Roosevelt Family Papers 11,69
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
~~r.--.._'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''···'''''''''''~-· ROOSEVELT FAMILY PAPERS 1 1,69 - 1962 Accession Numbers: 41-15, 42-82, 42-262, 42-263, 42-301, 42-302, 43-8, 43-97, 43-138, 43-147, 43-150, 43-155, 44-47, 44-50, 44-63, 45-50, 46-64, 47-14, 47-22, 47-92, 48-21, 49-9, 52-9, 53-7, 55-13, 56-12, 59-1, 71-14, 74-5. Franklin D. Roosevelt purchased many of these family papers and acquired others from family and friends. He, in turn, gave his collection to the Library. Pap'ers of James Roosevelt Roosevelt were given to the Library by his daughter, Helen Roosevelt Robinson; papers of John Aspinwall Roosevelt were received from his grandson, Russell Crosby Clarki Hall Family Papers were received from Eleanor Roosevelt and the Rev. James W. Lindsley. Papers of Helen Roosevelt Robinson were received from her es state. Other Roosevelt and Delano family items were donated to the Li brary by Eleanor Roosevelt, Frederic A. Delano, Helen Roosevelt Robinson, Sylvia Delano Hitch, H. R. Madol, Charles A. Ranlett, and William Hassett. The papers were received at the Library between 1941 and 1974. Literary property rights .in these papers have not been donated to the united States Goverrunent. Quantity: 46 linear feet (approximately 92,000 pages) Restrictions: None Related Materials: Family Papers in the Papers of Eleanor Roosevelt; Roosevelt Family Papers held by the children of Franklin D. and Eleanor Roosevelt Delano Family Papers; and Papers of Frederic A. Delano. ,, i ~ / -- ~ I"'f\O\.t ~ }I 'rnl P1UJ-OC1..JH 0.. R~ LmJV.R'( The collection contains correspondence, letter books, diaries, and real estate and business papers of many Roosevelt family members - direct ancestors and other relatives of both Franklin D. and Eleanor Roosevelt. Scrapbooks, newspaper clippings, maps, pamphlets &nd ?ther printed ma terials pertaining to family members are also included. The President's paternal line, which included well-to-do merchants and property owners in the city of New York and Dutchess County, "as as fol loT,;v'S : Claes Hartenszen Van Rosenvelt (?-?) I Nicholas Roosevelt (1658-1742) I Jacobus Roosevelt {1692-1776)f I Isaac (I) Roosevelt (1726-1794)" I James (I) Roosevelt (1760-1847) I Isaac (II) Roosevelt (1790-1863) I • James (II) RooseveU (1828-1900) I Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882-1945) The papers of the Roosevelt line found in this collection date from 1679 but the earliest papers in any quantity are those of Jacobus Roosevelt, the President's great-great-great grandfather. His papers and those of his direct descendants. include corresponde~cel deeds, and account books, dealing mainly with real estate in the city of New York and the sugar refining mill established by Isaac (I). Isaac (I) ("the Patr·iot"), a financial supporter of the Revolu·tion, was a member of the Constitutional Convention held in Poughkeepsie in 1788 for the purpose of ratifying the Federal Cons·titution. He served as the first President of the Bank of New York. Isaac's son~ James (I) continued the family sugar refining business started by his father f retiring in 1819 to "Mount Hope", his newly con structed home several miles north of Poughkeepsie. In 1832, his son.;' Dr. Isaac Roosevelt built a house nearby on the estate called "1.'.ose dale!!. James (I) willed IIf10unt Hope" to his grandson Jfulles (II) _ Dr. Isaac's other son,.. John Aspinwall Roosevelt, inherited IIRosedale" on his father's death. Host of the papers of the President's direct an cestors carne from the "Rosedalelr estate as IIMount HopeI! was destroyed by fire in 1866. Other documents concerning the Roosevelt family were donated to the President by several individuals; correspondence show ing their background is often found filed with the documents. The nCrmn Elbow" Papers, also from the "Rosedale II estate, mainly con cern the property of the Ludlow family in Hyde Park, later a part of James (II) Roosevelt's "Springwood" estate. The relationship between these Ludlows and Eleanor Roosevelt's grandmother, Nary Ludlow Hall, and great-grandparents, Elizabeth Livingston and Edward Hunter Ludlow, is not knO'wl1. The collection also contains papers of James (II) Roosevelt, his first wife, Rebecca Howland Roosevelt, and his second wife, Sara Delano Roosevelt - the President's mother. The President's father practiced law for a short time and later entered the railroad business, becoming Vice-President of the Delaware and Hudson Railroad Company and President of the Champlain Transportation Company. He was also active in Dutchess County affairs, serving as Supervisor of the Town of Hyde Park for two terms and as a manager of the Hudson River State Hos.pital. Papers of Ja.