Description
John Milton Hay worked on Lincoln’s election campaign and was his private secretary. He was present at Lincoln’s deathbed and co-authored, along with John Nicolay, a multivolume biography of the president. It is said that Hay became like a son to Lincoln after Willie Lincoln died in 1862. After the war Hay found positions in the diplomatic corps, spending many years in Europe. John Hay worked as the assistant editor for the New York Tribune under Horace Greeley and eventually became the United States secretary of state serving under both William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt. John Hay took charge of the negotiations with Colombia for the Panama Canal and predicted the insurrection of the Isthmus that led to the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty, giving the U.S. the right to build the Panama Canal.
The secretary of state was created as part of the president’s cabinet beginning with the administration of George Washington. Washington created four cabinet positions to provide him with a source of key advisers, in the form of the attorney general, secretary of the treasury, secretary of state, and secretary of war. Current presidential cabinets are made up of sixteen officers. Members are chosen by the president and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. The secretary of state is regarded as the most senior position in the Cabinet and is fourth in the line of succession to the president.
This John Hay history mug is part of our Secretary of State series which includes the many unique individuals who served as U.S. Secretary of State.
The biographical History Mugs were created to teach and inspire individuals to learn about our diverse and interesting history. The biographies were researched and written by history enthusiast, Robert Compton. He colorized most of the historic photos and images used on the mugs, which were originally black and white or sepia-tone. The images and biographies are imprinted on mugs at his studio in rural Vermont.
- Mugs are food and microwave safe.
- To preserve photographic quality we recommend hand washing.
- Mugs are usually shipped within 3-5 days.
