The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1901-09-26
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT.
A Brief Sketch Of His Life.
MAN or GREAT. ACTIVITY,


he comes of sturdy Dutch stock, Klass
Martensen Roosevelt, who emigrated to
this country from Holland in 164o
being the first of his ancestors to iden-
tify himself with the vigorous life OF
the new world. This worthy progeni-
tor was among the early settlers oi
New York and he brought with him to
his colonial home in the west the rug
ged independence of the typical pion-
eer. Next in line of descent on the
paternal side came Nicholas Roosevelt
who achieved some note in provincial
affairs, being at one time an alderman,
or what corresponded in colonial times
to this important functionary in mod.
ern municipal politics. Than came
Jacobus, father and son, neither oil
whom achieved any special distinction.
Next in line came James, who rose to
rank of captain in the New York troops
during the revolution and who was
connected with some of the most dis
tinguished families of the State, such
as the Rogers, the Schuylers and the
Van Dykes. Then came Cornslius,
who still further enriched the purple
strain OF the famiIy's aristocratic line
age by his marriage to Margaret Barn
hill, whose grandfather, Thomas Potts,
was an eminent scotch-Irish patriot,
who represented Pennsylvania in the
continental congress. Then came
Theodore Roosevelt, father OF the vice
president.
So much for the claim of descent on
the paternal side of the house. On
the maternal side the traditions OF the
family are equally noteworthy and
moreover they connect the vice-presi-
dent with some of the most aristocratic
blood OF the commonwealth Of Georgia.
To bring out this fact clearly 1t must
be stated that the mother of the young
or Roosevelt was Martha Bulloch, OF
Roswell, Ga. She was the daughter of
James Bulloch and the grandfather
On her mothers side of General Daniel
Stewart, one Of Georgia's most lllustri-
GUS revolutionary heroes. She also
descended on her fathers side from
Archibald Bulloch, the first governor
of this State, and an uncorrupted old
revolutionary patriot OF Scotch-Irish
extraction, who sprang from the Doug
leases and the Bailies. Archibald Bull
loch married Mary de Vaux, whose
paternal grandfather fled to this coun-
try from France on the revocation Of
the edlct of Nantes in 1856. Martha
Bulloch became acquainted with the
elder Roosevelt on one of her frequent
visits to New York, and falling in love
with the thrifty Dutch-American mer-
chant-for such he was-she subsequently
became his wife. Shortly after the
formation of this happy union the
younger Roosevelt, who was destined
in later years to become one of the
foremost figures In American public
life, was ushered into existence. There
are hundreds OF people IN Georgia who
remember the e-president's mother
we'll and who cherish many pleasant
recollections of her.
Colonel Roosevelt first became prom
inent in New York politics as an advo-
cate of civil service reform. From
1882 to 1884 he was an assemblyman
in the New York legislature and intro
duced the first civil service bill which
was passed In 1883, almost simultane-
ously with the passage of the celebrated
measure in Congress. On account OF
his scholastic and oratorical accom-
plishments he advanced rapidly to the
front in political life, and in 1884 was
made chairman OF the New York dele
CATION to tho national Republican con-
ventlon. Two years later he expert
enced his first political reverses when
he became an Independent candidate
for mayor of New York city. AL
though he received the Endorsement Of
the Republican organization, he was
defeated at the polls. In 1889 Presi-
dent Harrison appointed him civil SER
vice commissioner and he served as
chairman OF the board until 1895.
While occupying this important po-
litical position he was rigid in apply
ing civil service principles to all exec
utiYe departments, with the result
that during this administration the
number of federal employees placed
under the benefits of this system was
increased from 14,OO0 to 10000. In
1895 Colonel Roosevelt resigned bis
position on the board of civil service
commissioners to accept tho presidency
of the New York board Of police com
missioners, an investigation having
shown the appalling corruption OF the
New York police officials. Many dras-
tic and radical reform meaeures we're
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