Happy Father’s Day,Teddy Roosevelt

Fatherhood and Tragedy

Birth of Alice RooseveltHis Daughter

February 12, 1884

Death of Alice RooseveltHis Wife

February 14, 1884

Second Chance of HappinessMarries Edith Kermit Carow

St. George’s Hanover Square, LondonDecember 2, 1886

Roosevelt Family

1884 Alice1887 Theodore1889 Kermit1891 Ethel1894 Archibald1897 Quentin

Quentin, the Baby of the Family

At HomeSagamore HillLong Island

Becomes President on September 14, 1901Family Moves to the White House

Alice

“I can be President of theUnited States—or—I canattend to Alice! I cannotpossibly do both!”

Theodore Roosevelt

Theodore, Jr.

“In Washington, when fatherwas civil service commissioner, Ioften walked to the office withhim. On the way down he wouldtalk history to me – not the dryhistory of dates and charters,but the history where youyourself in your imaginationcould assume the role of theprincipal actors, as every well-constructed boy wishes to dowhen interested.”

Kermit

“The house seems very emptywithout you and Ted, althoughI cannot conscientiously saythat it is quiet — Archie andQuentin attend to that.”

Theodore RooseveltLetter to Kermit Roosevelt

Oyster BaySeptember 23, 1903

Archie and Quentin

“Vice-Mother”

“Mother has gone off for nine days,and as usual I am acting as vice-mother. Archie and Quentin arereally too cunning for anything.Each night I spend about three-quarters of an hour reading tothem.”

Theodore Roosevelt

Letter to Kermit Roosevelt

White House

November 15, 1903

“Blessed Quenty-Quee”

Ethel

“I think you are a little trumpand I love your letter, and theway you take care of thechildren and keep down theexpenses and cook bread and arejust your own blessed busycunning self.”

Theodore Roosevelt

Letter to Ethel Roosevelt

White House

June 21, 1904

“Ethel administers necessary discipline to Archie and Quentin.”

Uncle of the BrideWedding of Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt

March 17, 1905 “With President Roosevelt and St.Patrick standing sponsors for herhappiness, Miss Eleanor Roosevelt thePresident's niece, wisely concluded to riskany ill omens concerning a marriage onFriday. The ceremony which united herto her distant cousin, Mr. FranklinRoosevelt, was a particularly charmingaffair. Miss Roosevelt is a tall, fair girl,and as pretty a bride as even a Presidentcould wish to give away.”

The Index (March 25, 1905)

Father of the BrideWedding of Alice Roosevelt and Nicholas Longworth

February 17, 1906

Roosevelt Family in 1907

Outgoing President RooseveltIncoming President Taft

March 4, 1909

Return to Sagamore Hill

Roosevelt Family and the First World War

Death of Quentin RooseveltJuly 14, 1918

"Quentin's mother and I areglad that he got to the front andhad the chance to render someservice to his country, and toshow the stuff that was in himbefore his fate befell him."

Theodore Roosevelt

Oyster Bay

July 17, 1918

Death of Theodore RooseveltJanuary 6, 1919

"Since Quentin was killed he hasbeen sad, only Ethel's little girlhad the power to make himmerry."

Edith RooseveltLetter to Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.

Death of Theodore RooseveltJanuary 6, 1919

“The old lion is dead.”

Archie Roosevelt

FOR MORE ON TEDDY ROOSEVELT AS A FATHER SEE

THE ROOSEVELT FAMILY OF SAGAMORE HILL

BYHERMANN HAGEDORN

AND

THEODORE ROOSEVELT’S LETTERS TO HIS CHILDREN

EDITED BY

JOSEPH BUCKLIN BISHOP