Robert Barnhill Roosevelt,
also known as Robert Barnwell Roosevelt (August 7, 1829 – June 14, 1906), was a sportsman, author, and politician who served as a
United States representative
The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...
from New York (1871–1873) and as
Minister to the Hague (1888–1889).
He was also a member of the
Roosevelt family
The Roosevelt family is an American political family from New York whose members have included two United States presidents, a First Lady, and various merchants, bankers, politicians, inventors, clergymen, artists, and socialites. The progeny ...
and an uncle of US President
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt Jr. (October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), also known as Teddy or T.R., was the 26th president of the United States, serving from 1901 to 1909. Roosevelt previously was involved in New York (state), New York politics, incl ...
.
Early life
Robert Roosevelt was born in
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
to businessman
Cornelius Van Schaack "C.V.S." Roosevelt and Margaret Barnhill. He had three elder brothers, Silas,
James
James may refer to:
People
* James (given name)
* James (surname)
* James (musician), aka Faruq Mahfuz Anam James, (born 1964), Bollywood musician
* James, brother of Jesus
* King James (disambiguation), various kings named James
* Prince Ja ...
, and Cornelius Jr., and two younger brothers,
Theodore Theodore may refer to:
Places
* Theodore, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
* Theodore, Queensland, Australia
* Theodore, Saskatchewan, Canada
* Theodore, Alabama, United States
* Theodore Reservoir, in Saskatchewan
People
* Theodore (gi ...
and William. He was an uncle of President
Theodore "T.R." Roosevelt, Jr. and grand-uncle of First Lady
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt ( ; October 11, 1884November 7, 1962) was an American political figure, diplomat, and activist. She was the longest-serving First Lady of the United States, first lady of the United States, during her husband Franklin D ...
. As an
Oyster Bay Roosevelt, and through his ancestor Cornelius Van Schaack, Jr., he was a descendant of the Dutch American
Schuyler family
The Schuyler family (Help:IPA/English, /ˈskaɪlər/; Dutch pronunciation: Help:IPA/Dutch, xœylər was a prominent Dutch family in New York and New Jersey in the 18th and 19th centuries, whose descendants played a critical role in the forma ...
.
Career
Roosevelt studied law and was admitted to the New York State Bar in 1850. He commenced practice in New York City.
During the
Civil War
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
he was an active
Democrat
Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to:
Politics
*A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people.
*A member of a Democratic Party:
**Democratic Party (Cyprus) (DCY)
**Democratic Part ...
, and a founder of the
Allotment Commission and the Loyal National League.
His first experience in politics was in the organization of the Citizens' Association at the time of the
Tweed Ring
William Magear "Boss" Tweed (April 3, 1823 – April 12, 1878) was an American politician most notable for being the political boss of Tammany Hall, the Democratic Party's political machine that played a major role in the politics of 19th ...
administration in New York city. For several years, he edited the organ of the Citizens' Association, the ''New York Citizen,'' at first with
Charles G. Halpine, and after Halpine's death by himself. He was a founder of the
Committee of Seventy, and first vice-president of the Reform Club
and the Holland Society of New York, to which he donated 200 volumes related to and by Hugo Grotius later deposited at Columbia’s Rare Books Library, becoming Holland Society President in 1890 following his return to the US as US Minister to the Netherlands (https://hollandsociety.org/past-presidents/).
Roosevelt was elected as a Democrat to the 42nd Congress (March 4, 1871 – March 3, 1873).
Although the pressure of anti-Tammany Democratic organizations forced
Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall, also known as the Society of St. Tammany, the Sons of St. Tammany, or the Columbian Order, was an American political organization founded in 1786 and incorporated on May 12, 1789, as the Tammany Society. It became the main local ...
to approve his nomination, he denounced its measures,
and did much to contribute to the breaking up of the latter organization.
Roosevelt served as trustee representing the city of New York for the New York and Brooklyn Bridge from 1879 to 1882.
He was instrumental in establishing paid fire and health departments in New York City.
He was a member of the Board of Aldermen of New York City.
