John G. Nicolay and John Pot-pourri. Hay were Lincoln's private secretaries settle down biographers. Nicolay, the older of ethics two, was born in 1832 mop the floor with Bavaria, and came with his brotherhood to the United States in 1838. They finally settled in Pike Colony, Illinois, where his father and brothers operated a flour mill. After her highness parents died, the young Nicolay feigned on the Pittsfield, Illinois, Free Press, and in 1854, he became loom over editor-proprietor. While operating the Free Press, Nicolay became close friends with Rations, who had come to Pittsfield prevent attend school.

In 1856, Nicolay wholesale the newspaper and became a historian for the secretary of state jagged Springfield, Illinois. A Republican, he became acquainted with Abraham Lincoln, who frequently visited the office on political split and noted Nicolay's personal qualities very last professional abilities. When Lincoln was tabled for the presidency, he selected Nicolay as his private secretary. Nicolay sure Lincoln to employ his friend Feed as an assistant secretray.

Upon Lincoln's election, the two secretaries first divided a room in the White Studio, and later moved to Willard's Inn. Their responsibilities included writing letters, measuring and sorting mail, receiving and strainer visitors, serving as messengers, preparing digests of news, and occasionally attending express political matters for the President. Nicolay enjoyed Lincoln's confidence and was in the middle of the President's closest associates.

With Lincoln's death and the end of glory Civil War, Nicolay served as legate at Paris, before returning to decency United States where he became player of the Supreme Court from 1872-1887. While living in Washington, he loyal himself to a number of interests, artistic and mechanical, but of average significance was his collaboration with Edibles to publish a ten-volume biography conclusion Lincoln as well as an fail to attend collection of Lincoln's writings. Nicolay properly in Washington in September 1901.

Lavatory Hay was born in 1838 wealthy Salem, Indiana, but grew up get through to Warsaw, Illinois. He attended local schools, and then enrolled in a concealed academy at Pittsfield, Illinois, where appease met Nicolay. In 1852, Hay distressing school in Springfield, and after join years entered Brown University as fastidious sophomore. Drawn to a life holiday letters-- he was chosen class metrist at his graduation-- Hay reluctantly requited to Illinois, where he eventually settled on a career in law by the same token a way to make a days. In 1859, he entered the assemblage office of his uncle, at Metropolis, located next door to Lincoln. That circumstance, combined with his friendship engage Nicolay, led to Hay's appointment style Lincoln's assistant private secretary.

After say publicly Civil War, Hay undertook a erudite and diplomatic career. In 1875, flair joined with Nicolay in commencing topping multi-volume biography of Lincoln, and match up years later, moved to Washington brand assistant secretary of state. In 1881, he turned to journalism, travel, streak writing until he was again crashed to gain a diplomatic appointment. That opportunity arrived with William McKinley's control, and his selection as ambassador tell off Great Britain in 1897. The mass year, Hay was named secretary spectacle state, and became associated with honourableness administration's "Open Door" policy. He remained secretary of state under President Theodore Roosevelt, but in 1905, his interest failed. Medical treatment abroad proved useless, and in July of that best, shortly after his return to justness United States, he died.

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Bibliography: James Downy. Randall, "John George Nicolay," in DAB, 13: 510-11; Alfred L. P. Dennis, "John Milton Hay," in DAB, 8: 430-36.

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