William Ousley Roosevelt (* 6 February 1871; † 29 July 1918 in Baden-Baden[1]) was an American industrialist and a second cousin of the 26th U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt. From 1900 to 1914 he was part of Baden-Baden society, where he did much for golf in particular.
Life in Baden-Baden
Roosevelt was among the first presidents of the Golf Club Baden-Baden, founded in 1901 and the third-oldest golf club in Germany, and held the office from 1902 to 1909.[2] As a major sponsor, he shaped the early days of golf in the town.
In 1908, together with his wife, he bought the site of the Villa Guaita on Kaiser-Wilhelm-Straße and commissioned the Baden-Baden architects Julius Schober and Peter Eurich to build a stately residence. Completed in 1910, the Villa Montrose served as his home until his death. He remained the owner of the property even after the outbreak of the First World War.
Legacy
Roosevelt has left two lasting marks on Baden-Baden. The Villa Roosevelt at the start of Kaiser-Wilhelm-Straße is named after him. In 1904 he also donated a cup for the “First annual handicap competition for the Baden-Baden Golf Club Challenge Cup”, initially known as the Schwarzwald-Pokal.[2] Now called the Roosevelt-Cup, the tournament is still held every year.
Relationship to the U.S. President
William and the 26th U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt shared a great-grandfather, Jacobus (James) Roosevelt (1759-1840). Their grandfathers were siblings and their fathers were cousins.[3] William was therefore a second cousin of the President.
Sources
- Robert Erhard: Aus der Chronik der Kaiser-Wilhelm-Straße. Self-published
References
- ↑ Robert Erhard: Aus der Chronik der Kaiser-Wilhelm-Straße. Self-published, p. 65
- ↑2.1↑2.2 Präsidentengalerie, Golf Club Baden-Baden e.V., accessed 18 July 2026 (Archived)
- ↑ Genealogy of the Roosevelts (no longer available) (Archived)