A sexual dalliance would have risked a pregnancy that could derail Franklin's family and career and Mercer's reputation. Marguerite Alice "Missy" LeHand (September 13, 1896 July 31, 1944) was a private secretary to U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) for 21 years. According to LeHand's biographer Kathryn Smith in The Gatekeeper, she eventually functioned as White House Chief of Staff, the only woman in American history to do so. [1] Missy LeHand, Roosevelts longtime aide. In "Roosevelt in Retrospect," John Gunther claimsthat Franklin was often unaware when Eleanor was in the White House, and that he did not see the New York apartments his wife maintained until late in 1944. I pitied Eleanor. Also by FDR's side when he died was Daisy Suckley, the president's sixth cousin and close confidant who is depicted in 'Hyde Park on the Hudson'. Goodwin writes in No Ordinary Time that it was disturbing for Missy to be replaced by another woman.. Revealed: All 76 bank branches that are shutting its doors this month in blow to the High Street Met Gala 2023 live: Rihanna finally arrives! STill, if FDR could not save his wife, he did not have to betray her. And everyone from John D. Rockefeller to W. E. B. Lash speculates that this last betrayal contributed to Eleanor's feeling that Franklin's death was more an abstract grief at the loss of a symbol than a personal sorrow for her. She was laid up in her bed for weeks, then transferred to a hospital. Eleanor Roosevelt was the greatest obstacle I faced when I started the research for Lucy, a novel about the love affair that altered and almost derailed twentieth-century history. Though Ragni stgaard mentions summer visits from the President in her letters to Nikolai, FDR was at Hyde Park when the U-boat surfaced, says Kalllestein. It was during their years in Albany that Missy first came to the attention of the roving pack of reporters who covered FDR. Missy had suffered from a bad heart from the time she was a little girl. He maintained a relationship with his secretary Marguerite "Missy" LeHand. Mrs. Nesbitt told him it was unavailable, though when his secretaries chipped in to buy some, they managed to find it in the local stores. In addition, the relationship was covered in an episode of The President's documentaries for the PBS American Experience series on American history, as well as in the 2014 PBS miniseries The Roosevelts, directed by noted documentary film-maker Ken Burns, with an accompanying companion pictorial book by Geoffrey Perrett. But whitewashing the weaknesses of the great is a disservice to them as well as history. Terms of Use: PBS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. But this was FDRs first shot at national political office and he went at it with his trademark gusto. A new PBS documentary based on a book he wrote shows why. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelts evolving relationship with African Americans challenged her beliefs about herselfand the world she had been raised in. James realized even then what a cruel thing that was to say, but even Eleanor felt that the children were more Sara's than hers. Even during the terrible years when he was battling to walk again, he delighted in company. When I thought about their personal flaws, I marveled at the public good to which they put them. Crowds flock to beaches and parks as traditional May Day celebrations One of many women: Franklin D. Roosevelt was said to have carried on a 20-year affair with his secretary, Marguerite 'Missy' LeHand. His health had declined throughout World War II. WebWidely considered the first female presidential chief of staff, Marguerite "Missy" LeHand was the right-hand woman to Franklin Delano Roosevelt - both personally and professionally - for more than 20 years. "Attention and admiration were the things through all my childhood which I wanted," Eleanor later remarked, "because I was made to feel that nothing about me would attract attention or bring me admiration.". . Missy grew to love this special place, and between the cruisesaboard the Larooco and the rehabilitation work at Warm Springs, Missy had become a critical part ofFDRs recovery efforts. As a wedded couple, however, they encountered difficulties almost from the beginning, one of them in the bedroom. If FDR was incapable of giving love, as many close to him believed, perhaps ER was equally incapable of receiving it. Olav confronts his wife about rumors of an affair. Months of medical treatments and intense therapy followed and Missy was one of the few who were allowed to see him at his Manhattan apartment during this time. I discovered secrets I wanted to sweep under the rug. But the demands ER made on herself could take a fearful toll on others, especially the man with whom she had linked her destiny when she was only 20 and he had just turned 23. But it wasn't only joyous choruses of "Wearing of the Green" that drew attention away from the bride and groom. Copyright 1949-2023 American Heritage Publishing Co. All Rights Reserved. Her collapse actually occurred on June 4, 1941not on Christmas Eve and not with Martha present. I am not talking about giving up a career to stay home and raise children, or nursing an aging parent, or other instances of worthy self-sacrifice. FDR's Secretary of Labor the first female Cabinet member also helpedcreatethe minimum wage, 40-hour work week, and first tough child labor laws. Nonetheless, FDR had his standards of conduct. Support with a donation>>. [36] The two women, Mercer and Shoumatoff, immediately packed and left the cottage. I knew her father had died of alcoholism, and her uncles had drunkenly fired hunting rifles at