Edward Oliver Wolcott
Encyclopedia
Edward Oliver Wolcott was a prominent American
politician during the 1890s, who served for 12 years as a Senator
from the state of Colorado
.
A native of Hampden County, Massachusetts
, Wolcott moved to Ohio as a boy and served in the One Hundred and Fiftieth Regiment of the Ohio
Volunteer Infantry
during the American Civil War
. In 1875, he graduated from Harvard Law School
and moved to Colorado where he set up a law practice.
In 1879, Wolcott moved to Denver, where he began his political career as a Colorado state senator (1879–1882). In 1889, he was chosen to represent Colorado in the U.S. Senate, as a member of the Republican Party. He was reelected in 1895, and was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1901, 1902 and 1903.
While in Washington, D.C.
, Wolcott was a leading advocate for the coinage of silver. In 1897, President McKinley
named him chairman of the commission sent to Europe
to report on international bimetallism
.New International Encyclopedia
He was a popular host and guest in Washington society. He was chairman of the Committee on Civil Service
(Fifty-first and Fifty-second Congresses), and Retrenchment Committee on Post Office and Post Roads (Fifty-fourth through Fifty-sixth Congresses).
In 1901, Wolcott was denied renomination to the Senate, which ended his political career. He once again took up the practice of law in Colorado, and maintained that practice until his death (which happened while he was on vacation in Monte Carlo
).
Wolcott's remains were cremated, and the ashes were interred at Woodlawn Cemetery
in New York City
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician during the 1890s, who served for 12 years as a Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from the state of Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
.
A native of Hampden County, Massachusetts
Hampden County, Massachusetts
-Demographics:As of the census of 2004, there were 461,228 people, 175,288 households, and 115,690 families residing in the county. The population density was 738 people per square mile . There were 185,876 housing units at an average density of 301 per square mile...
, Wolcott moved to Ohio as a boy and served in the One Hundred and Fiftieth Regiment of the Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
Volunteer Infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. In 1875, he graduated from Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
and moved to Colorado where he set up a law practice.
In 1879, Wolcott moved to Denver, where he began his political career as a Colorado state senator (1879–1882). In 1889, he was chosen to represent Colorado in the U.S. Senate, as a member of the Republican Party. He was reelected in 1895, and was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1901, 1902 and 1903.
While in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, Wolcott was a leading advocate for the coinage of silver. In 1897, President McKinley
William McKinley
William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
named him chairman of the commission sent to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
to report on international bimetallism
Bimetallism
In economics, bimetallism is a monetary standard in which the value of the monetary unit is defined as equivalent both to a certain quantity of gold and to a certain quantity of silver; such a system establishes a fixed rate of exchange between the two metals...
.New International Encyclopedia
New International Encyclopedia
The New International Encyclopedia was an American encyclopedia first published in 1902 by Dodd, Mead and Company. It descended from the International Cyclopaedia and was updated in 1906, 1914 and 1926.-History:...
He was a popular host and guest in Washington society. He was chairman of the Committee on Civil Service
Civil service
The term civil service has two distinct meanings:* A branch of governmental service in which individuals are employed on the basis of professional merit as proven by competitive examinations....
(Fifty-first and Fifty-second Congresses), and Retrenchment Committee on Post Office and Post Roads (Fifty-fourth through Fifty-sixth Congresses).
In 1901, Wolcott was denied renomination to the Senate, which ended his political career. He once again took up the practice of law in Colorado, and maintained that practice until his death (which happened while he was on vacation in Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco....
).
Wolcott's remains were cremated, and the ashes were interred at Woodlawn Cemetery
Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx
Woodlawn Cemetery is one of the largest cemeteries in New York City and is a designated National Historic Landmark.A rural cemetery located in the Bronx, it opened in 1863, in what was then southern Westchester County, in an area that was annexed to New York City in 1874.The cemetery covers more...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.