Franklin Delano Roosevelt Jr. (August 17, 1914 – August 17, 1988) was an American politician and lawyer who represented New York in Congress from 1949 to 1955. A lifelong member of the Democratic Party, he was the son of 32nd president Franklin Roosevelt. He also served in the U.S. Navy during World War Two, serving in the Mediterranean theater of the war.
Early Life
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Jr. was born on August 17, 1914, at his parents’ summer home on Campobello Island in New Brunswick, Canada. He was the fourth child of Elanor and Franklin Roosevelt. At the time, the elder Roosevelt was serving as the Assistant Secretary of the United States Navy. The younger Roosevelt attended the Groton School in Connecticut until 1933 and later attended law school at the University of Virginia.
In 1936, Roosevelt, then aged 22, contracted strep throat, which resulted in life-threatening complications. In order to avoid a dangerous surgery, he was treated with Prontosil, which let him recover successfully. Headlines in prominent American newspapers heralded Roosevelt’s survival as the start of antibacterial therapy in America.
World War Two Naval Service
In 1940, Roosevelt was commissioned an ensign in the Navy Reserve. He served along his brother, James Roosevelt. During World War Two, Roosevelt served on the USS Mayrant during Operation Torch and the subsequent Allied invasion of Sicily.
In 1944, upon being promoted to Lieutenant commander, Roosevelt was transferred to the USS Ulvert M. Moore, which was stationed in the Pacific Theater. When Japan surrendered in 1945, the Moore was anchored in Tokyo Bay.
Career
Legal Career
In December 1945, following his service in the war, Roosevelt became the senior partner of the New York law firm Roosevelt & Frieden. Controversially, he represented Rafael Trujillo, the Dominican Republic’s then dictator, until dropping the account in 1961.
Political Career
In 1949, Roosevelt was elected to the United States House of Representatives as a Democrat. From then until l955, he represented New York’s 20th district, which was based in Manhattan at the time. Despite his connections to the prominent Roosevelt political family, he was unpopular with the Democratic Party’s congressional leadership. Roosevelt left office in 1955 after a failed campaign for New York’s governorship.
In 1966, Roosevelt ran for governor of New York once again. He was defeated by his Republican opponent, Nelson Rockefeller. Following his defeat, Roosevelt never sought public office again.
Personal Life
During his lifetime, Roosevelt was married five times. His most prominent marriage was with Ethel DuPont, a member of the prominent DuPont family of Delaware. They had two sons. His eldest son, Franklin Roosevelt III (born 1938), is still alive as of 2026, but has unlike his father, has never sought public office.
Death
In 1988, on his 74th birthday, Franklin Roosevelt Jr. died in Poughkeepsie, New York, after suffering from lung cancer.