William Evarts

William Evarts was a prominent American Bar Association lawyer and statesman who served as the United States Secretary of State under Rutherford B. Hayes. He was a key figure in the Alabama Claims and played a crucial role in the Treaty of Washington (1871), which resolved disputes between the United States and the United Kingdom. Evarts was also a skilled New York City Bar Association lawyer and argued several cases before the Supreme Court of the United States, including the Reconstruction Era case of Mississippi v. Johnson. He was a member of the Republican Party (United States) and worked closely with other notable politicians, such as Ulysses S. Grant and Chester A. Arthur.

● Early Life and Education

William Evarts was born in Boston, Massachusetts, to a family of Yale University graduates, including his father, William Maxwell Evarts Sr., and his grandfather, Roger Sherman. He attended Yale College and later Harvard Law School, where he studied under prominent lawyers such as Joseph Story and Theophilus Parsons. Evarts was admitted to the New York State Bar Association in 1841 and began practicing law in New York City, where he became a member of the New York City Bar Association and worked with other notable lawyers, such as Daniel Webster and William Seward. He was also a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the New York Historical Society.

● Career

Evarts' law career spanned several decades and included cases before the Supreme Court of the United States, such as Luther v. Borden and Gibbons v. Ogden. He was a skilled appellate procedure lawyer and argued cases involving United States constitutional law, including the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Evarts was also a member of the American Law Institute and worked with other notable lawyers, such as Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. and Louis Brandeis. He was a strong supporter of the Federalist Society and its goals, including the promotion of judicial restraint and originalism. Evarts was also a member of the Harvard Law Review and the Yale Law Journal.

● Politics and Diplomacy

Evarts' entry into politics began with his involvement in the Whig Party (United States), where he worked with other notable politicians, such as Abraham Lincoln and Henry Clay. He later joined the Republican Party (United States) and became a key figure in the Rutherford B. Hayes administration, serving as the United States Secretary of State from 1877 to 1881. During his tenure, Evarts played a crucial role in the Treaty of Washington (1871), which resolved disputes between the United States and the United Kingdom over the Alabama Claims. He also worked closely with other notable diplomats, such as Hamilton Fish and James G. Blaine, to resolve disputes with Canada and Mexico. Evarts was a strong supporter of the Monroe Doctrine and its goals, including the promotion of United States foreign policy in the Western Hemisphere.

● Later Life and Legacy

After leaving office, Evarts returned to his law practice in New York City and continued to argue cases before the Supreme Court of the United States, including the notable case of Pollock v. Farmers' Loan & Trust Co.. He remained a prominent figure in New York City politics and was a member of the New York State Republican Committee. Evarts was also a strong supporter of the Columbia Law School and the New York University School of Law, and worked with other notable lawyers, such as Benjamin Cardozo and Felix Frankfurter. He was a member of the American Philosophical Society and the National Academy of Sciences.

● Personal Life

Evarts was married to Helen Minerva Wardner Evarts and had several children, including Maxwell Evarts and Elizabeth Hoar Evarts. He was a member of the Episcopal Church (United States) and attended Trinity Church (New York City). Evarts was also a member of the Union Club of the City of New York and the Century Association. He was a strong supporter of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the New York Public Library, and worked with other notable figures, such as J.P. Morgan and Andrew Carnegie, to promote the arts and education in New York City. Evarts was also a member of the American Museum of Natural History and the New York Botanical Garden. Category:United States Secretaries of State