NARA Collection fdr-famchi — Collection fdr-famchi

This item is a pencil drawing of a sailing ship drawn by Franklin D. Roosevelt as a child. The drawing accompanied a letter Roosevelt wrote to his mother Sara Delano Roosevelt in 1887. The letter reads: "My dear mama we coasted yesterday nothing dangerous yet, look out for tomorrow!! your boy, F" A notation on the back of the letter by Roosevelt's mother reads: "Written by Franklin when 5 years and 11 months old. He knew his letters but was told how to spell the words - Jan. 1st 1888."

Original Exhibition Caption: Eleanor Roosevelt was Theodore Roosevelt's niece. After she was orphaned in 1894, he became her surrogate parent. In 1904, Eleanor wrote to her uncle, now serving as President of the United States, to ask if he would "give the bride away" at her wedding to Franklin Roosevelt. He happily accepted. The Roosevelts were married in New York City on March 17, 1905-St. Patrick's Day. That date was selected because the President was scheduled to be in the city to attend the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade.

Original Exhibition Caption: Young Franklin Roosevelt greatly admired his distant cousin, Theodore Roosevelt, who was rising through the ranks of American politics while FDR was a student at Groton School. During the summer of 1897, 15-year-old Franklin made arrangements to visit his famous cousin at TR's Sagamore Hill home on Long Island. Theodore was serving as Assistant Secretary of the Navy in the William McKinley administration, and he sent his young relation travel instructions on Navy department letterhead. FDR would later serve as Assistant Secretary of the Navy in the Woodrow Wilson administration.