Edward Everett

Biography

Edward Everett (April 11, 1794 – January 15, 1865) was an American politician, Unitarian pastor, educator, diplomat, and speaker from Massachusetts. Born in Dorchester, Massachusetts, he became a well-known public figure in the United States before the Civil War, holding a wide range of important positions throughout his career. As a member of the Whig Party, he served as a U.S. Representative, U.S. Senator, the 15th Governor of Massachusetts, Minister to Great Britain, and Secretary of State, making him one of the most adaptable statesmen of his time.

Everett began his education at Phillips Exeter Academy before earning his degree from Harvard University. He briefly served as minister at Boston's Brattle Street Church but soon moved into academia, accepting a professorship at Harvard that needed further study abroad. He spent two years at the University of Göttingen in Germany, becoming one of the first Americans to earn a doctorate there, and then traveled widely across Europe for two more years. Upon returning, he taught ancient Greek literature at Harvard, gaining a reputation as a scholar and speaker of great skill.

His political career took off when he entered the United States Congress in 1825, serving for ten years. He was elected Governor of Massachusetts in 1835, and during his time in office, he pushed for the creation of the state Board of Education, the first in the nation, which had lasting effects on American public schooling. After narrowly losing the 1839 gubernatorial election, he was appointed Minister to Great Britain, a role he held until 1845. He later became President of Harvard but found the position increasingly unsatisfying and resigned after three years. In 1849, he joined his friend Daniel Webster in the State Department, and after Webster's death in 1852, Everett became Secretary of State, serving until early 1853, when he became a U.S. Senator from Massachusetts.

Everett is perhaps best known for his role at the dedication of the Gettysburg National Cemetery on November 19, 1863. As the main speaker at the event, he delivered a well-researched and eloquent address that lasted over two hours. President Abraham Lincoln followed with his brief but historically important Gettysburg Address. Everett wrote to Lincoln the next day, acknowledging that Lincoln captured the occasion's essence more effectively in two minutes than he had in two hours. Everett died in Boston on January 15, 1865, just months before the end of the Civil War, which he had worked hard to prevent through compromise and union.