Teddy Roosevelt

Hanging in the front hall of the house is an autographed picture of Teddy that he signed to his “old friend, Mrs. Tilden R. Selmes”.  Tilden Selmes and Patty Selmes were neighbors to Teddy Roosevelt while living in the Dakotas.  Isabella Dinsmore Selmes, spent her early life on that ranch.  In the Dakotas,  they weathered some very difficult times together and through those experiences they became lifelong friends and later forged long-lasting acquaintances with Roosevelt’s sisters and others in the Roosevelt circle.  

Robert Munro Ferguson, first husband of Isabella Selmes Ferguson Greenway, also had a connection to the former president.  He was a Rough Rider with Theodore Roosevelt and an early friend of his and his sister, Anna Roosevelt Cowles.   Through the influence of Anna, Robert came to the United States, where he and Douglas Robinson, Roosevelt’s brother-in-law, were co-trustees of the Astor Estate and property interests in New York City.  In 1891, he was a hunting companion of Roosevelt in Wyoming.  In 1898, Robert was commissioned as Second Lieutenant in Company D of Theodore Roosevelt’s Rough Riders.  Eventually Roosevelt’s fondness for Robert led him to ask Robert to be godfather for his youngest daughter, Edith Roosevelt Derby.  In 1908, when Robert's son was born Robert asked Teddy to be his son's godfather.  Robert's biography contains more information about his friendship with Teddy. 

John Campbell Greenway also fought with Roosevelt’s Rough Riders  in the Spanish American War (1898-1901).  In the conflict he forged a close relationship with Theodore Roosevelt and Robert Ferguson.   He fought with distinction earning himself the a Silver Star after reaching the top of San Juan Hill before any other commissioned officer.  Read Roosevelt's words of praise in John's biography.

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