Spring Break Bonus Ancestor - Edith Kermit Carow

I am currently on spring break and thought I would offer up a distant relative who I wouldn't profile during the 52 Ancestors challenge.

Edith Kermit Carow who would marry Theodore Roosevelt is my 5th cousin 7x removed.  Our common ancestor begins with John Gorham (1620-1676) and Desire Howland (1623-1683).

Ancestry Line from Edith to my great grandfather Chester Walton Greene.  The last names that are in caps are my direct relatives.

Edith was born on August 6, 1861 in Norwich, Connecticut to Charles Carow (1825-1883) and Gertrude Elizabeth Tyler (1836-1895).  Edith was the second of three children but her older brother Robert Kermit died as an infant before Edith was born.  Edith's younger sister, Emily followed in 1864. 

Edith grew up next door to Theodore Roosevelt and his family even attending his wedding to first wife Alice Hathaway Lee.  Alice would pass away on February 14, 1884 at the age of 22 after giving birth to daughter Alice, due to kidney failure that was masked by Alice's pregnancy.  Theodore would also lose his mother on the same day to typhoid fever.  Edith and Theodore reconnected in 1885 and were engaged on November 17, 1885 but delayed announcement.  Edith and Theodore were married on December 2, 1886 at St. George's Church of Hanover Square in London, England.  The two enjoyed a 15 week honeymoon in Europe.  Edith and Theodore had five children: Theodore (1887-1944), Kermit (1889-1943), Ethel Carow (1891-1977), Archibald Bulloch (1894-1979) and Quentin (1897-1918).

Theodore was elected to the office of Vice President of the United Stated in 1901 and after just six months would become President in September 1901 after William McKinley was assassinated. Edith's time as first lady helped turn the White House into the social center of the land.  Edith did an extensive remodel of the White House costing $475,000.  

Edith would outlive three of her five children.  The youngest Roosevelt child, Quentin died in aerial combat in France during WWI on July 14, 1918 less than six months later husband Theodore would die on January 6, 1919 at the age of 60.  Edith and Theodore's eldest child: Theodore also died in France but during WWII and of a heart attack on July 12, 1944 he was 56.  Edith and Theodore's second child: Kermit committed suicide by gun shot on June 4, 1943 at the age of 53.  Edith was not told it was a suicide but a heart attack.

Edith died on September 30, 1948 in Oyster Bay, New York and is interred next to her husband at Youngs Memorial Cemetery near Oyster Bay, New York.

Roosevelt Family - L-R: Quentin, T.R., Archibald on knee, Theodore III, Alice, Kermit, Edith, Ethel.

SOURCES:

Ancestry

Wikipedia