Howe was a friend, confidante and adviser of FDR, and FDR in fact did visit Howe at his summer cottage on Horseneck Beach. Howe was early convinced that Roosevelt would be President one day, hence the salutation. FDR did come to Westport and visit Howe. (www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/eleanor/peopleevents/pande04.html)
We are indebted to Russ Hart for a copy of this letter. The original is in the possession of and copyrighted by the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library, Hyde Park, New York.
NEW YORK STATE WILSON CONFERENCE
31 NASSAU STREET
NEW YORK
HON. FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT
Chairman Executive Committee ROOM 1409
Beloved and Revered Future President:
This is a line to remind you that you have a date with me to go in swimming. Also that your young hopefuls (I rather like that spelling and am going to let it stand) have a date to come
down and dig in the sand. My wife writes me that the miserable shack we had
to take this year is “horrid” and that she expects to live on the piazza.
There is, however, I am informed, a stove that is adequate to the occasion and I will have you understand that I am some duck. I trust therefore that “en route.” You and yours will motor down early in the morning to
Westport Point NOT Westport Harbor, and spend the day. Bring bathing suits
for the grown ups and sand pails for the kids. Please punctuate this to
suit yourself. There is a man at my ear telling me the story of his life
and why he is for Wilson – I am glad he is for Wilson, but must confess that
I doubt that Wilson would be for him:
When you reach Westport Point ask at either of the two stores where
the Howes live down on Horse neck. It is only half a mile straight ahead – Don’t
try to get down to the beach in the car. They get rich down there
pulling out cars from the sand. You can go, however, down to where the
road leads straight to the water, about three hundred feet from the surf.
Stop by the barn and foot it the rest of the way. You turn to the right
and keep right on walking until you get there.
You will note that I have not mentioned particularly that I hope
your better half will come along. This is not an oversight, but I fear that
in adding this to my invitation I may make the invitation to her so warm
and cordial as to arouse the green eyed monster in your breast. I will
therefore hide my real feelings behind the “safe and Sane” statement that
Mrs. Howe hopes to see Mrs. Roosevelt at the same time.
You might telegraph me the day before you are coming, addressing
the wire to L. Howe Horseneck Beach, Westport Point, Mass. The telegraph
station being Westport point. Or you can telephone to the post office and
Store at Westport point and they will send a boy out with the message.
Every time I duck under the cool water this week I will think of
you at Baltimore and regret(?) that I am not along.
Yours,
Howe
Courtesy Director Franklin D. Roosevelt Library, Hyde Park
A Letter written in 1912 to Franklin D. Roosevelt.
This poem was written by Charlotte White, half black, half Native American, and was born in 1775. Charlotte White Rd. is named after her. You can see a picture of her in our "Westport Enters its Fifth Century" p. 57.
THE PILGRIM’S SONG
Come all ye weary travelers, now let us join and sing.
The everlasting praises of Jesus Christ our King.
We have a tedious journey and tiresome it is true
But see how many dangers the Lord hath brought us through
At first when Jesus found us, He called us unto Him
And pointed out the danger of falling into sin.
The world, the flesh and Satan would prove a fatal snare
Unless we did reject them by faith and humble prayer
By our disobedience with sorrow we confess,
We have had long to wander in a dark wilderness.
Where we might oft had fainted in that inchanted ground
But now and then a cluster of pleasant grapes we found
The pleasant fruits of Canaan give life and love and peace.
Revives our drooping spirits and makes our joy complete.
To confess our Lord and Master, and run at His command,
And hasten on our journey into the Promised Land
In faith and hope and patience, were made for to rejoice
And Jesus and his people forever are our choice;
In peace and consolation we now are going on
The pleasant road to Canaan where Jesus Christ is gone
Sinners why stand ye idle, while we do march along
Has conscious never told you that you are going wrong.
Down the broad road to darkness beneath and endless curse
For sake your ways of sinning and come and go with us
But if you will refuse us we bid you all farewell
We are on the road to Canaan, and you the road to Hell
We are sorry for to leave you, we rather you would go
Come try a bleeding Saviour and feel salvation flow.
O sinners be awakened to see your lost estate,
Repent and be converted before it is too late.
Turn to the Lord by prayer and, daily search His Word
And never rest contented until you find the Lord
Now to the King Immortal be everlasting praise
For in His holy service we long to spend our days
Till we at Canaan, the celestial world above
To everlasting wonder to praise Redeeming Love.
Finis
Charlotte White Her Song
I write these lines for to betray
The thief that steals this song away
Still not this song for fear of shame
For above these lines is the owner’s name
Charlotte White is my name and Newengland is my nation.
Westport is my dwelling place and Heaven is my salvation
When this you see
Remember me
Though far from me
Your distance be
Miss Charlotte White
Is my chief delight
Day or night
As I do think ??
Westport, October 14th Day, 1798.
The Westport Historical Society is planning an exhibit of the works of Ted Mead at the Bell School, 25 Drift Rd., Head of Westport, on June 19-20. We possess many of his excellent photographs, but know that there must be others in private hands. We also know that he did water color paintings, and should like to be able to display some of them as well. If you have any photos, or more importantly, paintings done by Ted Mead; and should be willing to have them displayed for two days at the Bell School, please contact the Society at 508-636-6011; PO Box 3031 Westport MA 02790. Recollections and anecdotes about Mead would also be welcome.
Did Herman Melville ever visit Westport? We will probably never know, but the following item from The Melville Log (Edited by Jay Leyda, NY:Gordian Press, 1969) suggests that he may have: “NEW YORK Late April? M writes to Henry Willcox in Westport. (We are looking out for Tom to return every day his ship [Theophilus Chase] has been reported in the papers several times lately as homeward bound and Herman wrote to the owner at Westport and received answer that he looked for the ship the first of May. That has already past and we are daily expecting a letter to announce her actual arrival. Then Herman will have to go over to Westport for Tom and see that he is regularly discharged and paid, and bring him home . . . As you may suppose Mother [Melville] is watching and counting the days with great anxiety for he is the baby of the family and his mothers pet. – (Elizabeth Melville to her step-mother, May 5) The Theophilus Chase returned on May 6.
We thank Werner Berthoff, Professor of English Literature at Harvard and former President of the Melville Society and a summer resident of Westport for providing us with information about Melville's possible visit here.