Presidential Biographies | Franklin D. Roosevelt Administrations - Family Life

Family Life

Franklin Delano Roosevelt married Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, his distant cousin, in 1905. Together they had six children, five of whom lived to maturity. The children were: Anna Eleanor Roosevelt (1906–75); James (1907–91); Franklin, who lived from March 18 to November 1, 1909; Elliott (1910–90); Franklin Delano, Jr. (1914–88); and John (1916–81). The Roosevelt children were involved in numerous divorces, scandals, financial difficulties, and controversies, especially during the White House years, but Franklin and Eleanor always forgave them, appearing to some critics to be unconcerned.

Anna was always closest to Roosevelt, and was with him on his last great diplomatic venture to Yalta in 1945, which laid the groundwork for an end to World War II (1939–45). James served his father as a White House aide and later served in Congress representing a district from California. Elliott became a rancher. Franklin...