Roosevelt, Marion, and Louis Howe at Horseneck

nbcatlover · Post by **nbcatlover** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 6:04 pm

I apologize if this has already been noted somewhere. If so, I missed it, but I thought it was interesting.

I was doing some research on FDR, his "polio" and his doctors and treatments when I found this:

http://www.historyinink.com/04-090_FDR_ ... 9-1925.htm

It talks about his treatment in Marion and his stay at Louis Howe's cottage in 1925.

Wonder if Lizzie got to meet FDR at cousin Grace's house?

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 11:10 pm

Thank you Cynthia! That was cool.
Looks like he created the first "Handicapped Parking Space!"

It sounds like such a personal letter, it's sad it is not still in the family.
Being able to read it is cool, but it's poignant to think no family member kept it.

Let's see- he wasn't President in 1925, and Lizbeth died in 1927- so she may have met him, but not as President?

Apparently Roosevelt was curious about Lizbeth- I wonder if they did meet?

Bob Gutowski · Post by **Bob Gutowski** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 9:13 am

Some summers when my family would visit my maternal grandmother in Massachusetts, we'd spend the day at Horesneck Beach!

william · Post by **william** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 12:34 pm

Jonathan Goodman in his book, "Bloody Versicles," mentions that Theodore Roosevelt would frequently recite the "Lizzie Borden Took an Axe," quatrain.

Franklin Roosevelt was addicted to novels of Sherlock Holmes, written by
Arthur Conan Doyle. I have never heard of any connection with Lizzie Borden.

doug65oh · Post by **doug65oh** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 1:28 pm

Now that I think of it, FDR actually wrote a mystery himself (or propounded the idea for it.) The result was published about 1935 under the title The President's Mystery Story. http://www.bookfinder.com/search/?ac=sl ... 20_1:14:36

TR reciting the axe doggerel - somehow that fits in an odd way. It was he I think who appointed William Moody an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, about 1902.

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 10:30 pm

I'm confused. What were his terms in office?

doug65oh · Post by **doug65oh** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 10:46 pm

FDR served as President from the 4th of March 1933 until the 12th of April 1945. Immediately prior to that time, he had served as Governor of New York. (I'm a bit rusty, but if I remember correctly he held that office for two terms, being elected in 1928.)

Cousin Teddy (who appointed Justice William Moody to the Supreme Court and apparently was fond of the doggerel) succeeded to the presidency upon the death of William McKinley in September, 1901, serving until March 4th, 1909.

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 11:14 pm

OK I see. William introduced Teddy into the story- I hadn't noticed that. Thanks.

doug65oh · Post by **doug65oh** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 11:40 pm

Salright!

nbcatlover · Post by **nbcatlover** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 6:21 pm

Yeah, and I learned Eleanor R had a girlfriend in Lorena Hickok and there are "hot" letters between them. Who'd have figured?

It's curious that Eleanor was such a plain woman and Louis Howe was dubbed "the ugliest man in the world." Seems like FDR needed to be the prettiest one in the bunch.

augusta · Post by **augusta** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 5:28 pm

Good posts! My father-in-law knew FDR.

If you've seen the movie "Sunrise at Campabello", it's about FDR contracting polio. Hume Cronyn plays Louis Howe, always at his side. I kept waiting for them to show Grace, but they never did so I didn't watch the whole thing.

They had an anniversary special magazine put out by the History Channel, but available in stores, on FDR last year. It had a sketch of the inside rooms of the White House and showed right where Louis Howe's room was. I think FDR put in the swimming pool there.

FDR came to Fall River for Louis Howe's funeral. I think Eleanor came with.

He would often come to the home of a Dr. McDonald in Marion and participate in hydrotherapy.