He was appointed by President
Grover Cleveland
Stephen Grover Cleveland (March 18, 1837June 24, 1908) was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States, serving from 1885 to 1889 and from 1893 to 1897. He was the first U.S. president to serve nonconsecutive terms and the first Hist ...
as
Minister to The Hague, serving from August 10, 1888, to May 17, 1889. He was treasurer of the
Democratic National Committee
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is the principal executive leadership board of the United States's Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party. According to the party charter, it has "general responsibility for the affairs of the ...
in 1892.
In 1893, President Cleveland appointed him the secretary of the
embassy in London in exchange for a $10,000 campaign contribution.
Conservation
Roosevelt was an early angler and
conservationist. He organized several clubs to restrain the indiscriminate slaughter of game. He is credited with influencing his nephew, Theodore Roosevelt, to become a conservationist. He founded the New York State Fishery Commission in 1867, and was appointed one of the three fish commissioners. He served as fish commissioner for 20 years, 1868–1888,
without a salary. The reports of the commission were prepared chiefly by him, and led to the appointment of similar commissions in other states.
For many years, he served as president of the Fish Culture Association, of an association for the protection of game, of the New York Sportsman's Club, and of the International Association for the Protection of Game. He was a member of the
American Association for the Advancement of Science
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is a United States–based international nonprofit with the stated mission of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsib ...
.
As a member of the U.S. Congress, he originated the bill to create the
United States Fish Commission
The United States Fish Commission, formally known as the United States Commission of Fish and Fisheries, was an agency of the United States government created in 1871 to investigate, promote, and preserve the Fishery, fisheries of the United St ...
.
Writer
Roosevelt was a popular author and a friend of writers such as
Oscar Wilde
Oscar Fingal O'Fflahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 185430 November 1900) was an Irish author, poet, and playwright. After writing in different literary styles throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular and influential playwright ...
.
He sometimes wrote under the
pseudonym
A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true meaning ( orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individual's o ...
''Barnwell'' or ''Ira Zell''.
He edited ''Political Works of Charles G. Halpine'', supplying a memoir (1869).
Robert's nephew Theodore Jr. credited him with being the first to scribe the "Br'er Rabbit" stories (which had been passed down orally by slaves), publishing them in ''
Harper's
''Harper's Magazine'' is a monthly magazine of literature, politics, culture, finance, and the arts. Launched in New York City in June 1850, it is the oldest continuously published monthly magazine in the United States. ''Harper's Magazine'' has ...
'', where they fell flat. This was a good many years before
Joel Chandler Harris
Joel Chandler Harris (December 9, 1848 – July 3, 1908) was an American journalist and folklorist best known for his collection of Uncle Remus stories. Born in Eatonton, Georgia, where he served as an apprentice on a plantation during his t ...
published the
stories in ''
The Atlanta Journal
''The Atlanta Journal-Constitution'' (''AJC'') is an American daily newspaper based in metropolitan area of Atlanta, Georgia. It is the flagship publication of Cox Enterprises. The ''Atlanta Journal-Constitution'' is the result of the merger ...
'' in 1879.
Personal life
Roosevelt was first married to Elizabeth Ellis (1829–1887), a descendant of the
Livingston family
The Livingston family of New York (state), New York is a prominent family that migrated from Scotland to the Dutch Republic, and then to the Province of New York in the 17th century. Descended from the 4th Lord Livingston, its members included s ...
who was the daughter of John French Ellis (1794–1853) and Eliza Glen Thorn (1796–1855). Together, they were the parents of:
* Margaret Barnhill Roosevelt (1851–1927), who married Augustus Van Horne Kimberly (1845–1927) in 1889.
*
John Ellis Roosevelt
John Ellis Roosevelt (February 25, 1853 – March 9, 1939) was a lawyer with the Wall Street firm of Roosevelt & Kobbe, the president of the Elkhorn Valley Coal Land Company and secretary of the Broadway Improvement Company. He owned the John E ...
(1853–1939), who in 1879 married Nannie Mitchell Vance (1860–1912), daughter of Hon.
Samuel B. H. Vance, at the recently built
St. Nicholas Collegiate Reformed Protestant Dutch Church
St. Nicholas Collegiate Reformed Protestant Dutch Church was a Reformed Protestant Dutch church in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, which was Manhattan's oldest congregation when it was demolished in 1949. The church was on the northwest corne ...
