells Charles D. Walcott that he is glad James L. Clark will be working on the taxidermy of some of the groups of specimens he brought back from his African Safari. He asks for clarification about the funding from Congress for the work of mounting the specimens, and about whether Edmund Heller has sent the pamphlets dealing with the giant eland and white rhino yet.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-06-08

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles D. Walcott

Theodore Roosevelt asks Dr. Walcott if he is correct in telling friends that Walcott cannot express any dissatisfaction with the level of appropriations from Congress. Walcott does need an adequately large appropriation to complete the mounting of the specimens quickly.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-06-02

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Letter from Theodore Roosevelt to Charles D. Walcott

Theodore Roosevelt writes Charles D. Walcott that Andrew Carnegie does not want any further information from Roosevelt on the subject of art. Roosevelt is excited that Walcott will mount the giant eland and white rhino at the Smithsonian. Roosevelt would like to lunch with Walcott before his trip to the Rockies.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-05-12

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919