
Roosevelt's first letter, written at age five to his mother Sara Roosevelt ("Sallie") who had been ill in her room at Hyde Park. She later supplied the date - "1887" - on beginning her collection.
F.D.R. : His Personal Letters, Early Years (2005), edited by Elliott Roosevelt http://books.google.com/books?id=8p25NCpzU7YC&pg=PA6, p. 6]
1880s