her from the windows of her grandmothers house. Sara Roosevelt's attentions helped give her son a happy childhood, but she remained protective of him well into adulthood, a tendency that would later mar his marriage to Eleanor. The demands Eleanor Roosevelt made on herself could take a fearful toll on others, especially her husband. Mercer's friendship with Franklin Roosevelt was portrayed in the well-regarded TV mini-series Eleanor and Franklin, with Mercer portrayed by actress Linda Kelsey in the 1976 telecast, based on the best-selling biography of the same name by Eleanor's personal friend Joseph P. Lash, published in 1971. Now in his fifties, Rutherfurd was considered one of society's most eligible widowers. In A First Class Temperament, Geoffrey C. Ward recounts a telling conversation between the young FDR and his wife. Rutherfurd and Shoumatoff, along with two female cousins, were sitting there as the artist worked on her painting of Roosevelt as he sat at a card table by the living room stone fireplace, fine-tuning a future speech and reading over some other papers on the early afternoon of April 12, 1945. They provided FDR with an important escape from the pressures of the White House, and their personal bonds allowed them to speak truth, sometimes uncomfortable truths, to the Boss. Franklin spearheaded the New Deal and set an optimistic tone for the country through his speeches and "fireside chat" radio messages, while Eleanor advocated for her husband's policies and reached out to Americans through her newspaper columns and travels. Missy LeHand, FDR's closest companion for two decades, was crippled by a stroke followed by a nervous breakdown. Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt wed on St. Patrick's Day of 1905 in New York City in the home of Eleanor's grandmother, perHistory Today. During this period Missy had a serious medical issue with her irregular heartbeat and Eleanor grew deeply concerned about her health. 'I have longed to have you with me,' he wrote in one letter from a cruise to Panama. More than this, she referred to them as her own. ], FACT: Yes, its known as Operation Pastorius, says series co-writer and historian, Linda May Kallestein. The President sent his wife out as his investigator and ambassador, valued her opinion, boasted of her achievements, and defended her weaknesses. Polio struck without warning on August 10, 1921, while he was vacationing at his home on Campobello Island in Canada. I wrote all this in the newspaper. The U-boat surfaced not far from where Martha was staying in Long Island that summer.. Those were Groton idealstaught by youI try not to forget- and your words are still with me and with hundreds of other of us boys. She jogged into a car where the President was waiting behind the wheel. After his reelection in 1930 he became the most activist governor in the country. But FDR never gave up on her. (Mostly) FICTION: A similar telegram existed, but American intelligence never caught it nor implemented security measures based on it, say Atlantic Crossing co-writers; their research revealed the telegram became known only after the war. Doris Kearn Goodwin counters in"No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt" that Franklin doted on his children when he could give them his time. Four years ago, when reports of presidential misbehavior convulsed the country, I found myself wanting to tell the story of three people who comported themselves with dignity and grace in the face of imminent heartbreak and of an era that allowed them to. target: "#hbspt-form-1682997151000-4739201604", The difference of several weeks would not seem important but for who else was in the White House at the time. My study of the presidential chronology disclosed a meeting on June 5 of the same year. "[17] The incident marked a turning point in her life; disillusioned with her marriage, she became active in public life, and focused increasingly on her social work rather than her role as a wife.[18][19]. This photo is from Jan. 20, 1936, Love nest: FDR took many of his close female friends whom he was rumored to be involved with romantically to his Hyde Park home in upsate New York. But if his need for company was prodigious, it could also be promiscuous. Moreover, while I do not believe that parents are responsible for the acts of adult offspring, and the nature-nurture debate is far from settled, the five surviving Roosevelt children married a total of 19 times. A soldier-historian looks at how the world has changed in the past decade and finds that America is both hostage to history and likely to be saved by it. But all three were grand enough to accommodate flaws. She had a long face and a prominent jaw and nose, but a sweetness of expression that spoke of her good nature. Adoring crowds made the president the center of attention, both at the wedding and the reception. [8][9] Franklin was at that time the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, and Mercer was assigned to his office. Each left their mark as individuals, Franklin Roosevelt as New York governor and as the longest-serving United States president, and Eleanor Roosevelt as the longest-serving first lady and as first U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. The context of Eleanor's attitude is worth bearing in mind. His wife turned the White House over to a kitchen moralist who believed in plain food plainly prepared. Admirers sent the President wild game, of which he was particularly fond. After the election, Eleanor asked Missy to come to her home in Hyde Park and help finish up the correspondence. Franklin and Eleanor: An Extraordinary Marriage. WebBeing obsessed with all things Roosevelt, I was thrilled to see a biography about Marguerite Missy LeHand, President Franklin D. Roosevelts personal secretary. She was, according to Jean Edward Smith's "FDR," the president's constant companion for 21 years, his attendant on excursions where Eleanor was not present, and the only one to refer to him with the pet name "F.D." As told by Joseph P. Lash in "Eleanor and Roosevelt," after she had seen her husband's body, the first lady was told that her former secretary, Lucy Mercer, now Lucy Rutherfurd, had been with Franklin when he died. And while she clearly had her favorites, she was widely respected for her fairness and devotion to the presidents needs. Unlike a chronology of events I later unearthed, the note was not a new discovery. The experience transformed him. On the rare occasions when she was less than that, ER owned up to her failings scrupulously. When President Roosevelt died, Grace Tully took all of her and many of Missys papers with her. Just a few months later FDR would be stricken with polio, and Missy would become his companion and gatekeeper. Mercer left Washington after the affair and became the governess for the children of Winthrop Rutherfurd (18621944), a wealthy New York socialite. Marguerite (Missy) LeHand was FDRs longtime personal secretary and confidante. Please support this 72-year tradition of trusted historical writing and the volunteers that sustain it with a donation to American Heritage. What should have been their day alone ended up with the two of them practically ignored. She called the White House and her former assistant Grace Tully took a message for the President, but he did not call her back that day. The offices, ambitions, and illnesses of Franklin Roosevelt saw him frequently away from home. FDR was convinced he had found a new form of therapy. FDR's affinity for the company of women was always well known and some historians dispute stories of his alleged affairs, saying his friendships never grew to become romances. One of many women: Franklin D. Roosevelt was said to have carried on a 20-year affair with his secretary, Marguerite 'Missy' LeHand. "[10], In 1918, Franklin went on a trip to Europe to inspect naval facilities for the war. Fierce opposition came from Franklin's political advisor, Louis Howe, and from his mother, Sara Delano Roosevelt. It won't rain on our parade! In a review for the Washington Post, Stacy Schiff details the first lady's long-term relationship with reporter Lorena Hickok. Pregnant Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice are joined by British MasterChef judge Jock Zonfrillo 'was secretly battling bowel cancer' before he was found A musical climax! He provided for her in his will, but she suffered a stroke in 1941 and predeceased him. With Elliott Roosevelt deceased, Eleanor was given away at the wedding by her uncle. These were without doubt the most difficult years of his life, and those who were with him during that period became his most trusted confidants and advisers. She left only a handful of letters and no diaries, or at least none that have come to light. Just seven months later, Rutherfurd herself died from leukemia, aged 57, on July 31, 1948, just .mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}3+14 years after Roosevelt, having destroyed almost all of her correspondence with the president. On the other hand, her son James Roosevelt (quoted by Rowley) thought that his mother may have had an affair with her young bodyguard, the New York state trooper Earl Miller. And biographer Hazel Rowley has speculated (via Roll Call) that Mercer's devout Catholic faith may have prevented a physical relationship. ER relied upon the kindness and sustenance of her friends, especially her women friends. Born in 1882, he was the only child of James Roosevelt and Sara Delano. Historian/author Persico speculates that these letters may have been the cause of the 1927 nervous breakdown of Roosevelt's long-time unmarried first secretary Marguerite "Missy" LeHand (18981944), as LeHand was also reputedly in love with Roosevelt and no medical cause for her breakdown was found. [28] The year 1924 also introduced FDR to Warm Spring Georgia, where he would focus his efforts on findingan effective cure for polio and provide a world class rehabilitation clinic for its victims. WebMissy LeHand was private secretary to Franklin D. Roosevelt (32nd US President of the United States) for over two decades. Just what the nature of that affair was is unknown and never will be. When Germany unleashed its blitzkreig in 1939, the U.S.Army was only the 17th largest in the world. I can forgive, but never forget. He bought an old boat with his friend John Lawrence and christened it the Larooco (Lawrence, Roosevelt Co.) and in the winter of 1924, FDR, Missy, and Leroy set sail for the warm Caribbean waters near Florida. One Roosevelt son called her a lady to her fingertips. FDRs mother wrote to her daughter-in-law, Miss Mercer is here, she is so sweet and attractive and adores you, Eleanor. I could not believe FDR had sacrificed the complicated, redoubtable, and, in her youth, lovely ER for this saccharine Victorian clich. Throughout their lives together, ER never stopped casting a pall over the short cocktail hour that gave FDR enormous pleasure. That is undoubtedly true. Rutherfurd is portrayed by Maria Dizzia. Minnie then raised the girls alone. Only a sliding door separated 49 East 65th Street (Franklin and Eleanor's residence) from Sara's next door. During the same time period, Roosevelt was said to be involved with Dorothy Schiff, a former publisher of the New York Post.

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