Summer of 1880 on Mount Desert Island, Maine.
"The Big Six." Theodore Roosevelt and Harvard Classmates.
(L-R) Front row: John "Jack" S. Tebbetts, Harry "Hal" B. Chapin, and
Henry "Harry" "Shaw" R. Shaw; back row: Richard "Dick" Saltonstall,
Christopher "Minot" Minot Weld, and Theodore Roosevelt.
TRC 520.12-010 Houghton Library, Harvard University
Updated 02-23-2023
I first started researching Theodore Roosevelt in 2010. As a volunteer at Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, Maine, overseeing the Narcissus project (Roosevelt was a passenger on the Narcissus on August 18, 1914), I felt the need to learn more about Roosevelt's visit to Maine. That initial research piqued my curious nature to want to learn more about Theodore Roosevelt.
Twelve years later, that seed of curiosity has taken root and blossomed, into the development of what is the: Theodore Roosevelt Maine Heritage Trail: Connecting Maine Communities. Insight throughout the State of Maine is what this trail provides by tracing and describing Theodore Roosevelt's connections with each of these communities.
Each community is identified with a star with a number or
a moose with a letter. The key to the logo landmarks is below.
Each moose represents a community that has an indirect
connection with Roosevelt, meaning he may not have paid the
community a visit, but there is a meaningful connection to
Roosevelt in that community. The stars indicate a community
that Roosevelt visited and probably engaged with the people
and or the local geography. As research continues, other
communities will be added to the logo.
Logo: "Designs by Reece" - Reece Saunders
Over the ensuing weeks, each of these
communities/landmarks with its Roosevelt
connections will have a separate page describing
details of TR's connections. Each will also
have a link(s) to local resources/venues.
Key by "Designs by Reece" - Reece Saunders
Today, we describe "Star 17" shown on the list (key) above - Mount Desert Island 1880
During the spring of 2021, I was introduced to Patrick Callaway, Collections Manager, and Raney Bench, Executive Director of the Mount Desert Island Historical Society. Patrick became involved and provided some great information, solid leads, and some referrals. Thank You :) This post may rekindle that connection to seek clarification on a couple of the issues mentioned in this post.
Theodore Roosevelt was an active writer starting at a very young age. He kept a journal for many years. Many of those journals are now in the Theodore Roosevelt Collection at Harvard University. They were a resource for this post.
Theodore Roosevelt graduated from Havard College magna cum laude on June 30, 1880. TR, his fiance', Alice Hathaway Lee, and some of their friends traveled to Maine and enjoyed several days on Mount Desert Island later that summer.
Alice Hathaway Lee would marry Theodore Roosevelt on
October 27, 1880. Theodore turned twenty-two
years old on their wedding day. Alice had turned nineteen
on July 29, while on Mount Desert Island, Maine, with his
fiance', Theodore, and several close friends.
Library of Congress image 96525603
On Tuesday, July 20, 1880, TR, Alice, Alice's cousins and next-door neighbors in Chestnut Hill (Boston), Rose and Richard "Dick" Saltonstall took the night train from Boston (research leads to thinking they traveled to Bangor), then boarded a boat (research leads me to think they probably boarded the steamer "Florence" at about 8 the next morning) and reached Mount Desert Island that afternoon of Wednesday, July 21.
In the foreground, is the steamer "Florence."
In the background is the sidewheel steamer "Forest City." Both
are at Clark Point Wharf in Southwest Harbor. c 1890
Item 6268 from Southwest Harbor Public Library digital archives
Alice and Rose would be staying with family friends, the Welds, (a family with connections with TR's father and also Harvard classmates with TR) and TR and Dick (another Harvard classmate) would be staying with a family of yet another Harvard classmate, Jack Tebbetts. Jack's connection is as a family member related to the George S. Hale estate at Schooner Head.
Bar Harbor Historical Society has a nice original 1904 map
of Bar Harbor with portions of Mount Desert Island.
The map identifies various estates, etc. Ibid
No. 15 is the F. M. Weld estate and next
door is No. 17, the George R. Minot,
et al. estate. The Minots and Welds are
connected through marriage. Ibid
Rose and Alice stayed with the Welds. The Harvard connection is through one of the above "Big Six" in the photo at the top of the post, Christopher Minot Weld, known to his friends at "Minot." Minot's cousin, Henry "Hal" or "Harry" D. Minot, was also a Harvard classmate with TR. TR's father and Hal's father, William Minot, were friends.
No. 15 is the F. M. Weld estate and next door is No. 17,
the George R. Minot, et al. estate. The Minots and Welds were
connected through marriage. Ibid
TR and Dick Saltonstall stayed with their classmate, John "Jack" S. Tebbetts, and his relatives in the George S. Hale properties in Schooner Head. Schooner Head is about three and a half miles from Bar Harbor.
Nos. 255 and 257 and lots across the
road on the left out of the image above
were the Hale properties. Ibid
A portion of the description on the photo above says...
Constructed in 1876 by George Hale, this is the
summer home for many years of Richard Warden
Hale, Massachusetts lawyer, member of the House
of Representatives, and a U. S. Commissioner
for eighteen years. His son, Richard W. Hale, Jr.,
was the author of The Story of Bar Harbor.
The photo page is from that book.
This copy of The Story of Bar Harbor
by Hale in the Jesup Memorial Library,
Bar Harbor, MDI.
Inside the front and back covers of
The Story of Bar Harbor by Hale depicts natural
sites that are to this day, very popular to visit on the island.
Jesup Memorial Library in Bar Harbor, MDI
Of the members of the "The Big Six" in the photo at the top of the post, you have read four of them. Harry "Hal" B. Chapin, and Henry "Harry" "Shaw" R. Shaw. Hal and Shaw were also close friends and Harvard classmates of TRs and were also on MDI during TR's visit to MDI.
The visit lasted until Friday, August 6, when TR's journal entry has; Shaw, Chapin, Saltonstall (Dick), Rose, Alice, and myself all left. Alice and I reached Chestnut Hill late at night.
This was 1880, so no automobiles were around. Entries that have "rode over" or "drove" most likely described using a horse and carriage.
Several entries mention playing tennis. Additional research is needed to identify the location of the court(s).
On the afternoon of Friday, July 23, he "...walked round to see the various sights; the scenery is perfectly magnificent."
TR was not feeling well off and on for a few days.
On the afternoon of Sunday, July 25th, Jack drove TR over to Otter Creek.
On the 26th, TR and Dick moved from the Hale's in Schooner Head to the Welds in Bar Harbor.
On the afternoon and evening of the 27th, TR and Alice together investigated the rocky shores and the woods.
On the 28th, TR took Alice out for a ride in a horse and buggy. Later that evening, they attended a "very pleasant party."
Thursday, the 29th was Alice's nineteenth birthday. TR expresses his deep love for Alice in his journal.
On Friday, the 30th, TR is pretty sick again. He truly appreciates his friends for how they rally around him to care for him. Of, in particular, Alice. He writes of the "Big Six," listed them (Sammy, Chip, Jack, Dick, and Minot) with Alice being the 6th. This list of "Big Six", based on names doesn't match up fully with "The Big Six" which are Harvard classmates in the first photo at the top of the post. Additional research is needed to clarify.
On Saturday, July 31, Alice took first prize in the ladies' tennis tournament. Additional research is needed to hopefully find some additional information...perhaps a local newspaper feature?
On Sunday, August 1st, TR attended church and made an entry that it was a very good sermon. Additional research is needed to try and identify the specific church he attended.
Monday, August 2nd: "The Welds are just too sweet to us for anything. In the evening, if we can't go out on the rocks, Alice and I generally retire to the kitchen by ourselves."
Wednesday, August 4th was rainy. "Hop in the evening." I'm going to say "hop" might be a dance :) Research needed :)
The final day on the island. Thursday, August 5th: "Drove Darling Queenie over to drive at Schooner Head."
I'm thinking he wanted to show her the Schooner Head area and then continued traveling along the pathway enjoying the incredible vistas that the MDI coastlines offer.
Over the weekend of August 11 and 12, 2017, I paid a visit to Mount Desert Island and Bar Harbor. I did some research at Jesup Memorial Library and at the Bar Harbor Historical Society. The facilities were easy to access and the staff at both were very helpful. Mount Desert Island and Bar Harbor are "must visit" venues :)
Additional resources that were helpful.
1993 publication by John P. Ascher
1880 publication Farrarr's Illustrated
Guide Book to the Moosehead Lake
and Vicinity
This is a wonderful resource. Kohn has
edited TR's diary writings with footnotes,
etc. PWM collection
A portion of my collection of TR-related books :)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We continue the restoration work on the 1912, Narcissus, the only surviving high-speed, luxury interurban coach of the Portland-Lewiston Interurban.
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Being more than a century old, the stately, "Elegant Ride," Narcissus, is a gem. This shimmering precious stone of Maine transportation history is brilliantly resplendent as it emanates so many elements of history, including; time, places, people, and events, that it was coupled to, that when just a smattering of its seemingly innumerable stories are shared, the contents captivates, fascinates, then generates, interest to learn more 🙋. The majestic Narcissus is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
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The restoration of this majestic icon of Maine's electric railway history is but one in a series of captivating stories containing an abundance of incredible coalition of narratives.
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The Narcissus is featured in the national Gold Award-winning novel, Teddy Roosevelt, Millie, and the Elegant Ride. The "Elegant Ride" is the Narcissus. Theodore Roosevelt was a passenger on the Narcissus on August 18, 1914, between Lewiston and Portland, Maine, while campaigning for the Progressive Party candidates.
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Independent book publisher, Phil Morse, holding
the Gold Book Award Winner plaque for
the Middle Reader category for The Eric
Hoffer Book Award. Congratulations to
award-winning Maine author,
Jean M. Flahive
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