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
She was born at the Delano Estate in the Town of Newburgh, New York to Warren Delano and Catherine Robbins Lyman. She had ten siblings, two of whom died as small children. Three of them died 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. When Franklin left home to enter Harvard University, Sara moved very nearby him.
She lived to see her only child elected President of the United States three times, although her domineering manner grated on her daughter-in-law, Eleanor Roosevelt.
Sara Delano was described as a slender 5'10" (178 cm), intelligent debutante beauty in her youth. She survived her only husband, James Roosevelt, by 40 years and 272 days.
[edit] Marriage
She and her husband James are listed in the 1900 US Census as living in Hyde Park Town, New York. James is 71 years old and she is listed as Sarah, 47 years old. It says they have been married 20 years. Franklin is 18 and in school. James' occupation is listed as farmer. The family estate was called Algonac. They have 6 female servants.
[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. FDR received his middle name based on his mother's maiden name, but went by Franklin Delanor in order to conceal his mother's family and helping them avoid being the center of political affairs.
[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 Manhattan 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 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.