, Fifth Avenue and 48th Street, in
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
. Vance, who was active in
New York State
New York, also called New York State, is a state in the northeastern United States. Bordered by New England to the east, Canada to the north, and Pennsylvania and New Jersey to the south, its territory extends into both the Atlantic Ocean and ...
Republican politics, was a manufacturer who served as Acting
Mayor of New York City
The mayor of New York City, officially mayor of the City of New York, is head of the executive branch of the government of New York City and the chief executive of New York City. The Mayoralty in the United States, mayor's office administers all ...
for the month of December 1874.
* Robert Barnhill Roosevelt Jr. (1866–1929)
Roosevelt purchased the Meadow Croft property at
Sayville, New York
Sayville is a hamlet and census-designated place in Suffolk County, New York, United States. Located on the South Shore of Long Island in the Town of Islip, the population of the CDP was 16,569 at the time of the 2020 census.
History
The earli ...
, in 1873 and it was later developed by his son as the
John Ellis Roosevelt Estate
John Ellis Roosevelt Estate, also known as Meadow Croft, is a historic estate located at Sayville in Suffolk County, New York.
History
The main house, roughly L-shaped, is composed of two distinct parts: the original farmhouse, built about 1 ...
.
It was added to the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
in 1987.
After the death of his first wife in 1887, he married his mistress, Irish immigrant
Marion Theresa "Minnie" O'Shea.
Although his children with Minnie were his biological children, they had been born prior to his wedding to Minnie and were known as his stepchildren. They had been listed as having a father named "Robert Francis Fortescue", and maintained the Fortescue name throughout their lives.
Together with Minnie, he was the father of:
* Kenyon Fortescue (1871–1939),
who became an attorney.
* Major
Granville Roland "Rolly" Fortescue (1875–1952), who married
Grace Hubbard Bell (1883–1979), niece of
Alexander Graham Bell
Alexander Graham Bell (; born Alexander Bell; March 3, 1847 – August 2, 1922) was a Scottish-born Canadian Americans, Canadian-American inventor, scientist, and engineer who is credited with patenting the first practical telephone. He als ...
.
* Maude Fortescue (1880–1961), who married Ernest William Sutton Pickhardt in 1900 and moved to London. Pickhardt was the son of Manhattan millionaire Ernest W. Pickhardt and the brother of Baroness Irene von Colberg. They divorced before Pickhardt's suicide in 1909.
In 1945, she married Brigadier General Richard L. A. Pennington.
Death and burial
Roosevelt died in Sayville, N.Y., on June 14, 1906, while his nephew was serving as
President of the United States
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal government of t ...
.
His remains were interred in
Green-Wood Cemetery
Green-Wood Cemetery is a cemetery in the western portion of Brooklyn, New York City. The cemetery is located between South Slope, Brooklyn, South Slope/Greenwood Heights, Brooklyn, Greenwood Heights, Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn, Win ...
in
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
.
His large estate was left to his family.
Published works
* ''Superior Fishing; or The Striped Bass, Trout, Black Bass and Bluefish of the Northern States.''
* ''Game Fish of the Northern States and British Provinces.'' (1862)
* ''Game Birds of the North'' (1866)
* ''Superior Fishing'' (1866)
* ''Florida and the Game Water Birds'' (1868)
* ''Five Acres Too Much'', a satire provoked by Edmund Morris's ''Ten Acres Enough'' (1869)
* ''Progressive Petticoats'', a satire on female physicians (1871)
*''Fish Hatching and Fish Catching'' (1879)
Fish Hatching and Fish Catching (1879)
readable online i
Classics of Angling Literature
/ref>
References
External links
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Roosevelt, Robert
1829 births
1906 deaths
American politicians of Dutch descent
Writers from Manhattan
19th-century American diplomats
Robert
The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of ''Hrōþ, Hruod'' () "fame, glory, honour, prais ...
Schuyler family
Burials at Green-Wood Cemetery
Angling writers
Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New York (state)
People from Sayville, New York
19th-century American writers
American male writers
Politicians from New York City
19th-century American male writers
Democratic National Committee treasurers
19th-century New York (state) politicians
19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives