After first serving as Abraham Lincoln’s personal secretary, John Hay rose to prominence in the wake of the Civil War. He was appointed Secretary of State under President William McKinley and remained in the position when Theodore Roosevelt assumed the Presidency.
Early Life
John Milton Hay was born in 1838 and went on to attend Brown University. While studying law in Springfield, Illinois, Hay met Abraham Lincoln. Hay worked on Lincoln’s Presidential election campaign, and, once elected, served as his private secretary. Hay later co-wrote a ten-volume book regarding the late President.
Hay later served in several diplomatic posts throughout Europe. In 1870, Hays returned to the United States to pursue journalism. He worked for the New York Tribune for five years, writing editorial articles for New York’s leading reform publication.
Political Career
After helping President McKinley secure the Presidency, McKinley appointed him Ambassador to the United Kingdom. In 1898, Hay became Secretary of State. As Secretary, Hay is best known for the Open Door policy, which was intended to ensure that China remained open to trade with all countries on an equal basis. The policy became a foundation of U.S. foreign trade policy for years to come.
During his tenure as head of the State Department, Hays also negotiated the settlement of the Alaska-Canada boundary controversy. When President McKinley was assassinated, Hay remained Secretary of State under President Theodore Roosevelt. After negotiating several treaties, he helped clear the path for the United States to construct the Panama Canal in 1903.
