Who is John Hay

John Milton Hay (October 8, 1838 – July 1, 1905) was an American statesman and official whose career in government stretched over almost half a century. Beginning as a private secretary and assistant to Abraham Lincoln, Hay's highest office was United States Secretary of State under Presidents William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt. Hay was also an author and biographer, and wrote poetry and other literature throughout much of his life.

Born in Indiana to an anti-slavery family that moved to Warsaw, Illinois when he was young, Hay showed great potential, and his family sent him to Brown University. After graduation in 1858, Hay read law in his uncle's office in Springfield, Illinois, adjacent to that of Lincoln. Hay worked for Lincoln's successful presidential campaign and beca...
Read Full Biography

---

John Hay Poems

• Words
  When violets were springing
  And sunshine filled the day,
  And happy birds were singing
  The praises of the May,...
• When The Boys Come Home
  There's a happy time coming,
  When the boys come home.
  There's a glorious day coming,
  When the boys come home....
• Una
  In the whole wide world there was but one,
  Others for others, but she was mine,
  The one fair woman beneath the sun.
  ...
• Too Late
  Had we but met in other days,
  Had we but loved in other ways,
  Another light and hope had shone
  On your life and my own....
• To The Young
  After Heine.
  
  
  Let your feet not falter, your course not alter...

Read All Poems

---

John Hay Quotes

• All who think cannot but see there is a sanction like that of religion which binds us in partnership in the serious work of the world.
• True luck consists not in holding the best of the cards at the table luckiest is he who knows just when to rise and go home.

Read All Quotes

---

Comments about John Hay

• Odonbd: "the hay wain" (1821) – originally titled "landscape: noon" – by john constable.
• Godores85: 1/2 from jon meacham’s lincoln bio “and there was light”: general grant, john hay recalled, was “deeply impressed with…the late presidential election. the point which impressed him most powerfully was that which i regarded as a critical one—the pivotal centre of our history
• Pdl1945: a true patriot, john hay john hay: the most important person you have never heard of
• Johnaceyaguel2: uce you to mr. and mrs. francis hay moulton. the l promo voucher iherb coupon code vitamin protein s er jones tossed john
• Jimnelsontv: was at the cmsd board of education meeting for other reasons last night, but we were rolling as the john hay (state runner-up) and glenville (state champs) cheer teams were honored. congrats!

Read All Comments