Edith Roosevelt knew her husband, Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919; see entry in volume 3), since childhood. They had not seen each other for many years when their paths crossed again when they were in their twenties in the mid- 1880s. At the time, Roosevelt was a recent widower with a young daughter, Alice. After a year-long engagement, the couple married in 1886. They took up residence in the White House when Roosevelt, who had been vice president, assumed the office of president after the death of President William McKinley (1843-1901; see entry in volume 3) in 1901.

Edith Roosevelt presided over a very active household. She was determined to maintain as normal a life as possible for her children and did her best to shield them from public attention. At the same time, she was a charming first lady who enthusiastically took a leading position in the social life of Washington...