Theodore Roosevelt's Family: President's Children Had Their Own Legacies

Theodore Roosevelt was a devoted and affectionate family man whose six children carried out the legacy of courage and aggressiveness that he modeled and praised.

Alice Roosevelt Longworth — Roosevelt’s first wife, Alice Hathaway Lee Roosevelt, died two days after the birth of their daughter. The infant Alice lived with Roosevelt’s sister for her first two years, but joined the family when Roosevelt remarried Edith Kermit Carow. Known as the family rebel, Alice was headstrong and unabashed, becoming known as "The Other Washington Monument," according to the Almanac of Theodore Roosevelt. When Roosevelt assumed the presidency, "Princess Alice" set out on a diplomatic mission that became infamously known as the "Imperial Cruise." After the presidency, Alice campaigned against Franklin Delano Roosevelt, campaigned for her brother Ted's bid for the New York state governorship, and served as a delegate to the Republican Party's National Convention.

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Theodore "Ted" Roosevelt Jr. — Roosevelt’s eldest son began his career in investment banking but longed to serve as a military officer, according to the Theodore Roosevelt Center at Dickinson University. He fought in both World Wars, earning numerous citations. During World War I, Roosevelt Jr. suffered from a poison gas attack, got shot in the left kneecap, and refused to be evacuated until being carried off the field. Roosevelt Jr. is most known as a World War II hero who led the invasion of Utah Beach on D-Day at age 57, earning the Medal of Honor.

Kermit Roosevelt — Kermit was an adventurer, writer, soldier and businessman, who traveled extensively, including joining his father on African safari and the River of Doubt expedition in Brazil, according to the Theodore Roosevelt Center at Dickinson State University. Like his father, Kermit was a prolific writer, authoring numerous books and assisting his mother with publications. He served in both World Wars. Prone to depression and alcoholism, Kermit committed suicide in 1943.

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Ethel Roosevelt Derby — Roosevelt’s youngest daughter was more private than her half-sister. Married to a surgeon, she tended to wounded soldiers during World War I and volunteered with the Oyster Bay Red Cross for six decades. Ethel worked to preserve the family’s Sagamore Hill home into a national historic site, assisted the National Audubon Society with the creation of the Theodore Roosevelt Nature Center on Long Island, and served as a trustee of the American Museum of Natural History in New York.

Archibald Roosevelt — Archie was a distinguished Army officer and successful businessman. He was seriously wounded in battle in both World Wars, receiving 100 percent disability and numerous citations for bravery. He held positions with various oil and petroleum firms before forming New York investment firm Roosevelt and Cross.

Quentin Roosevelt — As a child, Roosevelt’s youngest son was known for mischievous antics such as carving a baseball diamond on the White House lawn and throwing snowballs at Secret Service guards, according to the Almanac of Theodore Roosevelt. Quentin dropped out of Harvard to train as an aviator. He was shot down and killed during World War I.

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