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Popular American orator and former president of Harvard University. Passionate Unionist.

He was a social acquaintance of the Seward family. Fanny Adeline Seward mentions him in her 1862-63 diary. He gave the speech that immediately preceded Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address" in 1863. His accomplishments include serving in the US House of Representatives, as governor of Massachusetts, US minister to England, and president of Harvard University. He and his wife Charlotte Gray Brooks had several children, one of whom is Charlotte Brooks Wise (nee Everett). Fanny later mentions Charlotte as "Mrs. Wise" and daughter to Edward Everett.

He graduated from Harvard University in 1811 and was then a tutor there from 1812 to 1814. He studied theology and was ordained pastor of the Brattle Street Unitarian Church, Boston, in 1814. He was a professor of Greek literature at Harvard from 1815 to 1826, and then the overseer of Harvard University from 1827 to 1847, 1849 to 1854, and 1862 to 1865. He was elected to the 19th-23rd Congresses (1825-1835), but declined to be a candidate for renomination in 1834. He was then elected Governor of Massachusetts from 1836 to 1840. He was appointed United States Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Great Britain from 1841 to 1845, but declined a diplomatic commission to China in 1843. He was appointed Secretary of State by President Millard Fillmore in 1852 to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Daniel Webster, which he maintained until 1853. He was elected as a Whig to the US Senate and served from  1853 until his resignation in 1854. He was unsuccessful candidate for vice president of the United States in 1860 on the Constitutional-Union ticket.

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Biography and Citation Information:
Biography: 
Popular American orator and former president of Harvard University. Passionate Unionist. He was a social acquaintance of the Seward family. Fanny Adeline Seward mentions him in her 1862-63 diary. He gave the speech that immediately preceded Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address" in 1863. His accomplishments include serving in the US House of Representatives, as governor of Massachusetts, US minister to England, and president of Harvard University. He and his wife Charlotte Gray Brooks had several children, one of whom is Charlotte Brooks Wise (nee Everett). Fanny later mentions Charlotte as "Mrs. Wise" and daughter to Edward Everett. He graduated from Harvard University in 1811 and was then a tutor there from 1812 to 1814. He studied theology and was ordained pastor of the Brattle Street Unitarian Church, Boston, in 1814. He was a professor of Greek literature at Harvard from 1815 to 1826, and then the overseer of Harvard University from 1827 to 1847, 1849 to 1854, and 1862 to 1865. He was elected to the 19th-23rd Congresses (1825-1835), but declined to be a candidate for renomination in 1834. He was then elected Governor of Massachusetts from 1836 to 1840. He was appointed United States Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Great Britain from 1841 to 1845, but declined a diplomatic commission to China in 1843. He was appointed Secretary of State by President Millard Fillmore in 1852 to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Daniel Webster, which he maintained until 1853. He was elected as a Whig to the US Senate and served from 1853 until his resignation in 1854. He was unsuccessful candidate for vice president of the United States in 1860 on the Constitutional-Union ticket.
Citation Type: 
Website
Citation URL: 
http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=e000264
Title of Webpage: 
Everett, Edward
Website Viewing Date: 
Tuesday, April 29, 2014 - 11:15
Website's Last Modified Date: 
Tuesday, April 29, 2014 - 11:15
Citation for Birth Info:
Citation Type: 
Website
Citation URL: 
http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=e000264
Title of Webpage: 
Everett, Edward
Website Viewing Date: 
Tuesday, April 29, 2014 - 11:15
Website Last Modified Date: 
Tuesday, April 29, 2014 - 11:15
Citation for Death Info:
Citation Type: 
Website
Citation URL: 
http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=e000264
Title of Webpage: 
Everett, Edward
Website Viewing Date: 
Tuesday, April 29, 2014 - 11:15
Website Last Modified Date: 
Tuesday, April 29, 2014 - 11:15