A lot of famous people were in Marion at one time or another. President Cleveland went regularly with his wife. They had the baby girl, Ruth, that the candy bar was named after. I did an article on the subject called "Marion in the Gilded Age" in a prior issue of 'The Hatchet'. Many places are still standing. The Marion Historical Society has a couple neat books on the town, one - I think it's an 'Images of America' book gives you the current addresses and photos. That could be available for $20 on Amazon. Some time I want to go back there and take that book, and look up those houses. It's a beautiful town!

doug65oh · Post by **doug65oh** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 9:52 pm

Grace Howe was not portrayed in Sunrise at Campobello at all - that's why you didn't see her, augusta.

(http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054354/fullcredits)

Still an excellent film though - even without her.

Davo · Post by **Davo** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 12:53 pm

Hello everyone! I'm making personal history here with my first message. I love history and have been fascinated with Lizzie Borden, Hetty Green and the Titanic since a child. This tie with FDR is a fascinating fact of which I was unaware. Though he was a distant cousin to TR, Eleanor was the daughter of TR's youngest brother, Elliott who was an alcoholic and died young. TR gave away the bride when she married FDR on March 17, 1905. Has anyone read any of the Eleanor Roosevelt Mystery books by her son, Elliott? I think there are about 15 or so books. One of them was named The President's Mystery Story or something like it. I wonder if it is the same as the one published by FDR in 1935 that was mentioned? In Elliott's books, Eleanor is First Lady and runs around solving mysteries as people drop dead like flies in the White House and other places like Christie's Miss Jane Marple. Delightful reading. But back to Lizzie. I have been reading many of the different postings and the information you have is so interesting. It's so nice to get different points of view on the subject. I am so glad I found this website and thank you for allowing me to join in. Have a great day!

william · Post by **william** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 2:07 pm

Welcome aboard, Dave. It is truly a fascinating subject. I know you will find it time well spent.

nbcatlover · Post by **nbcatlover** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 8:11 pm

Here are some photos from the FDR Library with "local" ties to southeastern Massachusetts.

This is FDR, his valet, and Dr. McDonald in Marion, 1924.

This is FDR and his mother, Sara Delano Roosevelt, in Fairhaven in 1925. (note: corrected)

This is Eleanor and Marian Dickerson in Marion in 1925.

Source: http://www.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/date.html

Marion looks quite rustic and quaint here. Not like the haunts of the rich and famous that we expect today.

There are a couple of bad photos of Louis Howe in group shots at the FDR Library, but not a one of Grace Howe.

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 2:41 am

Hi Davo- welcome!

Thanks Cntha! Fascinating!

Davo · Post by **Davo** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 6:18 am

Thanks, I loved seeing the photos. However, Sara Delano Roosevelt was FDR's formidable mother not his grandmother. She was the second wife of FDR's father and the same age as FDR's only sibling - his half brother James. Pix are good.

nbcatlover · Post by **nbcatlover** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 8:17 pm

You're right, Davo! In fact I was thinking of another Sara(h) Delano from this area when I was posting and contemplating the different spelling of her first name.

Sorry for the error!

RayS · Post by **RayS** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 4:31 pm

nbcatlover @ Thu Jun 15, 2006 7:21 pm wrote:Yeah, and I learned Eleanor R had a girlfriend in Lorena Hickok and there are "hot" letters between them. Who'd have figured?

It's curious that Eleanor was such a plain woman and Louis Howe was dubbed "the ugliest man in the world." Seems like FDR needed to be the prettiest one in the bunch.

No "plain woman" ever becomes "high-maintenance"!!! Also, they learn to develop their personality or brains to make up for "good looks", which are fleeting anyways.
Last night's program on Marilyn Monroe shows her looks starting to go at 37. IMO

Davo · Post by **Davo** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 4:41 pm

Yes I imagine if Marilyn were alive today at 80 yrs old she wouldn't look that hot unless she had a few cosmetic surgeries. Eleanor Roosevelt may not have had great looks but she obviously had a brain. They don't call her the First Lady of the World for nothing. One of the greats of the 20th century.