The New Student's Reference Work/Olney, Richard

RICHARD OLNEY

Ol′ney, Richard, an American jurist and statesman, was born at Oxford, Mass., Sept. 15, 1835. He graduated from Brown University in 1856, and afterward spent three years in the Harvard Law School. When admitted to the bar he began the practice of law at Boston and rapidly rose to fame. He took no active part in politics until, during the administration of President Cleveland, he was called to a place in his cabinet as attorney-general, afterward as secretary of state. On the return of the Republicans to power he resumed the practice of law at Boston, having won distinction in the settlement of various important matters of state upon which he was called to act during his career in the cabinet.