Tadd Roosevelt

James Roosevelt "Tadd" Roosevelt Jr., also known as Taddy, was born on August 20, 1879, and died on June 7, 1958. He was an American heir associated with the Roosevelt and Astor families.

Early Life:

Tadd Roosevelt was the son of diplomat James Roosevelt "Rosey" Roosevelt (1854–1927) and Helen Schermerhorn (née Astor) Roosevelt (1855–1893). He had a sister named Helen Rebecca Roosevelt (1881–1962). His paternal grandparents were James Roosevelt I and Rebecca Brien (née Howland) Roosevelt. His maternal grandparents included William Backhouse Astor Jr. and Caroline (née Schermerhorn) Astor, known as "Mrs. Astor." His uncles included Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who later became the President of the United States, and Colonel John Jacob "Jack" Astor IV, who died during the sinking of the RMS Titanic. Both Tadd and Franklin attended Groton School and Harvard University; Tadd was ahead of Franklin at Groton. Their relationship during school was characterized by a kinship that sometimes led to Franklin being mockingly called "Uncle Frank."

Career:

Upon the death of his mother in 1893, Tadd inherited $1,500,000, equivalent to approximately $52.5 million in 2024 dollars.

Personal Life:

On June 14, 1900, while still a student at Harvard, Tadd married Sadie Messinger, who was around 19 years old at the time. The marriage occurred without the consent of his father, Rosey Roosevelt. Reports suggest Sadie was at least 25 years old and was frequenting the Haymarket Dance Hall, where she was known as "Dutch Sadie" and "Sadie of the Tenderloin." Some sources describe her as a prostitute, while others refer to her as a dancehall girl or a hooker and sometime dancehall entertainer. Rosey Roosevelt attempted to have the marriage annulled, but he was unsuccessful. The union was considered disgraceful by both the Roosevelt and Astor families, leading to Rosey's disowning of Tadd. The marriage caused a public scandal and reportedly contributed to Rosey's heart attack; Franklin Roosevelt reportedly blamed Tadd's marriage for this health issue. In October 1900, Franklin Roosevelt wrote to Sara Roosevelt criticizing Tadd’s relationship with Sadie.

In 1907, Tadd was arrested for speeding in Brooklyn. He resided in Florida for some time, and in February 1917, he was arrested again in Florida. A local court in Volusia County reportedly ordered him to stay in Florida pending a divorce settlement. In 1911, Tadd was reportedly living in Daytona under the alias "M. S. King." The Roosevelt family worked towards a separation, and a court awarded Sadie an annual income of $10,000 (approximately $245,429 in 2024 dollars), with Tadd paying $625 per month in alimony during the divorce proceedings.

Later Years and Death:

By October 1921, Tadd and Sadie Roosevelt were no longer living together, although they remained legally married until Sadie's death in 1940. Tadd supported himself as an automobile repairman after returning to New York and did not utilize his inherited wealth. He was estranged from his family, communicating only to instruct that his fortune be donated to the Salvation Army upon his death. A reclusive individual in his later years, Tadd Roosevelt died in Manhattan on June 7, 1958. His estate, estimated at around $12 million, was donated to the Salvation Army, which received approximately $5 million.

References and further reading sources include works by R. Burnham Moffat, Conrad Black, and Richard Panchyk. An external link is provided to Tadd Roosevelt's memorial page at Find a Grave.