geneseo

Mrs. Jas. Wadsworth & children (LOC)

from The Library of Congress

• Seuss. said:

  Wadsworths! From my old neck of the woods! (Livingston County, NY) This is Alice Hay Wadsworth. Alice was the daughter of John Hay (Abraham Lincoln's private secretary, later Secretary of State under McKinley & T. Roosevelt). Her husband was Sen.James W. Wadsworth Jr. of the Geneseo, NY Wadsworths. The boy is James J. Wadsworth (1905-1984.) He grew up to be Ambassador to the U.N. The girl is Evelyn Wadsworth (1903-1972.) She grew up to marry Senator (and 1st Secretary of the Air Force) Stuart Symington. Her son James Wadsworth Symington represented Missouri in the House of Representatives for 4 terms. The baby is Reverdy Wadsworth (born 10 November 1914-1970.) He was the Wadsworth who worked the acres in Geneseo. He married Eleanor Roosevelt (no, not THAT Eleanor Roosevelt, but related to her). James W, (Alice's husband) as a Senator was kind of what we would today call a tea partier. He believed that the ONLY purpose of the constitution was to limit the power of government and protect the rights of citizens. He opposed both Prohibition and Women's Suffrage. Alice shared his views and was the president of National Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage.

• Pete (LOC P&P) said:

  Seuss: thanks for the very informative background of the Wadsworth family. We will add the information to the record the next time we update.