The Washington herald., 1907-04-24
ROOSEVELT AS A GODFATHER
Three Babies Have Been HOnored
by Him at Christenings.
First Was a Chanler, Second q
Loeb, and Third n Murchie,
Gets Many Requests.

Boston has one-third Of all the children
in the United States who have been hap
tized by President Theodore Roosevelt,
says the Boston Herald. The distinction
which has thus been conferred on that
third will not be realized by it for some
time to come.
Donald Murchie is the fortunate third
he is the son of Capt. and Mrs. Guy
Murchie. of Mount Vernon street. Mrs
Murchie is the daughter of the late Dr.
Donald. of Trinity Church.
President Roosevelt performed his god
fatherly function on the occasion OF his
regent visit 10 the city TO witness the
initiation of his son into the Porcelain
Club. at Harvard. II was a crowded day
Tor the President, and his presence at the
christening of Capt. Murchie's son was in
fulhllment of promise made 10 him some
time ago.
Capt Murchie was one of the Rough
Riders who followed Roosevelt in Cuba.
The President shocked some of the wOr-
shippers of tradition on the occasion of the
1.rst visit he made 10 Boston after sue
ceedlng TO the Presidency. Capt. Murchie
was one of q score Of men who were near
the President at the time The President
spied him. and called out a most cordial
and unprecedented greeting to him.
The christening Of the Murchie baby
called attention TO the small number of
christenings at which the President has
been present as godfather King Edward
and Kaiser Wilhelm are much better
known as gOdfathers in their countries
than President Roosevelt in this and
there is no danger apparently, that the
Father OF his country" is to have in
President Roosevelt a Godfather Of bis
country"
The immediate predecessor of Master
Murchie was William Loeb III. son of the
secretary TO the President. Young William
has the honor of being the only baby in
the executive official set at Washington
who has been thus hOnoTed
First of the trio of Roosevelt babies
was Theodore Ward Chanler. He is the
son of Mr.. and Mrs. Winthrop Chanler Of
Newport and New York. He was christen-
ed in Newport about four and One-half
years ago. Mrs. Henry Cabot Lodge was
godmother, and Mrs. Julia Ward Howe,
a great-aunt of Mrs. Chanler was pres
enL Like Capt Murchie. Mr.. Chanler
was a war companion Of the President
The archives of the White House do not
reveal the number of requests that have
been made for the services OF President
Roosevelt as a godfather or the number
OF children who have been named for him.
The probabilities are that the number OF
the latter is well IN the thousands.
Letters are received by every President
of the United States telling Of the chill
dren that have been named in honor Of
the Chief Executive. Some are from mere
acquaintance, some are from friends, and
some are from men and women Of whom
the President never heard and whom he
will never meet But he popularized the
term race suicide and as many men
look at the births of sons and heirs as
related, somehow or other, 20 what the
President preached. the chances are that
more children have been named for Pres
ident Roosevelt than for any other man
who ever presided over the White House.