Anna Hall Roosevelt

Anna Rebecca Hall Roosevelt (March 17, 1863 – December 7, 1892) was the mother of former First Lady of the United States, Eleanor Roosevelt. Anna was the eldest child of Valentine Gill Hall and Mary Livingston Ludlow. Her siblings were: Elizabeth (1865-1944), Valentine Jr. (1867-1934), Mary (1869-1872), Edward (1872-1932), Edith (1873-1920) and Maude (1877-1952).

Anna, a celebrated beauty, married Elliott Roosevelt, the brother of future President Theodore Roosevelt in December 1883. Anna bore Elliott three children: Anna Eleanor (1884-1962), Elliott Jr. (1889-1893), and Gracie Hall (1891-1941).

Like other society ladies, Anna Roosevelt had no profession beyond the role of wife and mother. Roosevelt was responsible however for numerous social events and charity balls. Within the circles that she and Elliott moved, both men and women fawned over Anna's beauty. By contrast, Anna was somewhat ashamed of her daughter Eleanor's plainness and even nicknamed Eleanor "Granny", due to her serious demeanor.

Shortly after the Hall-Roosevelt marriage on December 1, 1883, and the birth of their first child, Elliott began a life of gaiety which led to his problems with alcohol. In 1889 after the birth of their second child, Elliott's problems only increased and the family traveled to Europe in search of treatment. The marriage teetered on collapse during their time in France. Soon afterwards Elliott and Anna separated.

When Eleanor was eight, Anna Hall Roosevelt contracted diphtheria and died at age 29. Less than two years later, Eleanor's father Elliott died on August 14, 1894 from a seizure after a failed suicide and the cumulative effects of alcoholism.

Anna's daughter Eleanor would go on to become First Lady of the United States of America when her husband, distant cousin Franklin D. Roosevelt, was elected President of the United States of America.