 | BIOGRAPHY
William Learned Marcy
Secretary of State,
Term of Appointment:
03/07/1853 to
03/06/1857
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- Born in Sturbridge (now Southbridge), Massachusetts, December 12, 1786;
- Graduated from Brown University in 1808;
- Admitted to the bar in 1811 and commenced practice in Troy, New York;
- Married Dolly Newell in 1812 (died 1821);
- Served in the War of 1812;
- Recorder of Troy 1816-1818 and 1821-1823;
- Adjutant General of New York in 1821;
- State Comptroller 1823-1829;
- Married Cornelia Knower about 1825;
- Associate Justice of the State Supreme Court 1829-1831;
- Senator from New York 1831-1833;
- Governor of New York 1833-1838;
- Member of the Mexican Claims Commission 1840-1842;
- Secretary of War in President Polk's Cabinet 1845-1849;
- Resumed the practice of law; was commissioned Secretary of State in President Pierce's Cabinet March 7, 1853, entered upon his duties March 8, 1853, and served until March 6, 1857;
- As Secretary of State, negotiated or directed the negotiation of numerous treaties, among them the Gadsden Treaty of 1853 with Mexico and the reciprocity treaty of 1854 with Great Britain, and settled various delicate problems of international relations, among them the Koszta case with Austria, the Black Warrior case with Spain, and the Patrice Dillon case with France;
- Died at Ballston Spa, New York, July 4, 1857.
Released on July 15, 2003
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