Theodore Roosevelt: Family Life

Figure 1.--President Rossevelt is pictured with his family about 1901. Note the tunic suit with short socks that Quentin is wearing. He was killed as a fighter pilot in France during World War I--changing his father's romantic view of war.

The Roosevelt family was a strong close-knit group. The President took a great interest in his children and was fascinating in watching them growup. His letters are full of comments about the children and many letters to them. The children for their part adored their parents, except perhaps Alice, and were very close to each other. The White House was sometimes a dull place, but this changed when presidents arrived with young children. Most presidents were married and had children. Often they were older men whose childen had grown up or in one tragic case died on the way to the White House. Some presidents were notable for adoring and romping with their children. One such father was Franlin Foosevelt, but his children had grown up by the time they reached the White House. Two presidents are notable for having a brood of younger children with him in the White House, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt. Tad and Willie's exploits were legend such as firing a toy but fully functional cannon at the President's cabinent. The Confederacy never got so close. The Roosevelt boys never topped that--but they came close and there were more of them. Their father thoroughly enjoyed the boys and often joinrd them in their play, both at the White House and in near by Rock Creek Park.

The President's View

The Roosevelt family was a strong close-knit group. The President took a great interest in his children and was fascinating in watching them growup. His letters are full of comments about the children and many letters to them. The children for their part adored their parents, except perhaps Alice, and were very close to each other. A fascinating view of Roosevelt family life can be seen in this letter written by the President at Oyster Bay, Aug. 6, 1903.

To-day is Edith's birthday, and the children have been too cunning in celebrating it. Ethel had hemstitched a little handkerchief herself, and she had taken her gift and the gifts of all the other children into her room and neatly wrapped them up in white paper and tied with ribbons. They were for the most part taken down-stairs and put at her plate at breakfast time. Then at lunch in marched Kermit and Ethel with a cake, burning forty-two candles, and each candle with a piece of paper tied to it purporting to show the animal or inanimate object from which the candle came. All the dogs and horses—Renown, Bleistein, Yagenka, Algonquin, Sailor Boy, Brier, Hector, etc., as well as Tom Quartz, the cat, the extraordinarily named hens—such as Baron Speckle and Fierce, and finally even the boats and that pomegranate which Edith gave Kermit and which has always been known as Santiago, had each his or her or its tag on a special candle.

Edith is very well this summer and looks so young and pretty. She rides with us a great deal and loves Yagenka as much as ever. We also go out rowing together, taking our lunch and a book or two with us. The children fairly worship her, as they ought to, for a more devoted mother never was known. The children themselves are as cunning and good as possible. Ted is nearly as tall as I am and as tough and wiry as you can imagine. He is a really good rider and can hold his own in walking, running, swimming, shooting, wrestling, and boxing. Kermit is as cunning as ever and has developed greatly. He and his inseparable Philip started out for a night's camping in their best the other day. A driving storm came up and they had to put back, really showing both pluck, skill and judgment. They reached home, after having been out twelve hours, at nine in the evening. Archie continues devoted to Algonquin and to Nicholas. Ted's playmates are George and Jack, Aleck Russell, who is in Princeton, and Ensign Hamner of the Sylph. They wrestle, shoot, swim, play tennis, and go off on long expeditions in the boats. Quenty-quee has cast off the trammels of the nursery and become a most active and fearless though very good-tempered little boy. Really the children do have an ideal time out here, and it is an ideal place for them. The three sets of cousins are always together. I am rather disconcerted by the fact that they persist in regarding me as a playmate. This afternoon, for instance, was rainy, and all of them from George, Ted, Lorraine and Ethel down to Archibald, Nicholas and Quentin, with the addition of Aleck Russell and Ensign Hamner, came to get me to play with them in the old barn. They plead so hard that I finally gave in, but upon my word, I hardly knew whether it was quite right for the President to be engaged in such wild romping as the next two hours saw. The barn is filled with hay, and of course meets every requirement for the most active species of hide-and-seek and the like. Quentin enjoyed the game as much as any one, and would jump down from one hay level to another fifteen feet below with complete abandon.

I took Kermit and Archie, with Philip, Oliver and Nicholas out for a night's camping in the two rowboats last week. They enjoyed themselves heartily, as usual, each sleeping rolled up in his blanket, and all getting up at an unearthly hour. Also, as usual, they displayed a touching and firm conviction that my cooking is unequalled. It was of a simple character, consisting of frying beefsteak first and then potatoes in bacon fat, over the camp fire; but they certainly ate in a way that showed their words were not uttered in a spirit of empty compliment.

The White House

Most presidents were married and had children. Often they were older men whose childen had grown up or in one tragic case died on the way to the White House. Some presidents were notable for adoring and romping with their children. One such father was Franlin Foosevelt, but his children had grown up by the time they reached the White House. Two presidents are notable for having a brood of younger children with him in the White House, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt. Tad and Willie's exploits were legend such as firing a toy but fully functional cannon at the President's cabinent. The Confederacy never got so close. The Roosevelt boys never topped that--but they came close and there were more of them. The White House was sometimes a dull place, but this changed when presidents arrived with young children. The McKinnely White House was a rather gloomy place. His wife was sick and he did not want her disturbed. And then tragically Presifent McKinnely was assasinated. The gloomy ambience changed when President Roosevelt arrived with him family. There were six children between 3 and 17, all but Alice boys. And the younger boys were to say the least not only active, but inventive to boot. As any parent will tell you, that combination makes for active parenting. The boys found that the White House could be turned into a huge play ground and their parents only somewhat or at least only succeeded in limited their activities to a degree. The East Room made a fine roller link and here we are not talking about staid little girl roller skating, it was sometimes more like Roller Derby. The attic could be converted into a secluded club house. The lawn made for a great place to race horses or play with other animals. Their father thoroughly enjoyed the boys and often joined them in their play. The President at times seemed just another obe of the children, only slightly larger.

Rock Creek Park

The President not only played with the children at the White House, but also in near by Rock Creek Park. This is the largest urban parl in the world. It was a great place for family outings and only a short carriage ride from the White House. A favorite activity in the heavily wooded Park was cow boys and Indians. And their were great places to go swimming. Afterc a day of troming through Rock Creek Park and playing in Rock Creek the President and the boys would be dischelved an not uncommonly covered with mud. Thus they would delay their return to the White House until dusk so no one would see them.

The Potomac

The Potomas River was even closer than Rock Ctreek Park. The President would organize boat trips down the river wherehe ad the bys would retend to be pirates.