Robert Roosevelt

Robert Barnwell Roosevelt, also known as Robert Barnhill Roosevelt (August 7, 1829 – June 14, 1906), was a Congressman from New York (1871-1873)."Roosevelt, Robert Barnwell. "Biographical Directory of the United States Congress."] His father was Cornelius Roosevelt (1794-1871) and his mother was Margaret Barnhill (1799-1861). He was also the nephew of James I. Roosevelt. He was the brother of Theodore Roosevelt, Sr., the uncle of President Theodore Roosevelt and the great-uncle of Eleanor Roosevelt. Roosevelt died in Sayville, Suffolk County, N.Y., on June 14, 1906. His remains were interred in Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn. [see above] ]

Family life and progeny

Roosevelt was to father many children. Some children were born from his marriage and others were born from his relationship with a long-term mistress. After the death of his first wife, he married this mistress. The offspring of his second wife were recognized as his step-sons.

First wife. The three children born to Elizabeth Ellis Roosevelt were Margaret Barnhill Roosevelt, John Ellis Roosevelt, and Robert Roosevelt Jr.. [RootsWeb: [http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ghosthunter/fam02386.html Robert Roosevelt] ]
* In 1879, John Roosevelt married Nannie Mitchell Vance, daughter of Hon. Samuel B. H. Vance, at the Collegiate Dutch Reformed Church, Fifth-avenue and Forty-eighth street, in New York City. Vance, who was active in New York State Republican politics, was a manufacturer who served as Acting Mayor of New York City for the month of December 1874. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9406EFDA123EE73BBC4851DFB4668382669FDE "The Vance-Roosevelt Wedding; Mr. John E. Roosevelt United to Miss Nannie Mitchell Vance--Some of the Presents,"] "New York Times." February 20, 1879, p. 8.]

Second wife. The two children born out of wedlock to Minnie O'Shea Fortescue were Kenyon Fortescue and Granville Roland Fortescue.
* Kenyon was destined for a career as an attorney.
* Major Granville Roland "Rolly" Fortescue married Grace Hubbard Fortescue (née Grace Hubbard Bell), who bcame a defendant in the notorious 1932 murder trial known as the "Massie Affair".

Career and influence

Roosevelt completed studied law and was admitted to the New York State Bar in 1850. He commenced practice in New York City. For several years, he edited the "New York Citizen." [see above] ]

He was elected as a Democrat to the Forty-second Congress (March 4, 1871-March 3, 1873). [see above] ]

He was appointed by President Grover Cleveland as Minister to The Hague, serving from 1888 to 1890. [see above] ]

He was treasurer of the Democratic National Committee in 1892. [see above] ]

He was a member of the Board of Aldermen of New York City. [see above] ]

He served as trustee representing the city of New York for the New York and Brooklyn Bridge from 1879 to 1882. [see above] ]

Conservationist

Roosevelt was an early angler and conservationist. He is credited with influencing his nephew, Theodore Roosevelt, to become a conservationist. He served as fish commissioner of the State of New York 1868-1888. [see above] ]

Writer

Roosevelt was a popular author and a friend of such writers such as Oscar Wilde. His books include:
* "Superior Fishing; or The Striped Bass, Trout, Black Bass and Bluefish of the Northern States."
* "Game Fish of the Northern States and British Provinces."
* "Game Birds of the North."

Theodore Roosevelt, in his biography, credits Robert with being the first to scribe the "Br'er Rabbit" stories (which had been passed down orally by slaves), "publishing them in Harper's, where they fell flat. This was a good many years before a genius arose who, in 'Uncle Remus', made the stories immortal." [Roosevelt was referring to Joel Chandler Harris, who first published the Uncle Remus stories in The Atlanta Journal in 1879).]

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