Hall Roosevelt
Encyclopedia
Gracie Hall Roosevelt was the youngest brother of former First Lady of the United States
, Eleanor Roosevelt
and the nephew
of Theodore Roosevelt
. He was usually called Hall.
He was named Gracie for his father's aunt, Anna Bulloch Gracie and her husband James, and Hall for his mother's family. When Hall was one year old, his mother, Anna Hall Roosevelt
, died, and shortly after his third birthday his father, Elliott Roosevelt
, died as well. He and Eleanor were then reared by their grandmother at her estate in Tivoli, New York
.
Before his death, Eleanor's father had implored her to act as a mother towards her toddler brother, and it was a request she made good upon for the rest of Hall's life. While at Tivoli, Eleanor doted on Hall, and when he enrolled at Groton
in 1907, Eleanor accompanied him as a chaperone. While he was attending Groton, she wrote her brother almost daily, but always felt a touch of guilt that Hall had not had a fuller childhood. She took pleasure in Hall's brilliant performance at school, and was proud of his many academic accomplishments, which included a Masters degree in engineering
from Harvard
.
At twenty-one years old, Hall married Margaret Richardson (1892–1972), a young woman he met at school
, and together they had three children:
When Hall wanted to seek a divorce in 1925, it was only with Eleanor's approval that he followed through with his decision. In the late 1920s Hall married again and found work in the railroad industry
, as well as in the city government
of Detroit as controller
. Hall's children from his second marriage to Dorothy Kemp Roosevelt (1898–1985):
In 1937, Hall sought a divorce from his second wife. By this point alcoholism
had come to dominate Hall's existence, and he was unable to hold down any job he was offered. He spent the last few years of his life in a small building on the Hyde Park
estate, and he died in September 1941 at age 50. Roosevelt's funeral was held in the White House
and his body was then transported to Tivoli, New York
where he was entombed
in the Hall family vault in the St. Paul's Episcopal Churchyard. Eleanor Roosevelt would survive her brother by 21 years.
He also had a short political career, serving as Comptroller of Detroit, Michigan
for a number of years.
First Lady of the United States
First Lady of the United States is the title of the hostess of the White House. Because this position is traditionally filled by the wife of the president of the United States, the title is most often applied to the wife of a sitting president. The current first lady is Michelle Obama.-Current:The...
, Eleanor Roosevelt
Eleanor Roosevelt
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was the First Lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945. She supported the New Deal policies of her husband, distant cousin Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and became an advocate for civil rights. After her husband's death in 1945, Roosevelt continued to be an international...
and the nephew
Nephew
Nephew is a son of one's sibling or sibling-in-law, and niece is a daughter of one's sibling or a sibling-in-law. Sons and daughters of siblings-in-law are also informally referred to as nephews and nieces respectively, even though there is no blood relation...
of Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
. He was usually called Hall.
He was named Gracie for his father's aunt, Anna Bulloch Gracie and her husband James, and Hall for his mother's family. When Hall was one year old, his mother, Anna Hall Roosevelt
Anna Hall Roosevelt
Anna Rebecca Livingston Ludlow Hall Roosevelt was the mother of First Lady of the United States, Anna Eleanor Roosevelt....
, died, and shortly after his third birthday his father, Elliott Roosevelt
Elliott Roosevelt I
Elliott Bulloch Roosevelt was the father of Anna Eleanor Roosevelt and the brother of US President Theodore Roosevelt. Elliott and Theodore were of the Oyster Bay Roosevelts. Eleanor later married their Hyde Park cousin and future US President, Franklin Delano Roosevelt.Elliott was the third of...
, died as well. He and Eleanor were then reared by their grandmother at her estate in Tivoli, New York
Tivoli, New York
Tivoli is a village in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 1,118 at the 2010 census. The village, which was incorporated in 1872 from parts of Upper Red Hook Landing and Madalin, is the northernmost settlement in the county, located in the northwest part of the Town of Red...
.
