Franklin D. Roosevelt: Autograph Letter Signed "Father"....

Description

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In FDR's own hand in its entirety, an autograph letter signed "Affectionately Father," on three sides of two facing pages, each page measuring 6 x 9 ½," written by FDR in his own hand to his oldest son James Roosevelt while FDR was traveling by train after departing from the "Crippled Children's Meeting" in Memphis, Tennessee, February 16, 1928, a fateful year for FDR. A very personal and interesting letter from a father to his son, with terrific content, emphasizing FDR's many connections to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, accompanied by the original transmittal envelope, also written in FDR's own hand, addressed to "Mr. James Roosevelt/ 27 Westmorley Court/ Cambridge/ Massachusetts," postmarked February 16, 1928. This letter from father to son, then a student at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is handwritten by FDR on Hotel Peabody, Memphis, Tennessee stationery. Overall in Fine Condition. FDR writes in his own hand: "On train to Washington – Wed/ Dear Jimmy –/ After a hectic two days in Memphis at the Crippled Children's meeting I'm on the way North & unless you hear to the contrary meet me at the South Station at 6:10 Saturday or whenever the 1 o'clock gets in – I hope to find a line in N.Y. about staying at the Fly Club./ Also engage the auto to take us to Groton about 10:30 Sunday morning – that is if Elliot & F Jr. are back – I haven't heard a word since Saturday past./ My but that Turkey was good – it was dear of you to send it & it gave much pleasure to many – we had 8 to dinner & used up less than 1/2, then 3 of us had a luncheon in it, then a party of 5 dined on it & took the remains to the Pattersons when I left! It was very Tender – what luck you had to get two! Lots of people I know have spent weeks trying & never even saw one –/ Mother wrote your friend you had a [here FDR draws a square] – & would go on probation – I do hope it won't be so./ Affectionately Father/ Train is very RUFF." A wonderful, personal handwritten letter from FDR to his oldest child while FDR was away at Warm Springs, Georgia, in his continued attempt to recover from poliomyelitis. This letter has very interesting content from father to son, now following in his father's footsteps at Harvard University. James Roosevelt (1907-1991) was born in New York City December 23, 1907; attended schools in New York and St. Albans School of Washington, D.C.; was graduated from Groton School in 1926 and from Harvard University in 1930; in 1930 became an insurance broker in Boston, Massachusetts; organized Roosevelt & Sargent, Inc., and served as President until January 1937; secretary to father, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, in 1937 and 1938; motion picture industry November 1938-November 1940; went on active duty as a captain in the United States Marine Corps in November 1940; promoted to colonel April 13, 1944, and served in the Pacific Theater; released from active duty in August 1945; brigadier general United States Marine Corps Reserve, retired; rejoined Roosevelt & Sargent, Inc., as Executive Vice President and established an office in Los Angeles, California, in June 1946; served as chairman of the board, Roosevelt & Haines, Inc.; was an unsuccessful Democratic candidate for Governor of California in 1950; delegate to the Democratic National Conventions in 1948, 1952, 1956, and 1960; elected as a Democrat to the Eighty-fourth and to the five succeeding Congresses and served from January 3, 1955, to September 30, 1965; unsuccessful candidate for Democratic nomination for mayor of Los Angeles, California, in April 1965; resigned from Congress effective September 30, 1965, to become United States representative to United Nations Economic and Social Council, resigning in December 1966; public relations consultant; was a resident of Newport Beach, California, until his death there on August 13, 1991. A wonderful piece of personal Roosevelt as well as American history.