John Hay American politician Date of Birth: 08.10.1838 Country: USA

1. Early Life and Education
2. Meeting Abraham Lincoln
3. Secretary to Lincoln
4. Involvement in Lincoln's Assassination
5. Diplomatic Career
6. Journalism and Return to Politics
7. Secretary of State
8. Foreign Policy Achievements

Early Life and Education

John Hay was born in Salem, Indiana, and raised in Warsaw, Illinois. He attended the Pittsfield Academy in 1851, where he met his future colleague, John G. Nicolay. Hay continued his education at Springfield College in 1852 and Brown University in 1855. At Brown, he developed a passion for poetry and became an influential figure in the local literary scene. He left Brown in 1858 without completing his degree and returned to Warsaw to study law under his uncle, Milton Hay.

Meeting Abraham Lincoln

Milton Hay's office was adjacent to that of Abraham Lincoln, and it was through this connection that John Hay met the future president. When Lincoln was elected, Nicolay, who had become his secretary, recommended Hay as assistant secretary. This appointment marked the beginning of Hay's political career, which he would retain for the rest of his life, except for a brief interruption in journalism from 1870-1878.

Secretary to Lincoln

Officially, Hay held a clerkship in the Department of the Interior, but from 1862 until 1864, he primarily served as Lincoln's secretary. He lived with Nicolay in the White House and played a significant role in Lincoln's administration. Hay also served briefly in the Union Army, rising to the rank of major and later being promoted to colonel. His wartime diaries have become valuable historical records.

Involvement in Lincoln's Assassination

John Hay was present at Ford's Theatre on the day that John Wilkes Booth assassinated President Lincoln. Following the assassination, Hay and Nicolay collaborated on a 10-volume biography of the president and published a collection of his writings.

Diplomatic Career

From 1865 to 1870, Hay served as secretary of the legation in Paris and Madrid and as chargé d'affaires in Vienna. In 1878, he became assistant secretary of state under President Hayes.

Journalism and Return to Politics

Hay briefly left politics for journalism in 1870, becoming editor of the "New York Tribune" under Whitelaw Reid. In 1897, he was appointed ambassador to the United Kingdom, where he is credited with improving relations between the two countries.

Secretary of State

In August 1898, President McKinley appointed Hay secretary of state. In this role, he played a key role in the negotiations leading to the Treaty of Paris of 1898. Hay remained secretary of state under President Theodore Roosevelt until his death in 1905.

Foreign Policy Achievements

As secretary of state, Hay implemented several important initiatives, both domestically and internationally. Notably, he introduced the "Open Door Policy" toward China. John Hay's legacy as a statesman, diplomat, and author remains significant to this day.