Alice Lee Roosevelt died February 14, 1884, shortly after giving birth to Teddy Roosevelt’s first child. Her death rocked Teddy’s world and changed the course of history – he spent two years in the Dakotas mourning her loss and came back ready to reenter public life. Our family historian told me long ago that we were related by marriage to Theodore Roosevelt through his wife Alice, and the anniversary of her passing inspired me to put the pieces together.
Alice Hathaway Lee grew up in Boston, MA. Her father, George Cabot Lee, was one of nine children and her cousins were numerous. One of those cousins was Roosevelt’s roommate at Harvard and lived next door to Alice’s family – that’s how Teddy met Alice. Another cousin was Arthur Howard Lee, son of George’s older brother John. Arthur is our connection.
Arthur graduated from Harvard University in 1879. According to the Class Secretary’s published reports, Arthur wrote in 1882 to say that “since graduation I have lived in Scranton, Pennsylvania.” The annual records detail his tenure with the Lackawanna Steel Co., his marriage to Marie Louise “Minnie” Foster in 1885 and the births (4) and deaths (3) of their children.
Minnie Foster was a Pennsylvania native and the sister of our ancestor George B. Foster. Her marriage into the Lee family expanded the Foster’s world from Pennsylvania and New Jersey to Maine and Massachusetts, opening a new chapter of the family story.
George B. Foster (1848-1918)
Lynn, I will speak with you sometime for some clarification about the connection between Alice Hathaway Lee and Granny Comins (Marie Louise Foster Comins). Bob