William M. Evarts

William M. Evarts
United States Senator from New York
In office March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1891
Preceded by	Elbridge G. Lapham
Succeeded by	David B. Hill
27th United States Secretary of State
In office March 12, 1877 – March 7, 1881
President	Rutherford B. Hayes
Preceded by	Hamilton Fish
Succeeded by	James G. Blaine
29th United States Attorney General
In office July 17, 1868 – March 4, 1869
President	Andrew Johnson
Preceded by	Henry Stanbery
Succeeded by	Ebenezer R. Hoar
Personal details
Born	William Maxwell Evarts (1818-02-06)February 6, 1818 Charlestown, Massachusetts, U.S.
Died	February 28, 1901(1901-02-28) (aged 83) New York City, U.S.
Political party	Whig (Before 1860) Republican (1860–1901)
Spouse	Helen Bingham Wardner (m. 1843-1901, his death)
Children	12 (including Maxwell Evarts)
Relatives	Jeremiah Evarts (father) Roger Sherman (grandfather) Maxwell Perkins (grandson) Allen Wardner (father-in-law)
Education	Yale University (BA) Harvard University
Signature

William Maxwell Evarts (February 6, 1818 – February 28, 1901) was an American lawyer and statesman from New York who served as U.S. Secretary of State, U.S. Attorney General and U.S. Senator from New York. He was renowned for his skills as a litigator and was involved in three of the most important causes of American political jurisprudence in his day: the impeachment of a president, the Geneva arbitration and the contests before the electoral commission to settle the presidential election of 1876.^[1]

During the presidency of Rutherford B. Hayes, the reform-minded Evarts was an active member among the "Half-Breed" faction of the Republican Party, which emphasized support for civil service reform,^[2] bolstering opposition towards conservative "Stalwarts" who defended the spoils system and advocated on behalf of Southern blacks.