Hay, John

Hay, John: see Tweeddale, John Hay, 2d earl and 1st marquess of.

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Hay, John (Milton)

(born Oct. 8, 1838, Salem, Ind., U.S.—died July 1, 1905, Newbury, N.H.) U.S. diplomat and writer. He studied law in Springfield, Ill., where he met Abraham Lincoln. He served as President Lincoln's private secretary (1861–65) and then held diplomatic posts in Europe (1865–70). After writing editorials for the New York Tribune (1870–75), he served as assistant secretary of state (1879–81). He coauthored a 10-volume biography of Lincoln (1890). He was appointed ambassador to Britain (1897–98) by Pres. William McKinley. As secretary of state (1898–1905), Hay helped negotiate the end of the Spanish-American War, supported the decision to retain the Philippines for the U.S., promulgated the Open Door policy, and negotiated treaties that gave the U.S. an exclusive right to build the Panama Canal.

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Hay, John (Milton) (1838–1905) journalist, historian, poet, diplomat; born in Salem, Ind. After working in a law office next to Abraham Lincoln's in Springfield, Ill., he served President Lincoln in the White House as assistant private secretary from 1861–65 in a close relationship that has been described as resembling that of father and son. He then served at diplomatic posts in Paris (1865–76), Vienna (1867–68), and Madrid (1869–70). His widely-known ballads were collected in Pike County Ballads (1871), and from 1870–75 he was staff editorial writer at the New York Tribune. After serving as assistant secretary of state (1879–81), he completed with George Nicolay his monumental Abraham Lincoln: A History (1890), making him a sort of political poet laureate. In 1897 he was successful as ambassador to Britain. As secretary of state (1898–1905), Hay authored the Open Door policy, instituted regular press conferences, and paved the way for the building of the Panama Canal, making his office and American foreign policy of worldwide influence.