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Theodore Roosevelt III

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Theodore Roosevelt III
1923 portrait of Roosevelt
Secretary of Commerce of Pennsylvania
In office
1949–1951
Personal details
Born
Theodore Roosevelt IV

(1914-06-14)June 14, 1914
New York City, New York, U.S.
DiedMay 2, 2001(2001-05-02) (aged 86)
Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Resting placeNear Somesville, Maine
Spouse
Anne Mason Babcock
(m. 1940; died 2001)
RelationsRoosevelt family
ChildrenTheodore V
Parent(s)Theodore Roosevelt III
Eleanor Butler Alexander
EducationGroton School
Alma materHarvard University
Military career
AllegianceUnited States
Service / branchUnited States Navy
Years of service1942–1945
Rank Lieutenant Commander
Battles / warsWorld War II
AwardsAir Medal

Theodore Roosevelt IV (/ˈrzəvɛlt/ ROH-zə-velt; June 14, 1914 – May 2, 2001), also known as Theodore III, was an American banker, government official, and veteran of World War II. He was a grandson of President Theodore Roosevelt through his father, Brig. Gen. Theodore Roosevelt III.[1] His name suffix varies since President Roosevelt's father was Theodore Roosevelt Sr., though the same-named son did not commonly use a "Jr." name suffix.

Early life

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Roosevelt in a white outfit being held by his grandfather
Roosevelt IV (middle) as an infant with his father Theodore "Ted" Roosevelt III (left) and paternal grandfather Theodore Roosevelt Jr. (right)

Roosevelt was born on June 14, 1914, in New York City.[1] He was the second born and the last surviving of four children to Theodore Roosevelt III and Eleanor Butler Alexander. Theodore had an older sister, Grace Green Roosevelt, who married William McMillan, and two younger brothers, Cornelius Van Schaack Roosevelt III and Quentin Roosevelt II. Following his father and paternal grandfather, Roosevelt went to Groton School and graduated from Harvard in 1936, where he was a member of the Hasty Pudding Theatricals and the Owl Club.[2] While at Harvard, Roosevelt played for the Harvard Crimson men's soccer team, and was named a second-team All American in 1934.[3]

When his namesake grandfather, President Theodore "T. R." Roosevelt Jr., died in 1919, his father began going by the "Junior" suffix. As a result, he was known as Theodore III, rather than Theodore IV.[verification needed] As an Oyster Bay Roosevelt, Ted was a descendant of the Schuyler family.[4][self-published source] [5] His maternal grandparents are Henry Addison Alexander and Grace Green.[citation needed]

Career

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After graduating from Harvard, Roosevelt worked for the DuPont company from 1936 to 1941.[6]

Service in World War II

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Following the Roosevelt tradition of military service during times of national emergency, during World War II, Roosevelt volunteered as a Navy pilot, serving as a flag lieutenant (i.e. an aide to an admiral) in the Pacific theater.[7] For his service as a naval aviator, Theodore was awarded the Air Medal. He was promoted to lieutenant on April 1, 1944, and left the Navy as a lieutenant commander.[citation needed]

Post-war life

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Upon his return from the Pacific Theater, Theodore joined the Philadelphia brokerage firm of Montgomery, Scott, becoming a partner in 1952.[2] Appointed by Governor James H. Duff, he served as Secretary of Commerce of Pennsylvania from 1949 to 1951.[8]

For many years, he was president of the Competitive Enterprise System, Inc., a nonprofit organization that promoted free markets in the United States. Roosevelt was a trustee of the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA) for many years and a generous supporter of the organization. In recent years, he attended TRA Police Awards ceremonies in Boston and Philadelphia as well as TRA annual meetings in Boston and Norfolk, VA. He was an honorary plank owner in the USS Theodore Roosevelt, and a strong supporter of the efforts to preserve the Pine Knot site in Virginia, his grandparents' presidential retreat.[citation needed]

Personal life

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On February 3, 1940, Roosevelt wed Anne Mason Babcock.[9] They had one son, Theodore V (born 1942),[2] and were married until her death on January 29, 2001.[9] Roosevelt died on May 2, 2001, in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.[2][10] He and his wife are buried near Somesville, Maine. [citation needed]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Introduced by Roosevelt". Reading Eagle. October 18, 1949. p. 16. Retrieved September 23, 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d "Theodore Roosevelt III; Brokerage Partner, 86". The New York Times. May 5, 2001. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  3. ^ "Harvard Men's Soccer All-Americans" (PDF). Harvard Crimson. Retrieved November 27, 2017.
  4. ^ Taylor, Robert Lewis. Along The Way: Two Paths From One Ancestry Xlibris Corporation, 2014
  5. ^ Brogan, Hugh and Mosley, Charles American Presidential Families October 1993, page 568
  6. ^ "Theodore Roosevelt Iii, 86". May 7, 2001. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  7. ^ "Advocates for Harvard ROTC " (PDF). Harvard.edu.
  8. ^ "Duff's Men". Life. 8 May 1950. p. 121. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  9. ^ a b "Paid Notice: Deaths ROOSEVELT, ANNE MASON BABCOCK". The New York Times. February 2, 2001. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  10. ^ "Editors "Theodore Roosevelt III — Obituary," Oyster Bay Enterprise-Pilot (May 11, 2001) Online Edition". Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved June 11, 2006.
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