Picture of Teddy Roosevelt and The Teddy Bear?

Question

I have a picture of Teddy Roosevelt with a Teddy Bear on his lap. I am thinking it may have been taken after the bear was named after him. My Great Great Grandfather is sitting next to him and I am trying to find this picture somewhere online! I am dying to find out the history of this pic. PLEASE HELP!
Thanks!

Answer 1

I am sorry that I can't help you with any knowledge about that specific picture. I do know that no Teddybears existed before he famously, (thanks to a newspaper man publishing the story), refused to shoot a bear cub during a rather poor hunt. The first ones made were called Teddy's Bears.

My guess might be that such a picture was taken during his 1904 presidental campaign. The bears were brand new and the President made them the mascot of his campaign. If he was ever to pose with a children's toy, even one named after him, that's the time I'd see him doing so.

That really sounds like a cool pic though. You might want to think about uploading such a pic to a TR site someday. A lot of history buffs, as well as teddybear fans, would get a kick out of it.