Lincoln, Nicolay and Hay
Biographies of Abraham Lincoln frequently speak of John Nicolay, Lincoln's private secretary, and John Hay, Nicolay's assistant. The two men spent a great deal of time by Lincoln's side during the challenging presidency. They later became Lincoln's biographers and each had impressive careers in their own right. Hay went on to serve as Secretary of State under Presidents William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt.
John George Nicolay was actually born under the name Johann Georg. He was born on February 26, 1832 in Essingen, Rhenish Bavaria. (In a 1992 documentary about Lincoln, Nicolay's voice actor is Arnold Schwarzenegger). In 1838, he immigrated to the United States with his father and attended school in Cincinnati. He later moved to Illinois, where he became the editor of the Pike County Free Press at Pittsfield. As a newspaper editor, he enjoyed some political influence in the state. It was through this connection that he became assistant to the Illinois Secretary of State, and then met Abraham Lincoln.
In 1861, Lincoln appointed Nicolay as his private secretary. It was the first official act of his new administration. Nicolay served in this capacity until Lincoln's death in 1865. Shortly before his assassination, Lincoln had appointed Nicolay to a diplomatic post in France.After the death of the President, Nicolay became United States Consul at Paris, France (from 1865 to 1869). When he returned to the United States, he edited the Chicago Republican newspaper. He served as Marshal of the United States Supreme Court from 1872 to 1887). Nicolay died on September 26, 1901.
John Milton Hay was born in Salem, Indiana on October 8, 1838, the third son of Dr. Charles Hay and Helen Leonard. He attended school at Pittsfield, Illinois in Pike County, where he met John Nicolay. In 1855 he attended Brown University, where he developed an interest in poetry. When he graduated, he was named Class Poet. He left Brown in 1858 before receiving his diploma and went home to Warsaw to study law with his uncle, Milton Hay.
Abraham Lincoln's law office was next door to the law office of Milton Hay, John's uncle, and Lincoln thus became acquainted with young John Hay. When Lincoln won election as president, his secretary, John G. Nicolay, recommended Hay to Lincoln as assistant private secretary. Though technically a clerk in the Interior Department, he served as Lincoln's secretary until 1864. Nicolay and Hay lived in the northeast corner bedroom on the second floor of the White House.
For a few months, Hay served in the Union Army under Generals David Hunter and Quincy Adams Gillmore. He rose to the rank of major and was later brevetted lieutenant colonel and colonel. Hay's diary and writings during the Civil War are basic historical sources. Hay is said to have been the real author of some of Lincoln's Letters to mothers of deceased soldiers, including Lincoln's famous letter to Mrs. Bixby, consoling her for the loss of her sons in the war. Hay was present when Lincoln died after being shot at Ford's Theatre.
Between 1865 and 1870, Hay served as secretary of legation at Paris (1865–7) and Madrid (1867–8), and chargé d'affaires at Vienna (1868–70). In 1878 he became assistant secretary of state in the Hayes administration. Hay was named U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom in 1897 when William McKinley became President. In August 1898, Hay was named by President McKinley as Secretary of State and helped negotiate the Treaty of Paris of 1898, which ended the Spanish–American War. He continued serving as Secretary of State after Theodore Roosevelt succeeded McKinley, serving until Hay's death in 1905.
Nicolay and Hay collaborated on Lincoln's official biography, which appeared in The Century Magazine serially from 1886 to 1890 and was then issued in book form as ten volumes, together with the two-volume Complete Works of Abraham Lincoln, between 1890 and 1894. Nicolay and Hay also edited Lincoln's Works in twelve volumes (published in 1905).
John George Nicolay was actually born under the name Johann Georg. He was born on February 26, 1832 in Essingen, Rhenish Bavaria. (In a 1992 documentary about Lincoln, Nicolay's voice actor is Arnold Schwarzenegger). In 1838, he immigrated to the United States with his father and attended school in Cincinnati. He later moved to Illinois, where he became the editor of the Pike County Free Press at Pittsfield. As a newspaper editor, he enjoyed some political influence in the state. It was through this connection that he became assistant to the Illinois Secretary of State, and then met Abraham Lincoln.
In 1861, Lincoln appointed Nicolay as his private secretary. It was the first official act of his new administration. Nicolay served in this capacity until Lincoln's death in 1865. Shortly before his assassination, Lincoln had appointed Nicolay to a diplomatic post in France.After the death of the President, Nicolay became United States Consul at Paris, France (from 1865 to 1869). When he returned to the United States, he edited the Chicago Republican newspaper. He served as Marshal of the United States Supreme Court from 1872 to 1887). Nicolay died on September 26, 1901.
John Milton Hay was born in Salem, Indiana on October 8, 1838, the third son of Dr. Charles Hay and Helen Leonard. He attended school at Pittsfield, Illinois in Pike County, where he met John Nicolay. In 1855 he attended Brown University, where he developed an interest in poetry. When he graduated, he was named Class Poet. He left Brown in 1858 before receiving his diploma and went home to Warsaw to study law with his uncle, Milton Hay.
Abraham Lincoln's law office was next door to the law office of Milton Hay, John's uncle, and Lincoln thus became acquainted with young John Hay. When Lincoln won election as president, his secretary, John G. Nicolay, recommended Hay to Lincoln as assistant private secretary. Though technically a clerk in the Interior Department, he served as Lincoln's secretary until 1864. Nicolay and Hay lived in the northeast corner bedroom on the second floor of the White House.
For a few months, Hay served in the Union Army under Generals David Hunter and Quincy Adams Gillmore. He rose to the rank of major and was later brevetted lieutenant colonel and colonel. Hay's diary and writings during the Civil War are basic historical sources. Hay is said to have been the real author of some of Lincoln's Letters to mothers of deceased soldiers, including Lincoln's famous letter to Mrs. Bixby, consoling her for the loss of her sons in the war. Hay was present when Lincoln died after being shot at Ford's Theatre.
Between 1865 and 1870, Hay served as secretary of legation at Paris (1865–7) and Madrid (1867–8), and chargé d'affaires at Vienna (1868–70). In 1878 he became assistant secretary of state in the Hayes administration. Hay was named U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom in 1897 when William McKinley became President. In August 1898, Hay was named by President McKinley as Secretary of State and helped negotiate the Treaty of Paris of 1898, which ended the Spanish–American War. He continued serving as Secretary of State after Theodore Roosevelt succeeded McKinley, serving until Hay's death in 1905.
Nicolay and Hay collaborated on Lincoln's official biography, which appeared in The Century Magazine serially from 1886 to 1890 and was then issued in book form as ten volumes, together with the two-volume Complete Works of Abraham Lincoln, between 1890 and 1894. Nicolay and Hay also edited Lincoln's Works in twelve volumes (published in 1905).