---
title: 'Friday Funny'
type: post
author: 'R. Andrew Myers'
date: 2018-08-24
url: https://confessional.org/blog/2018-friday-funny
---

# Friday Funny

Eleanor Butler Roosevelt (née Alexander) (1888-1960) was the wife of Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. (1887-1944) and the great-grandchild of [Archibald Alexander (1772-1851)](/authors/archibald-alexander) and Janetta Alexander (née Waddel) (1782-1852). Janetta’s father was the famed [Blind Preacher of Virginia, James Waddel (1739-1805)](/blog/2018-the-blind-preacher-of-virginia).

Eleanor Roosevelt wrote a 1959 book titled *Day Before Yesterday: The Reminiscences of Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.* in which she recounted an anecdote from the courtship of Archibald Alexander and Janetta Waddel.

“When he asked for her hand in marriage her father said, ‘There is something I think I should tell you about Janetta’s suitability as the wife of a clergyman. While her Latin is excellent and her Greek good, her Hebrew leaves much to be desired."