Before his death, Eleanor's father had implored her to act as a mother towards her toddler brother, and it was a request she made good upon for the rest of Hall's life. While at Tivoli, Eleanor doted on Hall, and when he enrolled at Groton
Groton School
Groton School is a private, Episcopal, college preparatory boarding school located in Groton, Massachusetts, U.S. It enrolls approximately 375 boys and girls, from the eighth through twelfth grades...
in 1907, Eleanor accompanied him as a chaperone. While he was attending Groton, she wrote her brother almost daily, but always felt a touch of guilt that Hall had not had a fuller childhood. She took pleasure in Hall's brilliant performance at school, and was proud of his many academic accomplishments, which included a Masters degree in engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
from Harvard
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
.
At twenty-one years old, Hall married Margaret Richardson (1892–1972), a young woman he met at school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
, and together they had three children:
- Henry Parish Roosevelt (1915–1946)
- Daniel Stewart Roosevelt (1917–1939)
- Eleanor Roosevelt (born 1919) (Named after his sister. Also ER's favorite niece).
When Hall wanted to seek a divorce in 1925, it was only with Eleanor's approval that he followed through with his decision. In the late 1920s Hall married again and found work in the railroad industry
Industry
Industry refers to the production of an economic good or service within an economy.-Industrial sectors:There are four key industrial economic sectors: the primary sector, largely raw material extraction industries such as mining and farming; the secondary sector, involving refining, construction,...
, as well as in the city government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
of Detroit as controller
Comptroller
A comptroller is a management level position responsible for supervising the quality of accounting and financial reporting of an organization.In British government, the Comptroller General or Comptroller and Auditor General is in most countries the external auditor of the budget execution of the...
. Hall's children from his second marriage to Dorothy Kemp Roosevelt (1898–1985):
- Amy Roosevelt (1925–1992)
- Diana Roosevelt (1927–1998)
- Janet Roosevelt (born 1930)
In 1937, Hall sought a divorce from his second wife. By this point alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
had come to dominate Hall's existence, and he was unable to hold down any job he was offered. He spent the last few years of his life in a small building on the Hyde Park
Hyde Park, New York
Hyde Park is a town located in the northwest part of Dutchess County, New York, United States, just north of the city of Poughkeepsie. The town is most famous for being the hometown of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt....
estate, and he died in September 1941 at age 50. Roosevelt's funeral was held in the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
and his body was then transported to Tivoli, New York
Tivoli, New York
Tivoli is a village in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 1,118 at the 2010 census. The village, which was incorporated in 1872 from parts of Upper Red Hook Landing and Madalin, is the northernmost settlement in the county, located in the northwest part of the Town of Red...
where he was entombed
Burial
Burial is the act of placing a person or object into the ground. This is accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing an object in it, and covering it over.-History:...
in the Hall family vault in the St. Paul's Episcopal Churchyard. Eleanor Roosevelt would survive her brother by 21 years.
He also had a short political career, serving as Comptroller of Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
for a number of years.
See also
- Eleanor RooseveltEleanor RooseveltAnna Eleanor Roosevelt was the First Lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945. She supported the New Deal policies of her husband, distant cousin Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and became an advocate for civil rights. After her husband's death in 1945, Roosevelt continued to be an international...
– sister - Franklin D. RooseveltFranklin D. RooseveltFranklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
– fifth cousin once removed and brother-in-law - Elliott RooseveltElliott Roosevelt IElliott Bulloch Roosevelt was the father of Anna Eleanor Roosevelt and the brother of US President Theodore Roosevelt. Elliott and Theodore were of the Oyster Bay Roosevelts. Eleanor later married their Hyde Park cousin and future US President, Franklin Delano Roosevelt.Elliott was the third of...
– father - Anna Hall RooseveltAnna Hall RooseveltAnna Rebecca Livingston Ludlow Hall Roosevelt was the mother of First Lady of the United States, Anna Eleanor Roosevelt....
– mother - Theodore RooseveltTheodore RooseveltTheodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
– uncle - Elliott RooseveltElliott RooseveltElliott Roosevelt was a United States Army Air Forces officer and an author. Roosevelt was a son of U.S. President Franklin D...
– nephew
Sources
- Beasley, Maurine, Holly C. Schulman and Henry R. Beasley, eds. The Eleanor Roosevelt Encyclopedia. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2001, 458–459.
- Cook, Blanche Wiesen. Eleanor Roosevelt: Volume One, 1884–1933. New York: Viking Press, 1992, 64–67, 139–140.