Now look that damn cowboy as president of the United States.

That was the reaction of Ohio Senator Mark Hanna after learning that his close political

ally President William McKinley had been assassinated.

That damn cowboy was Theodore Roosevelt.

Roosevelt had literally been a cowboy.

He'd also been a war hero, politician, historian, explorer, big game hunter, ornithologist, and serious amateur boxer. And that's not even a complete list. Now he was adding another job, 26 President of the United States.

Theodore Roosevelt was born in New York City on October 27th, 1858 to a patrician family of Dutch heritage. Home schooled for his

entire youth, he benefited from tutors and widespread foreign travel. In 1876 he entered Harvard. When he wasn't editing the

campus literary magazine he was rowing, boxing, and participating in a half

dozen Harvard social clothes. But it would be a mistake to think the TR had an easy life.

As a boy, he suffered from asthma,

poor eyesight,

chronic headaches, fevers, and stomach pains.

But he overcame those disabilities

with the determination that would become his trademark.

Eventually, he increased both his strength and stamina, which he showed off to others with an

irrepressible boyish enthusiasm that charmed many and annoyed many.

Inspired by his father's civic-mindedness, he chose a career in politics.

In 1881, he was elected to the New York State Assembly.

Within a year, just 24 years old, he became his party's minority leader. Then it all came crashing down. Both his

wife Alice and mother Martha died within hours of each other on of all days Valentine's Day 1884.

Grief stricken Roosevelt fled the concrete canyons of New York for the real canyons of the Dakota Territory.

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