Born into one of New York society’s wealthiest families on Oct. 27, 1858, Theodore Roosevelt seemed destined for a charmed life. But debilitating asthma plagued him, and he learned, early on, how to overcome challenges, and despite his struggles, he was a smart, spirited, mischievous boy. His determination to excel and beat the odds would lead him on an adventure few people know about.
Before Theodore Roosevelt became the big, burly, outspoken, much-admired president of the United States, he was a skinny, sickly young man who, grieving the unexpected deaths of both his beloved mother and darling wife—on the same day—left high society for high adventure in the Wild West—to become a cowboy.
He may have had a Harvard degree, but T.R.’s real education, the lessons he would carry into his political career, were learned and honed with the sweat, dust, and grit of working cattle, standing up to scheming rivals, and sometimes duking it out with much bigger, stronger, downright mean men.
Get to know a side of Theodore Roosevelt few have seen before.
To learn more about Elkhorn, read Elkhorn 101.
To read about the life and legacy of Theodore Roosevelt, read Theodore Roosevelt: Wild West to the White House.