It was one hundred years ago today- the 26th President of the United States Theodore Roosevelt died between 4:00 and 4:15 AM in his sleep after a blood clot traveled to his lungs-  at his Sagamore Hill home. The former president had suffered from breathing problems the night before. He received treatments from  Dr.George Faller his physician and seemed to feel better and went to sleep. His final words were to his family servant James Amos, “Please put that light out, James.” T.R. was only sixty years old and had been gearing up for a run in 1920 for his old job of president. It is fairly likely he would have won had he lived. Upon hearing of his death his son Archibald telegraphed his siblings- “The old lion is dead.” Roosevelt’s health took a turn for the worse after his youngest son Quentin was shot down and killed in aerial combat in France on Bastille Day  1918 while serving in The Great War.

T.R. is generally regarded among the Top 5 in most presidential rankings. Recommended reading- the three volume biography by Edmund Morris. Great read.