Sara Roosevelt
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Sara Ann Delano Roosevelt (September 21, 1854 – September 7, 1941) was the wife of James Roosevelt and the mother of President of the United States Franklin Delano Roosevelt, her only child.
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[edit] Childhood
Delano's distant ancestors were French Huguenots; her ancestor Philippe de la Noye having arrived in Massachusetts in 1621([1]).
She was born to Warren Delano and Catherine Robbins Lyman, wealthy Protestants, who came from another very old American Yankee family. She had ten siblings, two of whom died as small children and three in their twenties.
Franklin was her only child, and she was an extremely possessive mother. Since James was an elderly and remote father (he was 54 when Franklin was born), Sara was the dominant influence in Franklin's early years. He later told friends he was afraid of her all his life. He was home schooled under her supervision. She made sure Franklin grew up in an atmosphere of privilege. He learned to ride, shoot, row and to play polo and lawn tennis. Frequent trips to Europe made him conversant in German and French.
She lived to see her only child elected President of the United States four times, although her domineering manner grated on her daughter-in-law, Eleanor Roosevelt who, at 6', was only 2 inches taller than Sara.
Sara Delano was also known as a slender 5'10" (178 cm), intelligent debutante beauty who survived her only husband, James Roosevelt, by 40 years and 272 days.
[edit] Her role after FDR's election
Sara continued to support her son's career and presidency even standing in for the first lady, Eleanor Roosevelt, several times at public occasions. She was always prepared to say something positive about her now world-famous son, but remained highly protective of him and his family.
[edit] Mother-in-law to Eleanor Roosevelt
Sara is also famous as the mother-in-law of Eleanor Roosevelt. Franklin became engaged to his distant cousin Eleanor, despite the fierce resistance of Sara Delano Roosevelt, who was terrified of losing control of Franklin. They were married in March 1905, and moved into a house bought for them by Sara, who became a frequent houseguest, much to Eleanor's mortification.
[edit] Sara intervenes to save FDR's marriage
In September 1918, Eleanor found compromising letters in Franklin's luggage that indicated an affair with Lucy Mercer. Eleanor was both mortified and angry, and confronted him with the letters, presenting Franklin with an ultimatum: Stop seeing Lucy or get a divorce. Sara soon learned of the crisis and decisively intervened. She argued a divorce would ruin Roosevelt's political career, and pointed out Eleanor would have to raise five children on her own if she were to divorce him. Since Sara was financially supporting the Franklin Roosevelts, this was a strong incentive to preserve the marriage.[citation needed]
[edit] Death
Mrs. Sara Delano Roosevelt died suddenly on September 7, 1941, only 230 days after her son's third inauguration as President and two weeks before her 87th birthday. Her memory is commemorated with the Sara Delano Roosevelt Park in New York City's Lower East Side, which was dedicated during her lifetime, in 1934.
