No video lesson this week, ladies! Why? Because there’s wayyy too much to cram into three minutes and this gal deserves more than three minutes. Who am I talking about? The one and only Eleanor Roosevelt! That’s right, the cousin-marrying wonder we all know and love! Oh don’t freak, they were distant cousins and it was common back then. Just remember, Katherine and Linton we cousins, as were Katherine and Hareton. If you don’t know who I’m talking about, you fail. GET OUT OF HERE!

It was a cold, or hot and rainy, or sunny day one October 11th in 1884 when Eleanor Roosevelt came into this world in a lil’ city called New York.  The people responsible for merging DNA and creating Eleanor were known as Anna Hall and Elliot Roosevelt, Theodore’s little brother. Oh my goodness, the Roosevelt family made TWO presidents?! Yes, yes they did, but that’s not the point. Anyways, where was I? Oh yes, Eleanor was born. Sadly, Anna died in 1892 and Daddy Elliot followed suit a mere two years after. The children, including Eleanor went to live with Gma Hall.

At the age of fifteen, Eleanor was attending some hoity toity school in England. Long story short, Eleanor returned home for a debut where she met her distant cuz Franklin. Apparently they hung out in the same circle of friends. Pssshhh, yeah right. What cousins hang out with the same people? Honestly. Show of hands! Come on, don’t be shy!

Moving on; They dated, they got engaged in 1903 and who can guess what comes next? That’s right, they got married! Two years after…What a long engagement…Anyways, she bore six children in eleven years, one of which died in childbirth. Eleanor described this time in her life as follows, “”I suppose I was fitting pretty well into the pattern of a fairly conventional, quiet, young society matron,” she wrote later in her autobiography.” Someone sounds bored…I wonder what happens next…Hmm..well, Franklin got the Polio and it did a number on him. It earned him some wheels and well someone had to keep Frankie’s political dreams alive while he was governor, right? Someone had to be his eyes and ears, right? RIGHT! Eleanor became just that. She was hella successful, because in 1933, the Roosevelts moved to The White House and…Oh dear, part two another time.

Until next time, my lovelies,

G

P.S. The picture collection for History of You is not satisfactory. IT NEEDS MORE PICTURES! Feel free to contribute by sending a picture to sarah@girlsbydesign.com