William Nelson Cromwell
Encyclopedia
William Nelson Cromwell (January 17, 1854 – July 19, 1948) was an American attorney active in promotion of the Panama Canal
and other major ventures.
He was born in Brooklyn
, New York
, and raised there by his mother, Sarah M. Brokaw, a Civil War widow. His father, John Nelson Cromwell, died in the Battle of Vicksburg
.
He worked as an accountant for the attorney Algernon Sydney Sullivan
, who paid for his education at Columbia Law School
and made him a partner in Sullivan & Cromwell
in 1879.
According to Stephen Kinzer
's 2006 book Overthrow
, in 1898 the chief of the French Canal Syndicate (a group that owned large swathes of land across Panama), Philippe Bunau Varilla, hired him to lobby the US Congress to build a canal across Panama
, and not across Nicaragua
, as rivals would have it.
On June 19, 1902, three days after senators received stamps showing volcanic activity in Nicaragua (although this was more the work of Philippe-Jean Bunau-Varilla
), they voted for the Panama route for the canal. For his lobbying efforts, he received the sum of $800,000.
One of his main pro bono activities was in the founding of "The Society of Friends of Roumania" in 1920 under the patronage of Her Majesty Queen Marie of Romania
, granddaughter of Queen Victoria of England
. The New York-based Society under his tutelage promoted numerous exchanges between the two countries and published the distinguished "Roumania — A Quarterly Review".
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
and other major ventures.
He was born in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, and raised there by his mother, Sarah M. Brokaw, a Civil War widow. His father, John Nelson Cromwell, died in the Battle of Vicksburg
Battle of Vicksburg
The Siege of Vicksburg was the final major military action in the Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War. In a series of maneuvers, Union Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and his Army of the Tennessee crossed the Mississippi River and drove the Confederate army of Lt. Gen. John C...
.
He worked as an accountant for the attorney Algernon Sydney Sullivan
Algernon Sydney Sullivan
For the Louisiana Republican politician, see Algernon Sidney Badger.Algernon Sydney Sullivan was a New York lawyer. Sullivan, together with William Nelson Cromwell, founded Sullivan & Cromwell in 1879....
, who paid for his education at Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School, founded in 1858, is one of the oldest and most prestigious law schools in the United States. A member of the Ivy League, Columbia Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Columbia University in New York City. It offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in...
and made him a partner in Sullivan & Cromwell
Sullivan & Cromwell
Sullivan & Cromwell LLP is an international law firm headquartered in New York. The firm has approximately 800 lawyers in 12 offices, located in financial centers in the United States, Asia, Australia and Europe. Sullivan & Cromwell was founded by Algernon Sydney Sullivan and William Nelson...
in 1879.
According to Stephen Kinzer
Stephen Kinzer
Stephen Kinzer is a United States author and newspaper reporter. He is a veteran New York Times correspondent who has reported from more than fifty countries on five continents. During the 1980s he covered revolution and social upheaval in Central America...
's 2006 book Overthrow
Overthrow (book)
Overthrow: America's Century of Regime Change from Hawaii to Iraq is a book published in 2006 by award-winning New York Times foreign correspondent and author Stephen Kinzer about the United States's involvement in the overthrow of foreign governments from the late 19th century to the present...
, in 1898 the chief of the French Canal Syndicate (a group that owned large swathes of land across Panama), Philippe Bunau Varilla, hired him to lobby the US Congress to build a canal across Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
, and not across Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
, as rivals would have it.
On June 19, 1902, three days after senators received stamps showing volcanic activity in Nicaragua (although this was more the work of Philippe-Jean Bunau-Varilla
Philippe-Jean Bunau-Varilla
Philippe-Jean Bunau-Varilla , commonly referred to as simply Philippe Bunau-Varilla and Monsignor Brun Varilla, was a French engineer and soldier...
), they voted for the Panama route for the canal. For his lobbying efforts, he received the sum of $800,000.
One of his main pro bono activities was in the founding of "The Society of Friends of Roumania" in 1920 under the patronage of Her Majesty Queen Marie of Romania
Marie of Romania
Marie of Romania was Queen consort of Romania from 1914 to 1927, as the wife of Ferdinand I of Romania.-Early life:...
, granddaughter of Queen Victoria of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The New York-based Society under his tutelage promoted numerous exchanges between the two countries and published the distinguished "Roumania — A Quarterly Review".