-nes Roosevelt Roosevelt ("Rosyll) I Franklin D. Rooseveltts half-brother, and John Aspinwall, Roosevelt, his uncle, are also in this group of family papers. "Rosy" served as Secre·tary of the United States Legation at Vienna and Secretary of the Embassy at London, 1888-1896. John Aspinwall Roosevelt, a well-knmm ice-yachting enthu siast, was a commodore of the Poughkeepsie Ice Yacht Club and the owner of the Icicle, many times a f.:linner of the Ice Yacht Challenge Pen nant of A~erica. Also present is the President's collection of Delano family papers dating from 1469. The Delano family originated in France, with later members moving to Holland. The first Delano in this country, Philippe de la Noye, settled in Nassachusetts and the family became well-known in the shipping business. Sara Delano Roosevelt's grandfather, Cap tain v.larren Delano, constructed the Delano home in Fairhaven, Nassa chusetts. Sara's father, Warren Delano II, and his brother Edward both had shipping interests in China and the Delano family lived there for a period during Sara's childhood (1862-1865). After returning from China, the family lived at "Algonac" near Newburgh, New York. The collection also includes papers of the Hall family, largely busi ness and property records of Eleanor Roosevelt's maternal grandpar ents, Valentine G. and Nary Ludlow Hall of Tivoli, New York. Included are a few items connected \·lith Elizabeth Ludlow and Nary Livingston, !1rs. Hall's mother and grandmother. Papers of G'racie Hall Roosevelt, Eleanor's brother, consist of records of building projects that he supervised in Hyde Park around 1940. The papers of Helen Roosevelt Robinson, daughter of "Rosy" Roosevelt, in clude correspondence received from Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, as well as a few letters from Theodore Roosevelt. The papers are arranged in two sections: I. Papers Collected by Franklin D. Roosevelt and II. Family Papers Received from'Other Donors. They are then arranged in twelve series as follows: SECTION I: PAPERS COLLECTED BY FI\ANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT 1. PAPERS OF FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT 0 S PATER.'1AL ANCESTORS (Containers 1-50) This series is divided into three parts: A. A chronological file of miscellaneous Roosevelt family papers, including correspondence, legal and business pa pers, two horoscopes done for the President, and printed material, 1706-1945. Many of these i teri!S were given to the President; some were purchased by him or acquired ll from the lIRosedale estate & Similar material may be' found in Series VII. B. Correspondence and records of Roosevelt's direct ances~ tors and other Roosevelt family members, 1679-1928, ar ranged by correspondent or individual involved in the legal or business transaction. Most of these papers, including correspondence, deeds, leases, and receipts, deal '\:'lith real esta'te matters in Ne'ti York, the Roose- velt Sugar House, and trading activities with the Thomas Hunt family in Bermuda. Other correspondence of the President's direct ancestors may be found on micro film in the papers' of John Aspinwall Roosevelt (Series IX). Correspondence from Isaac (II) to his son James may be found in Series III. C. Bound account books, 1715-1832, arranged according to in dividual and thereunder chronologically. Hany are re lated to the Sugar House; there are also accounts of Thomas Hunt, Jr. and Abraham \,alton, father-in-law of James (I) Roosevelt. Both the account books and the cor respondence and records ~18re acquired by the President from Miss Ellen C. Roosevelt ar.d ~Jrs. Appleton L. Clark, daughters of John Aspinwall Roosevel't. II. CRUN ELBOW PAPERS (Container 51) Papers, also from the "Rosedalell estate, relating mainly to ·the property of the Ludlow family in the Crum Elbow district of Hyde Park, 1765-1854. This property later became part of "Springwood", the es·tate of James (II) Roosevelt. The re lationship between the Ludlows mentioned in these documents and Eleanor Roosevelt's great-grandparents, Elizabeth Living ston and Edward Hunter Ludlow, is not known. A calendar of the items in this series may be found in Appendix I. III. PAPERS OF JAMES (II) ROOSEVELT (1828-1900) (Containers 52-56) Conrespondence, accoun"t books I diaries I passport I and printed material, 1842-1900, related to business and property mat ters, his attendance at Union College, and his position as President of the Champlain Transportation Company.. Corres pondence from his father Isaac (II) and other family members. The corresponCJ.ence is unarranged.. Letters of James Roosevelt. to his brother John may be found on microfilm in the Papers of John Aspinwall Roosevelt (Series IX). IV. PAPERS OF REBECCA HOI-lLAND ROOSEVELT (1831-1876) (Containers 57-66) Diaries, \.,i th nearly daily entries I of Rebecca Howland Roose velt, first wife of James (II) Roosevelt, May 17, 1865 to August 10, 1875. James and Rebecca often spent winters in New York, visiting Hyde Park only in the summertime, Events described include trips to Europe, 1865-1866 and 1869-1870, and the Roosevelt's move to "Springwo'od" in" Hyde Park in May, 1867.