Description:

FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT
(1882 - 1945) Thirty-second President of the United States who instituted the "New Deal" programs and who led the United States through most of World War II. ROOSEVELT INTERVENES ON BEHALF OF THE DAUGHTER OF HIS LONG-TIME MISTRESS Rare and unusual content A.L.S. "F.D.R" on White House letterhead, 1p. 8vo., Washington, [n.d.], to Norman Davis, President of the Council on Foreign Relations, regarding Barbara Rutherfurd, the daughter of Roosevelt's longstanding mistress, Lucy Mercer Rutherfurd. In part: "...Barbara and her family think that she should rejoin them for the next few months - and I think that is best - It was good of you to give her this chance for training and she and I are very grateful - if this war does break out she will be working at it somewhere!" Includes the original transmittal envelope, addressed in Roosevelt's hand: "Hon. Norman Davis - Kindness of Miss Rutherfurd". It was extremely rare for Roosevelt to refer to his relationship with Rutherfurd in writing, even in this indirect way. Matted and mounted in a dark wood frame, 24 1/4" x 14", with a b/w portrait of the President. Very good. Lucy Mercer, from a wealthy family, was employed as the social secretary of Eleanor Roosevelt in 1914. She and Franklin are believed to have begun an affair in mid-1916, and the relationship was discovered by Eleanor in September 1918, when she found a packet of their love letters. Franklin terminated the affair and promised not to see Mercer again. Barbara was Lucy's child with husband Winthrop Rutherfurd who died in 1944. In actuality, the two maintained a relationship until the last moments of Roosevelt's life: Rutherfurd was present when the president died of a cerebral hemorrhage as his portrait was being painted.

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May 24, 2016 10:30 AM EDT
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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